Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan (Rurouni Kenshin)

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Alternative Titles

English: Rurouni Kenshin

Synonyms: Samurai X

Japanese: るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚-

Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 94

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Jan 10, 1996 to Sep 8, 1998

Premiered: Winter 1996

Broadcast: Wednesdays at 19:30 (JST)

Producers: Aniplex, SME Visual Works, Fuji TV

Licensors: Media Blasters, Aniplex of America

Studios: Gallop, Studio Deen

Source: Manga

Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Historical, Romance, Samurai, Shounen

Duration: 25 min. per ep.

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Statistics

Score: 8.31¹ (scored by 186,183 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #219²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #369

Members: 406,948

Favorites: 8,735

8.31

Ranked #219Popularity #369Members 406,948

Winter 1996TVGallop, Studio Deen

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Episodes: /94

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Synopsis

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]

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Background

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Episode Videos

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan
Prequel:	Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Tsuioku-hen
Side story:	Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Ishinshishi e no Chinkonka, Rurouni Kenshin: Special Techniques, Rurouni Kenshin: Review Special, Rurouni Kenshin Special
Sequel:	Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Seisou-hen
Alternative version:	Rurouni Kenshin DVD-BOX Special Ending, Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Shin Kyoto-hen
Summary:	Rurouni Kenshin Recap
Other:	Sobakasu

Sakurai, Tomo
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Furuhashi, Kazuhiro

Director, Storyboard

Yoshida, Shunji

Episode Director, Storyboard

Sokuza, Makoto

Episode Director

Chigira, Kouichi

Episode Director, Storyboard

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Opening Theme

#1: "Sobakasu (そばかす)" by JUDY AND MARY (eps 1-38)
#2: "½" by Makoto Kawamoto (eps 39-82)
#3: "Kimi ni Fureru Dake de (君に触れるだけで)" by CURIO (eps 83-94)

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Ending Theme

#1: "Tactics" by THE YELLOW MONKEY (eps 1-12)
#2: "Namida wa Shitteiru" by Mayo Suzukaze (eps 13-27)
#3: "HEART OF SWORD ~Yoake Mae~ (HEART OF SWORD 〜夜明け前〜)" by T.M.Revolution (eps 28-38, 43-49)
#4: "the Fourth Avenue Café" by L'Arc~en~Ciel (eps 39-42)
#5: "It's gonna rain!" by BONNIE PINK (eps 50-66)
#6: "1/3 no Junjou na Kanjou (1/3の純情な感情)" by SIAM SHADE (eps 67-82)
#7: "Dame! (ダメ！)" by You Izumi (eps 83-95)

More reviews

Reviews

Jun 3, 2007

95 of 94 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 9

VK11 (All reviews)

303 people found this review helpful

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.

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Mar 19, 2016

94 of 94 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 6

FAKEANIMEGIRL (All reviews)

188 people found this review helpful

March 2003. That was when the Rurouni Kenshin anime first premiered on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block. I looked up the original year expecting to feel old, but somehow 2003 doesn’t seem that long ago. It’s actually almost exactly 13 years. I grew up on this show, and one way or another I’m willing to bet the same could be said of most people still visiting this MAL page. Rurouni Kenshin gave me the hope that I too could be a samurai in a modern world unsuited for one. That hasn’t worked out very well for me.

Rurouni Kenshin stars its titular protagonist, Kenshin Himura, a former read more

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Nov 4, 2007

95 of 94 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 9

Master10K (All reviews)

84 people found this review helpful

Based on the actual Meiji Period of Japan, Rouruni Kenshin is a Shounen, Action, Adventure about a wandering samurai, "Kenshin". Even though he is a kind and friendly person, he carries a bloody past he wishes not to return to. This shounen anime starts of like any other as we are introduced to the characters the story revolves around (Kenshin) and we learn quite a bit about them. Also like the typical shounen anime, once all the main characters are together to form some kind of fighting team, it starts of with couple short random adventures. There's plenty of action and comedy here but it lacks substance and it is not until later on in the Kyoto Arc. That is when the story becomes truly interesting, with even more intense battles, drama and a decent array of characters to back it up.

The characters are great and well developed, which is the sort of thing you'll expect from a shounen action series, of this calibre. But the character that truly stands out is "Kenshin", with his 3 contrasting personalities; dopy Kenshin, noble protector Kenshin and manslayer Kenshin and it is interesting how all of this is crammed into a single character. However there are a few brat-like characters that can get quite annoying at times but it doesn't take much away from the show.

There were two things I had to consider when looking into the quality of the animation; the time it was made and how well it depicted scenes. The animation quality of RK is exactly what you'd expect from something made in the 90s however when it comes down to it, it is really good especially during the action sequences. It is able to show the true intensity of the intense fights however those kinds of fights happen to rarely in RK.

The music on the other hand isn't all that special and there are only a few noticeable good tunes that go well, with the situations. The OP and ED themes are a range of catchy and annoying tunes however you'll definitely find some of them really enjoyable and hard to get out of your head. Another thing I just have to mention is that RK is one of those few anime that even a Sub anime fan like myself, actually prefered viewing the Eng. Dub version (uncut).

Overall RK is definitely one of the classic Shounen anime series that every shounen anime fan must watch. There a great deal of action, comedy and drama; with a superb story to back it up. The characters are also well developed and bring forth some really emotional moments but some are just plain annoying. Also little things like stupidly thought-up enemies and the huge number of cheesy moments reduce the overall quality of this fine anime. Another thing that badly affected the series was that it ended with a bunch of fillers but if you don't get bothered by all this, then you'll definitely enjoy RK.

^_^

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Nov 21, 2015

94 of 94 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 7

Nervin (All reviews)

33 people found this review helpful

Your deeds of the past is something you won't be able to evade, neither ignore in any way: it will always come back gnawing at you. This is the tale of Himura Kenshin, who once was a ruthless assassin in the past, in his quest of finding redemption from his previous actions. Rorouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan is a magnificent, well crafted samurai based anime with fantastic characterization and story, which is so rare to find these days. However, it is profoundly clear that the anime falls apart in the last third of its duration, due to fillers.

~Story~

The story of Rorouni Kenshin takes place in read more

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More news

Recent News

Manga 'Rurouni Kenshin' to Have Two New Live Action Movie Adaptations Due Summer 2014

In the latest issue of Jump Square, it was announced that manga "Rurouni Kenshin" will have a two new live-action movie adaptations, "Kyoto Taika hen&...read more

Jun 29, 2013 4:22 AM by symbv | Discuss (52 comments)

Warner Announces Japanese Live Action Film of Rurouni Kenshin

According to Comic Natalie, Warner Bros. has announced a live action movie of Rurouni Kenshin. Actor Satoh Takeru (official blog) will play Kenshin and the film will...read more

Jun 27, 2011 3:57 PM by dtshyk | Discuss (116 comments)

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Recent Forum Discussion

	Poll: Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan Episode 94 Discussion ao_no_exo - May 24, 2013	17 replies	by WatchTillTandava »» 3 hours ago
	Rurouni Kenshin has one of the best OST around xZabuzax - Jun 4	7 replies	by carhs14 »» Jun 5, 5:25 PM

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