About Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū

Hiten Mitsurugi Ryū (飛天御剣流, Hiten Mitsurugi Ryū^? lit. Flying Heaven Honorable Sword Style), known as "Supersonic Sword Style", is a fictional ancient sword style that is said to pit one against many. It is a sword art that is passed from master to apprentice, its masters inheriting the name of Hiko Seijūrō. Kenshin states that the sword style was created in the Sengoku Period of Japan's history

The philosophy of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū is that a practitioner must protect those around him; he may use that lethal force for the protection of the people. When a student of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū understands this, he is ready to complete his training.

Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū's principles are based on utilizing godlike speed, or shinsoku, and precision to deal powerful blows that usually bring down foes with one shot. The swordsman must also be able to read techniques at an amazing pace as well as interpret emotions as a form of clairvoyance in order to accurately predict what an opponent will do. Combining those two elements with the speed and the precision allows Kenshin and Hiko to subdue opponents before they ever act. That is the power of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū.

The one drawback to the style on a whole is that it is a physically demanding style, only a person of peak athletic ability is able to maintain it. Thus a wide-framed muscular build like that of Hiko Seijūrō is more suited to Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū compared to Kenshin's slender build. After Kenshin learns the "Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki", he feels his body starting to deteriorate. By the time of the last chapter, five years after the main story, he has become unable to perform Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū.

Himura Kenshin mastered the Battōjutsu style, (note the name Battōsai) perfecting all parts of it, including all of its weaknesses.

A running gag in the manga with Kenshin upon first meetings is many people often think he's much younger than he really is. After seeing that Hiko also looks younger than his true age, Yahiko and Misao believe that the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryū is what causes both Kenshin and Hiko to stay young