Rurouni Kenshin (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Kenshin - Himura Battosai - full transcript

Bakumatsu, Kyoto

There's no need to worry.

I, after all, am the captain
of the Shinsengumi First Unit.

Did you think I didn't know
about your lung disease?

I will kill him.

I, the captain of the Shinsengumi
Third Unit, Saitou Hajime...

Get ready.

Hitokiri Battosai...

Rurouni Kenshin

Episode 1: Kenshin - Himura Battousai

The 11th Year of the Meiji Era,
Downtown Tokyo



Hitokiri Battosai!

At long last I've found you.

Tonight is the end of your killing spree.

Be prepared!

Oro?

Don't play dumb with me.

Who else would defy
the law and walk around

with a sword in the
middle of the night?

Wow...

Ouch... that hurt.

He's too weak...

This is really that
Hitokiri Battosai?

Rurouni.

I'm a Rurouni.



A traveling swordsman with
no specific destination.

I just arrived to this town so I'm
not sure what you mean by murder.

Then how do you explain that sword?

Just because you are a swordsman
doesn't mean you can carry a blade!

What is this...?

Sakabato...?

Do you really think I can
slay a man with this?

No.

Not only does this sword show no wear,

it has no smear of blood.

It's as good as new.

Then you're really just a...

A Rurouni, yes.

But why carry a sword you can't use?

The police!

I have to go!

Wow!

Seems like something’s going on.

Too weak!

Too weak,

too weak, too weak!

You bums are too weak!

He's too strong...
this strength has got to be...

the legendary Battosai!

Hold it right there...

Battosai!

Darn I–

What a reckless person you are.

Rurouni.

The bandit is over here!

I am Battosai!

Himura Battosai of the
"Kamiya Kasshin-ryu"!

The one they call "Hitokiri Battosai"!

Stop!

Hey! What are you doing!?
Put me down!

Chasing your opponent
while injured is a suicidal act.

Your opponent stated his style
so there's no need to rush...

Kamiya Kasshin-ryu is my fighting style!

He's been committing these
atrocities in our name!

Put me down!

It's not too late to chase after him!

It's not possible to catch up to him now.

Let's leave before the police
decide to question us.

Put me down!

Kamiya Kasshin-ryu...

Assistant instructor Kamiya Kaoru...

Students...

Oro?

We were a small dojo.

But we had ten good students,
all training hard.

But two months ago,

that murderer appeared,
and now it's like this.

In fear of the name of
"Battosai" my students left,

and people in the town don't
even want to get near the dojo.

Hitokiri Battosai is feared,
even in this time of Meiji.

I don't know why he deceives Kamiya
Kasshin-ryu or if he really is Battosai,

but we need to end his cruel
act as soon as possible.

I see.

But you should stop patrolling at night.

Eh?

He's far stronger than you, Miss Kaoru.

What!

A swordsman must know his
opponent's strength and his own.

You should know what will
happen next time you face him.

The prestige of your school
isn't worth your life...

Kamiya Kasshin-ryu...

Kamiya Kasshin-ryu was
developed by my father,

who survived the violence
of the Bakumatsu.

He rejected the ethics of Satsujin-ken,
"swords that give death".

For ten years he struggled
to create a style

based on Katsujin-ken,
"swords that give life".

But even my father...

was drafted by the Metropolitan Police
Department's Battou Corps

and sent to fight in the
Seinan War six months ago.

Leaving this world far from his own will.

That guy who calls
himself Hitokiri Battosai

has already killed
10 people in our name.

The school left to me by my father...

A style that aims to make people live,

is now defiled by a murderer!

I don't expect a mere Rurouni
to understand such shame!

But...

either way, a night watch is
not possible with that arm.

The best thing for you to do
now is to get some rest.

If you truly believe in Katsujin-ken,
you have a duty to keep yourself alive.

Besides...

I'm sure your honored father
wouldn't want his

school protected at the
cost of his daughter's life.

Excuse me.

Okay! You're good to go now.

Thanks, Kihei.

Ms. Kaoru, don't let a guy
like him get to you.

A Rurouni is just a dropout of life.

Yeah.

You are much too kind
of a person, Ms. Kaoru...

I know...

I do know about that...

Rurouni Kenshin

A Few Days Later

Hey, stay still!

Stop moving!

Oh, did they arrest somebody?

Ororo...

Rurouni!

What did he do?

As you can see,
violation of the Sword Banning Edict.

Hmm?

You look familiar.

You're from the dojo
of Hitokiri Battosai...

I've told you that
that's a false accusation!

Who do you think you're talking to!?

Are you trying to oppose a police officer!?

Stop bragging that you're a police officer!

What did you say!?

Well, well, well.
Don't get so angry.

Let's keep things calm here...

Hey.

I'll let you go this time but don't
think you'll have another chance.

You better thank that old man.

Jerk!

Thanks for saving me from trouble.

You're welcome.

You were...

still in this town?

You've got something to do here?

No, not really.

By the way,
any update on the murderer hunt?

Yeah...

I did come up with one likely suspect.

There is a dojo in the neighboring town.

I see.

But it's more like,
it used to be a dojo.

Now it's a hangout for
gamblers and rogues.

Then two months ago,

a swordsman from a samurai clan
started to control the place.

And it's said that he's a
6 shaku, 5 sun (197cm) giant.

Doesn't this sound strange?

Two months ago is when
the murders started,

and he was also a giant.

There aren't so many giant men
who match this description...!

Ms. Kaoru,

I've got dinner to prepare so
if you could excuse me...

Oh okay, thanks.

Excuse me.

What's your relationship with him...?

Oh, Kihei?

I guess he's like a housekeeper.

Right around my father died,

He collapsed outside the dojo
and I helped him out.

He worries about me a lot and

tells me to sell the dojo and
live quietly together somewhere.

Where did he come from?

I haven't asked him so I don't know.

You're pretty trusting.

You think so?

It's fine.

Everyone has a past or two
that they don't want to talk about.

Isn't that the same for you?

Isn't that the reason
why you are a Rurouni?

You're right.

I've got an idea!

You don't have money
for lodging anyway, right?

Why don't you come over to my place?

I've got some stuff to take care of,
so maybe next time.

Oh, wait.

Was there something else?

Ummm...

Well... about the other day...

I didn't even thank you for saving me
and even called you names...

Ummm...

Well...

I'm sorry.

Do you have a fever?

Hey! I'm apologizing here!

Ah... you're right.

Don't worry.

A Rurouni doesn't worry
about small things.

Miss Kaoru shouldn't worry either.

Nevertheless, what is it that
he needs to take care of?

A dojo in the neighboring town...

No wonder I couldn't find him
no matter where I looked in this town.

Excuse me, excuse me!

"Kiheikan" Excuse me, excuse me,
excuse me, excuse me, excuse...

Shut up! Who the heck are you?

Is the sensei...

Hiruma-sensei is out right now!

Come back another time!

Oh, his name is Hiruma.

You came here without knowing that?

Well, I thought his name was...

"Street Killer Battosai".

It seems like Miss Kaoru's
suspicions were correct.

Something wrong, Mr. Nishiwaki?

Who is that midget?

Don't worry, he's just a rat.

Get rid of him.

Oh no, it cracked by itself...

Ms. Kaoru.

Kihei... you need something?

Well, it's about the sale of the dojo.

As I've told you before,
I have no intention to sell the dojo...

But, as you can see here,
all the documents are prepared.

Kihei?

All there is left is your seal.

Then this property will belong to us.

Hey!

It's you!

Hiruma Gohei, my younger brother.

I really don't like doing it this way.

I'd prefer to make a legal purchase.

But now that you know who my brother is,
I can't take any chances.

Gaining trust by playing a
friendly old man was as planned.

You are a good-hearted person but
too stubborn when it comes to kenjutsu.

So I made my brother commit
murder and disgrace your dojo.

The name Hitokiri Battosai
also worked very well,

even though his existence is questionable!

Thanks to that,
we got this far in just two months!

By my estimate,
the government policies of

"Culture and Enlightenment"
and "Westernization"

will increase the value of
this land by five or six times.

It's such a waste to keep it as a dojo.

Kihei...

I heard from my brother...

"Swords that give life" is your motto.

Interesting.

How about saving your own life?

Just as I thought.

A woman with that philosophy can't fight.

The goal is violence,
the essence is killing!

That's the purpose of a sword!

Now this place belongs to us.

The end of Kamiya Kasshin-ryu.

What's wrong, Nishiwaki?

Too... strong...

Ru... Rurouni!

Sorry, I was late.

I heard the full story.

It's you again.

Are you, like this little girl,
thinking swords can give life?

No...

A sword is a weapon.

Kenjutsu is the art of killing.

No matter what kind of clean words
you use, that is the ultimate truth.

What Miss Kaoru is saying...

are words by those who have
never dirtied their hands.

Rurouni...

But...

I like Miss Kaoru's idealism
better than kenjutsu's true nature.

Hopefully, in the future,
her ideals will become the true nature.

Hey brother, you don't mind
me killing him, right?

No.

Beat him to death.

Hey guys!

Yes sir!

Rurouni, run!

I don't want to unnecessarily
increase casualties.

If you don't like visiting doctors,
then hurry up and back off.

There won't be any casualties!

There will only be a dead body of yours!

What the heck!

He's knocking down four to five
people with just one swing...!

Is it some kind of sorcery!?

No, it's not sorcery.

This is...

Speed!

The sword's speed, his body's speed, and
the speed to read the opponent's move...

He's making the most of his speed and
finishing off multiple opponents

at the same time with
the least amount of movement!

I forgot to mention one thing.

The style of the real Hitokiri Battosai
is not Kamiya Kasshin-ryu.

It's an ancient style that originated
during the Sengoku period.

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu" is its name.

Its specialty is its ability to defeat
numerous enemies single-handedly.

If it wasn't for a sword like this,

it would definitely kill a person.

It's a high-speed Satsujin-ken.

Does that mean...

You're the real Hitokiri Batt...

Sounds interesting!

I didn't realize you were this
strong from the last encounter!

You were hiding your strength.

Unlike you, I don't like to rage so much.

But now I'm regretting
that I didn't finish you.

I like your confidence.

But that's actually called conceit!

There's no need for two
Battosais in this world!

Over here.

I don't have any attachments
to the Battosai name,

but I can't pass it to someone like you.

Don't think this is all the punishment
you get for being the mastermind.

My goodness.

Those who send others to their
death are usually cowards.

Sorry, Miss Kaoru.

I didn't mean to hide or fool you.

But if it was possible,

I didn't want to talk about it.

Excuse me.

Take care.

Wa...

Hey wait!

How am I supposed to
run the dojo by myself!?

The least you could do
is to help me out a little!

I don't care about a person's past!

I don't recommend it.

It's your chance to regain
the honor of the dojo.

If you've got the real Battosai around,
it will become pointless.

I'm not asking you as a Battosai to stay,
but asking you as a Rurouni to st...

Okay, I got it.

If you want to go then leave.

But at least tell me your
name before you leave.

Battosai was the name of a patriot,
a long time ago.

Or do you not even want
to say your real name?

Kenshin.

Himura Kenshin.

That's the current name I go by.

I am tired from traveling, after all.

I am a Rurouni so I may
start wandering off again,

but if that is okay with you,
I would like to stay.

The beginning of this romantic tale

started in the 11th year of the Meiji era,
in downtown Tokyo,

with the visit of a Rurouni,
Himura Kenshin.

Wait, if you were a warrior from the end
of the Edo period, how old are you?

Don't tell me you're
over 30 with that face!?

Oro?

Next Episode:
Descendant of Tokyo Samurai, Myojin Yahiko