Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translations
Volume Seven--May 14, 1878
from the front flap--
Watsuki: Oh no!! I forgot to draw Kenshin’s sword!
Sanosuke: Your finish is weak.
I FINALLY DID IT!
I finally drew the cover for the comic. I just moved my workplace and my chief assistant
suddenly went on vacation, so there were a lot of odd jobs to do and rather than bother
people . . . Doing the color was just basically fun, so from now on I want to draw as much of
them as I can. But that’s really what I should be doing anyway. Am I really such a bad
person . . . ?
Part 48--the Wolf Revived
(A battlefield, long ago. Battousai stands amid fallen members of the Shinsengumi.)
Saitou: Okita. Stand aside.
Okita: No, there's no need to worry. I, after all, am the captain of the Shinsengumi first unit.
Saitou: But you have tuberculosis, don’t you? I’m not blind. The captain of the Shinsengumi
third unit, Saitou Hajime, will kill Hitokiri Battousai.
(He drops into his characteristic stance; right leg forward, sword held in the left hand
parallel to the body, right hand held in front along the blade. Battousai brings up his own
sword.)
Saitou: Let’s go.
Kaoru: Kenshin!!
(He blinks. He is sitting in the Maekawa dojo; Kaoru and Yahiko are staring at him.)
Yahiko: Hey, wake up.
Kaoru: Practice is over, Kenshin.
Kenshin: Kenshin . . . ?
(Kaoru and Yahiko exchange looks, then smack a cheek each.)
Yahiko: You, dummy. You know any other Kenshins?
Kaoru: What, are you still asleep? Come on, we’re going home. (dragging him off)
(On the way home.)
Kaoru: You usually sleep lightly, so I think when you sleep deeply, you’re dreaming of the
past.
Kenshin: It’s been a while since I dreamed of those days.
Yahiko: The Shinsengumi? You mean the famous rivals of the Ishin Shishi?
Kenshin: Yes. The ones I crossed swords with I don’t know how many times. The Shinsengumi
was originally a unit employed by the Bakufu’s Kyoto Defense (in Aizu), with the Edo Tama
region swordsmen, who passed through many vicissitudes of fortune, at their core. They wielded
the swords to protect the peace of Kyoto, when the Ishin Shishi wasn't yet organized and acted
one by one, making Kyoto a demon city of blood and drawn swords. Under their scarlet flag
bearing the character for loyalty and in their striped light yellow
jackets, they were also known as the
Miburo* who shook Kyoto with their swordsmanship and absolute lack of fear of death. They were
defeated by modern weapons and disappeared into the past, but they were probably the greatest
fighting force in the history of Japan; the largest, the strongest and the last great group of
swordsmen.
*At the time the unit was formed, they were stationed at the village of Mibu, so they were
called the Wolves of Mibu or Miburo.
Kaoru: But they were best at group swordsmanship, fighting many against one. That's cowardly.
Kenshin: It’s because they first worked to maintain the public peace. Naturally they couldn't
fight proper duels. And when you speak of strength, of course there were individual
differences. But the officers--the company captains of the first, second and third units,
out of the ten, were undoubtedly strong.
Yahiko: If it's a unit, why "company captain"? (Isn't that kind of strange?)
Kenshin: I don't know. (Why ask me?) But the first and second, and then the third captain . . . no matter
how many times we faced each other, we never reached a conclusion. (a pause) I’ve heard that
most of them have died by now . . . It’s too bad.
Yahiko: What’re you being so nice for? Weren’t they your enemies?
Kenshin: Well . . . certainly we were enemies, but I bore them no personal ill-will. We were
on different sides, but that doesn’t change the fact that we took our swords and our lives in
our hands for our beliefs. I feel closer to them than those of us in government positions . . .
Kaoru: Hmm.
Kenshin: I guess it is kind of weird.
Kaoru: No, it’s not that. It’s just a little unusual for you to talk so much about the past.
(Kenshin stops, shocked.)
It’s been a long time
Kaoru: Come on, what’re you just standing there for?
Yahiko: Let’s go!
Since I dreamed about those days. And I haven't been dreaming lately at all.
So why now . . .
(Sanosuke is sitting on the steps of the dojo.)
Sanosuke: Damn. All I wanted was some food. Where are those guys?
(A peddler approaches the dojo.)
Sanosuke: Who are you?
Peddler: How do you do? I’m a peddler from Tama; I have some unusual medicines called Ishida
powder. (taking off his cap) My name is Fujita Gorou.
(He looks exactly like Saitou of the Shinsengumi.)
Fujita: How about it? Ishida powder works on bruises, even broken bones . . .
Sanosuke: Hold it, hold it. I don’t live here. They’re all out now.
Fujita: Oh, I see. That’s too bad.
Sanosuke: Hey, you. What’s with those slanty eyes?
Fujita: These? Ha ha, I was born this way.
Sanosuke: Then what about these? (flipping Fujita’s hand over) You’re no medicine peddler;
those are shinai calluses. Who are you?
Fujita: You’re a clever man, Sagara Sanosuke. So Battousai’s not home. In that case,
(drawing a sword concealed behind his back) I’ll just have to leave him a present.
Sanosuke: You were hiding that thing . . . That’s what you came for from the start.
(thinking) This guy knows about Kenshin’s past . . . (out loud) All right! I accept!
I’ll ask who you really are with my fists!
(He punches him, knocking him back a pace, but Fujita only falls back into his stance.)
Fujita: I see. You have a good punch. You deserve the rumors that say you're a great
fighter.
Sanosuke (thinking): It had no effect?!
Fujita: But these are rumors from the Meiji world of peace. In Kyoto during the Bakumatsu, a
punch like that would mean nothing!
(He leaps forward, stabbing Sanosuke's right shoulder with lightning speed.)
translations by maigo-chan
last updated 1 jan 2001