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// hitokiris anonymous >> anime >> summaries >> episode 05
Sakabatou vs. Zanbatou. At the Battle's End!
The Seikhou Tai in the sunset
Kenshin isn't worried about when or if the gangster Zanza, or his real name, Sagara Sanosuke, will fight him. Doctor Genzai informs Kaoru and Yahiko that this Sanosuke was formerly part of the Seikhou Tai, a group that had impersonated the government. The Seikhou Tai were men who support the Ishin Government in the last revolution, and for some reason, they had told people the government would cut the price of rice in half. Later, the Ishin Government disbanded the group because of their lies. Ayame and Suzume interrupt the conversation abruptly. When asked where Kenshin went, since he was playing with them, the girls answer that he went off with the strange man from the other night.

The Sakabatou is flying!?

The battle between Kenshin and Sanosuke is about to begin. The rules are set by the gangster, last man standing wins. Like the night before, Sanosuke uses the Zanbatou, but Kenshin can see how limited Sanosuke's abilities are with maneuvering his weapon. Kaoru and Yahiko arrive on the scene and watch, only to see Kenshin knock down Sano with a move they've never seen, Kenshin's Ryu Sou Sen, a technique where Kenshin's Sakabatou looks like it's flying.

Seikhou Tai members take the bullets for young Sano.
Memories flash through Sanosuke's head as he lies helplessly on the ground during his fight. A man by the name of Shindo Tatewaki had told the Seikhou Tai to inform everyone of the government's move to cut the price of rice in half. Sagara, the Seikhou Tai's boss, had wished to create a new era, one where people could live their dreams, side-by-side with the Ishin Government, but instead, the government had tricked them. The Seikhou Tai were used as pawns. This whole scheme was set up by the government to gain the trust of the people, and after, the Seikhou Tai were brutally murdered. One of the few members surviving was young Sano, who was saved by Sagara from the merciless gunfire.

Don't interfere in Zanza's fight!
Out of the blue, Gohei appears and fires a bullet at Kenshin. Luckily, with his quick reactions, Kenshin is able to block Gohei's shot with his sword. Gohei had wished to end this battle for Zanza, and in the meantime, get some revenge on Kaoru and her new student, Yahiko. As he mercilessly squeezes the two Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu members in a bearhug, Sanosuke hits Gohei straight in the leg with his Zanbatou, reminding him that this is his fight, and no one else's. However, Gohei doesn't get the message as he points his gun at Kenshin. For his stupidity, Kenshin knocks Gohei away with his Do Ryu Sen.

The final blow, Ryu Tsui Sen!
Again, the battle resumes after an exchange of words, allowing Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko to learn more about how Sanosuke feels about the Ishin Government. Kenshin, this time, fights for real, cutting Sanosuke's Zanbatou in half and hitting him hard with a Ryu Tsui Sen, but Sano just won't go down. The former Battousai commends Sanosuke's stamina and explains that the gangster has misunderstood. It is new to Sanosuke when he hears that Kenshin is no longer part of the Ishin Government, nor the Hitokiri Battousai. Like his boss Sagara, Kenshin is also fighting for a new era, one where people's dreams can come true, no matter what they are. This battle is over, and finally, Sanosuke admits defeat to the rurouni.

He's a tough one.
Zanza's injures were tremendous, and if it wasn't for his superhuman stamina, he'd be dead, as Genzai had told Kaoru. In town, Kaoru brings Kenshin and Yahiko along, planning to celebrate Kenshin's victory over the gangster with a sukiyaki lunch, but at the front of the Akaebeko, the men complaining about the government from the other day are seen running away. A heavily bandaged Sanosuke shouts at them, warning the men to at least practice before they decide to challenge him again. Kenshin greets Sano and asks if he's going to remove the kanji from his back now. The answer is no, Sanosuke replies, as he will never want to be far from his roots. From now on, Sanosuke has decided he will no longer be a gangster, just like how Kenshin had given up being the Hitokiri Battousai. Also, Sano promises to hang around with Kenshin from now on; the only catch is that he never wants Kenshin to run off without him, or else. With that said, Sanosuke departs. Tae quickly runs out to call the now former gangster, shouting out that he's forgotten to pay his bill yet again.