When exactly should we begin and end the timer for these runs? I watched Sabatour100's Easy any% run recently and it seemed like the timer started in the middle of a cutscene. The timer stopped on the final hit of nobunaga's demon form and that makes sense.

Also, the ability to skip cutscenes seems to depend on using a save file where the player has completed the game at least once. However, this may only be the case with the PS2 version. How would you feel about starting the timer right as you gain control of samonosuke at the temple?

As well as timing, I also wanted to address the 3 additional weapons you can acquire with samonosuke once he is transported to france in the future. Would those be allowed in any category? I realize that they are not difficult to obtain and would greatly speed up a run. On the other hand, they require use of a previous save file. I don't know if that is considered extra content or whatever but it doesn't quite make a run feel like I'm starting from the beginning.

What are your thoughts on this?

I like reviving the dead, but yeah timings must have a standard. Starting the timer the moment you click on "new game" is the best thing imo. Ending timer would be the moment the screen goes black/white after killing Nobunaga (goes white in ps2 version and black on PC). In-game timer is valued higher than RTA. The leaderboard will first sort by in-game timer and then real-time (in case of a tie).

I don't know much about the skipping of cutscenes or the additional weapons, so that can still be open for discussion if it belongs to NG+ or not.

yea beat the game to skip cutscenes. This game doesnt really need a NG+ cuz you still have to lvl up the required weapons and start off with all the same items unless you start in easy u get more health items