Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan

I found this to be an excellent morality play as well as a tale of loss and redemption based loosely on one of 4 possible characters [Gensai Kawakami] from the time period in which it was set. He was orphaned as a child and saw his earliest protectors killed in a bandit attack. After the attack he apprenticed himself to a master who advised him to adopt another name which he did[ Kenshin ]. He strove throughout the most turbulent times to protect an ideal and his closest friends. He grew increasingly disturbed by both the killing he was doing and the shifting morality of the cause he was supporting and suddenly walked away from that life. He chose the life of a wanderer but the travel was both outward and inward. As he continued to apply non-lethal force his personality began to subtly change and he was more and more distant. He story is admirably laid out for us by the dellicate use of both straight line telling and by skilled use of many tangental sub plots which illuminate the main character as well as many of the supporting characters. We meet his first wife who betrayed him and redeemed herself by saving him at great self cost. We see some of the side stories on many other supporting characters as well. At long last and after great wandering and suffering we see Kenshin return to the dojo which his significant other kept and, resting in her lap, asks to be called by his original name. I feel this signifies his finding peace and coming to grips with his bloodstained past. Doing evil things does not make one necessarily evil, and Kenshin has realized this at last Because of the intricate plots and finely braided subplots this might well be a modern masterpiece. It certainly had all the ingredients to make a wonderful movie if Spielberg continues to develop projects from Anime

Rurouni Kenshin is a historical drama that follows the penitent path of a reformed assassin Himura Kenshin and his martial artist companions. His purpose to protect others paired with his deep commitment to non-violence converge as he and his allies confront post-Boshin-war realities. The setting couldn’t be more fascinating. Scars are still fresh for many of the people Kenshin & company come into contact with. Japan at the time was sorting itself out and attempting to modernize. Different factions and individuals caught up in the war that have won or lost all have different reactions to the formation of this new government and the reforms it implemented. Each character has motivations that make sense in light of their past and begin to make even more sense as their unique community works together to help each other achieve those goals. Every character's backstory and motivations interplay nicely with each other and with the specific social landscape(s) they come into contact with. Ultimately RK is about penance, it's about living honestly by non-violent principles and contributing to a better future in the face of much unwanted change, rather than caving to the violent insurrectionist urge. From heavy social issues, to daily life at their Meiji era dojo, to struggling through the inner turmoil of past personal sins, Rurouni Kenshin fleshes out a real community of reformed and growing comrades that the viewer should feel right at home with. The character design is top notch (coming from the same mind that brought you Shaman King). For having as many episodes as it does, it doesn’t get stale. The opening’s are not great. It catches some flack for being a darker show with some hammy comedic moments, but these moments only serve to further flesh out the characters, making them much more dynamic and believably human. 100% Seinen Jump approval. FFO: Samurai Champloo, Maison Ikkoku, Bleach, Yu Yu Hakusho

This anime is a story which has the true aspect of love.With the twist and turns of friendship and a determination towards one morals and one goals.This anime is very addictive and the story will surely make you love this anime forever.The first time i watched this anime was in 2002 and since then this anime has inspired me motivated me and made me learn from it so many times,the story has the many tragedies and some moments that just makes you cry and fall in love with every character as the story progresses it reveals the bonds of family which sticks together at every walks of life.In the end i want to say that this anime is a must watch one.

This is one of my favorite old time shows I have to say. A wandering swordsman who only wishes to have a good life without the problems of his past. It’s a story that is used many times over but what Rurouni Kenshin does that many of the others don’t seem to do is make more of a comedy then a drama romance. The characters are pretty loveable and you can feel for their stories, even some of the enemies have a rather sweet sad story behind them. Shall we start with the story of Kenshin? Threw all his struggles and problems, he acts with a gentle manner unless it’s something he has to get into a situation. His speaks with a lot of experience of his years even though he has such a young face. Sometimes I even wonder how old he really is because of his ‘dual personalities’ that go between the man killer and the sweet and innocent childlike boy. I feel he was made to have that because of how young he was when he was forced to grow up fast. Kaoru on the other hand is still rather young but took over her father’s dojo to honor his name. She has a big heart, much like Kenshin does but unfortunately her inexperience with the world tends to make her a bit too naive. It’s not that she is stupid, but just puts herself in danger without thinking. She storms into the fight with no thought of the consequences. Myojin Yahiko is a rather prideful orphan who sometimes does not know when to put his pride aside. He grows a lot during the show as he turns from a punk like little boy into a strong young man. Then the last one I will talk about is Sagara Sanosuke who is a former member of the Sekiho Army. He was young when he was part of the army and soon after becomes a sword for hire as he doesn’t seem to have any other reason for fighting. At least he has a good heart and a strong wish for justice though he lives in the present only. The artwork is pretty beautiful for an old cell shaded piece. Each scene is rather well done to a point although because of being cell shaded, they did use images over and mess up once in a while. Characters proportions feel a little stretched as though they got stuck in a taffy puller but it’s not as bad as some shows like Sailor Moon’s long legs. There isn’t much else to talk about I think. If you seen Ranma ½ or other shows from around this time, then you know the style of the show artwork it is. The voices are a bit hard to talk about when we speak about the English dub. When I first heard them, they were really well done but after a while, I wanted to watch it again so looked on a website called Crackle. When I did, I found that everything was off and had a bad ring in my ears. I don’t know what version they gave me on Crackle but it sure as hell wasn’t the right one. It was terrible; Kamiya Kaoru sounded so much like a child that it made me cringe. It sounds like she even calls Kenshin ‘Kenshi’! I loved the other version I had before and the sad thing is that I don’t know what version it was. Not only that, but the way they did the script was so badly written that it felt like they were only reading off the script then putting heart and soul into it. If someone knows the version that has the English translation of the opening and ending songs, please let me know because that was part of the good version.

Rurouni Kenshin does quite a bit to stick out of the norm for a shounen action title. It believably depicts the uncertainty of the early years of the Meiji Restoration era of Japan with corrupt political, economic and military activity; hostilities with former samurai of the Tokugawa period; and even some cases of religious prejudice as Shintoism became greatly favored during the time period. Kenshin's very character sticks out from the norm as well considering he's not a battle-loving, naive and lively young hero. Instead, we have ourselves a character who is well into his years of adulthood, weary of the many bloody battles and journeying he has partaken, seeks to avoid pointless and bloody battles where possible and battling with his personal demons from when he was an assassin killing others to bring about the new Meiji era. The series introduces a cast of diverse characters with differing backgrounds who faced differing dilemmas from the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and/or ordeals with the new Meiji government, many of whom Kenshin finds himself trying to either help out or forced into conflict with if they get hostile. The Kyoto arc seen throughout the middle of the series offers the best material within the series as we come to learn more about Kenshin's past when he was an assassin and taught his Hiten Mitsurugi sword style, as well as having to overcome his bloodlusted Battousai side when confronted with foes from his past and new ones brought about thanks to the corrupt activities of the Meiji government. The show isn't without its faults though. The series still does dabble into some of the common cliches you can find in shounen action titles with characters usually getting up to continue battle after being seriously injured from attacks, some over-the-top elements (Fuji the giant of the Juppongatana for instance) and villainous characters getting in the annoying habit of blabbering about how strong or unbeatable they think they are. The series is also quite infamous for having a good number of filler episodes since the anime caught up with its manga source material after the Raijuta and Kyoto arcs with their quality tending to vary (Christian arc was decent while Feng Shui and Divine Elixir arcs got too ridiculous), putting the show's main plot developments to a screeching halt and ultimately leading to the TV anime's cancellation due to its declining popularity from said filler episodes. This was especially disappointing as there were some hints dropped in the final episode of the Kyoto arc and an ED sequence over the upcoming developments of the manga's Jinchuu arc. In terms of visuals, Rurouni Kenshin sports clean colors and decently detailed designs of scenery and characters with the quality becoming increasingly better as episodes progress. Animation shortcuts were noticeable for me, but action sequences were engaging thanks to the various fighting styles that Kenshin and his allies faced from their various foes as they were mostly grounded and not as exotic and over-the-top with battle techniques and tactics like those found in popular shounen action titles like Dragon Ball Z and Bleach. The show's insert music mostly consists of tense or energetic tracks that fit with the mundane, serious and comical moments seen throughout Rurouni Kenshin, though many of the show's musical choices for OP and ED sequences sounded quite generic and didn't fit too well with the mood of the series. Overall, Rurouni Kenshin made for one of the better shounen action titles I've had a chance of checking out thanks to the implementation of its historic setting, the tensions of the time period and seeing the complicated ordeals faced by Kenshin as he tries to move on from his bloody past as an assassin. While some of the conventional elements of shounen and the various filler episodes kill some of the quality to the series, it still offers enough unique material to make it stand out from more conventional shounen action titles, still making it a worthwhile watch.

During my time watching Rurouni Kenshin, I've enjoyed it from the most part. To be honest its one of my favorite animes out there. yes, it's another Shonen but i feel like there was something different. the first thing i wanna talk about is the soundtrack. The soundtrack hit me every single time when a sad moment was happening or an impactful scene. Even battle scenes. my personal favorite song was "Departure" of "Rurouni Kenshin OST Soundtrack II". when this song came on, I was in it. Somehow the soundtrack would always put me in the show. The second thing i would like to talk about is specifically character development. all characters where developed in a well time matter. Throughout the whole anime, the stories of each character continued and got more serious. it started off with a simple problems and once you knew it you where learning about wars and blood shed, tears, and romance. Even all base line enemies had something going on and a reason. The third thing is the art. I personally find the old roughed out anime style to be the best. it gives off a different vibe like Samurai Champloo or Trigun compared to My Hero Academia. Fourthly, the romance was done right. every episode shows romance and how love can impact someone's train of thought. I feel like the themes are hit perfectly. every episode had a theme and are well thought out. This was the first anime I've actually cried to. I will never forget when Kenshin left everyone. I was never expecting it to happen but it did. The last thing I wanna talk about is the character named saitō hajime. everything about this character was thought out perfectly. His motives to law. He stayed on the law. no matter what the circumstance was, the law always came first. His sword technique was also very unique. I've never seen such a specific style go completely right to one character. Everything about this character was thought out well and characters are the most important thing to an anime.

A while back I reviewed the OVA Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan- Tsuiokuhen. It was fantastic. During my review I mentioned that I'd never seen the series it was a prequel of. Well, we're going to correct that now. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan is a series that ran from January 96 to September 98. Studio Gallop began work on it, but it's last third, roughly speaking, was finished up by Studio Deen. So, is the series as well done as its prequel? Let's examine it and find out. (Please note, I'm including "episode 95" in this review.) Story: Himura Kenshin is a wanderer, also known as a rurouni. Since the Meiji era began, he's sworn off of killing and dedicates his new reversed blade to protecting. During his travels, he comes across the Kamiya dojo and the current master, Kamiya Kaoru. He quickly becomes attached to the people around him but there are questions looming over the whole situation. Can he stop his days of wandering? Will his past as a man slayer haunt his new life? Can he truly live as a swordsman without killing? Honestly, the biggest problem with the series is the final arc. Basically, magic Feng Shui masters and stupidity happens. A lesser but more prevalent issue is with the romance. While it has potential, it never really goes anywhere. It quickly stagnates and just gets brought up occasionally to remind you that that's still the dynamic betwixt our leads. Because they couldn't possibly advance it in any significant way with only ninety episodes left. That would be crazy. There are also occasional joke moments that don't work. That being said, the series is mostly pretty compelling. We see Kenshin take on another man slayer, cultists, the conspiracy version of freemasons and more. One thing I do really like about the conflicts in this series goes back to something Kenshin talks about. The stronger person, the winner, isn't necessarily in the right. You have to make up your own mind and fight for what you believe. So, the antagonists tend to be significantly more nuanced than you normally get in a long action-oriented series. I will also say that the story arcs, as a whole, are nicely paced. They don't drag on so that Kenshin can spend ten episodes or so yelling to become stronger. The last one aside, the arcs are also good at keeping you invested. There's always, with the aforementioned exclusion, something interesting about the situation. Characters: the character cast is certainly one of the strong points for the series. Every one of the major cast has a development arc that they undergo. At a more basic level, they're all multi-faceted and feel very human. Which is true for the vast majority of the characters in the series be they supporting character, major character or antagonist. And there are a lot of them, so that's pretty impressive. I also like that, unlike a lot of long, action-oriented series, none of the characters are ever reduced to irrelevance because they aren't among the strongest. There was clearly an effort put into making these characters not just dynamic but different. Art: The artwork is mostly well done. There are some issues here and there. The last episode tries to incorporate either real footage taken with a very low quality camera or an art style designed to look like it. Either way, it doesn't mesh well. A lot of the fights in the whole Feng Shui arc are pretty bad. There's a lot of Feng Shui masters holding things in front of them while motion lines happen. Some of the other action sequences can be a bit repetitive. This series loves the whole spiel where two swordsmen rush one another, you see them standing still and then one falls. That being said, the character designs are nice and distinct. I do love that Kenshin wears the whole pink robe, if only because it reminds me of Master Splinter. Some of them do delve into the whole shounen cliché of trying way too hard to be strange, particularly with some of the antagonists, but they don't look bad. The backgrounds and set designs clearly had hard work put into them and most action sequences are nicely done, even when they are similar. Sound: The cast is pretty good. Suzukaze Mayo, Ueda Yuji, Fujitani Miki, Tominaga Miina, Sakurai Tomo & Doi Mika all do a good job and there are really no weak performances in the series. The music is quite good as well. Ho-yay: There's a little bit. One of the antagonistic characters is a homosexual Gent with romantic feelings for the guy he's serving. Final Thoughts: That's Rurouni Kenshin. It has some flaws but, as a whole, it's a really good series. The characters have depth. The writing has a sense of nuance and it certainly provides that action that the kids are into these days. My final rating is going to be a solid 8/10. Next week I'm looking at the first series of the prison comedy Nanbaka.

This is my first review so i apologize in advance for any mistakes. I will not go into specific details because more often than not, reviews greatly impact one's perception and outlook on an anime, it happened to me a lot of times. Some light spoilers will be used though not blatantly. Starting off, i'd like to say that i thoroughly enjoyed Rurouni Kenshin. Even though i'm not one to particularly enjoy romance in anime, it was greatly placed here. If i were to summarize Rurouni Kenshin, i'd say it's a story about a man haunted and hunted by his past, either memories or enemies or regret. It's a story about a man's path towards redemption acting in complete opposition to his past actions as he tries to rediscover himself and find out if he is truly worthy of happiness and valuable allies/friends. It has a surprisingly deep story despite it's seemingly carefree nature and elements although it takes a few episodes to unwind and reveal itself. Subjects such as good/evil, political corruption and greed as well as revenge are all portrayed here. If you don't mind the older kind of animation and enjoy character development that tackles on people's mentality and beliefs, i'd say give it a try. Thank you if you read this and i would appreciate your feedback.

Rurouni Kenshin was one of the most popular anime series of the past decade; it ran to 95 episodes in three years before declining story quality and subsequent declining ratings finally got it canceled. Media Blasters currently plans to market the series through episode 68, the end of the famous "Kyoto arc," via an ambitious plan that would have them releasing a DVD every month (coinciding with the two VHS tapes released simultaneously every alternate month) through February of 2002. Production problems have delayed the second DVD, but the DVDs look to be worth the wait--if nothing else, for the liner notes, which explain some of Kenshin's complex history and vocabulary and the decisions that went into the translation. The reason behind the series' popularity is obvious. The characters shine with individuality, both from their strong personalities and from their sharp, simple design. Kenshin's schizoid personal conflict between his ruthless-killer side and his country- bumpkin side almost immediately develops into a plot hook capable of anchoring a variety of interesting stories. The complex historical setting gives those stories a sense of background depth that makes the sudden, dramatic conflicts seem organic and authentic. The animation flows smoothly, with a great deal of attention paid to creative ways to stylize combat and make it interesting each time. And, of course, the series is just plain fun. Sanosuke, the swaggering mercenary with a horse-sized "sword," is an early indicator of how this series works--with his insouciant attitude, unbelievably huge weapon and impossible endurance, he's more of a video-game icon than a character. But a quick look into his past gives viewers a real sense of his humanity, recasting him as a tragic figure whose goofy peccadilloes have solid reasons behind them. Typical Kenshin--a show that operates on a lot of levels, with a lot more to come. As Kaoru cheerfully says at the end of each episode preview, "Please look forward to it!"

Very good anime, innumerous facts, history and knowledge about real situations in Japan. Very nice character development trough the episodes, awesome fight scenes that you would expect from a 90's anime. I recommend this anime to any of you oldschool lovers and beginners as well. 9/10 History: 9 Very well fundamented, If you're into the history of Japan this is a nice way to learn some facts and curiosities. The main characters and others usually don't "disappear" all of the sudden like some new anime out there. Animation: 9 For a 1996 anime, the animation is way better than some anime of that time, even the little details are very worked on. The background and fight scenes, were very good, different every time, little to no repetition on any scene. Sound Track: 9 The soundtrack it one of my favorites among the anime I have seen. The background music is well chosen for each situation for you to feel sadness, anticipation, or even calm. It makes you feel the rush of battle, or the peace of just walking down the streets, and of course that emotion felt during those dramatic moments. In all. its a well rounded soundtrack that makes you feel all emotions in all moments.

Rurouni Kenshin is a great funny, romantic, historical, and action packed anime but it does seem to be kinda a let down for those who have already read the Manga. The begining is very different from the first few manga chapters for no apparent reason. After the Kyoto arc the rest is just filler episodes (a nightmare for the people that hate them). On a higher point for those of you that like Romance there is alot more in the anime then the manga. All in all the main characters are very well plotted, the art is nice and the background music is cooler then almost any other anime. Great anime although it pales in conparison to the manga, but I still love it and would recomend it to almost anyone.

Rurouni Kenshin is one of the best anime I´ve ever seen. The way the story is being telled is exactly like the manga, except for a few sagas, not included in the manga. The artwork is very good, even though in some episodes the quality falls a bit. The soundtrack is amazing, and the characters are well made, full of personality, specially for Kenshin. The series has prooved itself full of energy and quality! A must see!

Alright now this is just fascinating, the story the best story i have ever seen in any Historical anime. The story is just great when i was watching it, it felt like i am peaking at the history of Japan when ninja and samurai existed. The story revolves around a wanderer named Himura Kenshin who is none other than the Legendary man slayer battousai who has swore never to kill anyone again and is welding a reverse blade katana. Not much of romance in this series but there were some good scenes that felt romantic. The art might be old as the anime is old one, but this is really heartwarming series, the way its plotted is too good. It's a shame that no one talks about this anime. Nobuhiro Watsuki let me kiss your hands for making such a wonderful story.

Overall 9: the only reason I can never give this anime a solid 10/10 is that filler arc at the end that just killed it....it's one of the first in a long running saga of anime that caught up with the manga and due to hype the animation studio decided to turn out something in the hopes of getting more money but instead ended up killing what was arguably the best story driven anime of it's time. That being said the first two sagas of Rurouni Kenshin should be on everyone's watch list, it is a staple of anime past and still holds up to this day in either sub or dub. Honestly it'll be some of the best dub work you'll ever hear, the VA's and english director went out of their way to get the pronunciations of the moves justice in their native tongue the dedication shows. The OST is subtle yet terrifyingly powerful,'Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu' & 'Departure' still give me chills to this day and are instantly recognizable. If you haven't already seen it and re-watched it, stop what you're doing and go watch this master piece.

I am a 90’s kid, but not enough of a 90’s kid to think that this amine is truly amazing. Now, don’t get me wrong - I enjoyed the whole thing and watched it till the end. It has a solid storyline, a handful of nice battle scenes, and a nice range of classic characters. But in the end, I give it a 6 because it pales in comparison to the current anime that I have seen in the past year. Here’s what I like: Kenshin - What an amazing character. From the very beginning of the anime, we are introduced to Kenshin as a man-slayer, who during the recent revolution took countless lives due to his unparalleled swordsmanship. However, after the revolution passes, he becomes a wanderer to partially atone for his sins and to find new purpose. Although he his already wise, calm, and a invaluable friend, he still undergoes some really interesting character development. Despite some of the major flaws in the anime, this “classic” sense of character development gives the show a powerful foundation. Some of the other characters are quite interesting too (a necessary aspect for most anime so the show has dynamism). Sanosuke has that all-out, loyal, reckless, and I would even argue humble personality that makes him a really enjoyable character to watch. His relationship with a certain character who dies bring an emotional dynamism into the show. Yahiko is the funny, yet extremely determined kid - honestly I think he is a character that most modern shows have drawn a ton of inspiration from (I honestly see a lot of the characteristics of Naruto in him). Hajime Saitou and Aoshi Shinomori are fierce and demonstrate their fighting spirit in as little words as possible. No super powers (for the most part) - Every anime/manga nowadays features characters of insane power. From the various stages of the Saiyan in Dragon Ball to the immeasurable chakra in Naruto, everyone keeps on getting stronger by acquiring more power. However, in Rurouni Kenshin, the only way to get stronger is to refine the swordsmanship skill. At least for me, this more relatable form of betterment is sobering - a sort of detox from mainstream anime if you will. Here’s what I don’t like: I wanted to see more of Yahiko - Various parts of the anime tease him as a student of Kenshin. We get to see him in battle a few times, but not enough. There is so much wasted potential in Yahiko - he is not only really entertaining to follow, but also has decent strength and unlimited willpower for a kid. There should have been a Yahiko arc as the inheritor of the Hiten-Mitsurugi style. The end of the anime derails - Well, first of all, there are certain arcs and episodes that are pretty unnecessary; they draw out the anime and actually dilute the certain strong elements of the story. Filler episodes bring in a tacky sense, after Shishio the story devotes a little, and the last arc brings in magic powers (what a sellout). If I had watched it in the 90’s, I would have probably given Rurouni Kenshin at least an 8 or a 9.

**THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN A FEW SPOILERS** Since this anime was one of the first anime I have ever seen I decided to go in to re-watch it with a critical perspective and I surprisingly came out of it enjoying it much more than I did before. Story: (9/10) The story of Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan begins with a man named Kenshin Himura who is a wandering samurai in the Meiji era in Japan. In the past he was known as Battousai the manslayer because he killed a lot of people during the Bakumatsu war but then there was a sudden transition in Kenshin and he became a samurai who doesn't kill. Throughout the story Kenshin meets many different characters and has many adventures with them. The story structure usually starts with mini stories that are 1-4 episodes long then goes into an arc. The Kyoto arc that happens in the middle of the story is fantastic. The arc has great buildup because of how some of the mini stories before the arc have pieces that all eventually tie in to the Kyoto arc and has great buildup to all the fights that happen. The arc has pretty good pacing compared to the bigger shounen anime that are out these days. The other 2 arcs that are after the Kyoto arc definitely aren't as good but manage to stay okay. The story makes many very effective moments and some are in the mini stories. My problems with the story is how there are some mini stories that aren't as good as other ones and how the anime ends very abruptly which will leave the viewer dissatisfied but there is a sequel ova to show to the true ending to the story which I will make a review of after this. Art and Animation: (8/10) I think that the art for this anime is pretty good for the time it was released. The backgrounds are good, all the characters designs are good, and the visuals for the attacks that the characters use are pretty good. The animation like the art was also pretty good for its time. The good animation is most apparent during the fight scenes and there is very good animation in the first OP. Sound: (8/10) I love the soundtrack to the anime. It helps the scenes that are being presents be much more effective. All the OPs and EDs are very good. The voice actors all did a very good job and the sound effects are good. Characters: (8/10) All the characters that appear in the story are all pretty good. They all get good character development and have their chance in the spotlight. Himura Kenshin is one of the best main characters I have seen so far. His way of fighting people is definitely unique because how the weapon he wields is a reverse blade sword so whenever he defeats an enemy he cannot kill them and can only badly injure them. Another way Kenshin defeats an enemy is by talking to them to figure out the root of the problem with them which also gives development to the villains. Something else interesting about Kenshin is how his past of being the Battousai comes back to haunt him and it really shows how much he regretted killing all those people in his past and how many enemies has made over it. Sagara Sanosuke is another very interesting character because of how the story goes over his backstory of being betrayed by the Meiji government and how much he despises it. The friendship between Sanosuke and Kenshin gets challenged because of Kenshin helping the Meiji government in one of the episodes and they both in the end of the episode become true friends which makes them grow more as characters. Myoujin Yahiko is another main character who I think is pushed to the side a lot but he does have his moments in the spotlight in the anime. There is one very good scene with him and that is when he has his first major fight because it gives the viewer a sense of catharsis since throughout most of the anime he is training to become strong so he can protect people. Then we have our last main character who is Kamiya Kaoru. I think that she is the weakest character of the main 4 characters but like everyone else she has her moments. The anime also contains a very interesting villains but the best villain overall goes Makoto Shishio because of how he views life and his unique fighting style. My only problem with the characters is how some of them get pushed to side a lot like Yahiko and Kaoru. Enjoyment: (9/10) I really enjoyed this anime to the point where I got addicted to watching it and has become one of my favorite anime. Overall: (9/10) Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan is a very good anime even though the later half of the anime isn't as good as the middle part but I would still highly recommend the anime.

I would love to have given this anime tens straight across the board. However, since I've read the manga, the anime just pales in comparison. The manga story balances comedy with drama, whereas in the anime, there's a lot of superfluous comedy. The anime also introduces unnecessary characters like Oguni Genzai's granddaughters and has many needless fillers, which detract from the overall story. However, that said... When they follow the manga, the anime is great. The first season has some fillers and takes liberties with the source material. However, if you can sit through it, the second season makes up for it. Following the manga almost 100%, the Kyoto Arc contains enough drama and action to make up for the childish fillers of the first season. However, where it all falls apart is the third season. The anime caught up with the manga, which was in the middle of its final arc and had to air fillers. Fans lost interest, the ratings tanked and the show was canceled, without the manga's final arc ever being animated. Thankfully, we have Tsuiokuhen to tell about Kenshin's past and the Memorial episode to show his future. Hopefully, someday the Jinchuu Arc will get a full season animation.

Rurouni Kenshin takes place during the Meiji era in Japan. It's the story of a man known throughout Japan as Hitokiri Battousai, an extremely skilled assassin. He has lent his sword to the cause of bringing down the former government, and to bring about an era of peace. Now that the war has ended, Battousai the Man Slayer is gone and in his place stands Kenshin Himura. Kenshin is a man at odds with this peaceful nature. He can never make up for all the lives he took and ruined in the name of a peaceful era. He has vowed to never kill again and to use his sword to protect those trying to live a peaceful life. He is now a wanderer and throughout his travels he meets many people and changes many lives. An important person he meets is a young female swordman-ship instructor. Although Rurouni Kenshin is somewhat of a love story, it contains many little subplots and a lot of violence and well drawn battles. It is not an anime for everyone, but if it is given a chance, it will grow on you. The show starts out kind of slow with little action and some humor. The first 12 episodes pretty much is set up for characters who will become mainstays for the series. After these episodes, the fighting becomes more pronounced and drawn out. All in all, this series is a fantastic view which never leaves you bored. It has excellent violence for the guys, and a solid love story for the ladies, and an all around great story line for everyone. If you like the characters from DBZ and YYH, you'll love these characters. As far as I can tell, there is nothing wrong with this series and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys anime.

Rurouni Kenshin is without a doubt the greatest shonen manga and anime ever. Well, except for FullMetal Alchemist Brotherhood but in my opinion FMAB would not have existed without Rurouni Kenshin's influence. It also happens to be my most favorite anime of all time and I'm someone who has only watched Rurouni Kenshin for the first time like last year. I didn't grow up with Kenshin as a kid and what makes me love it so much is that it is a very, very inspiring story. Yes, it's flawed but not by a lot. Kenshin has, like Berserk, a simple story. It's about an ex-swordsman who repented of all his murders and his new companions and how they live through life whilst meeting up with new and old enemies and how they learn and develop their characters. That’s pretty much it and it's a very good thing. Politics and why they came to be play a big role in the story but aren't really focused on so much as how they affect the people, and while still epic, the story of Kenshin isn't as grandiose as that of other anime and manga because none of the arcs have that grand of a scale. It relies more on developing the characters and how they want to make their own and the life of others better. This makes the story seem more mundane and normal than it really is and the struggles of the characters more relatable and believable. The characters, especially Kenshin are great. Kaoru, whilst starting off as a bit weak and whiny (really Kaoru, Megumi was the one hitting on Kenshin not the other way around, stop beating him up!) but she still gives Kenshin a lot of moral support, is still emotionally strong and she is the most vulnerable like when Kenshin leaves for Kyoto she snaps out of it with a little help from Megumi in the Kyoto arc. It’s a great development for her character and I like that. Yahiko is a kid samurai albeit a MUCH more competent and much less annoying than most. Sanosuke is a fun character yet still has a lot of depth and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him with the events he had to go through in the Shogo arc of the anime. He's also the only character in all of fiction, with the exception of Guts, to travel half a country in a single day on foot without using any supernatural powers. That is freaking awesome. And then there’s the titular Kenshin. In my opinion he is together with Guts and Kenzo Tenma one of the greatest characters of all time. He is to anime and manga what Superman is to comic books; every mangaka and creator who grew up with Kenshin look up to him as a great hero, partly because Kenshin refuses to kill, partly because his refusal to kill actually turns the situation he is in his and his repentant opponent's favor and partly because Kenshin for being such a hero isn't without his flaws. From time to time he himself thinks about whether his refusal to kill is the best option and sometimes he slips back into his former man-slayer self who was so used to killing multiple people. He himself gets troubled and warning as this may be a bit of a spoiler but as Yahiko said, no matter how depressed he is Kenshin will always come back if he hears a cry for help. A very inspiring character, he's the reason I said FullMetal Alchemist, with all it's themes of war being bad wouldn't exist. The rest of the side characters like the Oniwaban and the rest of Kenshin's allies and one shot characters are all great. Then there are the villains: Kenshin has, together with Batman, Superman and Spiderman one of the best rogue galleries out there, with almost all of them being complex characters and a genuine threat. If I had to name my favorites, they'd be Shishio and Enishi as not only were they the biggest threat to Kenshin but they, especially Enishi had very complex personalities and motivations. Aoshi comes in second for the same reasons and of course, there is also Saito. I hate Saito despite being a well written character. He's full of blood lust and is really mean spirited. At least he adopted Eiji to show that he still had a heart. The animation and art in the anime and manga are a mixed bag. The first episode of the anime had excellent and fluid animation although the animation in the next few episodes until after the Megumi rescue arc was pretty static. There were some exceptions like the Jin-E arc but the first season had mostly average animation. The second and the first half of the third season had great animation for the 90's; it was very stylistic and atmospheric and you actually felt as if you were in that age and place. It’s the same thing with the manga: while the art was always good, the fights scenes started out really cluttered but improved rapidly, culminating in the epicness that is Kenshin vs. Enishi. Speaking of fights, the anime had rather static fights at first but starting with the Shishio arc, the fights became MUCH better and more intense and they themselves have become really iconic images. The soundtrack of the anime on the other hand is great, one of the best. Yes, the first opening Sobakasu is a bit silly. I mean, why does an anime about a swordsman with a dark and troubled past have a song about a BITTER BREAK-UP? All thee the ending songs and the second opening are very good songs in themselves, catchy and very famous. The soundtrack by Noriyuki Asakura is in one word amazing: it's atmospheric, epic, and memorable and fits Kenshin perfectly. Notable tracks include the Last Wolf Suite, Hitenmitsurugiryu and my favorite Departure. Does Kenshin have flaws? Yes, every anime has flaws and even Kenshin isn't immune to this. One flaw not related to the story or its quality though is the Sony or Columbia dub marketed as Samurai X in Europe. This dub is hands down one of the worst dubs I've ever heard. If you have to watch Rurouni Kenshin in English like I do watch the original English dub as it is rather good and well written unlike the Sony dub which is full of mispronunciations, lame voice acting and dialogue that is really out of character (Kenshin would never say something like 'your days are numbered Shishio!' ). The worst moment in the story was how the business with the Shishio's war boat was dealt with. Spoiler in the next two sentences but after a lot of buildup with how such a dangerous boat could lead to a big civil war because of Shishios plan at a frame-up, do you know how it is taken down? Sanosuke throws some pocket bombs at it and makes a hole in the ship forcing it to sink. That’s it. He does lampshade it exclaiming how he could have been carrying such powerful bombs with him all this time but such an anti-climax can hardly be made up for with a joke. However, at least it's better than the final fight in the Kyoto-hen OVA which I hate. Also, contrary to what others have said, I don't hate the filler in the anime except for the last few episodes of the anime. The Shogo arc was just fantastic and tragic and the infamous episode 66 of the anime was gut bustingly hilarious. The filler in the first season ranged form decent to very good and made me more interested in the Japanese culture of that time. However, the last few episodes of Kenshin did suck a bit as they were pretty lukewarm and that’s about it. None of these flaws take away from the enjoyment of the anime or the manga though as they're not huge plot holes, just stuff that took away some believability and even then, not by a whole lot. I'm still waiting for an animated adaptation of the Jinchuu arc. Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to made an OVA remake of the Kyoto arc and not of the Jinchuu arc? Why fix something that isn't broken? And no, all the talking and philosophy between and during fights is NOT a strike against the series. In fact, Kenshin's philosophy and talks on life and fighting were very convincing and Kenshin just wouldn't be Kenshin without all the talks during fight scenes. However, don't think that the fights are all talk and no clashing; at least Kenshin didn't stretch its fights for 15 episodes like other shonen anime …

Rurouni Kenshin isn't a series that you can really fairly judge without having seen it twice over; once as a kid and once as an adult. Back when it first came out in the USA, Kenshin was what I really looked forward to, once Dragonball Z was over (this was the Buu saga, which has openly been denounced and told to go sit in a corner until it learns not to exist). Anyway, I digress. Story-wise, you have to really sort of be selective about stories to enjoy it. It's a jidaigeki series, and one of very, very few of its kind, so if you're looking for giant robots and ninjas and whatnot, this isn't the series for you. Kenshin really sets itself apart from a lot of other series like it in that the comic relief never feels ill-timed or forced. It's a very natural progression, and even the English dub (which is abysmal in comparison) doesn't really hit a nerve with its jests. Once you get into the real meat of the story, it's sort of generic, but incredibly well told. The art style is fantastic. Words do not describe how beautiful some of the artwork in this series is, except that you have to see it for yourself. Accurate details, lush backgrounds, and active, lively, brilliant action scenes lend themselves very well to the heavy-handed emotion that starts to crescendo in the Shishio arc (episodes 24-50). The detail in the characters' animation is intense and reflective. You really get a feel for Nobuhiro Watsuki's style, and the directing that brings it all together is nothing short of excellent. The sound work is... well, great for its time. When you compare it to some of the better sound work of the 2010s, it feels like it kinda got left behind a bit. The music is excellent, the voice acting (Japanese) is pretty good, and the sound effects for battles are very cliched, but well done all the same. This brings me to the shining point of the anime, which is the character. Watsuki has a very unique style to him, which makes him the only person really suited to directing this anime. There's a lot of things that Watsuki did here that took some real chances, such as making up his own sword techniques and keeping the animation style for said techniques to a bare minimum, but it ultimately pays off as it allows the anime to reach a wider audience. This also results in an as-of-yet completely original style in terms of look and feel, something that no other anime, let alone jidaigeki, has been able to properly capture. There's something in it for everyone, and Watsuki works his absolute hardest to make sure everyone gets the same feel. All in all, this is a very enjoyable work, and I highly recommend it to any fan of anime. Even though this is a shonen series, it's got some real highlights any fan can enjoy.