Kenshin Himura is a wandering samurai with a dark past... for he is also the
man known as Battousai the Manslayer. Having annihilated countless people, his
sword skills are second to none. His name alone is enough to strike fear into
the hearts of citizens who've heard of his legendary abilities. But Kenshin is
determined never to kill again, and he now uses his sword to protect people
instead. As he roams Japan, he comes across the passionate Kendo instructor
Kaoru Kamiya.
Kaoru is immediately attracted to the wanderer, and Kenshin decides to stay
for a bit to help Kaoru rebuild her father's dojo. But there are still
elements beyond his control that threaten to pull him back to his
blood-stained past. Can Kenshin truly leave it all behind for a peaceful and
normal life?
Rurouni Kenshin Anime Review
Rurouni Kenshin is a truly excellent series. What makes it stand out from
other samurai, ninja, or action series is the fact that Rurouni Kenshin is
firmly rooted on a highly memorable succession of events that make up its
plot.
There's always a good reason why any form of violence takes place. Sometimes
it's political, other times it's just personal.
The action is extremely detailed. The different sword and martial arts
techniques are given a lot of emphasis and are explained very well. Rurouni
Kenshin origin creator Nobuhiro Watsuki really knows his stuff and he dazzles the
audience with this knowledge.
Characterization is superb. Kenshin Himura is one of the best characters I've
encountered. He's wise beyond his years
(albeit too lecture-y at times), and yet at the same time he's a fun
and funny guy.
Kenshin's sword skills are mesmerizing to behold. I'm not really into action
but I love watching (Rurouni Kenshin Crunchyroll) him fight! His humility and down-to-earth personality also
make him a very likeable hero.
The supporting characters and villains are just as well-developed. Virtually
everyone has their own in-depth history, which in turn explains their motives
and actions.
The series is actually propelled more by the characters rather than the plot.
Rurouni Kenshin has its fair share of light and comical moments as well.
The art and animation are very good and quite consistent in quality. The
soundtrack is also worth checking out (I have some RK CDs myself).
The only major gripe I have about Rurouni Kenshin is the absolute lameness of
the last two arcs, episode 70-something onwards
(specifically the German and the Feng Sui arcs). They put in two
totally worthless subplots instead of giving us the real ending. Rurouni
Kenshin could've been a 5-star anime had they stayed completely faithful to
Mr. Watsuki's work.
The English dubbing is generally okay, Kenshin's English voice is actually
better than his original Japanese voice. It's so obvious that a female seiyuu
was doing Kenshin's Japanese voice, and even the kid Yahiko sounds more
masculine than Kenshin ever does.
Anyhow despite a few minor shortcomings, Rurouni Kenshin is definitely one of
the best anime series out there.
Miscellanies: Rurouni Kenshin
The best part of the Rurouni Kenshin anime series is definitely the Shishio arc. Rurouni
Kenshin is more accurately translated as "Kenshin the Wanderer" or
"Wandering Kenshin". "Wandering Samurai" is the official English
title. Kenshin's mysterious past is given light in the OVA series.
Related Articles:
Rurouni Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan) | |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 94 |
| Status | Finished Airing |
| Aired | Jan 10, 1996 to Sep 8, 1998 |
| Producers | Aniplex, SME Visual Works, Fuji TV |
| Studio | Gallop, Studio Deen |
| Rating | PG-13 - Teens 13 or older |
| Themes | Historical, Samurai |
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