Rurouni Kenshin : Legendary Swordsman : Episodes 1-4

Set in the period following the end of Japan's turbulent samurai era near the end of the Tokugawa Dynasty during the second half of the 19th century. The Meiji Era was one of great renewal for Japan, where swords and killing were outlawed. However, many survivors from the time of Revolution still lived, lurking in the shadows and waiting for a chance to use their killing blades again. Kenshin hopes to keep his swordsman's honour and still live in the new era. Rurouni Kenshin begins when a wandering swordsman saves the life of a young woman on the streets of Tokyo. The wanderer's name is Kenshin and his blade is sharpened only on the back edge, meaning that he can use it to disable, but not kill, his enemies. The woman, Kaoru, invites Kenshin to stay at her father's kendo dojo, and he comes to her aid when she is attacked by a disgraced student. During the battle it emerges that Kenshin is Battousai the Manslayer, a vicious Hitokiri (assassin) who terrorized Japan in the turbulent years before the beginning of the Meiji Era. Now he is looking for redemption, but the forces arrayed against him will make it very difficult for him to escape his past. The main, driving issue in this series how not to turn over to the dark side. Kenshin fights the urge to return to his Hitokiri nature, constantly finding a way to defeat his highly-skilled opponents without killing them.