Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan

In the final years of the Bakumatsu era lived a legendary assassin known as Hitokiri Battousai. Feared as a merciless killer, he was unmatched throughout the country, but mysteriously disappeared at the peak of the Japanese Revolution. It has been ten peaceful years since then, but the very mention of Battousai still strikes terror into the hearts of war veterans.

Unbeknownst to them, Battousai has abandoned his bloodstained lifestyle in an effort to repent for his sins, now living as Kenshin Himura, a wandering swordsman with a cheerful attitude and a strong will. Vowing never to kill again, Kenshin dedicates himself to protecting the weak. One day, he stumbles across Kaoru Kamiya at her kendo dojo, which is being threatened by an impostor claiming to be Battousai. After receiving help from Kenshin, Kaoru allows him to stay at the dojo, and so the former assassin temporarily ceases his travels.

Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan tells the story of Kenshin as he strives to save those in need of saving. However, as enemies from both past and present begin to emerge, will the reformed killer be able to uphold his new ideals?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Himura, Kenshin Main

Suzukaze, Mayo Japanese

Sagara, Sanosuke Main

Ueda, Yuuji Japanese

Kamiya, Kaoru Main

Fujitani, Miki Japanese

Myoujin, Yahiko Main

Tominaga, Miina Japanese

Saitou, Hajime Supporting

Suzuoki, Hirotaka Japanese

Shishio, Makoto Supporting

Ikeda, Masanori Japanese

Seta, Soujirou Supporting

Hidaka, Noriko Japanese

Hiko, Seijuurou Supporting

Ikeda, Shuuichi Japanese

Shinomori, Aoshi Supporting

Yasuhara, Yoshito Japanese

Makimachi, Misao Supporting

Sakurai, Tomo Japanese

Hasegawa, Hiroshi Producer

Katou, Toshiyuki Assistant Producer

Naruke, Yoshinori Assistant Producer

Matsuda, Keiichi Assistant Producer

Reviews

Jun 3, 2007

VK11

Recommended

Rurouni Kenshin - an amazing anime taking place during the Japan Revolution - is an amazing story first written by Nobuhiro Watsuki in 1994 and first aired as an anime in 1996. If you're one of the older anime fans, chances are that you probably have seen this anime already and give it the respect that it deserves. If you are one of the younger anime fans out there and haven't heard too much about Rurouni Kenshin (also known as Samurai X in other countries outside of the United States), I urge to immediately to get your hands on a copy of the ... anime somehow and start watching it, you won't be disappointed if you are into samurai.

The story is deep, intricate, emotional, and touching. Everything from romance, action, suspense, and even some thriller in included in Rurouni Kenshin. There are a total of 95 episodes to Rurouni Kenshin, however, only the first 62 (the first two seasons) are only worth watching because the third season is all fillers. The first two seaons depict the story of Himura Kenshin, also known as Hitokiri Battousai, and his motley bunch of friends in Sagara Sonouske, Myojin Yahiko, and Kamiya Kaoru. Without giving too much away, the first season is based on his stay with Kaoru Kamiya and how he keeps his vow of not to kill. The second season is where the plot develops and we are introduced to a little bit of Kenshin's past.

To some of the younger fans out there, the animation may seem a bit older and not as new as some of our recent anime like Death Note and Full Metal Alchemist, it still is drawn with very exceptional quality and after the first few episodes, you find that the style perfectly suits the time frame in which the story takes place.

Taku Iwasaki has done a beautiful job with the soundtrack to Rurouni Kenshin as during each and every part, there is the perfect song that fits the scene. This is especially the case during the second season as Iwasaki unveils a multitude of amazing pieces of music that you will undoubtedly look to download.

You will either hate the characters or love them. The character development during the anime is portrayed very well. An example of this is the development of Yahiko from an innocent child to an exceptional swordsman throughout the show. The only qualm people may have is the lack of romance between Kenshin and Kaoru. Though its hinted at very slightly during the first two seasons, there is not much between them. All of Kenshin's rivals also have unique personalities and Nobuhiro Watsuki has done an excellent job with them.

The only reason I advise you to avoid the episodes 63-95 is that they are pointless fillers. By the time the second arc had ended, the Kyoto arc, the anime had caught up to the manga. So as with all animes, they stopped animating the manga and aired fillers so the manga could develop. However, by the time the manga finished, the fillers were so terribly bad that Rurouni Kenshin had to be cancelled.

That is why after episode 62, I urge you to find the manga and start reading it from Volume 18 to enjoy the amazing story of Enishi and the Revenge Arc. It is there where the true story of Kenshin is continued and completed, and not with the later episodes.

Overall,
I rate episodes 1-62 a 10/10 because they follow the manga very well..
I rate episodes 63-95 a 6/10 because even though they are pointless, some of the fillers do have good back stories and battle scenes..

A final overall rating of a 9/10 is due to the anime, Rurouni Kenshin (the manga I would give a 10 ^_^). There is no doubt in my mind that if you are looking for an anime with a little bit of everything and looking for an anime that involves mystic sword styles, amazing battles and an "oro-ing red-headed samurai," look no further.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Oct 26, 2009

Naruto81191

Mixed Feelings

Well this review is short and simple. If you want to watch an action-drama with a great main storyline, then this anime is for you. OR should i say the first 62 episodes anyways. There are 95 in total, but after episode 62, the main story simply ends. It turns into a giant filler arc or rather i should say it qualifies for a filler series its so long and boring. I watched it in hopes there would be something, anything that would revolve around furthering the story, but alas my patience were fruitless D: it has some good episodes to it here and there, ... i can say i slightly enjoyed the christian god-wad part of it all, mainly because the main character for those episodes voice was played by Crispin freeman who is by far one of my favorite english dub VA's. (In fact he played at least a dozen supporting characters through the filler arc which was kinda weird after awhile O.o; I started saying Wtf when every small time supporting character was played by him, it was really messed up xD total abuse of talent to make him play so many poor characters in one series) But anyways, if your going to watch this anime i recommend just simply ending it at 62, if you do that then the anime is a 10/10 and incredibly enjoyable! ^.^

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jan 31, 2009

critic

Not Recommended

Funny

Absolutely horrible. I don't know what can make a series so unwatchable while its OVA and movies were fantastic. The lame excuses of jokes that this anime try to come up with makes you want to hop off a cliff. Kenshin totally does not possess the aura of a fighter but rather a klutz and fails at being funny. Even during the fights, it is just ridiculously stupid. E.g. forgot the name but there was this one villain who has a blade that reeks of the fats of the victims that he slaughtered in the past that when he fights his blade becomes coated ... with fire. I don't even know what to say to that, it's beyond retarded.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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