Rurouni Kenshin

Toshimichi Okubo, who shows up in this episode, is another figure from real Japanese history like Aritomo Yamagata.

Shishio is similar to Kenshin in the nature to his job during the Bakumatsu war. Shishio was the man who replaced Kenshin as Hitokiri for the Chosu, when Kenshin became depressed from a certain loss (not to spoil, watch the OVA's). Once the war was over, the government burned Shishio alive in fear that he might leak important information. To no avail, though... Shishio survived, and has an agenda of revenge.

At no point in the series does it show Kenshin and Saitoh fight to a finish with any definable winner. "Who is more skilled?" is always left unanswered. One can assume after Kenshin masters Ama Kakeru no Hirameki in a later episode that he is superior.

Saitoh's motto, "Aku-Soku-Zan," means "Evil-Instant-Kill." Meaning that any evil Saitoh confronts will be destroyed. This is the same motto as the Shinsengumi, of which Saitoh was a commander.