 |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
History
Little is know about Megumi's and Aoshi's relationship up to this point. Aoshi's men seem to know nothing about Megumi and question why such a woman is important to Kanryuu. (One even goes as far as trying to kill her when her kidnapping is thwarted.) Aoshi likely knows, as any good ninja would, what she does. But there is no concrete evidence to confirm that. As for Megumi, she clearly understands his immense power. She tries to run away from the Kamiya dojo because she knows she will bring the Oniwabun upon them and doesn't believe they can fight them or their leader, Aoshi. However, she speaks as if this was directly observed or overheard as opposed to experienced directly. As the Kenshin-gumi fight their way through the Takeda estate, Megumi attempts to kill Kanryuu. She fails and is knocked out cold by the angry Kanryuu. At this point, Aoshi intervenes. His sole desire it appears is to fight Kenshin, who represents the strongest of the Imperialists, and if defeated, will mean the Oniwabun are indeed the best. In an unusual move, he defies Kanryuu and picks up the unconscious woman and takes her to a tower, far away from the battle. She wakes, and finds the man in the room, presumably waiting for Kenshin to advance past one of his men. However, Aoshi in a most unusual exchange, does two things: he thanks her for being the one to draw a strong opponent such as Kenshin ("Battousai") here and then returns her knife - the very one she had thought to use against Kanryuu and then kill herself, finding an honorable death. He gives her the knife and a choice- He expects to win against kenshin, which means that she will be left to deal with Kanryuu. She has the option to honorably end her life if she so chooses to do so. Aoshi, however, is defeated. He vows to return and kill Kenshin. But for a time, he disappears. Later, after Kenshin has left
for Kyoto to face Shishio, Kaoru and Yahiko also leave to find Kenshin. However, the man waiting in the dojo is none other than Aoshi Shinomori, sworn to seek vengeance upon Kenshin. In the anime version Megumi is frozen to the spot. He demands to know the whereabouts of the Battousai, otherwise she will die. She hotly refuses. As he reaches her, he crouches down. She closes her eyes in anticipation of her death, but then opens them in surprise as he touches her face. (In the manga, he stops short of touching her face.) Saitou's appearance here cuts short this last interaction; we do not know what would have happened then and there. Perhaps even Megumi doesn't know. As Aoshi leaves, she angrily confronts Saitou asking him why he has revealed Kenshin's whereabouts. Saitou dryly informs her that Aoshi would have certainly killed her. (That leads us to believe that Megumi had not quite taken Aoshi's threat all that seriously.) In the manga (since the 3rd season was all completely made up by the TV crew), Aoshi and Megumi again encounter one another during the Jinchuu arc. This time he comes to address what appears to be Kaoru's death. Their interactions here are interesting as they no longer are on the opposing side. (Courtesy of Maigo-chan's translations) (as spoiler-free as I can make it ^_^)
Megumi: What are you thinking? Do you even know what you're saying? Yahiko: Megumi! Misao: What is it, what's going on? Megumi: Listen! Listen to what this idiot wants to-- Misao: Don't call Lord Aoshi an idiot! Megumi: An idiot is what he
is! He challenges her and what she believes to be the truth; as it turns out, his own suspicions are correct. Then they work together to bring Kaoru back. Former guard and captive are now allies. And in the end of the series? It is a big question. Aoshi, Misao and Megumi all leave the dojo at the same time. Megumi leaves for Aizu, to set up shop and presumably look for her family. Aoshi and Misao go to bury the Oniwabun (for good) and head back to Kyoto. Alas, the Kenshin Kaden which includes a full-color epilogue resolves nothing. Sanosuke is still MIA five years later, wandering around the world; Aoshi and Misao arrive, but with no apparent change in their relationship, and Megumi arrives alone. Unlike Kenshin and Kaoru, the fate of many of our beloved characters is left a mystery. Speculations ...Just what is going on in the manga and anime? We are led by Megumi to think that she and the Oniwabanshu are merely acquainted, but not intimately known to one another. However, the observatory/tower scene in volume 3 and in season 1 is vague and suggests otherwise. There are some suggestions that Aoshi and Megumi are very aware of the other -- not perhaps very well-acquainted, but well-enough. Vol 2: Manga Beshimi (to Megumi): You escaped thinking two guards only... but by those beneath "the head" you are always under watch. be it the bedroom, the bath, ... even the toilet." Vol 3: Manga Megumi to Kenshin: ... The private army wasn't enough. Kanryu wanted Oniwabanshu so he hired a former head -- and just before (the) Meiji --the one who at the tender age of 15 became the okashira or head of Edo castle's oniwabanshu -- Shinomori Aoshi!!) Vol 4: Manga Megumi to Kenshin: Ken-san...
Kanryu built a secret passage through the ceiling ... leave through
that, and you can escape. Season Two/ Kyoto Manga arc The infamous dojo scene is rife with muddled interactions. The threat of death, which is oddly not followed except with an odd touch to the face. What exactly would have happened had not these two been interrupted? Jinchuu arc (Manga only) In the Jinchuu arc, Megumi and Aoshi actually work together quite a bit . . . and their relationship has progressed comfortably past the fear issue. After an awkward meeting where Aoshi comes to Megumi for an explanation of the events surrounding a mysterious occurence (which will remained unspoilt here until Viz releases the entire RK manga), Megumi actually voluntarily follows him back to the dojo, where she is later spotted having a (somewhat) heated discussion. ("idiot!"). There are curiously fun interactions between the two. It's that curious mix of annoyance and respect on both their parts which fueled some speculcation that there was something of an interest on Aoshi's side in the doctor. ...and Complications:The two biggest complications are known as Misao Makimachi and Sanosuke Sagara. Misao was Aoshi's ward in a sense -- and out and out worships and loves him (but in a way not explained). Her obvious care or hero-worship for him is what fuels much of the fan fervor around this pairing, despite the 9 year age difference. It is clear from the manga (and perhaps exaggerated by the anime) that Misao loves Aoshi. It is not clear whether that relationship can ever be romantic, or if it is a familial love. Misao/Aoshi fans will argue the former, while Aoshi fans scratch their heads somewhat uncertain of that aspect.. Simply put, despite the manga epilogue, what is obvious is that the two are not married five years out and that Misao is still pretty much her same old happy (and genki) self. Megumi is Sano's elder by 2 years. Their relationship is rocky from the start to the finish; but it is evident that they too care for one another. In the anime, Sano could be said to have a crush; whether he loved her is never stated. In the manga, their interactions are not exactly romantic. Regardless, Sanosuke unfortunately runs off at the conclusion of the manga and anime. Sano/Meg fans should happily keep believing, however, there are also some major obstacles to deal with . . . Therefore, on to the reasons . . .
|
||||||
