Kaoru's put across as weak

[Fireshaper]

Maybe I've missed something, but Kaoru's never had a fight of her own. The only fight I can think of her in is when she fights Kamatari (not sure if that's the right name, the transvestite with the giant skythe) but she has help from Misao. How come Kaoru never gets her day. Watsuki-san explains that she's really good with the sword, but she's always getting defended by Kenshin or some other guy.  

[ponponpon way x2]

I suppose it's unfair. But, she could chose to try to help them fight, instead of allowing them to simply defend her. We can't put all the blame on her, though, heck, it could be the fault of her various protectors. They assume she's too weak to defend herself, almost immediatly. Or, like Kenshin, they can be possessive, that's how I choose to think of it, since he should be aware she's quite strong herself. Demonstrations being when she whacks him, about once per episode.  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

Kaoru is strong against your run-of-the-mill thugs and yakuzas (like when she took out those Hishi Manji Gurentai guys in chapter two), but up against guys like Udo Jinei and Yukishiro Enishi, guys who give Kenshin himself a hard time, there's little she can do. It's not about strong or weak; it's about different levels of strength. Kaoru is strong on her own level, but it's far below Kenshin's, Saitou's, Aoshi's, etc.  

[ponponpon way x2]

Yami no Hitokiri

Kaoru is strong against your run-of-the-mill thugs and yakuzas (like when she took out those Hishi Manji Gurentai guys in chapter two), but up against guys like Udo Jinei and Yukishiro Enishi, guys who give Kenshin himself a hard time, there's little she can do. It's not about strong or weak; it's about different levels of strength. Kaoru is strong on her own level, but it's far below Kenshin's, Saitou's, Aoshi's, etc.

You're right, I can't believe I left out a few details in my own post, yours was stated better than mine. ^ ^" I'd hate to think what would've happened if she had been facing someone other than Kamatari, even then she had a hard time.  

[BunnyCupCakes]

Yami no Hitokiri

Kaoru is strong against your run-of-the-mill thugs and yakuzas (like when she took out those Hishi Manji Gurentai guys in chapter two), but up against guys like Udo Jinei and Yukishiro Enishi, guys who give Kenshin himself a hard time, there's little she can do. It's not about strong or weak; it's about different levels of strength. Kaoru is strong on her own level, but it's far below Kenshin's, Saitou's, Aoshi's, etc.

True.
That's what I think as well  

[samuraichikX]

meh kaoru's strong in her own way, she is kinda put down because kenshin thinks she constantly needs protection and even sends yahiko to protect her

dont get me wrong it's for a good reason, he loves her but really

and ionno if i understand the japanese system well but females arent really looked as as being you know well i dont know how to explain it but "on top" so to speak they're always kind of the side and the spiritual morale booster of the hero

also i think besides the fact kaoru's a great fighter and can look out for herself she's portrayed kind of as kenshin's spiritual half. think about it, without her he would still be wandering japan, would have become battousai at the jinei fight, it broke his heart to leave her to go to kyoto, he would have died in the shishio fight if not for remembering her words, he would never have had a son without her.

so technically kaoru's not portayed as weak she's kenshins other half, his spirit if you will

long story short i agree and disagree  

[Lycorius]

Yami no Hitokiri always knows what to say! biggrin Kaoru is strong on her own level, but seriously most, if not all people Kenshin fight have this strenght that I believe is beyond normal human strenght. I mean, Kenshin has it too, they do describe his movements as god-like. Kaoru is strong, she can take on your average villain, but everyone that Kenshin takes on is certainly not even close to average.  

[Kasumikun]

Kaoru only seems weak because she's dwarfed by moves like the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki and the Futainokiwami (sp?). It's not that she's really weak, it's that the rest of the characters are insanely strong. Besides, Kaoru's job isn't to be strong. It's to teach Yahiko so he can be really, really strong when he finally gets the sakabato.  

[Zarc07]

Fireshaper

Maybe I've missed something, but Kaoru's never had a fight of her own. The only fight I can think of her in is when she fights Kamatari (not sure if that's the right name, the transvestite with the giant skythe) but she has help from Misao. How come Kaoru never gets her day. Watsuki-san explains that she's really good with the sword, but she's always getting defended by Kenshin or some other guy.

I know. What is with that?  

[ponponpon way x2]

Kasumikun

Kaoru only seems weak because she's dwarfed by moves like the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki and the Futainokiwami (sp?). It's not that she's really weak, it's that the rest of the characters are insanely strong. Besides, Kaoru's job isn't to be strong. It's to teach Yahiko so he can be really, really strong when he finally gets the sakabato.

True, so in that case, we could say Kaoru has a more realistic amount of strength. XD  

[Fireshaper]

Kasumikun

Kaoru only seems weak because she's dwarfed by moves like the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki and the Futainokiwami (sp?). It's not that she's really weak, it's that the rest of the characters are insanely strong. Besides, Kaoru's job isn't to be strong. It's to teach Yahiko so he can be really, really strong when he finally gets the sakabato.

Why does Yahiko get to be strong? There needs to be more woman power in anime.  

[Kasumikun]

Fireshaper

Why does Yahiko get to be strong? There needs to be more woman power in anime.

I agree, although having little boys with mad amounts of power just seems to be a Japanese thing. Like with Yahiko, or with Raijuta's apprentice (his name escapes me right now, but he's the one that moved to Germany). It's even in other anime/mangas! Fruits Basket has Hiro, and just look at the entire 12-year-old cast of Naruto!

Anyway, Kaoru's not the only weak girl in Kenshin. Megumi's pretty weak, wanting to surrender instead of facing the life she had. Or Tsubame. I mean, she's definately way weaker than Kaoru, although Misao and Kaoru seemed to be pretty evenly matched.

And besides, Kaoru got to take down the scythe-weilding transvestite Kamatari. Isn't that enough?  

[Safiya15]

I'll admit she's strong on a certain level, but there have been quite a few times where she could have done SOMETHING to save herself, and she didn't-

With Jineh, after he grabbed her and started floating down river- while he had her, she didn't move, just screamed kenshin's name. I'm sorry, but if some gaunt faced freak had a hold of someone who was 'strong' , they would have tried anything. everything they could to get away.

Stomp on his feet! Bite him, scratch, twist, turn, jerk, something girl, I mean come on! What kind of head of Kamiya Kasshin dojo is she?

Of course, I'm not saying she can't fight- it's just when KENSHIN is around that she gets all weak and defenseless. And helpless. And so many other words with a less at the end. All I have to say is, if her LIFE depends on some other guy protecting her at every turn, save for the one time she 'fought' Kamatari ( with HELP from the Kunoichi Misao) then Watsuki is right to portray her as weak. Because that's what she is.  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

I'll agree with the thing about Jinei. Kaoru should've kicked him in the nads while he was holding her close to him. However, she was strong enough to break his spell.  

[The Atheistic Messiah]

Watsuki says Kauru is strong, at least a national level champion swordsman, but next to Kenshin and Sano she does come across as weak.