HONESTLY THIS IS SUCH A MAJOR SCENE? Maekawa Speaks Of The Old Form Of Kenjutsu  when Warriors Measure

give me two characters who are each other’s home. two characters who feel completely safe, warm and protected in each other’s presence, and who are completely respected by the other. two people who, on some level or another, were missing that little extra spark they needed to feel fully confident and accepted as their whole selves until the other came along. they don’t “fix each other” or “make each other better”–they give the other the support they need to build on what was already inside them. sure they might kiss, or make goo-goo eyes, but they can also just…talk, and make each other laugh and smile, because for once they feel comfortable enough in themselves and with each other to be vulnerable in that way. two complete people who finally find someone to share all of themselves with. and no matter what they do or how far they go, they’ll always have each other to come back home to. 

HONESTLY THIS IS SUCH A MAJOR SCENE? Maekawa speaks of the old form of kenjutsu  when warriors measure each other with just a glance. He does this with Kenshin and immediately the two of them begin to laugh, or from my translation of my own manga, Maekawa says this:

‘ Don’t worry, Kaoru-kun. I’ve no wish to fight anymore. I can already see that I’ve lost. I gave him my fiercest glare and his eyes just let it flow away.’

 Basically this man, older than Kenshin - has lost to him - and not in malicious intent. Kenshin once again was presented with a powerful will, and no matter the will, his eyes just gently, like water, let them flow away - almost like the wind, he acknowledges someone’s desire to fight him, if they have even an inkling of how powerful he is - and he lets it flow away. He doesn’t want to fight any unnecessary battles and that these two could have a stare-down is a testament to both of them but for this analysis, really, Kenshin, because it shows his depth of will and control . 

He was offered a fight and his air-tight control and heart easily let it roll off his back. He has no desire. He’s seen enough fighting than this man has his entire life - and adding another that has no merit save competing for ‘strength titles’ is useless to a man who is called and feared by all as the ‘strongest’ a title he even claims to Aoshi that he can have because he has no ‘need of it’ all he cares about are the people ‘waiting for his help.’ 

The combined imagery and how gently Kenshin states with merely his eyes how he has no desire to fight a pointless battle is testament to his character, in my opinion, and his strength of heart - enough strength that he can easily, and gently disarm someone’s fighting intent aimed towards him with merely a glance, never losing a warrior’s respect for another.

Kenshin & Kaoru [insp]

Takeru Satoh - Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno (2014)

@godkilller​  UwU ???????

KENSHIN GRAPHIC EDITS 5 / ??? | DEATH MATCH UNDER THE MOON. kenshin during the fight with udō jin-e and the legendary battōjutsu . 

Tender Buttons, Gertrude Stein

me softly: kenshin in k.ny as a pillar / hashira using ‘dragon-breathing’ incorporating  hiten mitusurugi-ryu, literally with the name ‘heavenly’ in it because he’d undoubtedly be on par with anyone and also a mentor among them as well as being one of the oldest members besides himejima if not older, and being known as the dragon pillar / dragon hashira with quite a background / reputation of excellence and if not for his kindly nature outside war, intimidating.   also me: kenshin being a mixture of his younger self and present self in order to fit the setting and also because he’s at literal war with the demons alongside his other fellow pillars, while being shrouded in mystery because no one knows who is his master / trainer, only whispers, and every time a demon is felled by his blade it’s very, very quick they forget how devastating the attack was. but also having a really open and accepting opinion of demons who are fighting their natures like tamayo and showing their human hearts, suffering from intense empathy despite killing them, possibly knowing the fifth water breathing form of  ‘blessed rain after the drought’ which he physically humbled himself to know the form from quite possibly urokodaki or giyuu if only to know a technique that puts them peaceably out of their misery out of sheer agony of the heart despite not erring in his path.  also me: he kind of scares the other ( smart ) pillars because no one knows what’s behind that smile unless they actually really know him. that and how is someone so short that insanely powerful and the smart ones really know better than to see him turn that might on them, which he’d never. i think he wouldn’t approve of all of oyakata-sama’s actions especially the last bit, and actually be quite angered and for this reason it’s likely he isn’t made aware because who wants to anger a dragon, right? me again: kenshin actually willing to take on a tsuguko. someone naturally has to have some level of god-speed, maybe not on par with kenshin’s or hiko’s terrifying levels but enough to match the beauty, raw power, colossal speed and terror of his style, a speed shared by wind pillars or at least a close margin. i mean we have a snake pillar i don’t see why a dragon isn’t possible! if not a tsuguko, him just imparting some wisdom that is just life oriented. me: kenshin surviving but at what cost :) by the time the infinity fortress arc is completed kenshin has completed the cross shaped scar.