Rurouni Kenshin
I've always been a huge fan of samurai's and samurai fiction. The novel "Musashi" (written by Yoshikawa) remains my favorite novel of all time so it was only natural for me to stumble upon Rurouni Kenshin. Rurouni Kenshin is basically samurai fiction in the manga and anime medium. It tells a story of the invincible swordsman Rurouni Kenshin and his journey throughout ancient Japan.
I tried to make this review as spoiler-free as possible. This review focuses on the Rurouni Kenshin TV series and its OVA prequel as well as the manga itself.
1. Introduction
Kenshin used to be a legendary cold-blooded assassin known to the world as "Hitokiri Battosai". To atone for the crimes he committed as a Hitokiri (assassin), Kenshin goes on a quest for personal redemption and becomes a Rurouni (wandering swordsman). As a Rurouni, he vows to never kill again and to make amends by helping out others. He becomes a bona-fide superhero who protects the weak and defeats the evil scum of the world. What makes the series (and manga) really interesting are the two aspects of Kenshin’s personality: his dark Hitokiri side and his gentle Rurouni side. Throughout the series, Kenshin will constantly struggle with his dark past while keeping his dark half from re-surfacing. It was really interesting to see what the other characters thought of Kenshin. On one hand he is respected for his kind and heroic acts, but on the other he is feared as the legendary "Hitokiri Battosai" who slaughtered countless men. So basically we have a gentle super-hero with a dark and bloody past trying to atone for his sins. This single premise makes the show very interesting. Joining Kenshin on his quest for redemption are the female dojo instructor Kamiya Kaoru, the famous fighter-for-hire Sagara Sanosuke and the little samurai boy Myojin Yahiko.
2. Swordplay and Bushido
The second interesting premise of the show is that Kenshin is a “superman” right from the get-go. With his Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu sword style, Kenshin is practically invincible. We get to see things from the perspective of a top-level swordsman for once. As a person who has watched lot of wuxia and samurai series, I find this perspective to be highly engaging.
Kenshin’s sword style is called Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. This style emphasizes speed and the ability to read your opponent’s moves. When Kenshin engages his enemies, we will see him analyze his opponent’s strategy and attacks and devise an intelligent counter-attack plan. Each enemy has their own fighting style and it is up to Kenshin to find the weakness in their style. So in many ways Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is a style designed to counter-attack all other styles.
On the offensive end, Kenshin can utilize Shinsoku (God-speed) to quickly overwhelm and overpower an opponent before he has any time to react. Kenshin can also execute the Kuzu Ryusen technique (Nine-headed Dragon Strike) which is a charging attack that is extremely difficult to dodge. The most powerful technique in Kenshin’s arsenal will be the Amakakeru Ryu No Hiramedi (Dragon Flight of Heaven). This technique is the final technique of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu style and is designed to end the battle in one enormously powerful strike. With the vow to never kill again, Kenshin is equipped with a reversed-blade sword called a Sakabato. The Sakabato is designed to only injure an opponent and not cause a fatal blow. Armed with his Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu sword style and the Sakabato, Kenshin is truly a powerful saintly samurai.
Overall the series did a *tremendous* job with the fight scenes. Because Kenshin’s style relies on reading his opponent’s moves, we get to see what is going on in his mind in real-time as he fights his foes. This makes the fight scenes very intimate and exciting. It is this aspect that makes Rurouni Kenshin the best samurai anime out there. If you love wuxia series or samurai movies, you'll love Rurouni Kenshin.
3. Structure of the Series and the OVA
The Rurouni Kenshin TV series is adapted from the Rurouni Kenshin manga created by Nobuhiro Watsuki. This manga is one of the most beloved and popular manga series of all time (having sold over 47 million copies in Japan). The manga itself is divided into three story arcs:
1) The Tokyo Arc
2) The Kyoto Arc
3) The Jinchu Arc
The first season of Rurouni Kenshin TV series (episode 1-27) is based on the Tokyo Arc and the second season (episodes 28-62) is based on the Kyoto Arc. The final third season of the Rurouni Kenshin TV series (episodes 63-95) is not adapted from the manga but contains original stories.
The first season of the TV show basically introduces all the main characters and several recurring characters that will appear next season (the most important one being Shinomori Aoshi). There is no central story arc tying all the episodes together so you can view most of the first season as a bunch of side-adventures. The second season of the series is basically the “meat” of the series. Unlike the first season, the second season has an overarching story arc that ties all the episodes together. This season is definitely the best part of the entire series. While the first season has a bright atmosphere, the second season is more dark and intense. The fight scenes are now fierce and explosive and the characters become more complex. Kenshin struggles with his dark Hitokiri side and Kaoru becomes more emotional and somber. The final season of the series (season three) is basically filler material and isn’t part of the manga. I would recommend skipping this season entirely as it is not really canon material. The only essentials in the Rurouni Kenshin anime are the first two seasons and the Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal OVA.
The Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal OVA is an adaptation of the flashback scene depicted in the Jinchu Arc in the manga. It tells of Kenshin’s past as the deadly Hitokiri Battosai and serves as a great prequel to the series. Throughout the series we’ve always heard of the legendary Hitokiri Battosai and how his name struck fear into the hearts of men. In this prequel OVA we finally get to see this dark (and sad) past of Kenshin as the Battosai. This OVA prequel is regarded by many as one of the greatest anime titles of all time. I recommend watching the OVA after finishing the first two seasons of the series. It’s more enjoyable that way because you get to see the contrast between Kenshin’s Rurouni side and his Hitokiri side. You’ll also appreciate the appearance of Kenshin’s master (Hiko Seijuro) and his Shinsengumi nemesis (Saito Hajime) from the second season in the OVA.
4. Character Design
Another strong point of the Rurouni Kenshin anime (and manga) is the great character designs. The four main characters make the show fun and engaging with their magnetic personalities. Himura Kenshin is an invincible samurai who is gentle and kind but has a hidden dark side. Kamiya Kaoru is a strong-willed dojo instructor and possible romantic interest for Kenshin. She has a soft emotional side that is slowly revealed as the series progresses. Sagara Sanosuke is a cool and fiery fighter-for-hire that never backs down from any fight. He’s basically the #2 fighter in Team Kenshin. Myojin Yahiko is a young samurai boy who idolizes Kenshin and vows to become a great samurai. He has watched many of Kenshin’s fights and studied some of his special moves and techniques. Even when the current plot thread was boring or slow, the interactions of these four characters managed to carry the show.
A samurai series wouldn’t be complete without great villains or antagonists. First we have Shinomoro Aoshi who is the leader of ninja group called the Oniwabanshu introduced in the first season. With his handsome looks and deadly double Kodachi style, Aoshi is a fan favorite amongst female fans. Aoshi is able to utilize a nifty Sword-Dance move that allows him to circle around an opponent while creating mirror copies of himself. The second season introduces Kenshin’s long-time nemesis Saito Hajime, the ex-leader of the third squad of the Shinsengumi (a special samurai police force). Hajime utilizes the Gatotsu technique that allows him to overwhelm his foes with blistering offensive thrusts. Next we have Shishio Makoto who is the primary villain of the second season. During the revolution in Japan more than a decade ago, Shishio was the successor of the Hitokiri Battosai. After Kenshin retired from his assassin duties, it was Shishio who succeeded him as the next assassin. Shishio is the only villain who can match the fearsome reputation of Hitokiri Battosai. Working under Shishio, we have a powerful blind samurai named Uonuma Usui. Due to his blind sight, Usui has gained the Shingan (Eye of Heart) which gives him superhuman hearing. This power enables him to hear all his opponent’s attacks and detect their emotions all with great precision. Shishio’s right-hand-man is an extremely powerful samurai named Seta Sojiro. His special abilities include his blistering speed (he can even surpass Kenshin in this category) and his lack of emotions (this makes him hard to read). Sojiro’s prowess with the sword earns him the nickname “Heaven’s Sword”.
My favorite non-major character in the anime (and manga) is Kenshin’s master Hiko Seijuro. He was the one who taught Kenshin the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu sword style. Hiko has an extremely powerful aura and practically steals every scene he’s in.
However my favorite character overall in the entire series and manga has to be Hitokiri Battosai (Kenshin’s dark older self). Kenshin was absolutely *badass* when he was Hitokiri Battosai. With his dark and icy-cool personality (mixed with a touch of sadness), Hitokiri Battosai is one of the coolest samurai characters in all of anime. In the TV series we only get to see Battosai in short flashbacks. But in the OVA prequel we see him in his full glory.
5. Manga Comparisons
Let me begin by saying that the Rurouni Kenshin manga is my personal all-time favorite manga. If you enjoyed the Rurouni Kenshin anime I highly recommend reading the entire manga as it gives you the complete Rurouni Kenshin experience. You haven't truly grasped Kenshin's character until you read the manga.
The manga is divided into three story arcs:
1) The Tokyo Arc (volumes 1-6)
2) The Kyoto Arc (volumes 7-18)
3) The Jinchu Arc (volumes 19-28)
The manga has a total of 28 volumes. The first season of the anime series is based on the first 6 volumes of the manga called the Tokyo Arc. While the anime series adapts these volumes accurately, it also adds lot of extra material not found in the manga. This may explain why the first season is more than 20 episodes in length and the plot not feeling as tight as the manga. The second season (the Kyoto Arc) follows the manga very closely (volumes 7-18). It is probably 95-100% accurate with only few minor deviations. The third season does not follow the manga at all.
The Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal OVA is adapted from volumes 19-21 of the manga called the Remembrance Arc (which is part of the Jinchu Arc). The Remembrance Arc is actually my favorite arc in the manga as it tells of Kenshin's past as Hitokiri Battosai. While the drawing style has changed in the OVA prequel (with a more realistic-look), the plot and the characters themselves are pretty close to the manga. I would say that the OVA prequel series is around 75-80% accurate. Currently there is no anime adaptation of the entire Jinchu Arc.
The only weakness in the anime is that it doesn't portray the transition from Hitokiri Battosai to Rurouni Kenshin as smoothly as the manga. When you read the manga you have a better understanding of Kenshin's transformation and personal motivations in his journey for redemption.
6. Conclusions
If you’re a fan of samurai anime, I highly recommend watching the Rurouni Kenshin anime and then reading the manga. You should check out the first two seasons of Rurouni Kenshin and the Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal OVA as those are the only material that are adapted from the manga.
There is no doubt in my mind that Rurouni Kenshin is the #1 samurai anime (and manga) of all time. I give it 5/5 stars.
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