New Followers So I Thought I'd Pull This One Out Again! - Blog Posts

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.