The Farewell

Eight years ago, the exact same date as today, the local channel aired the most heartbreaking episode of my favorite anime Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X) entitled, “The Farewell”. This was the farewell between Himura Kenshin and Kamiya Kaoru witnessed by the fireflies at Lake of Love.

This is very emotional since the hero, a samurai, has no assurance of coming back in his quest to finish the greatest battle in the story. The Kenshin-Kaoru love story is one of the most interesting and well reserved parts of the anime. In most part of the series, the characters deny any affection for one another (although the care for each other is very obvious). It was only this once that the word “love” was ever mentioned by the main character. I could still remember every single detail of that episode. Hu hu… (sniff)

This was the most powerful line in that episode:
“Not because I’m leaving does it mean I don’t love you.”

–Kenshin to Kaoru