Historical and samurai anime enthusiasts remember Rurouni Kenshin as one of the best in its genre. With a manga debut in 1994, this series has what it takes to capture multiple types of audiences, mixing elements of romance, martial arts, and adventure in a solid story of atonement and regret.
Hot on the heels of the manga’s success, Rurouni Kenshin was adapted into an anime that ran between 1996 and 1998, but the demand just kept on rising. To the joy of fans, the series later got an animated movie, several live-actions, OVAs, a manga remake, a spin-off, and a sequel. Now, over two decades after the first adaptation, Rurouni Kenshin is making a much-awaited comeback.
The reboot of the classic anime is being produced by Liden Films, written by Hideyuki Kurata (Goblin Slayer) and with direction by Hideyo Yamamoto (Strike the Blood). And before anyone starts panicking about this reboot not living up to the original, rest assured, Nobuhiro Watsuki — the mangaka — is supervising parts of the project. Of course, this is no guarantee of perfection, especially with the ’90s version to compare it to, but it definitely gives us faith.
When will the Rurouni Kenshin reboot come out?
At the time of writing, an official premiere date for this reboot has not yet been announced. Even so, we know that the anime will be released sometime in July 2023, at least for viewers currently residing in Japan. The episodes will be broadcast on Fuji TV, a Japanese television station, but so far, there has been no word of a global release. We’ll have to keep our fingers crossed and hope that, until then, an international network acquires the distribution rights for the anime.
As we wait, why not dive into some other binge-worthy series? Time flies when we occupy it with anime.