Rurouni Kenshin is a Japanese anime series based of the mange of the same name by Nobuhiro Watsuki, the show is the second anime adaption following the 90s series. The show is set in the Meiji era and follows Himura Kenshin a pacifistic ronin that wanders the country helping people with his swordsmanship skills. He was once a deadly and feared political assassin known as Battosai the man slayer however he has since sworn an oath never to kill again caring a reverse blade sword. The original Rurouni Kenshin is one of my favourite anime and although I prefer the 90s original this is a great adaption and a worthy addition to the series.
The direction in in the show is great. All the characters are a natural flow with each other making them come across as a great dysfunctional family unit and a close group of friends which really helps ground the characters and make them likable. The mood of the show is good. The show straddles two main moods a light-hearted tone and a serious dark one and manages to balance it very well knowing when to make things more series and when to use comedy for levity. The style of the show is good. The show is very flashy with great well-done animation that really sells the look and feel of the show.
The acting in the show is good. Soma Saito does a good job as Himura Kenshin, he plays both the light-hearted goofy nature of the character as well as the dark serious nature of the character well and switches between the two with ease. Rie Takahashi does a good job as Kamiya Kaoru she lays a young headstrong but also emotional woman that is the owner of a dojo and is in love with kenshin that is played less annoying than she was in the original. Taku Yashiro does a good job as Sagara Sanosuke an ex-member of the opposing side to Keshin during the war that has now become his friend. Makoto Koichi does a good job as Myojin Yahiko a young orphan thief turned samurai student that lives and trains in the dojo and idolises Kenshin. Yuma Uchida does a good job as Shinomori Aoshi the leader of an assassin group that Kenshin battles that has his own tragic past. Saori Onishi does a good job as Takani Megumi a poison maker turned doctor that becomes friends with Kneshin and the others. Satoshi Hino does a good job as Saito Hajime an ex-samurai that has become a policeman and has a grudge against Keshin.
The writing in the show is good. The show strikes a good balance of seriousness and comedy showcasing an interesting and constant tone that makes for a serious show that knows how to use comedy to levitate tension. The characters in the show are excellent and well written. All characters have a depth to them such as Kenshin a once bloody killer that as sworn never to kill the characters are very interesting and are the best part about the show. The philosophy of Ruroni Kenshin is still intact. The nature of whether to kill, the path to redemption and the thin line between good and bad are all showcased here making for a genially interesting perspective that is one of the best parts of the show.
The cinematography in the show is good. There are some truly beautiful shots in the show that really help the series. The action is all well done making for very clear senses. The slow moments are also well done making for a very good-looking show. The animation in the show is good. The animation looks good and is well animated making for a good modernisation of the Rurouni Kenshin story. However, although the animation is good, I do personally prefer the 90s anime style.
Rurouni Kenshin is a good show. The series is a good adaption that sits right alongside the 90s original as a worthy anime adaption.
