^ he reminds me a little of Haseo (.hack//roots) there.
I love that red head already. XD
He's cute. :3 Not cool, but cute. |D
Oh, you quit after the first episode? :o The fun stuf starts later. XD
Anyways, short synopsis:
Japan, 1874 - Meiji 11th. It is an era of peace and quiet after the hectic Bakumatsu, where the Tokugawa regime was overthrown by the imperialists. On the side of the imperialists there was a merciless Hitokiri, who was said to be the best. He earned the name of Battousai (he who unsheats the sword) and killed everyone who was on his list.
He fought for he believed that his deedss would help to creat an era of peace, where even the less fortunate would live happily. After the fighting was settled, he vanished, leaving only his name in legend.
10 years later, in Tokyo, on an early morning in late winter, a rurouni meets Kaoru Kamiya. He introduces himself as a Rurouni (a wandering samourai), Himura Kenshin.
As you've seen in the first episode, it turns out he is, or rather was, the infamous Hitokiri Battousai, who traded his killing sword for the Sakabatou (reverse-edged blade) to repent for his sins.
But even after wandering all over Japan for 10 years, it seems his past is still haunting him. Supported by his friends Kaoru (assistant of the Kamiya doujo), Sanosuke (a fighter for hire) and Yahiko (a 10-year old descendant of Samourai), Kenshin will have to face the ghosts of the Bakumatsu...
I can't tell much more without telling what happens for another 60 episodes (that's the Kyoto arc/first part of the manga). After that the anime's storyline doesn't make much sence anymore, it's basically some random episodes and random arcs that have nothing to do with the manga. The manga on the other hand continues after the Kyoto arc, to dig deeper in Kenshin's past. It's pretty amazing, but you have to like this kind of anime.
The storyline is actually pretty deep if you think of it. It is based on historical facts, so it's funny to know that some characters you'll see (such as Saitou Hajime) have actually lived. The anime and manga require that you watch them with attention, as many names (Ishin Sishi, Shinsengumi, ...) return frequently. You have to remember what they are. :o Rewatching the series usually helps.
I'd give it a 9/10, but that's just my oppinion. It was actually the the first time I cried my heart out while watching an anime. |D
The characters aren't always according to the definition of Bishie (whatever that is), but their personalities, history.... are so intriguing. @_@