Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū (飛 (ひ) 天 (てん) 御 (み) 剣 (つるぎ) 流 (りゅう) , Flying Heaven Govern Sword-Style) is the core kenjutsu style of the Rurouni Kenshin series. It is the legendary signature fighting style of Himura Kenshin, and the Meiji Era inheritor and kenjutsu master Hiko Seijūrō XIII.

Overview

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū is an ancient kenjutsu from the Sengoku Jidai, developed to allow a single samurai to defeat numerous foes single-handedly, created by Hiko Seijūrō I. Rooted in the concept of ichi no tachi, or to strike in a single blow, practitioners of this style use a combination of immense speed and agility, battōjutsu, and acquired, observation-based pseudo-clairvoyance that permits a practitioner to anticipate an opponent's moves. Both offensive and defensive maneuvers are executed with minimal movement to increase a practitioner's ability to counterattack and conserve energy. As such, made with efficiency and spareness of exertion in the face of warfare scale battles yet with powerful and coordinated movements to easily fell threats in long and undetermined periods, it is among one of the strongest and oldest kenjutsu styles in Japan, once known as the signature style that defined Hiko Seijūrō I as The Man Who Could Cut One Hundred in One Stroke.

The style commonly has the user keep one hand on the sheath at all times, stresses two-step attacks to ensure that the practitioner is never off guard while executing said attacks, and allows the user to use the sheath as a shield to block attacks. Practitioners are also trained in honing their senses and to recognize movement, as well as to react in kind with their opponent's emotional disposition to efficiently fend them off accurately, a process in short that can be called "utilizing one's ki" or the internal way of the martial arts, allowing the practitioner to dynamically flow in turn with their opponent's own energy and use their own pace against them. Arguably, its most well-known trait is the surreal speed practitioners of this style use in battle (known as Shinsoku, or Godspeed), allowing the user to accelerate, maneuver, and strike at speeds most eyes are unable to properly follow. This allows the user to close a considerable distance in seconds and strike down enemies before they can react. Despite each successor to this style becoming true masters of its teachings and skills, rarely have they been able to use this style to true perfection and bring out its full potential. Only Hiko Seijūrō I and XIII (and in the anime only Amakusa Shōgo) can surpass the normal limits of this style, such as going beyond god-speed without the need for battōjutsu strikes, letting them accelerate to speeds faster than the human eye cannot detect.

The techniques of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū have only been held by a select few throughout its history. In the face of its tremendous power as a style, this is due to its adherence to the strict yet responsible practice of isshi soden, which involves a single master training a single apprentice exclusively. This master-apprentice dynamic continues to the point of succession in which the apprentice graduates into his mastery through a special rite of passage, in which they inherit the style's secret technique (ōgi) and the mantle of "Hiko Seijūrō". This process, however, results in the death of the current master at the hands of the apprentice who must use the secret technique - Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki - against them. Succession also awards the newly-appointed master an heirloom mantle, which acts as the certification of mastery. This particular mantle is also weighted, which enables the master to continuously train their strength when worn, even with everyday activities.

Due to its tremendous power and speed, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū has been nicknamed "The Black Ship of the Land" in that it would almost certainly secure absolute victory for whichever side might wield it in a conflict. In light of this probability, the practitioners of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū have historically maintained the independence of any and all political entities, stressing highly the importance of wielding its expertise in the name of their fellow man rather than serving any political, governmental or institutional body. Under this duty, all generations of practitioners receive much insight regarding the human condition from the school's teachings. This includes instruction regarding the relativism of morality and the idea that perceptions of good and evil are not absolute; a potentially "good" human being can have any number of beliefs that may not mesh with those of the practitioner without necessarily being wrong. Other core tenets of the style include the idea the art of swordsmanship ultimately amounts to nothing more than a way to kill other human beings, regardless of the practitioner's intentions or beliefs, and that the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū should never be used to improve a practitioner's social standing, acquire wealth, or obtain political power. Finally, while heirs are encouraged to protect the innocent, the defenseless, and the less fortunate, the Hiten Mitsurugi school motivates its users to understand even foes to garner accurate judgement and resolve conflict with mercy and the least amount of violence, while in more extreme cases, ultimately permits its practitioners to execute individuals whom they deem to be truly deserving of death.

As powerful as it may be, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū can also harm its practitioners. Medically speaking, the physical demands for Hiten Mitsurugi are tremendous. For anyone ill-equipped, such as Himura Kenshin, simply employing their techniques causes cumulative, physical damage to their body. According to the physician Takani Megumi, the style is essentially a "superman's sword art", requiring someone with an incredibly athletic body to use it effectively in the long term. Typically, the training provided during apprenticeship enables practitioners to condition themselves properly.

In turn, Hiko Seijūrō XIII is an example of the necessary conditioning for practitioners of the style to perform without incurring the cumulative trauma from regular usage, having developed an extraordinarily resilient physique with an incredible musculature over the years in tenure as a Hiten Mitsurugi master proper. Himura Kenshin, by comparison, having left his training early, stunted his body's development, resulting in a leaner, more fragile frame which culminated in progressive issues after mastering the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki. After using the technique only six times, he caused irreparable damage to his muscle tissue, decimating the agility and speed needed to exercise the more advanced moves of the Hiten Mitsurugi. Furthermore, due to the immense stress imposed on the body, along with one not having the proper physique necessary to use the sword style to its fullest in the long run, continuous use can result in the user eventually being crippled and eventually no longer capable of using the technique without it posing a risk to their life.

But, with proper and regular training, the style serves as a veritable "fountain of youth" enabling practitioners to suppress the ageing process. Kenshin, for instance, at nearly thirty years old, looks almost no different from the way he looked while in his late teens and his master, Hiko Seijūrō XIII, is 43 years old but looks exactly the same as he did when he was in his mid-twenties.

Techniques

• Ryūtsuisen (龍 (りゅう) 槌 (つい) 閃 (せん) , Dragon Hammer Flash) – Usually initiated by a powerful jump, this technique places its user above the opponent, thus opening up more vulnerabilities in the latter. This technique's practitioner uses the momentum of his fall to strengthen a two-handed sword swing that brings his blade down on his enemy's head or shoulder. Ryūtsuisen is arguably Kenshin's favorite attack, as once noted by Kamiya Kaoru.

• Ryūtsuisen Zan (龍 (りゅう) 槌 (つい) 閃 (せん) ・惨 (さん) , Dragon Hammer Flash: Disaster) – Beginning in the same way as Ryūtsuisen, the user positions the sword as to initiate a downward stab to the head instead of a swing. Kenshin is first shown using this against Shigekura Jūbei in the manga (though in the Trust & Betrayal OVA, he performs an upward stab instead since he does not jump in the air). This move can also be performed with the sword still in its sheath, as shown by Kenshin against Isurugi Raijūta in the 2023 anime.

• Ryūkansen (龍 (りゅう) 巻 (かん) 閃 (せん) , Dragon Coil Flash) – Most effective when surrounded by enemies as this technique has the user spin to attack in all directions. It can also be used as a counterattack against a thrust or charge, one sidestepping a forward-moving opponent and moving past them. In doing so, one spins in a full circle, adding momentum and centrifugal force to the strength of the sword swing, which is then aimed at either the opponent's back or the back of the neck. The first two kanji used can also be read as tatsumaki, a Japanese term for "waterspout" or "tornado", and is often written with two different kanji used for "ryū/tatsu" (竜巻 as opposed to 龍巻). Ryūkansen and its variations can also be performed as battōjutsu techniques, as seen in the video games Ishin Gekitō Hen, Rurouni Kenshin: Kyōto Circle of Hell, Jump Super Stars, Jump Ultimate Stars, J-Stars Victory Vs. and Jump Force.
  • Ryūkansen Kogarashi (龍 (りゅう) 巻 (かん) 閃 (せん) ・凩 (こがらし) , Dragon Coil Flash: Wintry Wind) – An alternate version that involves a single small side step coupled with a 90-degree pivot turn inward and a backhanded slash that quickly blasts the foe away, unlike the original version, which is a complete 180-degree spin and slash. The Kogarashi is the quickest of the four variations but also the weakest. It is the ideal counterattack when dealing with a faster or unreadable attack (as seen when used against Han'nya of the Oniwabanshu, due to his 'Shin-wan Spell'), and it was later used agaisnt Shishio as part of Kenshin's five-hit combo. Kogarashi is a unique climate that is only in Japan.
    • Depending on the form of media (mainly video games), Kogarashi can be performed as either a simple mid-way-stopping slash or a full-coverage wide-slash; it only involves a mere single turn compared to the original base technique.
  • Ryūkansen Tsumuji (龍 (りゅう) 巻 (かん) 閃 (せん) ・旋 (つむじ) , Dragon Coil Flash: Hair Whirl) – One of the variations of Ryūkansen, Ryūkansen Tsumuji, like its other variations, is most effective as a counterattack (seen when used to defeat Sawagejō Chō AKA Cho-the Sword Hunter), but can be used as an offensive attack. Unlike the original, Tsumuji involves a forward horizontal spin in a drilling motion like a torpedo, from which the user is able to strike at the opponent's midsection while in flight. Tsumuji is the full kun'yomi rendering of the kanji 旋, usually used as a term for "the hair whirl on top of one's head".
    • In J-Stars Victory Vs. and Jump Force, two variations are used:
      • the usual head-on version for his weak-strong combo finisher, dash attack and sheathed blade state strong attack (where it is unnamed) for the former game,
      • -and a version where Kenshin tumbles around past his target through the air with a single slash when used as the second input to his neutral special move sequence in the former game and as his second heavy attack string input in the latter game; Kenshin also in J-Stars yells out the name of only this specific variant.
  • Ryūkansen Arashi (龍 (りゅう) 巻 (かん) 閃 (せん) ・嵐 (あらし) , Dragon Coil Flash: Storm/Tempest) – A variation of the normal Ryūkansen, this technique places the swordsman in a full forward-rolling somersault slash while attacking, making it an effective counterattack against downward slash attacks and/or from above. However, as seen in most other media, this is the only Ryūkansen variation that cannot be directly performed from a battōjutsu stance.
    • The attack often varies with its momentum in its appearances, and in some cases (such as in Kyōto Circle of Hell, J-Stars Victory Vs. and Jump Force), the attack can possibly hit more than once to shred apart the opposition (whereas in both Jump Super/Ultimate Stars it only hits once while flooring the victim to the ground). In the PSP game Meiji Kenkaku Rōmantan Saisen and its updated re-release, Kenshin performs this variation standalone in midair, where he somersaults stationary and ends it with a falling slash, similar to a Ryūtsuisen. In Jump Force, when used as Kenshin's final heavy attack string input (and is cancel-able into other attacks in this instance despite its airborne nature), he can move forward through the air with it with the same animation used in J-Stars Victory Vs. as such.
  • Quite commonly, via referencing Kenshin's "five-hit combo" against Shishio and as aforementioned, video games such as Kyōto Circle of Hell, the Jump DS Stars games, J-Stars Victory Vs. and Jump Force, allow Kenshin to perform a recurring sequence of the Kogarashi, Tsumuji and Arashi in that order. However, Jump Force does not have Kenshin name-call the Ryūkansen combo as it's treated as a basic/heavy attack string.

• Ryūshōsen (龍 (りゅう) 翔 (しょう) 閃 (せん) , Dragon Soar Flash) – The opposite of Ryūtsuisen, Ryūshōsen is a rising attack meant to strike the jaw from below. For additional power, one uses one's free arm to apply force to the back of the blade and utilizes a powerful upward jump during the attack akin to an anti-air attack. Originally, this move was designed to slice into the opponent's chin and kill them, but Kenshin has since modified the technique to strike with the sword's side; consequently, Senkaku, Shishio and Aoshi have all survived the attack, though the very former was instantly knocked out by it.

• Ryūtsui Shōsen (龍 (りゅう) 槌 (つい) ・翔 (しょう) 閃 (せん) , Dragon Hammer-Soar Flash) – A combination of Ryūtsuisen and Ryūshōsen, Ryūtsui-Shōsen begins with the powerful jump and supported up-swing of Ryūshōsen, giving the leap enough power to pass one's opponent in midair, and on the returning drop, Ryūtsuisen is performed. It is unknown if this move can be performed effectively without using a sakabatō, as the initial Ryūtsuisen would be fatal if landed correctly with a normal katana. It can also work the other way around at times, where the Ryūtsuisen performed first instead, followed by a return-slash styled Ryūshōsen (in the case of Jump Super Stars, Jump Ultimate Stars and J-Stars Victory Vs.), which also acts as the two-hit starter of his "five-hit combo" used against Shishio Makoto.

• Ryūsōsen (龍 (りゅう) 巣 (そう) 閃 (せん) , Dragon Nest Flash) – A massive flurry of strikes delivered to the opponent. The sheer (god)speed of the slashes makes this technique difficult to counter or defend and is considered best to wear down more sturdy and enduring opponents (seen during Kenshin's battle against Sagara Sanosuke), or to deliver multiple cutting strikes to shred up the opposition with a real katana. There is an alternate version called:
  • Ryūsōsen ● Garami (龍 (りゅう) 巣 (そう) 閃 (せん) ・咬 (がらみ) , Dragon Nest Flash: Gnawing) – A version of the technique which targets the foe's head, likely to effectively kill off the victim with a real katana which essentially shreds their head up, or with a more blunt weapon can cause multitudes of blunt-force trauma/discombobulation.
  • However, the move in the 1996's Bang Zoom English dub has been mistakenly pronounced as "Ryūsonsen".

• Doryūsen (土 (ど) 龍 (りゅう) 閃 (せん) , Earth/Land Dragon Flash) – A ranged attack, Doryūsen strikes an opponent outside of the user's range by hitting the ground and sending earthen debris at said opponent with knockout force, either done as a slamming slash or a lifting/flicking slash. The debris sent forward also varies as a trench-grounded wave or a wad of projectiles launched at the victim at once.
• On the 1996's anime, Kenshin uses a Doryūsen against Raijuta, and finishes with a Ryūtsuisen.
• Ryūkōsen (龍咬閃, Dragon Bite Flash) - The only unarmed technique to defend and counter simultaneously. At the correct instant, the user uses his bare hands to parry the blade in a hand clasp like a dragon biting down on the attacker's weapon before disabling the said weapon to counterattack physically. By regular definition, it is simply known as the "Shinken Shirahadori" move used in martial arts as noted in the manga/1996 anime, but the technique was officially named in the 2023 anime during Kenshin's first match with Aoshi.

Kuzuryūsen

illusion of 9 swords cast by the technique in the anime

• Kuzuryūsen (九頭 (くず) 龍 (りゅう) 閃 (せん) , Nine-Head Dragon Flash) – A dashing attack that uses Shinsoku (Godspeed) to simultaneously strike all nine vital spots on the foe's body from a normal kendō stance, as each of these nine points is the main targets for different swordstyles (only different styles target different ones). It is said to be unavoidable and nearly unblockable and is taught as a prerequisite for the succession technique. It is also Hiko Seijūrō XIII's signature move that he personally takes pride in being the best at. However, users who are faster than the Hiten Mitsurugi can evade the attack head-on, as seen with Seta Sōjirō. The strength of the move's "nine heads" will differ greatly depending on the user's speed, force and even weight. Kenshin's Kuzuryūsen is powerful but is countered at one point by Yukishiro Enishi, due to the speed being matched, while Hiko's Kuzuryūsen easily overcame Kenshin's due to Hiko's weight advantage. Hiko's God-like Strength allows him to instantly down the immense Fuji despite such a huge weight disadvantage and being unable to perform the attack at godspeed due to wearing the Heirloom weighted cloak.
  • The nine heads of the targets are counterclockwise while looking towards the target from the user's view (shown more clearly from Kenshin's viewpoint when used in J-Stars Victory Vs.):
    • Karatake (唐 (から) 竹 (たけ) /幹 (から) 竹 (たけ) , Tang Bamboo/Tree Trunk Bamboo) Aimed at the above head with the downward strike: 壹 (いち) (Ichi, one)
    • Sakagesagiri (逆 (さ) 袈 (かげ) 裟 (さ) 切 (き) り, Inverted Kasaya Slash) Aimed at right shoulder diagonally: 貳 (に) (ni, two)
    • Miginagi (右 (みぎ) 薙 (なぎ) , Right Mower) Aimed at right arm's center from the side: 參 (さん) (san, three)
    • Migikiriage (右 (みぎ) 切 (きり) 上 (あげ) , Right Cutting Lift) Aimed at right arm's bottom/right wrist diagonally: 肆 (し) (shi, four)
    • Sakakaze (逆 (さか) 風 (かぜ) , Inverted Wind) Aimed at groin area from below via upward stroke, or straight from front: 伍 (ご) (go, five)
    • Hidarikiriage (左 (ひだり) 切上 (きりあげ) , Left Cutting Lift) Aimed at left arm's bottom/left wrist diagonally: 陸 (ろく) (roku, six)
    • Hidarinagi (左 (ひだり) 薙 (なぎ) , Left Mower) Aimed at left arm's center from the side: 漆 (しち) (shichi, seven)
    • Kesagiri (袈裟 (けさ) 切 (き) り, Kasaya Slash) Aimed at left shoulder diagonally: 捌 (はち) (hachi, eight)
    • Tsuki/Shitotsu (刺 (つき) 突 (しとつ) , Thrusting/Thorn Thrust) Aimed at center of the chest, at breastbone: 玖 (きゅう) (kyū, nine)
    • Ironically, the attack in some cases can be avoided entirely when out of attack range (such as jumping over it in the DS Jump Stars games, J-Stars Victory Vs. and Jump Force or quickly sidestepping it; the Jump DS Stars games and Jump Force even allow the foe to block it); but regardless, trying to avoid and/or block the attack head-on is impossible most of these cases meaning it must be avoided entirely due to all the other blows catching the foe at once; as aforementioned only Sōjirō was able avoid the attack head-on in this case.
      • In the reboot/Kyōto Disturbance anime season, Kenshin's variant of the technique during its charging segment instead has him grip his blade beside the left side of his head with both hands, with the pommel being pointed forward first and the blade pointed behind.
  • In the manga re-telling, Tokuhitsuban (Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration), this technique is referred to as the ōgi (secret skill/technique) of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, being called Kokonotsu Kashira no Ryū no Hirameki, which is an alternative kun'yomi or native Japanese formatting of the technique's original name (九 (ここのつ) 頭 (かしらの) 龍 (りゅうの) 閃 (ひらめき) ).
    • In the live-action adaptations via The Legend Ends, the move is rather realistically akin to the Ryūsōsen as a flurry-styled attack, but while having its slashes target the directions the original Kuzuryūsen does in the source material and ends in a thrust via shitotsu. It is shown that when Kenshin was training with Hiko Seijūrō XIII, the speed is potent enough that not all the blows can be parried by a slower defender as they crumble under the sheer pressure of the assault (the final thrust was enough to break the wooden sword Hiko Seijūrō was using in its first usage). Kenshin then later on uses the attack to defeat Shinomori Aoshi who stood in his way back to Tōkyō. and uses in Yukishiro Enishi in Rurouni Kenshin: The End.
  • Nijūnanazu Ryūsen (貳 (に) 拾 (じゅう) 漆 (なな) 頭 (ず) 龍 (りゅう) 閃 (せん) , Twenty-Seven-Head Dragon Flash) - A technique that consists of three consecutive Kuzuryūsen. The technique was introduced in Hokkaido-hen and which finally brought Itekura down to his knees.
• Hiten Mugen Zan (飛 (ひ) 天 (てん) 無 (む) 限 (げん) 斬 (ざん) , Flying Heaven Infinity Slash) – An ancient and seemingly lost move used by the original Hiko Seijūrō, Hiten Mugen Zan is a mighty charging onslaught of unrivaled power. Requiring the prerequisite of attaining the capability of natural beyond Shinsoku without the use of battōjutsu, the user performs a myriad series of slashes that accelerate faster than other rapid slashing techniques like the Ryūsōsen and are executed beyond the spectrum of visible motion the naked eye can detect within splits of a second. Due to the nature of the required speed and force needed to naturally accelerate beyond godspeed, pushing the user to the limits of their bodily ability, the final slash is augmented with such strength that it creates a tremendous impact capable of smashing, shifting, and razing the nearby earth before the user and crush rock. The force with which the blade lands on the ground is powerful enough to send its foe flying into the air before the attack's full effects can take hold. In the eyes of bystanders, the sheer immeasurable execution speed of the technique gives the impression the final slash is seen as the only single slash delivered by the user and, in turn, makes the collateral damage the attack leaves behind the only spectacle of its evidence of performance. The move is first seen used by Hiko Seijuro in the Sengoku Period during the wars of Kitakata and Nagumo as the technique that single-handedly earns the odds for inevitable victory for his domain of Kitakata, as the killing blows to the despotic leading Nagumo daimyō warlord Hirosaki Iwano.

Battōjutsu Techniques

• Sōryūsen (双 (そう) 龍 (りゅう) 閃 (せん) , Twin Dragon Flash) – Seemingly a simple Battōjutsu strike, Sōryūsen is the first of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū's two-stage/step Battōjutsu moves. After the first strike with the quickened sword, the user wields the empty sheath along the same path as a blunt weapon. After the sword strike lands, the sheath strike delivers a pulverizing blow capable of crushing bone and shattering wood. Still, if the sword strike misses, the sheath strike acts as insurance, preventing an opponent's attack and delivering a crushing blow when least expected. This move is first seen being used by Kenshin against Udō Jin-e.
  • Sōryūsen Ikazuchi (双 (そう) 龍 (りゅう) 閃 (せん) ・雷 (いかづち) , Twin Dragon Flash: Thunder) – An alternate form of Sōryūsen wherein the sword is wielded while still inside the sheath. The first strike is made with the sheathed sword, and once it makes contact and occupies the opponent's sword, the sword is drawn using battōjutsu for a second strike, normally as a slamming overhead reap. While the original Sōryūsen is designed to make two strikes for versatile mobility in the heat of confrontation, Sōryūsen Ikazuchi appears designed with the assumption that the first strike will be blocked and uses the full combined mass of a sheathed sword to strike to catch foes off guard and unbalance them, making them vulnerable for the second strike. This move is first seen being used by Hiko Seijūrō XIII against Himura Kenshin, while Kenshin himself can perform this in Rurouni Kenshin: Conspiracy of the 10 Braves as one of his high attacks.

• Hiryūsen (飛 (ひ) 龍 (りゅう) 閃 (せん) , Flying Dragon Flash) – After assuming a Battōjutsu stance, one rotates their own body rapidly and then stops, aiming the sheath at one's target. The force shoots the sword's grip out of the sheath like an arrow, allowing one to strike a target pommel-first outside of one's zone and reach. The user can then charge forward and sheath the sword to make a second strike with the handle. As a battōjutsu move that requires one's sword to be shot at the enemy, accurate aim is necessary for this move (or else the weapon can easily be lost). Hiryūsen is first seen being used by Kenshin against Isurugi Raijūta in the original manga, where in the 2023 adaptation he rushes after his fired katana to reholster it into his sheath.
  • While not performed in the 1996 adaptation, Kenshin can perform this move in Rurouni Kenshin: Conspiracy of the 10 Braves as one of his long-ranged/flying tool attacks. The sword apparently is able to bounce off the victim as it lands near Kenshin for him to freely pick back up.
• Ryūmeisen (龍 (りゅう) 鳴 (めい) 閃 (せん) , Dragon Cry Flash) – An unusual technique in which one uses the Godspeed of Battōjutsu to sheathe the sword rather than to draw it in a practice known as Shinsoku Nōtōjutsu (神速納刀術, Godspeed Sheathed Blade Technique). The speed and force create a miniature sonic boom that can temporarily stun opponents with particularly sensitive or acute hearing by affecting their auditory nerves. This move is only seen once by Kenshin against Yukishiro Enishi. While this attack would normally only deafen the target for a while due to Enishi's hyper-sensitive nervous system, Ryūmeisen also managed to affect his equilibrium.
  • While the original 1996 anime and media based on it did not reach the point where this technique was executed in canon, Kenshin can perform this move in the video game Rurouni Kenshin: Kyōto Circle of Hell.
  • In Jump Ultimate Stars, unlike in Jump Super Stars (where both games have it act as Kenshin's 4 Koma Special Attack A), the technique paralyzes the target for no damage instead, though it also in Jump Force (while also dealing damage) puts the victim into a crumple state while also debuffing their mobility gauge regeneration rate for a set amount of time in ode to their auditory damage.
• Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki (天 (あまか) 翔 (ける) 龍 (りゅう) の閃 (ひらめき) , Flash of the Heavenly Soaring Dragon) – The secret ultimate technique, a.k.a. the ōgi (奥 (おう) 義 (ぎ) , secret skill) of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki is a powerful Battōjutsu technique whose secret lies in discovering both the significance and insignificance of one's life, the penultimate requirement needed to master the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū.

Though its form is that of any other Battōjutsu strike, the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki differs in that - while a normal strike is performed by drawing the katana from its sheath on one side while stepping forward with the following opposite foot, using a single step, this strike adds yet another step (a second step) mid-draw with the foot adjacent to the sheath (creating a Stutter-Step) which momentarily makes an instantaneous acceleration to the forward-charge as well as the sword draw. Meanwhile, the range of the attack is increased and the timing of the attack changes slightly, which can throw off the opponent.

Amakakeru Ryū No Hirameki

Although indeed a super-sword attack, it endangers the user by possibly putting the adjacent leg into the free sword's path and draws one even closer to an opponent's sword than usual, but on the other hand, boosts the speed of the sword draw to beyond-godspeed and even greater is the boost in force of the strike. By realizing one's insignificance and risking life and limb to protect something else while, at the same time, taking one's own fragile human life into consideration, the user can step into the small margin behind one's own drawn sword and in front of the sword of one's opponent without fail, delivering a beyond-godspeed blow of monstrous power.

Additionally, like the other battōjutsu attacks of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki is a two-step move, and if its secret should be anticipated and the strike itself blocked or dodged, the second step comes immediately into effect. The immense force of the enhanced draw cuts the air in front of it and creates a powerful vacuum in its wake as the deflected air rushes back into place. Any opponent able to deflect or dodge the first swing will automatically be subject to this vacuum and inexorably pulled closer to the user; all the while, this vacuum creates intense winds powerful enough to overwhelm and catch their opponents off balance. With the great amount of force being applied to the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki, a missed swing leads naturally into an accelerated spin of such centripetal force akin to the Ryūkansen. The added momentum of the spin, in addition to the pulling force of the vacuum on both sides, results in a second strike that greatly dwarfs the first in power. This is best explained to Kaoru by Hiko Seijūrō XIII: "Even if you avoid the fangs of the flying dragon, the gusting winds strip away the freedom of movement, and the claws would rip you apart".

The Fangs of the Flying/Soaring Dragon.

Although the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki is one of the series's most powerful and profound attacks, learning such a technique is not without its weaknesses, cost and consequences. Those who comprehend the ways of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū and walk its path long enough to learn this technique must undergo a final test to be pitted against their master's unrestrained Kuzuryūsen, placing them in a true life or death situation. Faced with life or death, the student must perform the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki without flaw, being the only attack in the repertoire of Hiten Mitsurugi that surpasses the Kuzuryūsen in speed and execution- else the apprentice fails and is ultimately slain for naught. Should they succeed, they will have mastered both this technique and how it is a testament to the entire style of Hiten Mitsurugi itself, but at the cost of the preceding master's life.

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While the attack is incredibly powerful and seemingly unbeatable, the basis of Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki, the fighter's will to live and compassion for others, allowing them to stand on the edge of life or death, must be strong, independent, and unwavering of any doubt and turmoil that lies in the heart of the user. This state of mind is the only condition that will allow the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki to be executed flawlessly and guarantee their victory, as being out of this state only allows the user to perform lesser and flawed versions of the ultimate technique (as is the case when Kenshin faces Yukishiro Enishi and his Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki fails for the first and only time against the Watōjutsu Zetsugi Kofuku Zettōsei).

The Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki is first seen being used by Kenshin against Hiko Seijūrō XIII, and his master is the only known master in the school's history to have survived the final trial. Its second strike is first seen being used by Kenshin against Shishio Makoto. Yukishiro Enishi is the only other opponent who has faced this technique twice.

The manga stated that the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki can kill even when wielding a sakabatō. However, this was only implied in the anime by Seijurō while explaining why he didn't die from the blow delivered by Kenshin.

• In "Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration", this technique was renamed "Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū Saisoku Battōjutsu: Tenshōryūsen" (Japanese: 飛 (ひ) 天 (てん) 御剣 (みつるぎ) 流 (りゅう) 最 (さい) 速 (そく) 抜 (ばっ) 刀 (とう) 術 (じゅつ) : 天 (てん) 翔 (しょ) 龍 (りゅう) 閃 (せん) ; VIZ Media: Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū Fastest Technique: Heaven Soaring Dragon Flash) using the on'yomi (or original Chinese pronunciation) for the technique's name. In this short manga series remake, the Tenshoryusen is regarded as "The Fastest Battōjutsu" (Japanese: 最速 (さいそく) 抜刀術 (ばっとうじゅつ) ; Hepburn: Saisoku Battōjutsu), though not the ultimate technique (or ōgi (奥 (おう) 義 (ぎ) ) of the style. The move was first used in "Act 3: Whereabouts of Justice (Part 1)" where Kenshin in Bakumatsu used it to counter Saitō Hajime's Gatotsu Zeroshikishattering both swordsmen's blades in the process. In "Act 9: Sacrifice" of this series, Udō Jin-e was able to counter the technique from the slight decrease in Kenshin's sword-drawing speed, stating that "...[Kenshin] can't generate enough sayabashiri (Japanese: 鞘 (さや) 疾 (ばし) り) (Speed generated through unsheathing a sword) using a sword with the blunt side on the outer curve."

In the live-action adaptation, the added step can launch Kenshin into the air towards a leaping opponent, though it ends in a standard non-shutter-step-based battōjutsu attack once in close-enough range to the foe. The technique was used twice. Once against Shishio, and against Yukishiro Einishi, where he used a Kuzuryūsen to break through the defense and finished with an Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki, and jumping in the process.

In the video game Rurouni Kenshin: Conspiracy of the 10 Braves, the move as one of Kenshin's unblockable/ultimate attacks unlocked at level 45, only has its first variation performed.

In the video game Rurouni Kenshin: Kyōto Circle of Hell, the attack is rather inverted on its logic due to balancing purposes. It is only when the technique connects on its first blow that it will trigger a cinematic where it will deal the most damage. If the first one misses however, the second blow triggers which happens to be weaker in damage output, even though the circular vacuuming effect is still visually present. The vacuum effect for the second blow variant here is portrayed as a large whirlwind with Kenshin in its "eye of the storm".

In Jump Super Stars as 6 Koma Kenshin's Special Attack B, Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki has no vacuuming effect whatsoever, and is a two-hit combo that requires the first strike to connect in order for the second one to even trigger. Though in Jump Ultimate Stars as 6 Koma Kenshin's Special Attack A, both blows come out automatically and the first one has a proper vacuuming effect, portrayed as a brief yellow-orange whirlwind surrounding Kenshin's feet.

In J-Stars Victory Vs., Kenshin uses two different variants of the technique:

• First as his guard special attack, where he takes a sheathed stance to catch incoming targets within a radius surrounding him (where he will merely return to his neutral stance if nothing happens). If any victims come near him during the period, he will then unleash only the first part of the attack with no vacuum effects to damage any targets that get caught within his counter range, as they are frozen in place akin to a pseudo-time stop effect (and Kenshin does not have to be directly attacked to trigger the counter). Kenshin is even invulnerable during the period he is waiting to counter with the technique, but is immobile and will be left vulnerable at the ending when he draws his blade out. Like his neutral special, the Ryūkansen Kogarashi, this variant of the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki can also be done off of his sheathed-blade stance (as a means to counter incoming attacks he cannot block during such a stance).

• As his Victory Burst Super Move, the Nidan Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki (二 (に) 段 (だん) 天 (あまか) 翔 (ける) 龍 (りゅう) の閃 (ひらめき) , Two Stage Flash of the Heavenly Soaring Dragon) has the first blow trigger on its own. However, of any victims are within range of the attack or are directly hit by the first swing, either result has the victim(s) freeze in place akin to the guard+special version, via the same circular void that was created in front of Kenshin vs. Shishio (though no "true" vacuum effect really occurs). While the void effect is occurring, a second cinematic occurs where Kenshin then unleashes the second blow. Both versions of the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki also leave a bright slashing trail along Kenshin's katana, akin to the source material (mainly the anime).

These two variants of the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki also return in Jump Force as part of Kenshin's moveset, though the first-stage version is redone in that Kenshin merely can hold down the Ability input to keep his sword sheathed for as long as he wants, and then to release the attack at any point. However, while Kenshin has his blade sheathed, he moves around much slower as a balancing reason, which can leave him vulnerable especially to defensive bypasses (such as Smash Attacks and throws). The Awakening Super variant of it is essentially the same as the Victory Burst Super version of it, though the whole entire Two Stage variant occurs entirely in a cinematic that will not trigger if the starting blow misses.

Anime/Movie-Only Techniques

• Karyūsen (渦 (か) 龍 (りゅう) 閃 (せん) , Vortex Dragon Flash) – A seemingly improvised battōjutsu and a newly strongest ōgi invented by Kenshin in his duel with Takimi Shigure. Wrapping his wounded arm and sheath to the belt and taking the stance for the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki, Kenshin leaps high into the air and begins a free-fall. Knowing there is no stability while airborne, Kenshin utilizes the free-fall to multiply the torque of his rotating body to accelerate the draw of his sword for the decisive strike. This technique is more accurately akin to a battōjutsu variant of Ryūkansen: Tsumuji, in that it uses the body’s centripetal force to counter any adversary’s assault with a lightning-swift counterattack accelerated by the controlled head on the momentum of the user. Sagara Sanosuke coined the name "Kenshin-Ryū: Kaiten Battōjutsu" (Kenshin-Style: Rotating Drawing Blade Technique). This technique is also known as Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki: Kadō (天 (あまか) 翔 (ける) 龍 (りゅう) の閃 (ひらめき) :渦 (か) 動 (ど) , Flash of the Heavenly Flying Dragon: Vortex Move) and it is stronger than the original ōgi.
• Rairyūsen (雷 (らい) 龍 (りゅう) 閃 (せん) , Thunder Dragon Flash) – A technique invented by Amakusa Shōgo. The technique involves using one's chi and swordsman's spirit, forming a light from the sword in the style of a violent thunderstorm, and attacking opponents by overwhelmingly striking their sight with such sensory overload to the point that it knocks them out. Should it be used to its full intensity, the Rairyūsen rids them of their eyesight forever, leaving them with grey-empty eyes. The concept is considered to be very similar to the Shin no Ippō, as discussed by Aoshi and the Kenshingumi, where both techniques utilize the concept of the user channeling their potent sword chi through their victims.
  • However, the blinded-victim if they can Rairyūsen's user in an Amakakeru Ryū No Hirameki clash in a test of true spirit via overpowering their sword chi, it is only then the said victim's eyesight will return. Nishida Hyō-e was the first victim of the technique and was left blinded up until his own passing, then Kenshin became a later victim; though the latter quickly adjusted to being blind and eventually overcame Shōgo in their eventual clash.

Anime-Only "Secret Dance of the Umbrella" Circus Techniques

An improvised version of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū dubbed as the Kasa no Mai (傘の舞; Dance of the Parasol), used with an umbrella when Kenshin and the group were entertaining a large crowd to help Marimo prepare for her cannon launch main act against the Sumidaya entertaining group. Comedic and humorously entertaining in its style, yet as effective as the actual art, the Secret Dance of the Umbrella is also likely used to provide a front to maintain the secrecy of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū's authentic repertoire with a deal of humility.

• Kasa Mawashi (傘 (かさ) 回 (まわ) し; Parasol Spinner)/Umbrella Spin - Kenshin immediately opens the umbrella and faces the top in front of him, spinning it. The umbrella can deflect various projectiles at such a velocity, including razor-sharp knives and blades.
• Tama Tobashi (玉 (たま) とばし; Ball Flying)/Ball Throw - Used with a heavy rubber ball, Kenshin swings the umbrella at it, sending the said ball as a projectile towards his unsuspecting opponent.
• Inoshishi Yoke (猪 (いのしし) よけ; Wild Boar Evade)/Wild Boar Evasion - When faced with a charging enemy, Kenshin swipes a feint at the eyes when the opponent is at such a range where the umbrella barely touches the opponent's face. When distracted, Kenshin immediately uses the opportunity to go behind or aside the rushing opponent.
• Kasa Otoshi (傘 (かさ) 落 (お) とし; Parasol Dropper)/Umbrella Drop - Leaping up into the air, Kenshin then comes back down with a downwards umbrella smack onto the opponent. This more or less is a comedic toned-down version of the Ryutsūisen used with an umbrella.

Other Techniques

• Ryūbisen (龍 (りゅう) 尾 (び) 閃 (せん) , Dragon Tail Flash) - A technique only appearing in Rurouni Kenshin: Conspiracy of the 10 Braves, Kenshin performs a two-handed single spinning slash while leaping at his opponent almost akin to a Ryūkansen, likely based on the nose-bridge-aimed slash he performed against Udō Jin-e that initially broke his nose. Unlike the Ryūkansen however, the move is two-handed (half-way through) and is a directly horizontal airborne slash. Classified as a middle attack.
• Hiten no Yomi (飛 (ひ) 天 (てん) の読 (よ) み, Flying Heaven's Reading) – A battōjutsu counterattack technique only seen in Jump Super Stars and Jump Ultimate Stars, where Kenshin readies himself in an upright battōjutsu stance as he nearly reaches for his sword. If he is hit during the stance, he'll instantly strike with a single fast-slash which has him re-sheathing his sword, akin to iaidō. Used as his Special Attack B in his 4 Koma version in the said games.
• Hiten Gorengeki (飛 (ひ) 天 (てん) 五 (ご) 連 (れん) 撃 (げき) , Flying Heaven Quintuple Attack) – A named version of Kenshin's "five-hit combo" vs. Shishio Makoto in Jump Super Stars and Jump Ultimate Stars, where he performs a Ryūtsuisen, Ryūshōsen, then the three Ryūkansen variations (Kogarashi, Tsumuji then Arashi) in that order (used as either his Special Attack A in Jump Super Stars or Special Attack B in Jump Ultimate Stars, both for his 6 Koma version). The name comes from Sanosuke coining the term "gorengeki" during the said battle in the source material (via initially calling the Ryūtsui-Shōsen portion a "nirengeki/double attack").
  • Can also be replicated in J-Stars Victory Vs. when done from either version of his Ryūshōsen (which can only be done from either the midair attack or the fourth input strong-strong-weak-weak string version of the Ryūtsuisen in that said game). Though in Jump Force, only the Ryūkansen portions of the chain attack are reused (animation-wise) as Kenshin's heavy attack string, and the entire combo itself is one of the edit-able special moves for the edit-character's moveset while not accessible by Kenshin himself.
    • In the case of it being a "five-hit combo", the Ryūkansen Arashi connected only once on Shishio in the original battle, while the Jump DS Stars variant for the Arashi finisher also hit once. Only the Kyōto Circle of Hell, Saisei/Kansei, J-Stars and Jump Force versions of Arashi hit multiple times.

Practitioners

• Hiko Seijūrō I
• Hiko Seijūrō II
• Hiko Seijūrō III
• Hiko Seijūrō IV
• Hiko Seijūrō V
• Hiko Seijūrō VI
• Hiko Seijūrō VII
• Hiko Seijūrō VIII
• Hiko Seijūrō IX
• Hiko Seijūrō X
• Hiko Seijūrō XI
• Hiko Seijūrō XII
• Hiko Seijūrō XIII
• Himura Kenshin
• Amakusa Shōgo (anime only)
• Nishida Hyō-e (anime only)

Trivia

• Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū is loosely based on the real-life Shiranui-ryū, whose secrets died with its sole known practitioner, Kawakami Gensai (who was Kenshin's inspiration). Shiranui-ryū was only described to be a high-speed sword style that could swiftly kill even in broad daylight and had low-forward-ducking postures involved in their battōjutsu attacks.
• Although Hiko Seijūrō XIII refers to Shishio Makoto as a master of "Hiten" in the Viz manga, there is nothing to suggest that Shishio has ever studied Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū; this a translation error. The line accurately translated is: "One way or another, It is needless to say that as a swordsman of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū there is no way that I can ignore Shishio."
• While not an actual practitioner of this style, Yahiko could mimic certain techniques, with the Ryūtsuisen being the most common one across other forms of media Yahiko has appeared in.
• In Japanese Buddhist mythology, Hiten is another name for the celestial beings known as Tennin, who serve gods and devas to help spread and protect Buddhist Dharma. Like angels of the Christian tradition, Tennin are usually depicted with hagoromo, feathered cloaks that are said to allow them to fly, and tenne, flowing arched scarfs that represent their heavenly being. They are often depicted as flying on clouds and with dragons, in praise and celebration in Buddha's Pure Land, and are said to have great powers allowing them to fly and achieve speed beyond human capability. In some legends, tennin are also said to reside atop mountains as holy spirits, which further draws parallels to the powerful and sacred beings known as sennin, who are hermits that have sought the secrets of immortality through the arts of ki and are free from worldly nourishment.
  • In regards to this and Hiten Mitsurugi's rite of succession, this also draws parallels to the deva Taishakuten or Śakra, Japan's interpretation of Indra, who is the commander of the Four Heavenly Kings and ruler of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, one of the highest levels of the Deva Realm in Buddhist cosmology akin to Mount Olympus, in where the gods themselves dwell and bear continued contact with the world of men. Though Śakra is considered a fierce deity like Fudō Myō'ō and is a protector of mankind and the gods, Śakra is known to resolve strife and conflict with the least amount of necessary force and is able to revive those slain in battle to uphold his vow to cease suffering. Though the world of gods and devas is mortal in Buddhism, Śakra is also a namesake and is passed on to the next successor to protect the human world. Considering Rurouni Kenshin's themes of katsujinken (life-giving swords) and bearing mercy even in the face of necessary force, this parallel highlights such themes even more significantly.
• The belief that Hiten Mitsurugi is a probable source of immortality likely stemmed from the quote, "Swordsmanship is basically the exercising of the Life Force and, therefore, at the beginning of the study, the Life Force is exercised by means of technique."
• The Kuzuryūsen technique is derived from the dragon god Kuzuryū in Japanese Mythology.
• By Crescent Moon in the Warring States's date of release, the Hiten Mugen Zan's performing debut chronologically makes it the first canonical technique of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū.
• It is unknown what Hiten Mitsurugi's tenets are on users outside of its isshi sōden (sole-successor) dynamic, as the only known cases of rogue users were Nishida Hyō-e, Amakusa Shōgo, and even technically, Himura Kenshin, while in turn, imitators such as Ogawa Heizō existed. Nevertheless, it can be safely guessed, even if anime arcs such as the Shimabara Arc and post-arc fillers are considered non-canon, that with its tenets of encouraging correct judgement, those who barely use their teachings outside of self-defense and have grown away from the path of sword-fighting with benevolent, pacifistic, and altruistic aims like Nishida and Ogawa are harmless and can be overlooked to some extent, while those who actively use Hiten Mitsurugi for selfish and self-centered misguided gains like Amakusa must be dealt with immediately. Kenshin himself is an interesting case, as he is directly what could be considered a rogue student, but has come to learn the weight of his actions and developed both responsibility and penance for his actions as a hitokiri, and had at least wanted to act for a better Japan for his people and fellow citizen.
  • Of particular interest, the display of the lives of the users and those related to the affairs of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū in the series coming to meet each other in the series brings to mind the idea of karma, fate, "the law of attaction", "all things coming full circle", and even to the idea of viewing and digesting the series as entertainment, to view close aspects of human lives akin to gods and spirits that witness life from afar. This is especially evocative of how even schools of martial arts in Japanese religion and spirituality have their own pantheon and representative spirits and kami, and how these schools of martial arts demand their users and witnesses to respect their rules and principles lest disobedient and misbehaving students, or even those who dare actively trespass and transgress against the school who dare break them for selfish and malevolent purposes, will be punished by not just their masters and the law, but these deities and entities themselves, and without restraint. While Amakusa's defeat is significant, so may Nishida's fate of being blinded forever by his own successor, and to where even trying times such as Ogawa's confrontation with Anzai Jurobei, and even Kenshin's own hardships are representative of this form of spiritual trial and judgement.