Why didn't Kenshin's master Hiko Seijuro fight Master Shishio?


Why didn't Kenshin's master, Hiko Seijuro, come and fight Master Shishio
Makoto in the showdown of the Kyoto Arc?

This is one of the many times that the Meiji government called on Kenshin to
solve their problems, even though his master is as skilled as he. (This is
especially true before Kenshin learned the final technique.)




Because Master Seijuro wasn't interested! He was, to put it bluntly, an
introverted, misanthropic and somewhat lazy martial artist, who thought the
world an unredeemable place, felt Kenshin a fool for wanting to improve
society, and didn't care in the least to take down Shishio. (See particularly
his interactions with Kenshin during episode 41, "The Ultimate Technique of
the Hiten-Mitsurugi Style: Reunion with a Mentor, Seijuro Hiko".) To quote
from [the Kenshin wiki page on
him](http://kenshin.wikia.com/wiki/Hiko_Seij%C5%ABr%C5%8D_XIII):

> Kenshin describes his personality as "twisted, brusque and misanthropic" ...
> He dislikes the complications of socialization, and hearing of the ills of
> society, both of which he finds annoying, and to the latter's weight,
> ultimately incessant and depressing. In order to avoid having to work with
> people, he makes his living as a pottery artist alone on a mountain (a
> profession that he is reported to excel at). He also comes off as somewhat
> lazy, professing to have retrained Kenshin to save himself the bother of
> having to deal with Shishio, and later on, he complains about having to
> protect Kenshin's friends, after the latter insists him to do so (though he
> does).

It's only after much cajoling that he agrees to teach Kenshin what he needs to
know to defeat Shishio (episode 43, "Between Life and Death: Master the
Ultimate Technique, Amakakeru Ryu no Hikameki!"), but beyond that, the most he
will agree to do is to (grudgingly) keep an eye on and protect his friends,
while Kenshin does the actual hard work of fighting Shishio (episode 53, "The
Giant Versus Superman: Like an Arrow Shot at a Time of Despair")!




Because Master Seijuro wasn't interested! He was, to put it bluntly, an
introverted, misanthropic and somewhat lazy martial artist, who thought the
world an unredeemable place, felt Kenshin a fool for wanting to improve
society, and didn't care in the least to take down Shishio. (See particularly
his interactions with Kenshin during episode 41, "The Ultimate Technique of
the Hiten-Mitsurugi Style: Reunion with a Mentor, Seijuro Hiko".) To quote
from [the Kenshin wiki page on
him](http://kenshin.wikia.com/wiki/Hiko_Seij%C5%ABr%C5%8D_XIII):

> Kenshin describes his personality as "twisted, brusque and misanthropic" ...
> He dislikes the complications of socialization, and hearing of the ills of
> society, both of which he finds annoying, and to the latter's weight,
> ultimately incessant and depressing. In order to avoid having to work with
> people, he makes his living as a pottery artist alone on a mountain (a
> profession that he is reported to excel at). He also comes off as somewhat
> lazy, professing to have retrained Kenshin to save himself the bother of
> having to deal with Shishio, and later on, he complains about having to
> protect Kenshin's friends, after the latter insists him to do so (though he
> does).

It's only after much cajoling that he agrees to teach Kenshin what he needs to
know to defeat Shishio (episode 43, "Between Life and Death: Master the
Ultimate Technique, Amakakeru Ryu no Hikameki!"), but beyond that, the most he
will agree to do is to (grudgingly) keep an eye on and protect his friends,
while Kenshin does the actual hard work of fighting Shishio (episode 53, "The
Giant Versus Superman: Like an Arrow Shot at a Time of Despair")!

