Now Viewing: rurouni_kenshinTag type: Copyright (るろうに剣心) Iconic historical-fiction shonen action/chanbara anime/manga created by Watsuki_Nobuhiro. The full title is るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚, Rurouni Kenshin Meiji Kenkaku Romantan or Rurouni Kenshin Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story. The manga debuted on April 25, 1994 and ended on November 4, 1999. The series was based off of 2 prototypes: the first was a 1992 story that featured Kenshin's debut and had Kenshin fight against a crime lord to protect the Kamiya dojo. This was also the prototype of the Megumi arc in the manga. The second was a 1993 story that had Kenshin help a girl named Raikouji Chizuru. The seires is also known as Samurai X in North America though it should be noted that Kenshin is not a samurai despite what the English title may suggest. The word Rurouni, meaning wandering swordsman, is actually a word that Watsuki made up for the series to describe Kenshin's role. It is set in the Meiji era of Japan and tells the story of Kenshin Himura, a peaceful and gentle wandering swordsman. In the past, he was the infamous assassin Hitokiri Battousai, but Kenshin has renounced killing and seeks to atone for the lives he's taken. Soon after meeting and saving Kamiya Kaoru, she allows him to stay at her dojo. He befriends Kaoru and various people in the community, but his past soon comes back to haunt him and his new found friends with a vengeance and his refusal to kill is increasingly challenged. It has been adapted into a TV series, a movie, some video games, and 3 OVAs. The TV anime ran from January 10, 1996 to September 8, 1998. The TV series adapts the entire manga except for the last arc; the TV series infamously was canceled due to falling ratings as a result of the numerous filler episodes in the last third of the series and the final arc of the manga, for the most part, has yet to be adapted into anime. Although the OVAs are also directed by Furuhashi Kazuhiro and the TV series seiyuus reprise their roles, the first two OVAs are very different in style. They are much darker in tone, removing all of the humor from the manga and altering the character designs to look more realistic. They also swap the TV series composer Asakura Noriyuki with Iwasaki Taku who composes a very different score from the TV series' score. The first OVA adapts Kenshin's backstory from the manga and the second OVA provides a different ending from the manga to Kenshin's story. The third OVA, titled Rurouni Kenshin Shin Kyoto Hen, started in 2011 and retells the events of the Kyoto arc from Misao's perspective. The original manga's ending was eventually adapted as a short anime clip in a Rurouni Kenshin DVD Box. After laying dormant anime-wise for a decade, the franchise received a second anime TV series adaptation in 2023, which starts from the beginning of the manga and has a different cast and crew from previous adaptations. This adaptation was animated by Liden_Films, directed by Yamamoto Hideyo, written by Kurata Hideyuki, and has a soundtrack composed by Takami Yuu. It is notable for drawing in a large amount of female fans alongside male fans, a response which surprised Watsuki and his editors. The series was Watsuki's big break and biggest success, selling over 55 million copies within Japan by 2012, but it also became something of a curse for Watsuki as it has overshadowed his later manga which have notoriously struggled in terms of sales. The series' immense popularity came as a surprise to Watsuki who didn't have high hopes that the series would succeed, originally planning to end the series after 30 chapters. The series places a strong emphasis on forgiveness versus vengeance. Forgiveness in this series does not only include forgiveness of others, but also forgiveness of oneself for one's past mistakes. The massive societal changes brought about by the Meiji Restoration also affect the series' narrative and fuel much of the story's conflict. Quite a few characters in the series are also based on actual historical figures of the time period. It has been adapted into a series of Japanese live action films starring Satou Takeru as Kenshin and Takei Emi as Kaoru. The films were directed by Otomo Keishi who also co-wrote the scripts with Fujii Kiyomi. The soundtracks were composed by Satou Naoki. The first film was released on August 2012, adapting the early portions of the manga. This adaptation led to Watsuki revisiting his most iconic series. Alongside the movie, Watsuki created a short reboot manga titled Rurouni Kenshin Restoration that ran from May 2, 2012 to June 4, 2013. The next two films were released in 2014 and adapt the Kyoto arc, and were followed by another pair of movies adapting the Jinchuu arc. The films were box office and critical successes with Watsuki himself also praising the films. Watsuki then wrote and drew a 2014 manga titled Rurouni Kenshin: Uramaku which focuses on Kyoto arc antagonist Shishio Makoto. In 2016, he created another spinoff titled Rurouni Kenshin Side Story: The Ex-con Ashitarou starring a new protagonist named Ashitarou Hasegawa. This spinoff ran from Nov. 4, 2016 to Dec. 2, 2016. Cast: Main Characters: Himura_Kenshin Kamiya_Kaoru Sagara_Sanosuke Myoujin_Yahiko Takani_Megumi Makimachi_Misao Saitou_Hajime Shinomori_Aoshi Shishio's Group: Shishio_Makoto Komagata_Yumi Senkaku Seta_Soujirou Uonuma_Usui Yuukyuuzan_Anji Sadojima_Houji Sawagejou_Chou Honjou_Kamatari Kariwa_Henya Iwanbou Saizuchi Fuji Enishi's Group: Yukishiro_Enishi Gein Kujiranami_Hyougo Inui_Banjin Otowa_Hyouko Yatsume_Mumyoui Woo_Heishin Fudousawa Oniwabanshuu: Han'nya Beshimi Hyottoko Shikijou Okina Other Supporting: Seijuurou_Hiko Yukishiro_Tomoe Sekihara_Tae Sanjou_Tsubame Chief_Uramura Oibore Tsukayama_Yutarou Okubou_Toshimichi Himura_Kenji Tsukioka_Tsunan Mishima_Eiji Sagara_Souzou Arai_Seikuu Arai_Azusa Arai_Iori Higashidani_Kamishimoemon Higashidani_Uki Higashidani_Outa Katsura_Kogorou Takasugi_Shinsaku Oguni_Gensai Tani_Juusanrou Yamagata_Aritomo Maekawa_Miyauchi Shibumi Antagonists: Hiruma_Kihei Hiruma_Gohei Udou_Jin'e Kanryuu_Takeda Isurugi_Raijuuta Akamatsu_Arundo Anime only: Shura_(Rurouni_Kenshin) Amakusa_Shougou Mutou_Sayo Crossover: j-stars_victory_vs Other Wiki Information Last updated: 12/18/22 9:26 AM by jojosstand This entry is not locked and you can edit it as you see fit. |
     
|