Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan

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.

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.

Imagine if the Mona Lisa would have been painted without her head.

That is what Rurouni Kenshin is.

It's incomplete.

The potential of this show is remarkably high, but most likely it will never be reached since no animation company seems to want to acknowledge the existence of the Jinchuu Arc. Other than that it is a pretty good anime to watch with good fights, good drama, and good music. The characters are portrayed goofier than they should be when you consider the situations they are in, but that goes back to the Mangaka's fault, not the anime's fault. This is why the OVA's are better.

Story ... - 8

Kyoto Arc is great, I don't know anyone who hasn't enjoyed it.
At times there is too much dialogue and it takes away from the fight scenes.
First arc is very episodic.

Art - 6

Sound -8

Some really intense tracks are introduced during the onset of the Kyoto Arc.

Character - 8

Enjoyment - 9

Overall - 8

I would watch this show up to episode 62, then stop. Fillers are horrible and very incoherent. It's a shame that the RK series will never be done the proper justice it deserves. With some tweaks and a full reboot, it could be the greatest anime of all time. But for now, it just stands as a good, classic shounen.

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.

94 episodes is a long running series and, Rurouni Kenshin seems to be a gem in the list of other 'popular series' that are often times dropped by fans somewhere in the middle due to the fillers, the recycling of action fights and the same annoying characters needing to always get stronger. Yes, 'Kenshin' has these qualities, but it really doesn't waist a whole lot of time with the cliched training-to-get-stronger sequences. The cliches are also somewhat cancelled out by the production value that Studio Deen went all out with. Feeling both arthouse/experimental with it's intergration of politics and moral complexity, Kenshin does something here ... that deviates from the average mainstream series. When the plot meanders, it meanders for good reasons. When the show enters it's filler phase, the fillers are somewhat interesting and worthwhile. This is not the case for Shonen Jump's Naruto, Bleach or One Piece where fillers are gobsmackingly weak and distracts viewer something a little bit more worthwhile. In Kenshin, fillers are somewhat necessary in between the progressive moments of the plot and supported by the historical elements that usually helps convey the sense of feeling to this period.

It's been said Nobuhiro Watsuki was inspired by the samurai game "Samurai Showdown" and I can definitely see some similarities with the character construction. 'iconic' is a word to describe the series; between Kenshin's red hair and Shishio's bandages, there is something cool and exaggerated in the designs that make it more memorable and distinguished from a long list of samurai portrayals.

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!"

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.

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!

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.

Set in old japan with many historical characters that really lived around that time, it tells us about the story of a samurai that is trying to atone his past living a new life.

The first arc show us the links between the main characters and their past and where specifically is gonna be set the story.
Kenshin (main character) is a samurai with a good personality who gets well with everyone but has a tainted past that he is trying to amend by making the right choices in his new life.

The adventures of a samurai in his new life, where you can find action, love, drama, ... terror, comedy and much more if you like long stories of the past.

I watched this series many times and it taught me a lot about life, respect, honesty and pride.

Rate: 8/10

Thanks for reading.

Well i believe Rurouni Kenshin is one of the most developed animes of all time, along with Code Geass. It has all the characters you need, even the villians are developed fully. The filler couldve been done with out. But its good filler, nithing horid like the Naruto filler. This anime will keep you pumped through all 95 episodes. The art was excellent for its time in the 90's. The sword techniques are all amazing. The story is one of the best, with lots of historic back round. Even the OVA's are outstanding. Along with this, is all the genres of an anime mixed together: ... Comedy, Romance, Action, Adventure, Historic and Drama.

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.

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.

Um, this is my first review, so I started with my most favorite anime ever, Rurouni Kenshin. I would try to be fair, but hey, it doesn't really matter here. Well, here goes:

(Note: The review follows the anime until ep 62 only)

Story: 10
This is the best part in RuroKen. The plot is really fleshed out without dragging or boring the viewers. The anime has three phases (or seasons, whatever): the introduction phase, where main characters Kenshin and Kaoru are acquainted (this is a love story after all) as well as other characters that will be important to the overall structure. Then comes the main plot ... phase: with the main villain Shishio. Lastly is the filler phase. I didn't really watched this because the ending of the main plot feels like the true ending of the anime, but this phase just means more Kenshin and more action (though the villains are quite ridiculous).

Art: 9
Well, this anime was released almost two decades ago so the art is really outdated when compared to the animation now. In their own time however, this is one of the most beautifully crafted animes.

Sound: 9
I don't really know how to criticize the sound in an anime. But if I may try, the background music is thrilling through the action and suspense, and soothing through the emotional and lovey dovey scenes. OP and ED themes are also great.

Character: 10
As with the story, this one receives a 10 for me because of the way every character was handled. The way the characters are used and how you can see their way of thinking (because of flashbacks and other into stuff) is handled thoroughly it would seem that everyone of them is important to the overall plot. There are no pushover characters.

Enjoyment: 10
Rurouni Kenshin is part comedy part action part love story. Surely it brings enjoyment in watching it.

Overall: 10
Honestly, this anime is a classic. The reason I gave this a 10 aside from it being my most favorite anime ever is that it really is one of the best ever up until now. The 2-part New Kyoto Arc massacred the plot and characters in my opinion. So if you have no anime to watch, consider trying this one.

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.

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 do.

Overall, I give Kenshin 9 out of 10. Why 9 and not 10? Kenshin isn't the story that deserves a 10. While still a masterpiece both because of its story, message and influence, it's not as epic or subtle as other manga and anime. However, it's still a very, very enjoyable series and has aged really well. It's a definite must watch if you're an anime fan.

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.