A wandering swordsman with a gentle aura. His true identity is the Bakumatsu patriot once feared as the "Hitokiri Battousai," master of the god-speed Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu style. He is characterized by his red hair and the cross-shaped scar on his cheek, and he carries a "Sakabato" (reverse-blade sword) where the edge and spine are inverted.

A young woman serving as the acting master of the Kamiya Dojo. She has a bright, caring personality and welcomes Kenshin, who has nowhere to go, into her home. She struggles to protect the dojo left by her late father and his philosophy of "the sword that gives life," the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu.

A boy from a Tokyo samurai family. Left orphaned and alone, he was forced to work as a pickpocket for thugs until meeting Kenshin helped him regain his pride. He becomes a student at the Kamiya Dojo to become a strong swordsman.

A man who makes his living as a hired brawler, famous in the underworld. Known as "Zanza" the fighter. While he takes requests for fights, he is always searching for an opponent who is fun to battle. He is characterized by superhuman strength, incredible durability, and the character for "Evil" written on his back.

A mysterious woman well-versed in Western medicine. While she has a dignified personality, she is also quite mischievous and enjoys teasing Kaoru and Sanosuke.

A genius ninja who became the leader of the "Oniwabanshu," the Shogunate's elite intelligence unit, at the age of fifteen. For certain reasons, he currently leads his subordinates while in the employ of a businessman named Takeda Kanryu.

Kenshin's arch-rival since the Bakumatsu era. He was formerly the captain of the third unit of the Shinsengumi, the group that protected Kyoto on behalf of the Shogunate.