The Artist's Crush: A Romantic Spree at the Hakone Hot Spring is the 78th episode of the Rurouni Kenshin anime series.
Synopsis[]
As their boat to Tokyo breaks down in Shimizu, Kenshin and friends trek through the mountains. As they get hungry and exhausted by dusk, the group decides to make a luxurious stay in Hakone, renting out the best house and enjoying themselves. As the innkeeper asks for their pay, Kenshin is literally turned upside down to know of where their money has gone, but to their luck, the inn's fame leads to a shortage of helping hands- And the group obliges to work for their stay and board. In another room however, a young artist sees the beauty of Kaoru... As he attempts to seek her beauty, how will this stay end?
Plot[]
An unfortunate accident on their boat to Osaka forces the Kenshingumi plus Misao to trek uphill until they reach Hakone. Finding an inn, the group spends the night in the most luxurious room when the manager comes in and asks if they can pay the bill. Kaoru left the money to Kenshin, to which he unfortunately loses to everybody's frustration. When an employee approaches about a large group making a reservation, the group quickly volunteer to work to pay off their debt.
After a hard day's work at the inn, Kaoru and Misao soak in the hot springs when Misao spots someone in a nearby tree and knocks him out with a bucket. The figure appears to be a man with a sketchbook, which Kaoru screams in response causing Kenshin, Yahiko, and Sano to come charging in, only to be responded by buckets as well. The incident is later cleared up. The man introduces himself as Higashiyama Ryuzaburo, a student studying Western art. Ryuzaburo had only been spying because he wanted to capture true beauty. With that mentioned, Misao takes the spotlight and begins bragging that she cannot be the idol of another man, until she becomes disappointed when Ryuzaburo was clearly stating Kaoru.
The following day, while the others are all working, Kaoru is in Ryuzaburo's room posing for hime. Everything is going fine and the painting looks very nice to which everyone agrees, except for Ryuzaburo. Ryuzaburo claims to have only captured Kaoru's outside, when he really wants to paint the inside of Kaoru. Suddenly, the aspiring painter tells Kaoru that he loves her, putting everyone present in shock and Kaoru suddenly leaving without a word. Sano tries to turn Ryuzaburo down because she already feels for Kenshin, which prompts Ryuzaburo to commit suicide by leaping out of the window. Sano stops Ryuzaburo to reconsider the matter to which he asks Sano for guidance in return. Suddenly Misao has an idea, to which she whispers to with Sano. Sano issues a challenge to Ryuzaburo, he'll give an advice if he manages to hit Kenshin with Yahiko's shinai by sunset (along with a minor note about Kenshin's 'other' character).
For the remainder of the day, Ryuzaburo is set on hitting Kenshin but eventually keeps missing with only his determination. Near sunset, Kaoru is told of Misao's idea and becomes concerned about Ryuzaburo. Everyone else meets up with Kenshin at the mountain top where Kenshin was picking when out of the blue, comes Ryuzaburo with Yahiko's shinai. Again he misses hitting Kenshin, but this time, lands and angers a nest of sparrow bees. Kenshin fends off the bees while Sano takes the young artist to safety. Once the bees are shooed away, Kaoru tends to Kenshin's stings. At last, Ryuzaburo can draw the real Kaoru, after seeing her relationship with Kenshin.
The next morning, everyone leaves the Hakone Inn after the Kenshingumi manages to pay off the debt and Ryuzaburo finishing his masterpiece, who gives it to Kaoru as a wrapped-up farewell present. On the road back home, everyone is curious about Kaoru's painting until she finally gives in. The picture is entitled "Smile of a Goddess" and just a glimpse of it enrages Kaoru giving chase to Kenshin, Yahiko, Sano, and Misao, who all run away with cracking up.