This episode was amazing. Literally amazing. And for something like this to come so early in the show, I am extremely excited to see what the future holds.
This episode's preface requires careful consideration on how to pull it off. There is undoubtedly an aspect of menace that was needed, but to execute that without straying too far from the character in question is a heavy ordeal for the artists, and more significantly, the voice actor.
Filling a classic role of an iconic character is not easy by any means. However the fact remains that in all aspects, Kenshin's actor has already filled the role perfectly, understanding the sensitive contrast between Rurouni and Hitokiri. The bridge here was perfect, and the episode really gave us a taste of those differences and the menace that lies dormant within Kenshin.
The animation here was acceptable too. There's nothing too ridiculous about the fights, and a bit like Vinland Saga, that's what makes the format so great. It's high action, with pacing like any other anime, but it doesn't have these absurd sequences of explosions and flying. It's simply a swordfight, and the animators respect that and are not straying from the actual nature of the show.
Overall, I'd go as far as to say this is the best episode that has and will release this summer, and it's painful that people are missing out on this.