Legend: Kenji's Name
Acoustic: kiri kiri mai - orange range
Frequency: December 20, 2005

"The first name of Kenji creates a dual nature for, on the one hand, you desire change and varied experiences in order to avoid monotony, and yet you are attuned to system, order, and attention to detail. You can be very analytical, exacting, and patient in your undertakings until your interest is exhausted, at which time you switch to something else even though it means leaving your undertakings unfinished." (from the Kabalarian Website)

In the OVA Kenji is arrogant and foolhardy. He is first seen doing some drill in Hiko Seijuro's home. He had run away from Tokyo in order to practice and search for a strength like his father's. he knows that he is superior in his abilities as a swordsman but lacks the experience and soul of Kenshin. Which is why he is dissatisfied with himself. He sacrificed time away from his mother in order to learn Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.

Physically he looks like Shinta - refer to Tsuioko Hen where Kenshin is not scarred yet. That's Kenji, an absolute look-alike of his father. He wears a grayish or dirty white Hakama and a blue/gray blue short sleeved work shirt. His hair is tied back tightly and is of a reddish-brown color. He's been referred to as the "clone of Kenshin" as well which bothers me not because he's a clone after a great man! At the end of Seiso hen - probably sometime after Kenshin's passing - he's seen wearing- a grey Hakama and a pink navy blue Kimono (Battousai~)

I think his father would have been amused if he saw him that way.

Legend: Kenshin Kaden / Seiso Hen
Acoustic: one half - rurouni kenshin ost
Frequency: December 20, 2005

Kenshin Kaden This is the colored manga that Watsuki Nobuhiro made that is supposed to come after the Jinchuu Arc. It shows the Kenshin gumi (with the exception of Sanosuke) having a Sakura party/picnic. It states where Saito is (they say he's in Hokkaido) and where Sanosuke has ended up at (he's in MONGOLIA - I envy him!). It basically ties up the loose ends in the manga series and shows just how much of a brat Kenji is, there's that part where he pulls Kenshin's hair. Seso hen comes after this particular edition of the manga.

Seiso Hen Seiso Hen is the second OVA of the Rurouni Kenshin series. The whole Seiso Hen storyline occurs after Kenshin Kaden - around 15 years after. And it's told in reminiscence style as well. It has two parts and the first part focuses on Kaoru waiting for Kenshin to come home from the war in China. And it sort of threads together the whole development from the time they first met (from the Tokyo, Shimabara and Kyoto arc) until the Jinchuu Arc.

The second part shows parts of Kenshin's battle with Enishi (might I add that the battle at the beach was something akin to wonderful and awesome too!) Tooe makes an appearance as well - and then from there - some scenes ahow kenshin and akaoru in their quiet life with Kenji sleeping - maybe he was around 3 to 4 years old in that particular scene, before Kenshin decided to help out in the war in China. This is also the part where he is asked by Yahiko to return to Tokyo in order to appease his mother just a little bit. Kenji's return was a sort of sealing factor or closure that Kaoru needed. Shortly thereafter Kenshin finds his way home from the war and back into Kaoru's arms.

Legend: Kenji Himura's light?
Acoustic: hold the light - saiyuki reload
Frequency: December 20, 2005

To know Kenji is to know Kenshin and Kaoru. A child is always the sum of his parents parts multiplied by how he was raised and divided by the things he learns all by himself. And to those who've grown up with the Rurouni Kenshin series we can safely say that the setting itself is a smorgasbord of learning experiences and wisdom. With regards to the manga, anime and two OVAs of the series - we can surmise the depth of Kenshin's character, Kaoru's relationship to Kenshin and how deep their bond goes. It is a kind of watermark to know and realize that the past directly influences the present.

In a nutshell Kenshin is a former assassin who lives for atonement, and his wife Kaoru is the willing support that establishes the balance within Kenshin to achieve his goal. Based on that we can now pre-determine that Kenji is either the fruit or the casualty of his parent's existence. That the live Kenshin and Kaoru have made for themselves were either inspiring or cruel to their son.

I am not Japanese so I hold no candle in relaying my experience against Kenji's. We both grew up in different times. He grew up in the Meiji era while I grew up in the hedonistic 80s and 90s. But I do know that having to deal with the burden of a parent's mistake is not easy. If you have watched Seiso Hen, Kenji grew up wondering why his father was always away. In that first scene where he's seen with Hiko Seijuro he said that --

"it does not matter to me whether he returns or not. For he will only leave again."

These are the words of a boy that has accepted a certain reality. He might not like it, but he has accepted it. He and I share that particular view. I suppose this is why some people say that he dislikes Kenshin.

I guarantee you that he does not.

He loves his father, or else he would not bother, gaining more strength than Kenshin. That is childish pride speaking - and though to the plain eye it seems much more like a plan to overthrow Kenshin from some holy spot - to me it is more a boy trying to make his father proud - crooked - albeit indirectly. It could be an act to get his father's attention or even a way for Kenji to show his father that he had missed a lot because he hadn't been there to see him grow up and witness the man that he has become.

Kenji is Kenshin's son despite the obvious differences. You can see it in the way Kenji carries himself and his efforts in trying "not to become" what his father was. He's being extremely behaved and obedient to Hiko because he knows that he has the TENDENCY to be errant just like his father. I won't go so much into Kaoru and Kenji's relationship because from the beginning it was always them who shared everything - Kenji grew up in technically a one parent home. He loves Kaoru very much, which is why he came back upon Yahiko's request. (please refer to Seiso Hen). He ran away because he was tired of seeing his mother wait for his father's every return - jealous because she never seemed to give up on Kenshin. (btw, I praise Kaoru for this because it wasn't an easy task being Kenshin's wife.)

It was said in the Last Samurai - that Bushido is hard for children to deal with. In connection with that Kenshin is a samurai and has to live up to certain principles in order to live honorably. Perhaps Kenji's understanding of this hasn't come to full circle because of his age, and of course his longing for attention. In a way - it wasn't just Kenshin wo had to atone for his sins and conquer his demons. Keji too had to pay the price even in a small amount. Though his life seems so miniscule against Kenshin's saga - he is the heir to all the repercussions that saga has brought about.

It's not easy growing up having to accept such things - as not being able to be with your father for some greater reason. For a child would always believe that he is reason enough for a parent to stay. It would take years for him to learn the fact of living with the knowledge that his father had indeed a mission in life.

Personally I feel for Kenji when I watch the anime series and see Kenshin play with Suzume-chan, how he was ale to spend more time with them and share smiles with them than his own son. Again that's a reflection of me - not necessarily by Kenji. The person Kenji became, was described as "More twisted than Saitou and more egocentric than Shihio" (please take note that this information did not come from me but from a Rurouni Kenshin website that can be found here. Those words belong to the website owner of the said site.) is a sum of a lot of parts - like I said in the beginning.

I believe he's not a flat character but someone who has developed to hide behind a flat persona. Kenji is a superior swordsman, but the reason for fighting or lack therof is what prohibits him from being better than Kenshin. It wasn't a matter of good or bad. It had always been a matter of purpose.