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<\/a>That\u2019s my favorite title line to write \u2013 if I like a series, anyway. And if I stuck around long enough to write it that means I probably liked it pretty well. The headline here is that a third season of Rurouni Kenshin 2023<\/em> was officially announced at the close of the second. That\u2019s obviously no surprise, but it\u2019s still a very significant moment in anime history. Because it means, in effect, that the \u201cJinchuu\u201d arc is confirmed. \u201cKyoto\u201d won\u2019t take up two full cours so unless S3 is one cour \u2013 which seems exceedingly unlikely as that would be too few to finish \u201cKyoto\u201d \u2013 we\u2019re finally getting \u201cJinchuu\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/a>Those not versed in the history of RuroKen<\/em> won\u2019t get just what that means to those that are and love it. The closest thing I can compare it to is when \u201cChimera Ant\u201d was confirmed. The wait had been seemingly endless, and as great as the 2011 Hunter X Hunter<\/em> adaptation was (better than this one, as good as it is), until Chimera Ant it was just covering old ground in a new (albeit wonderful) way. As great as Kyoto is, and Lidenfilms has grown into this adaptation of it handsomely, we have seen it already in anime form. It was inexplicable that Jinchuu sat unadapted for almost three decades, but it seems that\u2019s finally going to change.<\/p>\n<\/a>When is anybody\u2019s guess, but I wouldn\u2019t imagine the wait for S2 will be more than 18-24 months. In the meantime we have this finale to discuss, and of course the rest of this arc to look forward to. Kyoto isn\u2019t naturally designed to have a stopping point, so this version had to manufacture one to an extent. They didn\u2019t markedly change the plot to do so \u2013 the divergences in this episode were mostly minor and of the stylistic variety. Dialogue was added and characters grouped in such a way as to create the classic \u201ccalm before the storm\u201d ending, and that worked perfectly fine for me.<\/p>\n<\/a>The key event here is Houji taking it upon himself to act \u2013 no permission from the boss. Houji is undeniably a man of principles \u2013 you can take issue with those principles but not his dedication to them. He could talk for Japan but he backs it up, so fair play to him. He did indeed send out those duel invitations \u2013 to Kenshin, Saitou, and Sano. The duel in question is to be the Ten Swords (shouldn\u2019t they really change that name at this point?) versus the three amigos. Or so the challenges say, but Houji has other ideas.<\/p>\n<\/a>Fearlessly, the loyal dog defends his actions to the master. With the Rengaku gone, the Juppongatana are the biggest asset Shishio has in the quest to conquer Japan. They would have a huge numerical advantage if all nine of them fought the Kenshingumi trio. But given that Ken and Saitou at the very least are stronger than most of them, they\u2019d likely lose at least a couple (more) of the Ten Swords. So the duel will be only the strongest \u2013 Shishio, Soujirou, and Usui. The other five will go to the Aoiya and exterminate everyone there, both as revenge for their interference and to forestall any future resistance.<\/p>\n<\/a>The logic is pretty sound. But this kind of initiative is not part of the Shishio modus operandi. Shishio\u2019s response is to throw Houji under the bus. He blames him for the Great Kyoto Fire being a diversion, and Houji accepts this. In truth it makes sense, given that anything that shakes up absolute loyalty is a major threat to the group\u2019s chances. Not only does Houji accept the false accusations he embraces them<\/a> (I\u2019ve always thought he was a bit of an \u201cM\u201d). That\u2019s enough to convince Shishio of his resolve, and he takes up Houji\u2019s plan as his own.<\/p>\n<\/a>Part of Houji\u2019s thinking here may be that Shsishio and Kenshin\u2019s propensity to think similarly might make Shishio\u2019s plans too easy to decipher \u2013 something that might not be the case with his own. But Kenshin is not blind to the possibility that the Aoiya will be attacked given his own absence \u2013 he says as much to Yahiko in the climax. He rejects Okina\u2019s suggestion of a send-off party, declaring that he\u2019ll go to sleep early instead. Before that Kenshin makes another trip to visit Hiko<\/a>, and we\u2019re not privy to most of their discussion.<\/p>\n<\/a>This is where most of that added material comes in (Megumi isn\u2019t in Kyoto yet in the manga, for starters). In a sequence that is in the manga, Kaoru joins Kenshin on the rooftop<\/a> under the stars as the latter explains the impossible balance he must achieve in using Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki<\/em> against this foe \u2013 to avoid becoming a manslayer again without surrendering his own life. But soon Yahiko joins them<\/a>, scolding Kaoru for not taking the bull by the lips. Eventually the entire gang joins in<\/a>, and Yahiko is horrified to hear that Ken has no plans to take him to the duel. But Kenshin diplomatically assures the boy of the Aoiya\u2019s need for protection (and in truth, that\u2019s no lie).<\/p>\n