Watch [team X-p] Rurouni Kenshin 07 -

Compare the 's portrayal of this fight to the 1996 original

: As Kenshin prepares a finishing blow with his lethal side, he momentarily reverts to the cold-blooded Battōsai. It is only Kaoru’s voice, breaking through her own paralysis out of a desperate wish for Kenshin to remain a "wanderer," that stops him from committing murder. Themes and Significance Watch [Team X-P] Rurouni Kenshin 07

The duel is a physical manifestation of Kenshin’s internal conflict between the "sword that gives life" ( Katsujinken ) and the "sword that takes life" ( Satsujinken ). Compare the 's portrayal of this fight to