Story: Great story. Enough said. Rurouni Kenshin has something for everyone: action, comedy, suspense, romance, distressing scenes, heartwarming scenes, rich historical detail, absorbing characters with first-rate personalities, and a good premise. Honestly, it sometimes annoys me just how much attention the humorous aspects of the story get; I prefer to focus on Kenshin's inner turmoil and the serious romance. However, the slapstick and little comic gimmicks are immensely fun to watch, and never come at bad times. More important, however, are the serious occurrences, which often reveal people or things from Kenshin's past. And, of course, there's the love story: Kenshin's and Kaoru's relationship, as well as more implicit chemistry between Yahiko and Tsubame, or Sanosuke and Megumi. Another good thing about the serious scenes, apart from the fact that they give the characters a chance to be "dramatic:" expose themselves as people, go on about their pasts, etc. (which I personally think makes them more realistic) is that they mostly end happily: Kenshin protects the innocent, and most (if not all) characters you've come to care for will end up okay (sounds cheesy, but after shows like Death Note or Fullmetal Alchemist, where you have to excuse or at least tolerate one character death and another character loss, that sounds perfect).
Art: Rurouni Kenshin I praise time and time again for its superior visual quality. The scenery is really something else: from Kamiya Kaoru's dojo, a sprawling building surrounded by gardens; to the narrow streets and shops of Tokyo; to the overhead views of forests and mountains; all are done with perfect color and clarity. The characters, meanwhile, are done beautifully as well; the protagonists sport, hands down, some of the GREATEST clothes, eyes, and hair I've seen in anime (get a load of Kenshin's sleek red ponytail, and the way it swishes around him or blows in the wind); and even the less-attractive villains still look reasonable for their own purposes. A minor technicality could be that the characters are not quite so realistic as some; most good characters are decidedly cute, and wild facefaults are common in all funny scenes.
Sound: Sound in this show is quite good; I personally enjoy most of the background music, such as that when Kenshin wins. The music in openings and closings has been okay, too; for some reason I really enjoy the first and third closing more than the first opening and the second closing and the second opening. However, all songs seem to be reasonable, and certainly every one is appropriate to the story.
Character: There are really great characters in Rurouni Kenshin, which is only to be expected, as it is a drama. Kenshin is truly a complete character: kind-hearted, yet also strong enough to take care of himself and make things happen; intelligent and talented in a few areas (he's good at swordfighting and cooking, for example); yet possessed of a conflict that makes him interesting (he used to be a murderer, etc.). He's even a good role model, protecting the innocent and spreading pro-social messages. Iin addition to Kenshin, all the other major characters he's surrounded by (Kaoru, Yahiko, Sanosuke, and Megumi) are strong, intelligent, and with absorbing personalities, which are a lot of fun to compare and examine. The other good thing about the Rurouni Kenshin characters is, both the protagonists and the major villains have background histories, which make them realistic.
Rurouni Kenshin has to be one of the best anime around. On the other hand, Rurouni Kenshin, with Death Note, is one of the most mature anime I know of that's not specifically intended for adults. With lots of realistic violence; brutal deaths (both murder and suicide); some alcohol; dubious language; and sophisticated topics (e.g. politics in the Meiji era) it is probably best for ages 15+. That being said, if you are 15 or older then you will probably find something about Rurouni Kenshin to your liking, from the scenery and historical detail to the dramatic battles to the romance. Definitely not to be missed unless you REALLY, REALLY hate having noble heroes as protagonists (in which case, go watch Death Note; you won't be disappointed)!
