Crescent Moon in the Warring States

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Crescent Moon in the Warring States is a manga written by Nobuhiro Watsuki back in his days as a manga artist assistant. It is his first professional work, which is indirectly set in the Rurouni Kenshin world. The story tells the tale of a former Hiko Seijūrō. It is collected in Rurouni Kenshin tankōbon volume 6, as the third end of volume special.

Its storyline involves Hiko Seijūrō as a Samurai of the Sengoku Jidai (Warring States period) of Japan. He is in full Samurai armour, and utilises the "Hiten-Mitsurugi-Ryū" Style of Kenjutsu Swordsmanship. Hiko also sports the same length of coat with a slightly different collar to the one he wears in Rurouni Kenshin . In actual fact, Hiko is not the main character, but the role is taken by young farm boy, Isshinta, which could partly be a basis for Kenshin's previous name, Shinta, in Rurouni Kenshin.

The Basic plot is that Hiko is a powerful Samurai who remains unbeaten, and he meets Isshinta while saving him from some Samurai from the Nagumo Prefecture, and they escape from the reinforcements. The readers then learn that Isshinta and Hiko both Know different girls, both by the name of Natsu. Hiko's Natsu was the princess that married the Lord of Nagumo who betrayed Hiko's Prefecture, Kitakata. Isshinta's Natsu lived in the village with him. Both Isshinta and Hiko were in love with "their" Natsu. Eventually, Isshinata joins Hiko in the effort to change the country as Hiko's lieutenant.