Nineteenth century Japan: a land torn by rebellion and civil warfare; small bands of soldiers roam the land, seeking to overthrow the tyrannical Tokugawa Shogunate. Enter the young orphan Kenshin, trained as a fighter by the master swordsman Hiko.
Kenshin''s desire for peace is at odds with his brutal life, and the tension seems unreconcilable until he meets a mysterious woman named Tomoe. The enigmatic Tomoe''s actions may show Kenshin that another life can exist for him, or may instead conceal a destructive secret.