Personality: Kenshin desires to protect every individual from danger without harming others. Formerly known as “the strongest hitokiri,” Kenshin is the main target of many old enemies and people who want to gain his title, thus he avoids letting others get too close to him personally for their own protection. However, he eventually begins relying on his friends, allowing them to fight alongside him. He also has a rivalry with the ex-Shinsengumi member Saitō Hajime since the Bakumatsu. Although they become partners in the series, they both know that one day they will finish their duel. After the end of the Jinchu arc, Kenshin challenges Saitō to end the rivalry, but Saitō refuses to fight since Kenshin is different from the time they were enemies. Throughout the series, a young woman named Kaoru develops strong romantic feelings for him, and he also comes to love her. Despite his feelings, he is constantly haunted by the wrongs committed in his past, and believes he does not deserve happiness. However, as he notes how Kaoru would feel if he dies, Kenshin decides not to leave her and regains a desire to survive. If he is not able to protect his loved ones, he begins to shift into his “Hitokiri Battōsai” personality, and takes extreme measures in order save others, caring little for the well-being of his opponents. However, Kenshin avoids changing his personality, swearing that he will never kill, and will try to avoid the deaths of as many people as possible. Most of the time, Kenshin refers to himself with the extremely humble pronoun “sessha” (translated in the manga by Viz as “this one”) and uses the formal verb “de gozaru” (conveyed by Media Blasters by phrases like “…that it is.”). He also addresses most women with an honorific which is generally reserved for feudal lords. In the English anime, “Miss Kaoru” is used instead of “Kaoru-dono.” When in his “Battōsai” mode, Kenshin changes from being polite to serious; one of his quotes, “de gozaru”, disappears and “sessha” is replaced with the more typical brash male pronoun “ore”.Throughout the series, Kenshin uses the quote “oro”, which expresses surprise or dismay. In the English dub, “oro” has been translated into “huh”. “Oro” is kept intact in the Viz manga.
Techniques: Kenshin is a practitioner of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū (lit. “Flying Heaven Honorable Sword Style”), also referred to in the series as “Ultrasonic Sword Style”, a fictional ancient sword art. Kenshin’s mastery of the style enables him to exercise superhuman speed and reflexes, study and predict his opponent’s movements in battle, as well as perform many powerful sword techniques. Among several of his Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū and battōjutsu skills, Kenshin can utilize Shinsoku (lit. “God-speed”), which allows him to quickly overpower and dispatch opponents with his sword before they have time to react.
Birthday: June 20, 1849, Age 28. Physical Attributes: Height: 158 cm, Weight: 48kg