Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translation
Volume One--Kenshin * Himura Battousai
Bonus Story 1
the Vagabond --Tales of a Meiji Swordsman--
This short story was originally printed in this magazine about a year ago. Even though
it came out to be only 31 pages long, I remember it being really difficult. It was the first
time I was published in Jump Comics, and I threw myself into it body and soul, but when I
look at it now . . . (silence.) My deepest memory is of suddenly changing Kenshin (at this
time I didn’t use that name; his real name was Battousai then) and in the end when my boss a
nd I had a difference of opinion we ended up insulting each other. Now that the series is a
hit things have changed, though. When it was published in Jump, it was thought to be all
right, but I received over 200 letters in response. I didn’t reply to very many of them,
but I hope you will allow me to say thank you.
Raikouji Chitsuru--
The character began with a girl from "Sugata Sanshirou," a novel by Tomita Tsuneocho, who
didn’t just save people that were hurt but protected them before they were hurt. (Or
something like that.) However, Kaoru and Chitsuru look exactly alike . . . maybe they’re
twins separated at birth? (Now we’re entering the world of "Sugata Sanshirou" . . . )
Chitsuru was a well-liked character, so I thought if I had an opportunity I might
re-introduce her.
There’s not much to say about the character’s design. I just draw girls in hakamas. From a
female student to a girl who plays kendo, what’s next, a priestess?
the Vagabond--Tales of a Meiji Swordsman
(a scene of carnage)
Long ago in Kyoto, during the violent days of the Bakumatsu, there was a patriot
called Hitokiri Battousai. This man, who killed many during the slaughter, disappeared as
the violence neared an end.
Now, it is the year 1878, the tenth year of the Meiji era. In Tokyo--
(Two men are chasing a women--named Chitsuru--down a country road.)
Pursuer: Hey! Wait!!
Chitsuru (to the figure walking up the road): You there, please wait!
Vagabond (turning around): Oro?
Chitsuru (hiding behind him): I’m so glad you’re here! Good luck!
Vagabond: Oro ro?
Chitsuru: Don’t just sit there going oro! A weak maiden is being pursued, so rescue me!
Pursuer 1 (as they draw their knives): Listen you! We don’t want to hurt you, so hand over
the girl!
Pursuer 2: What the--he’s got a sword!
Pursuer 1: There’s an edict against wearing swords!
Vagabond (puzzled): That’s more for people like you.
Pursuer 1: What the hell! Just kill them both!
Vagabond: Tokyo isn’t exactly a quiet town these days, is it? There’s nothing for it.
(He scoops up Chitsuru and runs off.)
Pursuer 2: He-he’s running away?!
Pursuer 1: Wait, you--
(A little later)
Vagabond: Phew. They didn’t follow us all the way into town.
Chitsuru (hitting him): How long were you planning to hold me?!
Vagabond (rubbing his nose): Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it, so please forgive
me.
Chitsuru: You look like a swordsman, but you don’t act like one at all. And you ran away
from a fight.
Vagabond: It’s better to settle things without fighting.
Chitsuru: Pathetic. What do you carry a sword for then?
Vagabond: It doesn’t matter one way or the other. This sword isn’t something which could
kill. I’m just a vagabond, not a fighter who lives by his sword. A wandering masterless
samurai.
Chitsuru: Hmm. I thought there were no more samurai under the Meiji rule.
Vagabond: If that had been true, you would have learned from experience not to play with strange
men.
Chitsuru: What---!!
Vagabond: You mean that mess wasn’t a love affair gone wrong?
Chitsuru: I don’t know them at all!! They were just a couple of lechers!!
Vagabond: That was the first time you’ve seen them?
Chitsuru: I’m the only daughter of Raikouji, so I know all the local people. Well, let me
invite home to thank you for rescuing me.
Vagabond: Well, no, I--
Chitsuru: Hey, hey, keep up! Let’s go!
Vagabond: Okay.
(She leads him to a huge Western-style mansion)
Chitsuru: This is it. What’s the blank look for?
Vagabond: You’re dressed well, so I thought you were the daughter of a good family, but--
Chitsuru: Not quite. I’m just the granddaughter of a merchant of foreign goods. If
grandfather finds you he’ll be annoyed, so keep quiet.
Vagabond: Annoyed . . . ?
Chitsuru: It's just because you’re a swordsman. If he sees one he--
Grandfather (walking up behind them): Chitsuru.
Chitsuru: Grandfather?
Grandfather: Who is this?
Chitsuru: Um, I know it looks bad, but he’s no one strange. He’s a swordsman who saved me
from some lechers--
Grandfather: Go. No one who wears a sword is welcome in this house. Send him away at once.
(he walks on)
Chitsuru: No good, like I thought.
Vagabond: He really didn’t like me.
Chitsuru: It’s not just you. Grandfather hates all swordsmen and samurai.
Vagabond: Oro.
Chitsuru: Grandfather’s son and his bride, my parents--were killed. During the Bakumatsu,
they got mixed up in a fight between a patriot and a supporter of the Bakufu. It was more
than ten years ago but he still hasn’t let it go . . .
Vagabond (holding her): There, there. You poor thing. Go ahead and cry on my shoulder.
Chitsuru (hitting him): I didn’t say I hadn’t let it go! Think about it. I was just a baby
then. I don’t even remember my parent’s faces. So I’m not sad at all. You’re probably
thinking I’m heartless, but there’s nothing I can do. If I can’t remember I can’t remember.
Would you be sad if you’d never even seen your parent’s faces?! Did you cry for all
your cousins and second cousins and grandparents and ancestors that died before you were
born??
Vagabond: Set-settle down . . .
(She gradually regains her grip on her temper.)
Chitsuru: Oh, that’s right. I meant to thank you. I--
Vagabond: Really, there’s no thanks necessary. All I did was run away. I feel more sorry
about the whole thing than like I should be thanked.
(Chitsuru stares at him a moment.)
Chitsuru (thinking): He really doesn’t act like a swordsman at all . . .
Vagabond: Oro?
Chitsuru: I have to at least treat you to dinner. Where’s your inn? We can get them to
put something together for us.
Vagabond: No, it’s getting dark. It’s really all right.
Chitsuru: Come on, don’t be shy. Accept someone’s kindness.
(Later. The vagabond is sitting under a bridge.)
Vagabond (remembering): At the time of the Bakumatsu they got involved in a fight between a
patriot and a supporter of the Bakufu. They were killed--- By a patriot---
Chitsuru: Vaga-bo---nd! (she is carrying a picnic box all wrapped up.) Where is he?
(remembers him saying, "I didn’t have much money, so I’m sleeping under the bridge.")
(she hears footsteps behind her.)
Chitsuru: Oh, the vaga--
(the man from before grabs her.)
Pursuer 1: I thought we’d failed when that weird guy showed up. We got lucky.
Pursuer 2: All right, take the hostage back to the shrine. I’ll send the letter to Raikouji.
(A little later)
Vagabond (walking): I wonder if she’s really coming. I’m sure it was this way--
(he finds the lunchbox and her ribbon lying on the grass.)
(In a police station. The chief reads the ransom note.)
Chief: "To the foreign trader Raikouji Muneiwa. By filling your own pockets by trading in
foreign goods you have committed a grave offense and polluted the holy nation of Japan. It
is a crime that calls for the blood of your granddaughter as a punishment from heaven. But
if this is not so we will have mercy. Come alone to the Hai Shrine in the foothills of Mt.
Yuukyuu with a thousand yen if you want to spare her life. If you refuse our request your
granddaughter may never come home. The Shinshuu Konoe Samurai Forces of Heaven" It sounds
like some malcontents with a grievance against the government.
Raikouji: It must have been that samurai! Ten years, and they still take life after life!
Chief: I know your own samurai origins are painful to you. However, first we should scout
our the area so we can consider our plan carefully.
Raikouji: We have no time! I’m going!
Chief: You can’t. It could be dangerous--
Raikouji: I don’t care! I would die to keep my granddaughter safe!
Vagabond (sitting on the desk, reading the letter): It doesn’t say you have to do that.
Hmm, the Hai Shrine in the foothills of Mt. Yuukyuu . . .
Raikouji (throttling him): How long have you been here!
Vagabond: Not long . . .
Raikouji: How did you get in!!
Vagabond: Through the door, of course . . . (He pushes his hands away) More importantly,
no one has to die. While your granddaughter unfortunately lost her parents, it was over when
she was a child, without her knowing any deep grief. What do you think your death would help
now? To be left alone in the midst of grief--this should not happen to her. So I’ll make a
different response. You have had the grief of having a dear one stolen from you. You will
not taste another grief. (leaving) Excuse me.
Raikouji: How did that man get it? Stop him! He’s one of the men who took Chitsuru--
Chief: That man . . . It could be no other. That voice, that red hair . . . And there can
be no mistake about the cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. But it couldn’t be . . .
(At the shrine. Dozens of fighters are waiting on the steps.)
Fighter: It’s evening already, you--who is that? (drawing swords) What is he doing here?
Leader: Wait a moment. You don’t look like police. Are you Raikouji’s house
swordsman?
Vagabond: Is Miss Chitsuru all right?
Chitsuru (who is bound and gagged): Mmm mmm mm! (run for it!) Mmmm mmm mmm! (They’ll kill
you!)
Vagabond: It’s all right. Just wait a little longer.
Chitsuru: MMMM! (That’s not it!!)
Leader: But did you come alone to face us all? What can you gain from such loyalty? If the
government will ever restore the greatness of Japan once again, we must stand together. The
Forces of Heaven is a family all can join. Under Meiji era we cannot wear swords, we cannot
live as we once did. I am from a fallen samurai family. Aren’t you? Everyone here lost
their way of life because of the Meiji patriots. You understand. We are the same. We would
do much better as allies.
Vagabond: Not together.
Chitsuru (thinking): What?
Vagabond: Nationalism? Warriors? This is really just a kidnapping, for money. So many of
you to collect one young girl? Pathetic. There is nothing more contemptible than those who
cannot keep up with the times preying on the successful ones who could.
Fighter: That--
Vagabond: Forces of Heaven? It sounds good. But Forces of the Devil might be a better name.
Fighters: What happened to the humble attitude? You’ll regret those words!!
(They rush upon him, swords drawn. Chitsuru turns away. The vagabond quickly dispatches
the first few with a single blow.)
(Back at the police station.)
Raikouji: Himura Battousai?
Chief: One of the patriots of the Meiji era. I saw him once during the Bakumatsu, in Kyoto.
He devoted himself to work in the shadows of history. A warrior who killed enemy after
enemy with his deadly speed. For this strength and for his kills, he gained the name Hitokiri
Battousai. No one was left alive before his sword. He killed everyone--but it can’t be. Such
a killer must not exist in the Meiji era! All men to the scene!
(At the shrine. The only fighter left on his feet is the leader.)
Leader (standing up): You have a good arm. To have killed everyone . . . (He sweeps off
his cloak to reveal full armor) But you cannot destroy me!
Vagabond: Black iron armor . . .
Leader: Yes. The finest work, very rare. Even with your fine blade . . . (he throws his
cloak over the vagabond) you cannot kill me! (he shears through the cloak with his sword,
only to discover the vagabond behind him.)
Vagabond: You’re slow.
Leader: You dodged! But with the armor you cannot--
(The vagabond strikes his side, as the police arrive.)
Chief: We’re too late . . .
Vagabond: Before you consider your armor, you should first examine your opponent's weapon.
(The sword’s sharp edge is not facing the enemy’s side, but away from it.)
Chief: A reverse blade!?
Chitsuru (remembering): "This sword isn’t something which could kill."
(The leader collapses)
Policeman: They’re all alive, sir! Some have broken bones but none are in danger!!
Chief: . . . that fool . . . Hirokiri Battousai, why . . .
(the vagabond sheathes his sword. Sometime during the fight he has lost the string tying his
hair back.)
Vagabond: Because as a Hitokiri, I had no reason to kill. Are you all right, Miss Chitsuru?
There, there, so frightened you can’t even speak--
Chitsuru (hitting him): Don’t get carried away!
Vagabond: You’re right. (he hands back the ribbon she dropped) The Meiji age will be the
brightest yet. From now on I hope your life becomes bright.
(he turns to go)
Chitsuru: Wait! (she ties the ribbon in a firm bow in his hair.)
Vagabond: Oro?
Chitsuru: If you leave it loose it’ll get in your way. You can keep this.
Vagabond: No, really, I--
Chitsuru: I told you to accept other’s kindness! Stupid . . . Well, if you’re ever in town
again come by and see us. If you don’t I’ll never forgive you!
Vagabond: But--
Raikouji: No . . . I, too, ask you. Since I could not welcome you last time . . .
Vagabond: . . . I would be honored . . .
Long ago in Kyoto, during the violent days of the Bakumatsu, there was a patriot
called Hitokiri Battousai. This man, who killed many during the slaugher, disappeared as the
violence neared an end.
Now, it is the year 1878, the tenth year of the Meiji era. In Tokyo--he travels as a
vagabond.
(He walks through town. Two girls behind him are giggling.)
Girl 1: Eww, he’s wearing a ribbon.
Girl 2: But it kind of looks good on him.
Vagabond: Oro?
He wanders through the age--
Raikouji: But if he was a Meiji patriot how old must he be? He looked young, but he must
have been at least 30 . . .
(Chitsuru face-faults.)
Vagabond--Tales of a Meiji Swordsman--End