The Fight Merchant is the fifth chapter of the Rurouni Kenshin manga.
Synopsis[]
A very powerful street fighter called Zanza arrives at Tokyo and is looking for trouble. Meanwhile Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko go to the Akabeko to eat. While in there, they meet the fighter and get involved in one of Zanza's fights. Sometime later, the Hiruma brothers are back with a new plan to defeat Kenshin. How will Zanza and Kenshin get involved in the brothers' plan for revenge? What motives will have the figher to defeat Kenshin?
Summary[]
Somewhere in Tokyo, a man is fighting a group of thugs, knocking them to the ground easily. As one of the thugs admits his and his companions' defeat, the man calls the fight boring and asks if there are any "real fighters" in the vicinity.
Back at the Kamiya Dōjō, Kamiya Kaoru is happy that she found an ink painting from her late grandfather, which she can sell for a lot of money. She tells Kenshin and Yahiko that they ought to celebrate this and go have some sukiyaki.
The three of them then end up at the Akabeko restaurant. While they are waiting for their food and drinks, the restaurant's manager, Sekihara Tae, gets punched by some thug, himself part of a group of rowdy individuals.
However, before Kenshin and Yahiko can intervene, the fighter that we saw earlier catches Tae, preventing her from falling, and then picks a fight with the thug who hit her.
And so, in the street in front of the Akabeko, the fighter defeats the thug in a mere flick of his finger, right after taking a suntetsu (a hidden metal spike about 6 inches in length) to the forehead without suffering any significant damage. One of the thug's friends is about to go help him, but gets subtly threatened by Kenshin, and so him and his companions end up leaving, carrying their defeated friend on their shoulders.
The victorious fighter and Kenshin then have a brief, friendly exchange. After Kenshin refuses to fight him, the man gives him his address and leaves without paying his tab at the Akabeko, the Kanji for evil clearly outlined on his back.
That night, the fighter is eating in some household, presumably at the address he gave Kenshin, and is talking with the brothers Hiruma Gohei and Hiruma Kihei. Addressing the fighter as Zanza, Hiruma Kihei reveals that the one called Kenshin is actually Hitokiri Battōsai. This piques Zanza's interest, and he thus resolves to fight the Battōsai with some weapon that he hasn't used in years.
Characters[]
Chapter Notes[]
This chapter has several differences with other portrayals of the events of the story in different iterations of the franchise:
Differences with the 1996 anime[]
- In the manga Kaoru finds her grandfather's painting by chance, and instantly gets the idea to sell it. This is in contrast with the anime, where Kaoru remembers about the painting when Yahiko suggest that all of them should go out to eat.
- In the manga Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko are the ones who go to the Akabeko. This is in contrast with the anime where Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, doctor Gensai, Ayame and Suzume go.
- In the manga those drunks at the Akabeko throw a sake bottle that hits Kenshin at the back of his head. This is in contrast with the anime, where they throw a cup.
- In the manga Hiruma Gohei watches the scene after the fight at the Akabeko. This is omitted in the anime.
- In the manga, Kihei and Gohei go to talk to Zanza. This is in contrast with the anime where Gohei goes alone, given the fact that Kihei does not exist in the anime.
Differences with Rurouni Kenshin: Origins[]
- In the live action movie Sanosuke is eating at the Akabeko while Kenshin and company are also present. In there Takeda Kanryū offers Kenshin a job as a bodyguard, but Kenshin refuses. Then Sanosuke steps in and offers himself as a bodyguard to Takeda. In order to prove himself strong enough, he challenges Kenshin to a fight
Differences with Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration[]
To be added
Differences with the 2023 anime[]
- In the anime right before Kaoru finds her grandfather's painting, Yahiko is practicing Kendo while Kenshin is cutting wood using his Sakabatō. This does not exist in the manga.
- In the manga the suntetsu drunk's injury was a dislocated arm. In the anime the suntetsu punctured into the palm.
Trivia[]
- One of the drunks that fight against Sanosuke at the Akabeko has a Suntetsu: A concealed weapon that is a metal rod/spike about 15 cm in length with a ring attached to it.
- The middle finger is inserted into the ring and the suntetsu rests in the hand by various grips.
- Suntetsu are easy to conceal and small. They are used for stabbing, poking or pinching.
- Suntetsu can be used alone or as a pair.
Gallery[]
To be added