Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translations
Volume Nine--Arrival in Kyoto
from the front flap--
Watsuki: But it makes everyone happy, this fan service . . .
Saitou: Such greed. You don't know your own limits.
ABOUT THE "MAKING OF THE CHARACTERS" SECTION
When I wrote about Saitou Hajime in Volume Seven, I received a lot of opinions from readers again. "Writing about
these things and picking fights with your readers will hurt, you know." Um, the truth is, this corner is already hurting
me as a manga artist. I end up confessing everything I hoped wouldn't get out. It's difficult, this service for my readers.
Part 67--The Budding of Violence
Misao (thinking): This cop . . . he knows Himura?
(they hear screams from the village)
Misao: Oh yeah--Himura!
(Kenshin breaks a spear with his sword and knocks down the last of the soldiers.)
(Misao: He's not even out of breath . . . Wow . . . )
Saitou (to Kenshin): Hey. What are you wasting your time here for?
Kenshin: What are you doing here?
Saitou: My job. One of my men informed me that Shishio was here. Since I still had some
time before the subjugation forces reached Kyoto, I decided to come on foot. However, I
didn't know the man's present whereabouts.
Kenshin: You mean the boy's brother was a police spy . . .
Saitou: Boy?
(Eiji steps forward.)
Saitou: I see. Mishima Eiichirou was originally from Shingetsu. That's why I sent him, so
he could infiltrate the village without raising suspicions. Probably he was discovered, and
tried only to protect his family . . . Idiot. He should have waited for my arrival.
Misao: How can you talk like that about one of your own dead men!
Saitou: Hey, who is this-- (quick: if Megumi = fox, and Kaoru = tanuki, then she must be a--)
weasel girl?
Misao: I'll kill you! Kill! (Take this, Kansatsu . . .)
Kenshin: That's just how he is. If you get angry at everything he says you'll be here
forever.
Saitou: Feh.
Kenshin: More importantly, we should take them down quickly and mourn for them.
Misao: You're right.
Villager: Wait! (the men of the village have gathered before them.) You can't cut them
down. If you do Senkaku will be angry. We are helpless before him. Until we get Senkaku's
permission, we will leave them as they are.
Misao: What are you saying? They were from your village! You're still going to obey Senkaku
after this?!
Villager: If we defy Senkaku, it means death . . . obeying him means life. In order not to
make things worse for the village, you outsiders and the Mishimas should leave. Eiji, you
understand.
Saitou (placing a hand on Misao's head): Don't be angry. There aren't many people who are
brave enough to place their life on the line to defend their honor and dignity as a human being.
Just surviving, like an animal, you don't need honor and dignity.
Villagers: That's easy to say.
What does an outsider know.
You police are no help.
That's right.
First Villager: Anyway, we cannot permit you to take down the bodies. Leave us now.
(Kenshin steps forward.)
Misao: Himura!
(He slashes the ropes.)
Saitou: The condition of this village will be the fate of Japan in Shishio's new era.
People will be controlled with terror and violence. They will seek only to survive, losing
all honor and dignity.
(The crowd filters away.)
Villagers: If the village is destroyed it will be your fault!
That killer!
Kenshin: Saitou . . . did the government abandon this village?
Saitou: Not just this one. More than ten have been abandoned to Shishio. The police trying
to recover them are already in retreat.
Misao: I don't really know what's going on here, but if the police can't do it why don't you
use the army?
Saitou: Idiot. It's only been half a year since the Southwest War. If the army is
mobilized again it will show our unrest to the foreign powers.
Misao: How can you think of that at a time like this!
Saitou: Even so, we wouldn't get permission to use the army in the first place. No one
wants to share Governor Okubo's fate.
Kenshin: I see. There's a possibility of reclaiming the villages if the army was used.
But then a retaliatory assassination would be inevitable.
Saitou: It's very difficult for those in government to prevent assassinations. You know that.
The officials are only human. They value their own lives and think, "Someone else will take
care of the problem."
Misao: Somebody--who's 'somebody'?! Who's going to help the village! Who's going to avenge
the boy!
Saitou: The village, the police, the army, the government; they're all helpless before
Shishio Makoto. (to Kenshin) That's why people like you and I are necessary. We've
identified the location of Shishio's inn. Will you go there before Kyoto?
Kenshin: Yes.
Misao: I'm going too!
Saitou: No. You stay here.
Misao: No way! I'm not letting him get away with this!
Kenshin: Miss Misao.
Misao: What! No one's telling me what I--
Kenshin: Stay here with Eiji.
(At an inn by a hot spring. Soujirou lounges by the door to the spring; one of Shishio's men
cringes on his knees before it.)
Man: Please, forgive me! At the Hakone peak Himura Battousai suddenly entered the forest
and we lost sight of him. We put our full efforts into searching for him, but . . .
(Inside, Shishio is bathing. Seen without his bandages, his skin is almost totally
black.)
Soujirou: What are you going to do, Mr. Shishio?
Shishio: It's all right. I'll let it go. After my first hot spring bath in half a year
I'm in a good mood. Go find him before I change my mind.
Man: Tha-thank you!!
Soujirou: That's nice. But next time you make a mistake, I won't be so forgiving.
(The man hurries away as a soldier comes in.)
Soldier: Lord Seta!
Soujirou: Noisy, aren't you? What is it?
(The soldier whispers in his ear.)
Soujirou: Really . . . Mr. Shishio, Mr. Shishio.
Shishio: What is it this time?
Soujirou: The man with the scar on his left cheek and the policeman who carries a Japanese
sword are approaching the inn.
Shishio: I see . . . Isn't it just like my predecessor to show up unannounced. Soujirou,
bring them to me. And have Senkaku prepare the battleground.
(In the village, Misao and Eiji are digging a grave.)
Eiji (thinking): I'll kill him. That bastard Senkaku . . . I'll kill him with my own hands!