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Oct 4, 2:09 AM
#1

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Almost a whole a year after the end of the 1st Season of this re-iteration of Rurouni Kenshin, it's finally time for me to continue my breakdown of the modifications made to the content adapted, with the 2nd Season adapting the highly acclaimed Kyoto Arc for the 3rd time in animation, Kyoto Douran! This Season will run for 23 episodes and is expected to adapt the entire Kyoto Arc.

If you need a list (with explanations!) of each entry composing the franchise, you can head to this blog post.

________________________________________________________________

In this thread, I'll list which chapters are adapted by each episode, on top of pointing out all altered, skipped, or original content.

I've put in bold what I think are the most important changes and additions of this adaptation, but be aware that I haven't listed all of the alterations or original content that are due to the differences in medias (like how Kenshin moves his scabbard in the Manga, or the pictures used to illustrate what the characters are talking about in the animation).
________________________________________________________________

Previous post (1st Season - Episodes 01-13)
Previous post (1st Season - Episodes 14-24)
________________________________________________________________

Episode 01 : Chapters 58-60, few pages of 62.

Episode 02 : Chapters 60 (three pages), 61-63, a page of 64.

Episode 03 : Chapters 64-66.

Episode 04 : Chapters 67-69, half a page of 70.

Episode 05 : Chapters 70-71.

Episode 06 : Chapters 72-73.

Episode 07 : Chapters 74-75, a few pages of 76.

Episode 08 : Chapters 76-78.

Episode 09 : Chapters ?.

________________________________________________________________

Don't hesitate to make a post, like that the thread will be bumped, and more people will be able to read it.
If you have any questions about the franchise or some suggestions about this thread, you can @ me.

As I'm very busy lately, I'll probably have a day of delay between the release of the episodes and the updates of this thread.
Alexioos957 hours ago
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Oct 4, 2:10 AM
#2

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Jan 2017
6095
// Placeholder for Cour 2.
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Oct 4, 2:59 AM
#3

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Jul 2021
1093
Thank you for your service once more
Oct 4, 3:43 AM
#4

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May 2023
59
This is brilliant! Thank you so much.
Oct 4, 7:37 AM
#5
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Aug 2016
1696
Welcome back my dude! Looking forward to seeing your comparisons between original and remake. Thanks for your hardwork.
Oct 4, 9:01 AM
#6

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Sep 2007
9
Thank you for this
Oct 8, 1:12 AM
#7

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Mar 2008
1120
They cut the line where Sano mentions he broke Saitou's arm from the manga. I saw they put a scene in where Saitou fumbles with a cigarette, but it was never explicitly stated in the episode that's what happened.
Oct 8, 10:05 AM
#8
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Feb 2017
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😎😎😎😎😎 cool 😎😎😎😎😎
Oct 11, 4:33 AM
#9

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Jan 2017
6095
Update: Notes for Episode 02 have been added.

Happy to see that only very minimal comedy is skipped, even if that makes the 1st Season even more weird (somehow, the Kyoto Arc is partially more lighthearted than Tokyo in this iteration ?)...

razisgosu said:
They cut the line where Sano mentions he broke Saitou's arm from the manga.

Indeed. Dunno how i missed that only half of the bubble was voiced. I added the mention, and i'll try to be more focused from now on.
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Oct 11, 10:34 AM

Offline
Jan 2020
840
Reply to Alexioos95
Update: Notes for Episode 02 have been added.

Happy to see that only very minimal comedy is skipped, even if that makes the 1st Season even more weird (somehow, the Kyoto Arc is partially more lighthearted than Tokyo in this iteration ?)...

razisgosu said:
They cut the line where Sano mentions he broke Saitou's arm from the manga.

Indeed. Dunno how i missed that only half of the bubble was voiced. I added the mention, and i'll try to be more focused from now on.
@Alexioos95 I heard from a rumor somewhere that Oda's best friend, Nobuhiro Watsuki, wasn't so fond of the removal of Kenshin's Oros and the comedy during the 1st season run, which is why the latter cour of S1 started to include it somewhat. Yamamoto is off the project now so I guess there was some conflict between the two considering he was the one who said in an interview that he intended on removing the comedy for the sake of a LA drama-ish direction.
Oct 11, 11:49 AM

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KatoWorks said:
I heard from a rumor somewhere that Oda's best friend, Nobuhiro Watsuki, wasn't so fond of the removal of Kenshin's Oros and the comedy during the 1st season run, which is why the latter cour of S1 started to include it somewhat.


That rumor probably comes from the interview that was made by Watsuki and his wife for the original broadcast of Episode 01 of the 1st Season. (https://www.reddit.com/r/rurounikenshin/comments/17fwn43/translation_interview_with_watsuki_and_kurosaki/?rdt=40310)

In it, Watsuki basically said that comedy was a not so little part of the story, and that he and his wife tried to insert as much as possible of it (as well as "Oro" moments) in the screenplays. So it seems like he, indeed, was not very fond of its removal, but at the same time he was publicly acknowledging that this Anime was aiming to be a more serious re-interpretation of the original work for the new era (which they referenced as Reiwa's Rurouni Kenshin), and not simply a direct adaptation... He probably was, either conflicted about that, or just didn't want to publicly criticize the work done.

Overall, i don't really know what to think of it for now. I sure love to see the comedy back, but at the same time, it makes the tone kinda disconnected with the previous Season, and i fear that it may damage the experience, especially as this "Remake", possibly being a complete adaptation, could be recommended to newer fans over the old series. So well, we'll just see how it goes ! (Edit : Damn, i want the radish scene now.)

KatoWorks said:
Yamamoto is off the project now so I guess there was some conflict between the two considering he was the one who said in an interview that he intended on removing the comedy for the sake of a LA drama-ish direction.


I haven't seen any interviews about this Season yet, and even in them, the staff are not necessarily honest, but i would have thought that they simply wanted a more talented director for a highly awaited segment of the story (which is very much worth it, for now. The general directing in these 2 Episodes is very much better than in the complete previous Season). It's indeed possible, tho.
Alexioos95Oct 11, 11:59 AM
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Oct 11, 6:15 PM

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May 2008
347
Thanks for continuing this. Love the breakdowns.
Oct 12, 12:16 AM

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Jan 2020
840
Reply to Alexioos95
KatoWorks said:
I heard from a rumor somewhere that Oda's best friend, Nobuhiro Watsuki, wasn't so fond of the removal of Kenshin's Oros and the comedy during the 1st season run, which is why the latter cour of S1 started to include it somewhat.


That rumor probably comes from the interview that was made by Watsuki and his wife for the original broadcast of Episode 01 of the 1st Season. (https://www.reddit.com/r/rurounikenshin/comments/17fwn43/translation_interview_with_watsuki_and_kurosaki/?rdt=40310)

In it, Watsuki basically said that comedy was a not so little part of the story, and that he and his wife tried to insert as much as possible of it (as well as "Oro" moments) in the screenplays. So it seems like he, indeed, was not very fond of its removal, but at the same time he was publicly acknowledging that this Anime was aiming to be a more serious re-interpretation of the original work for the new era (which they referenced as Reiwa's Rurouni Kenshin), and not simply a direct adaptation... He probably was, either conflicted about that, or just didn't want to publicly criticize the work done.

Overall, i don't really know what to think of it for now. I sure love to see the comedy back, but at the same time, it makes the tone kinda disconnected with the previous Season, and i fear that it may damage the experience, especially as this "Remake", possibly being a complete adaptation, could be recommended to newer fans over the old series. So well, we'll just see how it goes ! (Edit : Damn, i want the radish scene now.)

KatoWorks said:
Yamamoto is off the project now so I guess there was some conflict between the two considering he was the one who said in an interview that he intended on removing the comedy for the sake of a LA drama-ish direction.


I haven't seen any interviews about this Season yet, and even in them, the staff are not necessarily honest, but i would have thought that they simply wanted a more talented director for a highly awaited segment of the story (which is very much worth it, for now. The general directing in these 2 Episodes is very much better than in the complete previous Season). It's indeed possible, tho.
@Alexioos95
I haven't seen any interviews about this Season yet, and even in them, the staff are not necessarily honest, but i would have thought that they simply wanted a more talented director for a highly awaited segment of the story (which is very much worth it, for now. The general directing in these 2 Episodes is very much better than in the complete previous Season). It's indeed possible, tho.
I was referring to the previous season for the Yamamoto interview but as for the second season I do agree that it's way much better. Yamamoto isn't really much of a good boarder and it was pretty rough seeing him storyboard every episode of s1 though I do recognize his hard work. This season finally allows other (better) storyboard artists to take over and it seems pretty good for now, they even salvaged a bit of the Kaoru farewell in its tone through the flashbacks and the ending song. (Kid Phenomenon playing in the background for that final scene in s1 is a war crime, even more so for not setting the mood with its scenery like the original show)
KatoWorksOct 12, 12:22 AM
Oct 25, 5:58 AM

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Nov 2019
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Has it been officially confirmed that this season is supposed to adapt the entirety of Kyoto? Or are people simply assuming that?
Oct 25, 6:21 AM

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Jan 2017
6095
AmarantineAzure said:
Has it been officially confirmed that this season is supposed to adapt the entirety of Kyoto? Or are people simply assuming that?


That's only fan's assumptions for now, but that's quite probable that it is what's planned.

With 23 Episodes, they'll go very far in Kyoto, and with the current pacing, only the climax and epilogues would be left. Separating them from that Season, to put it with the start of Jinchuu (or a Movie ?) would be a terrible transition, and a bad marketing move. We know Aniplex are impatient to adapt Hokkaido, so it seems logical for them to do 3 two-cours Seasons for the Main Manga, before going into Hokkaido.

So i believe they'll speed up the pacing (which should not be too hard with all the fights incoming), but well, we'll see how it goes. For now, i'm very satisfied with this Season, aside of the music.
Alexioos95Oct 25, 6:25 AM
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Oct 31, 3:38 PM

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Nov 2019
84
Reply to Alexioos95
AmarantineAzure said:
Has it been officially confirmed that this season is supposed to adapt the entirety of Kyoto? Or are people simply assuming that?


That's only fan's assumptions for now, but that's quite probable that it is what's planned.

With 23 Episodes, they'll go very far in Kyoto, and with the current pacing, only the climax and epilogues would be left. Separating them from that Season, to put it with the start of Jinchuu (or a Movie ?) would be a terrible transition, and a bad marketing move. We know Aniplex are impatient to adapt Hokkaido, so it seems logical for them to do 3 two-cours Seasons for the Main Manga, before going into Hokkaido.

So i believe they'll speed up the pacing (which should not be too hard with all the fights incoming), but well, we'll see how it goes. For now, i'm very satisfied with this Season, aside of the music.
@Alexioos95 I'm very satisfied with this season as well, it's been a huge step up from season one, which I found a little underwhelming.

But that's why I'm worried whether they can do the rest of Kyoto in the remaining 18 episodes without rushing things too much.

They've even been adding bits of new material here and there, which is why I thought they might leave some of Kyoto for season 3. I think there's a good chance they will adapt the Master of Flame oneshot as well (which shows the backstory of how Shishio met Yumi), since they also adapted that new mini-arc in season 1.

Oh well, I guess only time will tell. But the first 5 episodes of season 2 have been so promising, I really hope they don't screw this up.
Nov 8, 3:33 AM

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Jan 2017
6095
Update: Notes for Episode 06 have been added.
Deleted previous Update post.
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Nov 8, 4:09 PM
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Jul 2023
26
Reply to Alexioos95
Update: Notes for Episode 06 have been added.
Deleted previous Update post.
Do you think, trust and betrayal will be included in the next season?
Nov 8, 9:59 PM

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Jan 2017
6095
Miraz_Un_Nabi said:
Do you think, trust and betrayal will be included in the next season?


Yeah, definitely. It is part of the Manga/Jinchuu Arc, after all; there is no way for them to complete the story without it.
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Nov 9, 8:45 PM
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26
Do you read Hokkaido arc??? Why is aniplex doing hurry to animate hokkaido arc?? Is it good??
Nov 9, 11:20 PM

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Miraz_Un_Nabi said:
Do you read Hokkaido arc??? Why is aniplex doing hurry to animate hokkaido arc?? Is it good??


Yeah, I do read Hokkaido. Overall, I enjoy it, and do feels like it's good, but not nearly as much as the Main Manga. I often feel like "WTF, that's too much!" on a lot of points, and I really don't like how they heavily diminished the meaning of the last Chapter of the Main Manga.

As for why Aniplex wants it adapted as fast as possible... money, of course.

Hokkaido is a still ongoing Manga, with 60+ Chapters and good sales, the continuation of one of the most popular series ever, and didn't got adapted yet into another media. They can get the "exclusivity" of it. The push is probably also coming from Shueisha, who must want to use the Anime as sales boosts for it. Re-adapting the Main Manga maintain the popularity of it, while potentially attracting new readers to Hokkaido, but they won't benefit much anymore as publisher, the Manga is too old, now. They need a direct publicity for Hokkaido, hence why they probably want to hurry too.
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Nov 9, 11:25 PM
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26
After 15/20 years, I hope to see another good studio just like mappa or wit or if possible netflix or ufotable will make reboot this anime again with badass direction and anime quality.
Nov 14, 11:06 AM
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The pace of the anime is making me concerned. Are they actually planning to make a movie about Kyoto? In OG this episode showed cho already. But this time it was a much slower pace.
Nov 15, 4:42 AM

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6095
Update: Notes for Episode 07 have been added.

Miraz_Un_Nabi said:
The pace of the anime is making me concerned. Are they actually planning to make a movie about Kyoto? In OG this episode showed cho already. But this time it was a much slower pace.


At first I was absolutely convinced they were going to speed things up to end Kyoto with these 23 Episodes, but now I just don't know anymore.

This episode was one of the perfect opportunities to accelerate the pace, but instead they stay extremely close to the panels (almost 1:1 all the time), opted for slow dialogues, while also adding short transition shots to maintain that 2 chapters per episode pace. We'll need to see how they handle the numerous battles to see what'll happen, but it does seems highly unlikely for them to complete Kyoto with the 16 remaining episodes now. If they keep adding elements, maybe they can gain enough time to finish the Season with
, which is something someone told me, but that I didn't believed... If so, another Season is more likely than a Movie, I think. I really don't see where else they can end this Season at, though.

And yeah, the 1996's Anime did accelerate the pace there, majoritarily with quick dialogues and intelligent small alterations. This episode 07 was basically only half an episode in the old Anime.
Alexioos95Nov 15, 4:45 AM
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Nov 15, 4:52 AM
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Jul 2023
26
Reply to Alexioos95
Update: Notes for Episode 07 have been added.

Miraz_Un_Nabi said:
The pace of the anime is making me concerned. Are they actually planning to make a movie about Kyoto? In OG this episode showed cho already. But this time it was a much slower pace.


At first I was absolutely convinced they were going to speed things up to end Kyoto with these 23 Episodes, but now I just don't know anymore.

This episode was one of the perfect opportunities to accelerate the pace, but instead they stay extremely close to the panels (almost 1:1 all the time), opted for slow dialogues, while also adding short transition shots to maintain that 2 chapters per episode pace. We'll need to see how they handle the numerous battles to see what'll happen, but it does seems highly unlikely for them to complete Kyoto with the 16 remaining episodes now. If they keep adding elements, maybe they can gain enough time to finish the Season with
, which is something someone told me, but that I didn't believed... If so, another Season is more likely than a Movie, I think. I really don't see where else they can end this Season at, though.

And yeah, the 1996's Anime did accelerate the pace there, majoritarily with quick dialogues and intelligent small alterations. This episode 07 was basically only half an episode in the old Anime.
@Alexioos95 yeah absolutely, only half and that totally shocked me in first case... They tried to give proper introduction of okina and wanted to show that he is right now a normal person for the outter world but inside he is still spy... And in the OG, how shishio said it was a fancy welcome, that didn't support in 1996. But recent one absolutely has given the fancy welcome... So, it was good but this slows down the pace and I hope that there will be new season rather than a movie.
Nov 15, 4:52 AM
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26
Reply to Alexioos95
Update: Notes for Episode 07 have been added.

Miraz_Un_Nabi said:
The pace of the anime is making me concerned. Are they actually planning to make a movie about Kyoto? In OG this episode showed cho already. But this time it was a much slower pace.


At first I was absolutely convinced they were going to speed things up to end Kyoto with these 23 Episodes, but now I just don't know anymore.

This episode was one of the perfect opportunities to accelerate the pace, but instead they stay extremely close to the panels (almost 1:1 all the time), opted for slow dialogues, while also adding short transition shots to maintain that 2 chapters per episode pace. We'll need to see how they handle the numerous battles to see what'll happen, but it does seems highly unlikely for them to complete Kyoto with the 16 remaining episodes now. If they keep adding elements, maybe they can gain enough time to finish the Season with
, which is something someone told me, but that I didn't believed... If so, another Season is more likely than a Movie, I think. I really don't see where else they can end this Season at, though.

And yeah, the 1996's Anime did accelerate the pace there, majoritarily with quick dialogues and intelligent small alterations. This episode 07 was basically only half an episode in the old Anime.
@Alexioos95 yeah absolutely, only half and that totally shocked me in first case... They tried to give proper introduction of okina and wanted to show that he is right now a normal person for the outter world but inside he is still spy... And in the OG, how shishio said it was a fancy welcome, that didn't support in 1996. But recent one absolutely has given the fancy welcome... So, it was good but this slows down the pace and I hope that there will be new season rather than a movie.
Nov 15, 8:04 AM

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Nov 2019
84
After episode 7, I am almost wholly convinced they're not planning to complete the Kyoto arc this season.

I now expect this season to end after


After that, I expect the rest of Kyoto to take one more cour, i.e. 11-13 episodes, so the question is... do they do a one cour season to finish Kyoto, or do they do two cours with the first one being the end of Kyoto and the second one the beginning of Jinchu? I'm fine with either, as long as we get the best adaptation possible of both arcs.
Nov 15, 8:30 AM
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Reply to AmarantineAzure
After episode 7, I am almost wholly convinced they're not planning to complete the Kyoto arc this season.

I now expect this season to end after


After that, I expect the rest of Kyoto to take one more cour, i.e. 11-13 episodes, so the question is... do they do a one cour season to finish Kyoto, or do they do two cours with the first one being the end of Kyoto and the second one the beginning of Jinchu? I'm fine with either, as long as we get the best adaptation possible of both arcs.
@AmarantineAzure But do you think they will need 16 episodes to reach that moment where saito, kenshin, and sagara will leave this place to reach shishio??
Because for me it needs only 7/8 episode to reach that phase
Nov 15, 12:16 PM
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Miraz_Un_Nabi said:
@AmarantineAzure But do you think they will need 16 episodes to reach that moment where saito, kenshin, and sagara will leave this place to reach shishio??
Because for me it needs only 7/8 episode to reach that phase

I think they won't make new season for Kyoto they will cutt off some part or make it fast pace from next eps onwards and next episode is likely to adapt 3 chaps.
Nov 15, 11:01 PM
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Reply to Gray_eminence
Miraz_Un_Nabi said:
@AmarantineAzure But do you think they will need 16 episodes to reach that moment where saito, kenshin, and sagara will leave this place to reach shishio??
Because for me it needs only 7/8 episode to reach that phase

I think they won't make new season for Kyoto they will cutt off some part or make it fast pace from next eps onwards and next episode is likely to adapt 3 chaps.
@Gray_eminence Even from here, they want to adapt 3 chapters in an episode. Still they will need 26 episodes to complete. But currently they are left of 16 episodes.
Nov 16, 4:49 AM

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84
Reply to Miraz_Un_Nabi
@AmarantineAzure But do you think they will need 16 episodes to reach that moment where saito, kenshin, and sagara will leave this place to reach shishio??
Because for me it needs only 7/8 episode to reach that phase
@Miraz_Un_Nabi I think it's certainly doable if they adapt the Master of Flame oneshot about Shishio and Yumi's backstory, which I am fairly confident they will do (they even adapted Chapter 0 in season 1, after all). Plus they've already introduced a bit of new material here and there this season (like Hoji greeting Shishio with those flowers in episode 7), so there's no telling how much new stuff there might be in total that could facilitate ending the season with Kenshin, Sano and Saito leaving for Shishio's base.
Nov 16, 4:52 AM
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Reply to AmarantineAzure
@Miraz_Un_Nabi I think it's certainly doable if they adapt the Master of Flame oneshot about Shishio and Yumi's backstory, which I am fairly confident they will do (they even adapted Chapter 0 in season 1, after all). Plus they've already introduced a bit of new material here and there this season (like Hoji greeting Shishio with those flowers in episode 7), so there's no telling how much new stuff there might be in total that could facilitate ending the season with Kenshin, Sano and Saito leaving for Shishio's base.
@AmarantineAzure today morning I had the same thought that somehow they can go for master of the flame. And yeah found another person with same thought
12 hours ago

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Jan 2017
6095
Update: Notes for Episode 08 have been added. I've also slightly rewritten a few notes and fixed errors of placement, especially for Episode 03.
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.

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