Swordsman duels · Superhuman
Jin vs Kenshin Himura
Two calm, quiet swordsmen who would rather not fight, and are very good at it.
Tale of the tape
| Samurai Champloo | Universe | Rurouni Kenshin |
|---|---|---|
| Street level | Tier | Superhuman |
| Flawless classical swordsmanship, calm as still water | Strength | God-like speed and the Hiten Mitsurugi style |
| Bound by a code of honour that opponents can exploit | Weakness | Fights with a reverse-blade sword that will not kill |
| 0–2 | Record on Versus | 3–1 |
The Arena
Jin found a quiet temple in Kyoto and sat down to rest beneath a cherry tree. A small man with red hair and a cross-shaped scar on his cheek was sweeping the courtyard, humming to himself. Jin noticed his reverse-bladed sword immediately, and the way he moved: light, balanced, completely relaxed.
“That is a strange sword,” Jin said. Kenshin smiled gently. “It cannot kill. That is why I carry it.” Jin studied him. “You were a killer once.” Kenshin’s smile faded slightly. “A long time ago.” Jin stood. “I would like to see how you fight. If you are willing.”
Kenshin hesitated, then set down his broom. Some swordsmen can only understand each other with blades.
Round One
Jin attacked with flawless classical form, a strike so clean it seemed to slow time. Kenshin was not there. He moved so fast that Jin’s blade cut only cherry blossoms, then reappeared beside him and struck Jin’s shoulder with the dull back of his sword. Jin staggered, astonished. He had never seen anyone move that fast.
He adapted, calm and focused, and his next combination was perfect, a series of cuts designed to trap an opponent into a corner. Kenshin escaped them all with Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, a style that draws on godlike speed, and landed two more strikes on Jin’s ribs.
Jin stepped back, breathing hard. He had trained his whole life for this kind of fight. He had never faced anyone this fast.
The Turn
Jin stopped trying to match Kenshin’s speed. He stood perfectly still, closed his eyes for a moment and waited, the way his master had taught him to wait. When Kenshin attacked, Jin felt the strike coming and turned his blade a fraction of a degree. He opened a thin cut along Kenshin’s forearm.
Kenshin stopped and looked at the wound, then smiled with real delight. “You read me,” he said. “Very few people can do that.” Jin nodded. “Your speed is perfect. But perfect speed still moves in a straight line.” Kenshin laughed softly. “Then I will have to bend it.”
He sheathed his sword and crouched low. Jin knew that stance. It was the stance of the battojutsu, the fastest draw in Japan.
The Finish
Kenshin drew. Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki, the ultimate technique of his school. Jin, waiting with perfect calm, saw the strike begin and blocked it, his blade meeting Kenshin’s with a crack that echoed around the temple. For one breathtaking instant, the impossible had happened.
Then the vacuum created by the first strike pulled Jin forward, off balance, and Kenshin’s body completed the turn. The second strike, faster than the first, struck Jin’s side with the dull edge, and he flew backwards across the courtyard and landed in a drift of cherry blossoms.
He lay there, looking up at the falling petals, and began to laugh quietly. Kenshin knelt beside him. “You blocked the first strike,” he said. “No one has done that in a long time.” Jin sat up slowly. “And yet I lost.” Kenshin smiled and helped him to his feet. “Then we will both have something to think about tonight.”
The verdict
Kenshin Himura wins
Jin’s classical form is calm and precise enough to read Kenshin and even block his ultimate technique, but Kenshin’s Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu speed is godlike, and the second strike of his ultimate technique is impossible to stop.
- SpeedKenshin’s style draws on superhuman speed.
- Ultimate techniqueThe vacuum of the first strike pulls opponents into the second.
- ExperienceKenshin fought through a revolution against the best swordsmen of his age.
How the rematch could go differently: A Jin who had studied the second strike and learned to resist the vacuum could make it a true contest.
Who do you think wins?
Who would win in a fight between Jin and Kenshin Himura?
Kenshin Himura wins. Jin’s classical form is calm and precise enough to read Kenshin and even block his ultimate technique, but Kenshin’s Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu speed is godlike, and the second strike of his ultimate technique is impossible to stop.