Voordat hij beschermer werd, was Kenshin een angstaanjagende moordenaar die bekend stond als Battosai. Maar wanneer hij de vriendelijke Tomoe Yukishiro ontmoet, een mooie jonge vrouw die een enorme last in haar hart draagt, zal zijn leven voor altijd veranderen.

Kenshin Himura is een legendarische zwaardvechter. Hij is gestopt met het doden door middel van het zwaard. Hij probeert een vredig leven te leiden met Kaoru Kamiya die in het dorp een zwaardvechtersschool runt. Maar de zaken veranderen als het Akabeko restaurant, waar Kenshin Himura het liefst gaat eten, wordt verwoest. Kenshin Himura vindt daar een briefje waarop geschreven staat "Junchu".

1890. Ten tijde van het Meji-tijdperk in Japan hebben samoerai geen plek meer in de maatschappij omdat krijgers minder waardevol zijn geworden dan gewone boeren die aan ruilhandel doen.

Kenshin Himura gaat de strijd aan met de kwaadaardige Makoto Shishio. Makoto Shishio werkte vroeger voor de Meiji-regering maar wil deze nu ten val brengen. Kenshin Himura pakt het zwaard dat hij zwoer nooit meer te trekken. Hiermee bepaalt hij het lot van het hele land.

Nadat Kenshin Himura op Shishio's slagschip overboord sprong om zijn minnares te redden, komt hij bij zijn herstel oog in oog met Seijuro. Seijuro heeft hem toen hij klein was leren vechten. Kenshin realiseert zich dat hij de schurkachtige Shishio niet kan verslaan en wil daarom dat zijn meester hem een ultieme techniek leert. Kenshin zal moeten leren hoe hij zijn innerlijke kracht kan ontgrendelen voor zijn eindstrijd met Shishio.

As winds of change sweep Japan, an honest man joins the Shinsengumi out of admiration for its leader, and because he wants to live and die as a samurai. However, as his involvement grows, reality and idealism come into deadly conflict.

Kyoto, 1865, het einde van het Edo-tijdperk. De jonge samoerai Kano Sozaburo wordt aangenomen als lid van de Shinsengumi, een boeddhistische zwaardvechterclan die de strikte waarden van het feodale Japan wil handhaven. De betoverend mooie, Kano blijkt een uitmuntend zwaardvechter, die de hoofden van de in een geïsoleerde mannengemeenschap levende samoerai op hol brengt.

The story of Ryoma Sakamoto, considered to be the architect behind the downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate. He was considered an outlaw by his own clan, hunted by his government, and was despised by supporters of the Shogun as well as the Loyalists for desiring the opening of Japan to the West in order to learn its technology, in the hopes of one day defeating the West with a modern army and navy.

In the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate, there was a cute warrior, Souji Okita, who belonged to the armed police of the shogunate in Kyoto. Very few knew that Souji was not a boy, but a woman. Souji loved the vice-leader of the armed police, Toshizou Hijikata. Souji suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis and coughed up blood during a battle. Toshizou helped her but said that he did not care for the girl with a smell of blood. Souji had a real talent for swordsmanship and no one but Ryouma Sakamoto could compete with her. Ryouma was a liberal intellectual and tried to carry out a revolution without blood. However, the bloody Meiji Restoration broke out and Souji killed Ryouma who lost his dream. Because a friendship had sprung up between Toshizou and Ryouma, Toshizou got angry and slashed at Souji with a sword. Unwillingly, she unsheathed her sword and thought that she might get love if she was killed by the man she loved.

Set in the 19th century, "Moeyo Ken" follows the life of Toshizo Hijikata. He was the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi and fought against the Meiji Restoration.

Set during the last days of the Tokugawa (Edo) Period, Moeyo-ken tells the story of Hijikata Toshizo and the Shinsengumi. Hijikata Toshizo is a samurai eager to test his skills and sword and make his first kill. The dojo he belongs to practices the Tennen Rishin style and teaches this to farmers. Not considered real samurai by other dojo's, they receive a request for a duel by a rival dojo practicing the Kogen Itto style. Sohaku Rokusha, a teacher there, challenges them and fights with Hijikata Toshizo. The outcome of the fight creates a deadly animosity between them that lasts through the ages.

Megastar Kataoka Chiezo is Vice-commander Hijikata Toshizo of the Shinsengumi in this realistic tale of Japan’s inner battles that led to the downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate. Excellent performances and extremely good swordplay highlight this glimpse into the heart and soul of Japanese history. Although known as “Razor Blade” Hijikata, the vice-commander is a man of deep conviction with a little-known sense of humanity. Starting after the famed Ikedaya Incident, in which they saved Kyoto from Choshu’s plot to burn the city to ashes, they work hard to change the public’s view of them as merciless killers to their true mission of protecting the shogun. This is an extraordinary tale of blood and guts! From the pen of award winning author Shotaro Ikenami (Bandit Vs. Samurai, Hunter in the Dark, Misumi's The Last Samurai)

As the end approaches for Japan’s age of military rule, the Tokugawa shogunate brings together a squad of ruthless assassins to defend its representatives in Kyoto. These men were known as the Shinsengumi. Formidable swordsmen with unswerving dedication to their cause, the Shinsengumi think nothing of slashing down their enemies…but what happens when the enemy is the undead?

Near the end of the nineteenth century, as the balance of power shifts from Shogunate towards the Emperor, Japan restlessly awaits the dawning of a new age. But not all are content...The Shinsengumi, a small army of samurai, farmers and peasants, band together to do battle against the tide of history. Their leader, Isami Kondo is a man who rises from farmer to fighter to head the fierce Shinsengumi brigade. Using a stern hand and a heart of gold, he rallies his men in defense of the tottering Shogunate. But bloodshed and treachery lurk around every corner.

Follows the final days of the shogunate and Shinsengumi's Vice-Comander Hijikata Toshizo along with his fellow anti-imperialist group.

1961 Japanese film about the Shinsengumi.

Historical samurai OVA about the deputy leader of the Shinsengumi, who fought on the side of the Shogun prior to the Meiji Restoration.