Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan

tl;dr: A manga with great action and great character development in its main cast, though it drags on quite a bit in the middle.

Rurouni Kenshin is a manga originally released in the 90s, but that remains popular to this day. I myself did read the manga before when it was first released in the United States in the mid 2000s, but that was ages ago and I barely remember it outside of key plot points. As such, seeing as we have just passed the 25th anniversary, I felt like it was worth reading again.

I would have to describe the manga as containing three distinct thirds, though they have varying lengths with the first being somewhat shorter than a third and the second being somewhat longer. The first is a series of short stories that establish the main characters associated with the Kamiya dojo and various short stories branching off of those. In the case of Sanosuke and Yahiko it feels like it starts their character arcs. It begins exploring the concept of the difference between Battousai and Kenshin and how the vow not kill affects him. It goes into some background on Kenshin and the revolution, but not a lot. It also begins developing the romance between Kenshin and Kaoru, but it's really subtle. The action is also decent, but not as good as the later portions. Overall while not completely lighthearted, it's lighter compared to where things go afterwards. In general the plot and action too were pretty minimal and there was a lot more focus on the characters involved and in that it did a pretty great job at keeping good pacing and keeping things interesting.

The second third drops the short story type storytelling from the first third and tells a single extended story centered around stopping a singular villain, Shishio. This portion I wasn't really fond of. Its much more plot focused and provides a lot of background on the revolution to support said plot, but the plot still isn't especially strong. Shishio felt like a pretty 2D villain, which was fine for the smaller villains during the first third, but with him being the main villain for an extended period of time it felt pretty weak. And the narrative surrounding facing him was also pretty simplistic. While the first portion didn't particularly have a good plot either, it had its focus on characters to hold it up, but here the focus on plot seems to mean that there was less of a focus on characters. Kenshin does get some background and development, but it didn't feel like it was enough considering how long the arc took. Ultimately, his personal stake in things was too light to really go in depth into his character. There was also relationship development with Kaoru, but that too was still really subtle and felt like it didn't really go far enough considering everything that happened. While Sanosuke and Yahiko did get stronger, it didn't particularly feel like they were developing as characters. Really, the only character that felt like they got proper development was the side character Aoshi, whose arc was decent, but it does kind of play into the standard shounen too easily forgiving former villains trope, which I'm not overtly fond of in serious manga. Lots of interesting new side characters were added to the cast as well that it did decent introductions for, but I felt that wasn't enough to mitigate the lack of progress in the main cast. The action was a solid improvement over the first third though and quite intense. Still, all in all this third felt like it was lacking substance and hence felt like it had bad pacing with things dragging on too long.

The final third was where I feel the manga was at its best. There's a central villain again, but they're more complex and far better developed than Shishio. He also has a very personal connection to Kenshin, so as such this portion of the manga is where we finally get extensive background and really good character development in Kenshin, where it fully explores where his vow to never kill came from and what he really wants to do. Additionally, the narrative also manages to weave in what are essentially side stories with Sanosuke and Yahiko that also provide background on them and complete their character arcs well. The plot is pretty simple with the larger focus being on characters, but the storytelling I think is still the best in the series and the big twist I thought was built up to properly and worked well in how it allowed the structure that the manga has which allows all the main characters to shine which also results in pretty great pacing. The relationship development in this portion still isn't amazing, and thus overall, I don't consider this a series with particularly good romance, but it was solid enough and ended really well. The action was also even more intense than during the second portion. Overall, I felt it did a good job of focusing on characters and managed to do justice to each of the main character's and gave everyone and the manga overall a solid ending.

The art I think worked really well in terms of showing the fast pace of the action. I also think it does a good job of fitting the time it was portraying. However, beyond that I didn't particularly like the art style or character designs, and it didn't feel all that high quality. Though that may just be because at this point my criteria are probably somewhat screwed up since I mostly read relatively new digitally drawn manga.

Oro?

Love you Kenshin! One of the noblest characters in Manga. Possibly my all time favorite character. Back in the day, before online reading, I would go to my local bookstore and read-then reread- Rurouni Kenshin. I started off watching a couple of episodes of the anime with my Dad, then moved to the Manga when I needed more!

When I think of the noble warrior, I think of Kenshin. This story surrounds a warrior who has given up killing, and started wielding a sword with the blunt edge in front, instead of the sharp edge. His travels as he finds love and protects his friends will always stay with me. This series is a story of redemption and friendship, with plenty of humor to go with it! It will always have a special place in my heart.

▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ I knew the rating on MAL for this was pretty high, but the fact that it was another one of those fighting shounen manga made me expect a little less. There are a lot of those and what new thing could “Rurouni Kenshin” bring to the picture? The plot with the strongest hero from the beginning to the end is not particularly new, so the mangaka would really have to make him stand out from the others.

He came to town as a wandering swordsman with a mysterious past he told no one about. He turned out to be the most skilled one there, strong enough to beat anyone pitted against him despite how formidable his opponents looked. He joined Kamiya dojo when Kaoru asked him to, knowing his strengths. Little did he know, many would come to challenge him or ask for his help, and his adventure was beginning once again.

▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ Alright, okay. I admit that while reading through about 15 or so chapters I was reasonably hooked. There was something intriguing about a man who had killed so many times before but now used his sword sparingly, injuring his enemies but never killing. People always thought that a swordsman who didn’t kill was not strong, but Kenshin always surpassed their expectations: he was fast, he was brave, and he was a master. A lot of times he would get so beat up and bloodied that it seemed like it would be his last leg, but he almost always pulled through.

Of course, halfway through the manga, it was very repetitive. A new enemy would show up and he would say the same things as the last: he was the strongest of them all and he’d beat Kenshin for the title of the strongest in the world. But Kenshin would find some way to kick him to the curb without killing him and the enemy would be a new person. If it weren’t for the side stories, tragic back stories, and very small bits of romance, I would not have been as interested in reading this.

▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ The characters are really the greatest part of the story, though. I noticed in the character popularity polls featured in some of the manga chapters, Kenshin was almost never the favorite. A lot of times, the other characters took the spotlight in those polls for their spunky personalities or individual strengths. Kenshin might have even seemed boring to them because he was a calm person for the most part and hardly ever gave way to rage.


A few of the characters got on my nerves, but some of them I liked from the beginning or grew on me. The few that returned became stronger and wiser, and in 200+ chapters Watsuki has so many ideas for different people, it’s mesmerizing. I have to hand it to him for such a great cast of characters with such a wide array of strengths, weaknesses, and appearances.

▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ I don’t read 90s manga very often, so the artwork threw me off for a bit in the first few chapters. It can be a little rough around the edges and oftentimes the main character looks plain compared to the other characters. But I have to hand it to the mangaka for all the detail put into those other characters, though. Each and every enemy has a unique face, harrowing shadow, unique costumes, and their own backstories (not that all of them are revealed).

Will all the fights going on, of course, I still have a hard time understanding exactly what’s happening, but that’s always been my problem. However, I think since the mangaka gets so used to drawing injured people all bloodied up, they get better looking as they go on. I mean their injuries look like they hurt and the blood spatters are pretty realistic against the 2D art. The tired eyes and expressions are pretty believable as well.

▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ ▩ While Kenshin’s pact not to kill another person was admirable, I was also frustrated with how difficult his opponents were such that I wished he would kill someone. But alas, he’s a strong person and uses his words well enough so that he doesn’t need to. He seems to have seen the world from where he is and his experience has made him extremely wise.

I’m not sure if I would say “Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan” is a staple shounen to indulge in, but it’s been around for a while and it’s gotten a lot of positive reviews. In it’s time it was very popular and I can see why. The new characters that are constantly introduced keeps the manga fresh with action and everyone loves a good fight. Maybe if you’d like something a little slow in the beginning but builds up quickly and is action-packed for the rest of the way, you should give this manga a try.

Mod Note: This review was initially posted for the one-shot, Meteor Strike, and was subsequently merged into Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan.

This is the oneshot that was at the end of the final volume of Rurouni Kenshin. After reading the satisfying ending of Rurouni Kenshin, the reader is treated to the light and happy story that is Meteor Strike.

After reading a story filled with people dressed in traditional Japanese wear, it was kind of a shock to see people dressed in school uniforms. That was the first thought that came to mind when I first read this.
And the main characters? Boy, Watsuki loves, loves writing about silly yet lovable protagonists (just look at Kazuki! Kenshin!) and strong, loud, female characters ready to rein in their idiocy.

Like Rurouni Kenshin, and most other shonen stories, the protagonist, Shinya gains a power (in this case a meteorite which gives him supernatural strength) which he uses to protect the people around him instead of using it for personal gain. In this way Shinya matures a bit and his energetic friend, Chiho begins to see him not as the nincompoop she once had to take charge of, but as a protector.
All in all an enjoyable quick read filled with all expected elements of a fun and happy shonen story.

This is my standard for manga. This is my favorite and first i actually loved. i remeber when I first saw the preview on toonami, I was about 8 or 9 when i was sitting back watching Dragon ball Z and YuYu Hakusho when i saw a 5 minute preview for Rurouni Kenshin i was BLOWN AWAY. I saw the first episode on Toonami I fell in love for the first time in my life. the show was then cancelled and than fell through the corridors of my memory not to be seen again for about 4 years

Wen i was in 6th grade I had recently gotten back into manga and anime when i saw Rurouni Kenshin Volume 1. My brain exploded with nostalgia to the point that a begged my mom until she bought me the first 3 volumes.

The story is about the Meiji Restoration Period after the Japanese Revolution when the samurai were abolished the mian Character is Himura Kenshin who was formerly the dreaded Hitokiri Battouai (Battosai the manslayer in the Dub)
after the revolution he vowed never to take another life and recieved a sakabato (Reverse Blade Sword) Which cannot cut anything. Kenshin saves a young dojo owner name Karou who he eventually ends up living with. other characters include Myojin Yahiko an orphan who is Karou's only student. Sagara Sanosuke a street brawler who hates the government. Shinimori Aoshi a former ninja turned mercenary. Saito hajime a real person who was a former shinsengumi captain turned cop. and finally Takani Megumi a doctor and former opium maker.

RK is the only manga i know of that balances 4 genres perfectly
Action
Romance
Comedy and
Historical fiction

I now want to adress the ending if you don't want spoilers skip this part:

The ending is amazing for me, everyone goes their seperate ways and lives hapily which usually brings a tear to my eye to see these characters that have gone through so much together just leave...

SPOILER END

ok! so the manga is FAR superior to the Anime and well this is the messiah of modern manga.

I will now review Samurai X Trust and Betrayal

Of all the mangas I've read this is by far my favourite one with my favourite character in it (Kenshin). Although it is shounen (if i remember correctly) I personally think it is suitable for girls as well (if not more). It has everything you would want in a manga, full of action and fighting scenes, words of wisdom (I personally love it when they say very wise things you never thought about before), history (a lot of the characters in the story are based on real historical characters), humour and last but NOT the least, one of the best told love stories. I have forced a lot of people to read Kenshin and all of them end up loving it (even people who at first were not fans of manga/anime, soon thereafter became bigger fans than me). To me Kenshin represents hope and change, since this is what he is bringing to the story, even with the past he has, he is still moving forward and still "fighting" for the people.

I have seen this in its anime form since 1998 (around the time of Fushigi Yuugi(which, incidentally I only have recently been able to read through to the "end" as well) and have only now just read through it...but then it finished (serialization that is, 1999) some time ago...anyway...

Okay, well if you liked the anime (which was full of non-canon/non-manga based episodes near the end), then I think you will still love the manga. Besides, the most interesting part of the story happens in the Jinchuu arc (which I had been hearing/reading about in various fanfics, but only now understand fully).

Hnn, well what hooked me to the anime was comedy, and although it may not be as pronounced in the manga, it's definitely there...I wouldn't like reading anything too serious after all (this is the reason why I don't survive reading assignments spanning chapters *sigh*)

But overall, I find myself agreeing to Kenshin's decision to continue his life's struggle as a form of atonement. After all, it's not very productive if you were 6 feet underground...you'd only be fertilizer then :P

The ending really does leave a lot of room for fanfics...so I see why there's such a lot of them floating around.

Well, I'd love to see how Watsuki-sensei would have continued this (if he hasn't already, or is still planning to...er, someone tell me if this is the case)

Why I liked this manga? It has that balance of comedic stuff but still retains the more "serious plot", and the character conflicts are given more depth by actually having it analyzed through a single person's point of view, well belief anyway, in this case, Kenshin's. I also enjoyed watching Kenshin and Kaoru's relationship developing: from the chance encounter in the beginning blossoming into something more, built from trust and love that have withstood countless trials along the way.

This review is from the point of view of somebody who is indifferent to, and rarely indulges in the "Shonen Battle Series" genre. While it is true that long-time devotees of a genre have undeniable value in judging works within that genre, I believe the perspective of an outsider is valuable as well. If a newcomer doesn't 'get' or 'like' something, it's something to be considered, especially if a genre wants to attract new fans. Now down to business with this manga classic...

"Rurouni Kenshin" is licensed in the US by Viz Media.

-Story-

I typically ignore Shonen Battle series for the same reason I ignore American superhero comics: overly-long plots that constantly reset to the status quo, lose focus in a swamp of side arcs, and lack storytelling depth (I'm indisputably in the 'Seinen' demographic now, so 'Teamwork' and 'Friendship' aren't the most exciting themes). The tendency for a character to get a convenient power-up at just the right time because Deus Ex Machina doesn't help either. And 'RuroKen' shows many of these flaws. The characters always seem to find a justification to take an action that prolongs the current arc, villains insist on fighting man-to-man duels even when they could launch an overwhelming attack with all their forces, and physics only applies when the story feels like it. But mixed in with all the textbook Shonen Battle series tropes are some very good moments of comedy (one reason I came to anime and manga in the first place was the fact that I found the over-the-top gags hilarious), moments where a character would come off as completely badass and I just had to sit there in awe (AKA every time Saito Hajime appears) and even -to my surprise- some thematic depth. RuroKen touches on a topic I don't think is covered often in the Shonen Battle genre: the disconnect between ideals and reality. Although Kenshin had fought to destroy the old Shogunate and establish the new Meiji Imperial Government, this new Meiji government is far from perfect. It can be very pragmatic about when and how it follows its official ideals, infighting and corruption plague it as much as any other government, and it has more than few dirty secrets from the civil war that it would REALLY like to stay secret. The series doesn't shy from the fact that social change rarely happens quickly or completely- the revolution that the Meiji promised is still ongoing and far from finished.

-Art-

Watsuki is well-known for the high degree of influence Shojo manga had on his art style (an early one-shot designed to test out 'RuroKen' hardly even looks like a JUMP manga), although over the 5 year run of the series there is a subtle shift to a more traditionally Shonen look. Backgrounds are solid, but it's character designs that truly shine. Yes, some do stick to traditional manga archetypes (spiky hair abounds) and not every character design is a hit (one-shot villains suffer the worst), but there is still a great deal of variety (and for fans of American comics, more than a few 'X-Men' and 'Spawn' references to catch). Also important, the battle choreography is dramatic and easy to follow (I've dealt with more than one series where I couldn't follow what was going on due to confusing presentation). The art is thoroughly 'manga' and thoroughly good.

-Character-

The characters are highly entertaining, but they're also one-trick ponies (of course, if you're Saito Hajime and your one trick is "I'm an absolute badass who remorselessly slays evil on sight", why change? But I digress...) What you see when they enter the story is what they are when they leave it. Delinquent brawler and 'fight merchant' Sanosuke does have the most fascinating back-story, and one that plays into the theme of 'ideals vs reality', but is largely static once he enters the scene. The only two characters who have any kind of personal arc that can be called such are Kenshin, as he struggles against temptation to return to the killer he was during the civil war and searches for a way to make amends for his deeds, and Aoshi the ninja, who is searching for a new purpose in life after his faction was destroyed along with the Shogunate it supported. Neither of these arcs are overwhelmingly stellar, but they provide a solid reason to keep the story going (Luke Skywalker had a very basic arc in Star Wars, but you don't see me complaining). In short, the cast is entertaining and doesn't drag the plot down.

-Enjoyment-

I'll admit I only gave this series a try because of it's historical fiction setting and because I wanted the prestige of reading 'the old stuff' (also, my younger brother bought me the first Viz Big volume as Christmas gift). I stuck around though, because I came to enjoy it for what it was. Yes, there were times I had to go into "it's a shonen battle series, don't compare it to Vinland Saga" mode, but who consumes ONLY serious entertainment? You can thoroughly enjoy "The Avengers" even if it isn't as deep as "Ben-Hur". Rurouni Kenshin got a man who is indifferent to its genre to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. I call that a success.

-Overall-

A classic series that has aged well, and can pull in fans from well outside its target audience. Any series that can have that said about it deserves a high score.

Story (8): I loved how the story as a whole was solely about Kenshin's redemption and personal struggle about his past. It also gave enough time to give shining moments and backgrounds to other characters but did not get lost in it. I do wish that there could've been more time dedicated to character interactions outside of high tension plot events or in the midst of battle. This was one reason that I felt some romance was really forced and not natural at all.

Art(7): Action scenes were drawn so fluidly and over-all the art was good. A very large portion of characters had spiky hair though, just saying. Honestly there is nothing bad that stands out to be but it just wasn't my favorite art, especially with the faces and this is my personal opinion so I give it a 7.

Character (8): There is only one character I had an issue with and that was Kaoru. All the other characters had character growth and strong morals behind them that set them on their chosen courses but Kaoru was just annoying with no redeeming traits. I would've scored this as a 10 if she wasn't the main female. But aside from her everyone had an amazing aura about them and I really enjoyed that!

Enjoyment (7): I was able to binge through this but it did take me a little time. I definitely enjoyed it but I feel like the 2nd half was when I really got invested so it personally took me a little while to become fully invested.

Overall (7): I really enjoyed this and for my ratings a 7 is actually really good. I didn't exactly dislike anything about the manga outright, except for Kaoru's character, it is just a personal preference of liking to see a little more character interaction and not almost all of the plot being fighting or planning to fight. I really mainly say this because since we didn't have much time with character interactions it just made some stuff seem super unnatural, like the romance bits. But this is a classic shounen and the fighting was epic so if you like that then I bet it is a 10 for you!

If you read the summary, you already know what this manga is about. However, even if you don't like tales of pacifism, this may still be worth your time, as even the main themes removed, this is simply one of the best battle shounen ever.

The main character Kenshin is somewhat typical, but nonetheless a good character with depth. All the side characters are similar, and most importantly, every character continues to have purpose in the story, up to the final chapter. My favorite is Yahiko, a young child who barely knows the back of a sword at the beginning, but is a trusted ally of Kenshin by the end, and seeing him grow is very satisfying. The villains are pretty good, but not the best. My favorite is the villain of the final arc, as his conflict feels much more personal to kenshin than any others'.

The battles of Rurouni Kenshin are also great. Understand, this is supposed to be a historical fiction, and there are no battle systems; Just swords, guns, and whatever else was in Meiji Japan. However, these battles push REALLY hard against the walls of reality. I don't think many of these battles could happen in real life. Nonetheless, there is no revivals or 'power of friendship' (Which honestly is a bit of a cliched critique, but still).

The story begins with shorter arcs with no overarching villain, until Shishio appears and kicks off a decently long arc, with one final arc following afterwards. The ending does feel a little rushed, and it could've gone on longer, but it ended on an extremely high note so I don't mind.

The art of this series is really, really good. Great action, emotion, and backgrounds. My only complaint is the fact that some character designs seem a bit too basic, but this is top-tier weekly art.

This is one of the finest battle shounen I've read. Only watched a few episodes of the anime, but I've heard it's not entirely faithful. It's probably not as good.

Ok really i HATE to do this but i did rate everything a ten. I cant find a reason not to there is something about this manga that stands out in everything that i have to give it that. I have never rated an anime having more than four 10s, so this is a big moment for me.

The story is just incredible. It has so much historical references that its like how can a manga be that much in depth. Really its nothing like the other shonen mangas where this random teenager gets this crazy power and fights random guys that are somehow doing something bad, just to save the day! Really RuroKen is nothing like that. It actually makes some kind of sense. Everything in the manga could in fact happen in real life. Somehow Nobuhiro (The Author) made it that it can happen for real and somehow still stand out. The story gets better as you read, i mean its so awesome at the beginning and it still gets better. Every arc in this manga took all those Shonen-Action animes and through them out. It made something so different from them all. The story has more than just the genres of Action and Adventure. It has a fullfilling romance part, Historical references and a historical backround, also really funny comedy parts. They all mix up and create a very in depth plot.

The art is really good. I can never see a part of it where he screwed up or drew something in less detail then he should. All the panels look very good. I cant even fond a part like those other shonen jump manga where they left out something in a picture. He will also draw a character next to another character that shouldnt be focussed on it all. That is really great because really if you think about it, if the characters there then he should be there even if its pointless. He can switch to this really comedic-goofy art that flows with the really excellent manga art.

The character are the best part of RuroKen. Everyone of them is unique in its way, and has a very a remarkable picture to them. Each one is developed really thurally, none of them are alike. Each one has a purpose, there are no filler characters at all. Its like they put really great detail into those villians that shouldnt have much of a purpose. Thats whats so brilliant! They all have their different motives and expressions for different things. Watsuki also relates a lot of them to different animals and objects. Which puts even more humor into them.

Really i am not a fanboy, so DO NOT think that. I really would suggest this to everyone. And this manga doesnt have a huge huge huge over-populated fanbase, so you can read it without getting annoyed.
Have Fun!!

Rurouni Kenshin is a series I've just recently read and enjoyed a lot so I thought I'd give it a shot! My overall rating for the manga is a 9/10, and here is why:


Story (8/10): The story might not have been the most original but I believe Watsuki made the best of it.
The manga is separated into 2 main arcs.
Personally I prefer the first one. The characters are more interesting to me and I think it was developed better. However, the 2nd arc is a lot of fun to read as well.

What I don't like about the first arc is that the end feels like it was stretched a bit too much. No matter how much I enjoyed it, during the last few chapters I kind of wished it would come to an end already. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't boring. I just feel like it could've been a bit shorter.

The second arc started off slowly to me, though it had great development and a nice plot twist.

Compared to a lot of similar manga who tend to go on forever, Kenshin ended at exactly the right time. Of course, it was possible to add tons of chapters if you wanted to but the end was set where it was fitting. The end was at a point when the story wasn't stretched out to a point where it became repetitive and boring.


Art (9/10): I'm not so experienced with art in manga but I know for sure that I don't read manga if the style doesn't appeal to me. It's obvious that I really liked that art-style.
I also think that the art had a perfect balance between being detailed and simple. It was detailed where it was pretty and was simple where being detailed would've been distracting or would have made things complicated and hard to understand. You can also see development during the manga without the style changing so much that you feel like reading something entirely different (which tbh does not happen a lot but it still happens in some manga).


Character (10/10): What I believe is the strongest point in Kenshin.
The characters are all so realistic & understandable that you have a hard time hating any of them. They aren't separated into good & evil either - everyone has their motivations and reasons to act the way they do, as well as those twists that make a character round and interesting.

Nobody lacks development and the background stories of most of the characters are my favorite part of the manga. What I love is that the type of characters who usually wouldn't develop much still do.
This goes for a lot of less important characters and I really wish some of them were given more time and appeared a second time at least. They were too amazing to just appear and leave again, some of them would've even made great main characters!

The characters are all so different and yet most of them just fit so well in to the story (when I gotta admit that there is indeed some that don't really fit into the setting, but considering that they are amazing characters nonetheless, you can overlook that.) There's some really unique ideas that you don't see often in other manga. (I would give examples but I really don't want to spoil anyone.)

I probably sound like a stupid fangirl here but really, I was so in love with the characters in this manga - there's barely anything I can criticize.


Enjoyment (9/10): Well, I really loved the manga a lot. I got it from a friend who borrowed me all the volumes. I must have been so annoying because I always borrowed 3 or 4 at the same time and I had them finished the next day, asking for more and being really annoying when she didn't bring them along. The manga is just addicting like that. It's very deep and has both, emotional and goofy moments without either of them being out of place.

The setting is great and it really makes you interested in the time period. You already find out a lot about it and even want to find out more because it looks so amazing.

The only reason I gave it a 9 out of 10 is what I already mentioned - in the story, there's the one part where it's kind of slow which is the transition between the two arcs with one ending being too long and the next one starting a bit too slow. Other than that, it was a lot of fun reading it.

I love this; the right amount of action, comedy, and romance! I pretty much echo what everyone else has to praise about this series - kickass likable main character, great fight scenes, and an excellent story. The art is awesome. I don't really have anything else to add to everyone's praise.

But I will also say: It's also very, very quoteworthy! I have a manga notebook that is full of ton of quotes from this series, like "People are so vulnerable to suggestion. If we believe we are sick, our bodies also fail. If we believe we can't breathe, we suffocate"; "The will to live is the heart of existence"; "What point is fear for a gamepiece? Especially a pawn. A pawn can only move forward! GO!"; , etc etc.

Loved the ending :'). Very, very awesome series; no wonder it came so highly recommended.

(just for the record, this is a slight alteration of my anime review)

RuroKen is the tale of a samurai, who after a very brutal past decides to never kill again but instead fight for peace alongside a group of normal people. Well … the normal part was a bit off and everybody was doing their best to make him kill again, so that internal struggle was quite interesting.

Everything in the setting smelled pure win, as it was a historical era where Japan was exiting a long period of conservatism and bloody civil strife, where new ideas and technologies were entering their society and rapidly changed their traditional ways of life. All the fighters of that era are now considered a thing of the past, many of which are not fond of this and do their best to maintain Japan as it was. The struggle of leaving the era of war behind for an era of western influence that was not positive all the time, created a huge emotional impact on the viewer. The best term to describe this is “elegiac”, the sadness which the passing of time has on people who grow old and see their traditions and pure child innocence fading away under the cruelty of change and uncertainty.

The overall story is also very good, being about a powerful swordsman who doesn’t want to kill anymore, settle down, have a normal life, yet at the same time being constantly thrown in the midst of remnants of his past, people who don’t like their way of life to change for something they see as frail and foreign. There were no real good or bad sides in here despite the fact that anyone Kenshin fought was presented as pure evil to the most part. In reality it was just a clash of civilizations and ideologies. You can’t really blame a man who trained all his life in the way of the sword to one day be told to throw away all his skills and start plowing the fields.

The general plot was also very good in terms of build up, as Kenshin was slowly facing more and more grim sides of his past coming back to haunt him, while at the same time protecting all those he loves around him. The story is separated into 3 arcs with the second one being the overall best for having the most samurai action. The first had too many minor villains who were small fries to Kenshin, while the third had a bunch of supermen who felt too weird for the context of the story. I mean there were huge robots, rocket launchers and digging Venom look-alikes for Pete’s sake; THIS IS MADNESS! But it also does have a nice finale so it is otherwise a complete and enjoyable story.

Onwards with the cast. Kenshin is the epicenter of the story and truth be told, only he gets all the focus. If you follow his story, you really sympathize him for all the things he has done in the past, both good and bad, and how he tries to amend for the sins of all those he killed in the name of peace. A really great guy. So great, his style of “never kill” was copied later in other shows who wanted to profit from this, the most famous being Trigun’s Van. They still occasionally make characters with this feature today but it no longer has the same appeal. “Never kill” is after all a stupid way to follow if you expect to change the world. Heck, how shorter would each battle be if the all-powerful Kenshin was just going in for the kill? It would take away his charm for sure but come on, you can’t make an omelet without breaking some necks… err, eggs. But anyways, the whole deal is taken very lightly and most of the time you get to see him doing silly stuff rather than looking grumpy. During peaceful times the guy acts like a clown! And damn, he really looks far younger than he really is.

All the rest of the characters feel more like supplementary to the main lead, as they are all there just to bring out different facets of his personality. Not a bad thing but they don’t seem to be able to stand on their own without Kenshin around. Kaoru, Yahiko, Sano, all have their different goals in life, as simple as they may be; but let’s be honest; they are just underlings to the lead. But heck, they are not cardboards as, let’s say, the Z Warriors were in Dragonball Z, where joining Goku is the same as throwing away your free will. The main antagonists and/or villains, Aoshi, Saito, Shishio, seem to have it better, as they are leaders of their respective teams and have portfolios of their own. All the supporting characters besides them are just… there. Some have personality but none does anything special. But heck, they are a colorful bunch who is overall treated with more respect than most casts. Many are memorable, likable, interesting.

The artwork is good although the feminine style of its creator may show too much in an otherwise action story aimed at males as well. Everyone looks rather… girly and definitely too bijin. Although there is a high amount of realism in terms of how people dressed or how buildings looked back then, Kenshin still wears pink. And a few other things here and there. Not anything major but it’s not historically accurate all the time. The battles are rather dull when it’s up against minor or filler villains and that makes a big chunk of episodes to have no replay value. As for the rest of the big ones … the magic of cinematics! They pulled out any trick of the book to make any slash or eye contact to create tension and excitement … even when it’s just a simple attack. Now that is what good action is all about! The actual choreography may be simple but the feeling it transmits with its use of camera angles, shading, insane looks, etc, THIS IS ORGASMIC. Yeah, you get to enjoy every bit of it. This is the REAL samurai action. Most other shows make it look like they are having a picnic while fighting for the salvation of the world. The only downside I can find in it is that they … err … yell the names of their attacks. And some of those techniques are damn long. Which feels weird when Kenshin yells “Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki” for an attack that lasts a fraction of a second. But heck, times freezes all the time during attacks and as I said it builds proper tension, so I excuse it.

Down to it, it really is a great show whose biggest issue is some parts that may feel dull or out of context (giant mecha???) yet in overall it is a great samurai action/comedy/drama. Recommended.

Rurouni kenshin tells the story of a sowrdsman (not a samurai) who doesn't want to kill any more. Thel context lets you understand more about the history of japan, since the historical facts are very well explained (sometimes the problen is to difference facts and fantasy, anyway).
This manga will keep you entertained from the begining to the end, being very dynamic and quick (not "That" quick, but quick enough).
It's onl weakness are some minor characters, who sometimes don't really fit in an hitorical manga.
Finally, Rurouni Kenshin has a plausible end, not like the anime, allowing you to declare satisfied once you finish reading.

Summary - Great manga with good action, great characters and an excellent plot.

Action - the swordsmanship scenes are well-drawn and the fights are pretty exciting. The reasoning behind the techniques is also explained and it kinda makes sense, at least in the context of a manga where the characters can leap many times their own height into the air.

Characters - wow, almost all the characters are well-developed and have a good back story to them. There is almost no one who is genuinely good or evil - everyone has a reason they developed the way they did. This is one of the few manga I've read where I have many favourite characters, some of whom are (at least originally) in the "opposition".

Plot - the story is really pretty well-planned (unlike in the anime where the filler arcs are yuck - and don't get me started on Seisouhen). The introductory section where Kenshin-gumi are getting together is fun, and the two major arcs are really stunning in terms of creating suspense and making little twists to the story.

Humour - Although it's mostly a drama, there are deft touches of light humour, especially funny drawings of Kenshin going "oro?" - never fails to make me laugh.

Historicity - I tend to like historical manga because it gives me an incentive to learn more about Japanese history. No different with Rurouni Kenshin - I know a lot more about Meiji-era Japan and the Bakumatsu than I did before (which was zilch!). There are also little explanations of the actual historical events and characters, so there's a nice mix of history and fiction there.

Re-summary - read it, you won't regret it. Seriously good.

I mean sure i kinda like kenshin at first but as the story progresses he becomes increasingly annoying and unrealistic as he continues his wow not to kill people. I mean you could massacre all of his friendly honoured opponents with a machine gun, laugh in his face about smuggling opium, kidnap his loved one to help him make opium and he still wouldnt kill your ass for it. I hate him for that because it makes him seem weak, there is always a line that you dont cross and if you do cross it you are supposed to get killed for it. When someone kills his honoured opponents without skill, tact or honour using a machine gun and
he doesnt kill them back it kinda makes ya think that hes a douchebag.

Well im going to continue reading about that ***** because i really want to know if hes going to continue placing his stupid oath above his friends.

This manga is a masterpiece, period. Watsuki-sensei created an epic rollercoaster of emotions as the main conflicts and story arcs weave and develop. No other manga has such a cast of loyal and honorable character as Rurouni Kenshin. You feel for this characters, they are human with flaws and defects but they stand tall and rise above it to inspire you to be a better person. The Kyoto Arc is the greatest story arc in any shonen manga ever! And the arc that follows is nothing to scoff about!

It starts a little slow but that's because the author wants you to get intimate with this characters, to REALLY know them. Their past, their motivations, attitudes, personalities, values, flaws, etc. The way he does this is by giving us some small storylines at the beginning that don't last more than a few chapters. But oh boy! Once this beast picks up steam, there's no stopping it! It goes from one awesome chapter, to the next, to the next, to the next.

If you like shonen, do yourself a favor a read this manga. Mind you, this is not your usual super power manga, this characters are flawed humans but you will innevitabily grow to love them.

Rurouni Kenshin is simply #1 manga!

As we move closer and closer to the next decade, it seems like we keep on getting farther and farther away from amazing samurai stories. With possibly the recent exemption of Samurai Champloo and Gintama (which, to be fair, aren't your typical Meiji era samurai story, there seems like an apparent lack of new series that features your traditional Japanese samurai. Well, new series that are actually entertaining and interesting to read. The mid-90's and the turn of the century saw the unveiling of many great series (most still ongoing) like Vagabond and Blade of the Immortal, which truly define and really sets the standards of your traditional samurai story, though not your typical mainstream stuff. That is where Rurouni Kenshin comes into play. Nobuhiro Watsuki has really defined the standard of this genre, since his story was arguably the most mainstream and popular of the three. With the anime receiving mixed reviews because of the mistreatment of its final season (which were all fillers), its important to go back to the original manga counterpart and review what exactly sets apart Rurouni Kenshin from other manga and anime, and really, why when people hear the name of this series, have the tendency to group it with the elite of japanese work.

We begin with the story. Himura Kenshin, whose character is loosely based off a real life samurai during the Japanese Revolution back in the mid-1800's, is known as the dreaded Hitokiri Battousai and for some reason, he left the revolution halfway with a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, a reverse-blade sword and a vow never to kill again. Simply with this much information that is revealed at the beginning of the story, we get a sense that Kenshin's past must have been full of strife, hardship and events which turned him away from the life of a hitokiri to that of a wanderer (rurouni). And simply put, that is where the broad story feeds off of. As you begin to read the manga, you are unfolded to events which will reveal his past to you, all the way up to the final chapter. Not only does this keep everything interesting, but it really gives you a chance to dive into the mind of Himura Kenshin and actually feel what he has felt, see what he has seen, and literally, witness Kenshin's developing character from start to finish. Watsuki has almost flawlessly done this as advertised, with three main arcs to his story - the Tokyo arc, the Kyoto arc and the Jinchuu (Revenge) arc - the latter two really the main players in defining this series.

Another feature that gets easily overlooked in Watsuki's legendary story is the art. I feel when people look at manga as a whole, they look at all the obvious elements of plot, character, etc., but a major categoy that is a factor in the enjoyment score is how well has the series been drawn. Is it consistent? How detailed? And most importantly, do I actually know what the hell is going on, especially during battles? Each of these questions are answered positively in the art as the character models and designs do stay consistent with the mid-1800 feel and culture. The environments, though not intricately as designed as other series, do hold up in its own right, but prevent that "outsanding" score. And the nice part with Rurouni Kenshin is that Watsuki has done a decent good job in drawing the flow of battles to the point where you're not questioning yourself what just happened. Although, some of the sword techniques some characters have will make you stare at the page and be like, "is that even physically possible?"

The character development of Himura Kenshin really comes alive through his dialogue and interactions with the other characters. Well, one might think, "of course this would be the case," but the fact of the matter is that most of the characters that you witness this kind of relationship all have some vendetta or hatred against the Battousai, which makes it all the more interesting to see how Kenshin goes about putting to rest not only these characters, but also his inner hitokiri self. And for as much as these characters bring out the worst in him, it is evenly balanced with his daily, ever growing relationship with Kaoru Kamiya. These interesting character relations and interactions are augmented prodigiously during the Kyoto and Jinchuu arcs, where you get to see the other, more deadly, side of Kenshin for the first time. I will say that some of the characters will make you question what exactly was the manga-ka thinking when he created them, but after watching them in battle, it'll be a simply afterthought.

Witnessing Kenshin go through all these ordeals is what really makes the manga so interesting. With his belief and vow of never to kill again, you really wonder sometimes if he is able to keep it, as there are many circumstances which really push Kenshin's psyche to the limit and even at times, his hitokiri side is unveiled. This is really, in my eyes, what makes the story so enjoyable to read. Every avenue of Kenshin's past, present and future is explored in heavy detail, leaving you with a fulfilled story, an actual complete ending and a truly satisfied feeling of nirvana (okay, maybe I'm stretching it a little bit), but you get the point. To say the least, the story is captivating, especially if japanese samurai, traditional sword-style battles that don't drag on, are things you are looking for in a manga.

A story that views the Japanese history (Meiji era) in a really fun, exciting and entertaining way…as anime&manga fans we always think of Japan as a dreamy land but in this story it shows you some of the dark sides of this country back in the 19th century, even though this manga has a historical background that non-Japanese readers wouldn't understand completely…it doesn't really mean that you won't enjoy reading it.

Rurouni Kenshin did start and end in the golden decade (the 90th) so I think those the of the same age as me will really enjoy reading this manga, the anime&manga world is really wide now days but it's good to look back to the (g)old times…even if the art isn't as delicate as the ones now days.

Story: the beginning was really good, the plot about how the main characters meet each other (i.e. the top 4 characters…Himura Kenshin, Kamiya Kaoru, Myoujin Yahiko and Sagara Sanosuke) are really exciting and entertaining…and it isn't devote of many funny moments, as the context of the story goes on…they were many characters with little development I say…and some antagonist weren't even worthy opponent for the protagonist…Kenshin, Kenshin was taking the villains easily in the first chapters so they wasn't much excitement…until the start of the Kyoto arc...
The Kyoto arc was the best part of this story (from my personal opinion), you could see the protagonist in real troubles and complicated situations…the supporting characters have more decisive roles…more supporting characters takes part in the story and strong foes that are worthy to be opponents for the main character, everything was really good in the Kyoto arc from its beginning to its ending.
The last arc (I would like to called it the "Jinchuu" arc) did start in a really good and interesting way (maybe what made it interest is that they were many flashbacks), even though the end of this arc somehow disappointed me…it's not like it's a bad ending but…say you are playing on a piano…surely you have to use both the "white" and "black" keys to create a melody so I think any story line should be like this kind of melody (I know it sounds complicated a bit, if you didn't understand what I mean then you have my apologizes).
Well that's it for the story, my rate for it is 7 out of10.

Art: as for the settings (i.e. the drawing of the buildings, trees, landscapes…etc.) then I say it's really suitable for the background for this historical story…sometimes I just take my time admiring the art rather than focusing on reading the context, as for the characters designs…most of them were really good but sometimes (especially the designs for some antagonist characters) were really off…some are buffed in an exaggerating way (or the opposite) that makes you how can they walk like this?...sometimes I just simply disliked the features of some characters…I can understand since it's a "fantasy"-genre manga but still…
My rate for the art 7 out of10.

Character: I really liked the personalities and ideals of the main characters (especially the protagonist…Kenshin), the supporting characters had really good development throughout the story…in the same time they are some supporting characters who lacked development (actually you won't see them again in the story once they role in the plot is over though you could be sure that they would appear again in the story), as for the antagonists characters…the only ones worth mentioning are "Shishio Makoto" and "Yukishiro Enishi"…don't expect much from the others (I didn't include the antagonists who turned into supporting characters throughout the story).
What's funny is that they are some characters who were mentioned in the story but didn't make their appearance at all (really disappointing)…my rate for character 7 out of 10.

Enjoyment: even though I don't have a slightest background about the Japanese history and sometimes I find it a bit hard to follow the context of the story…I really enjoyed reading this manga (well it's not like it's all about history though), as I read I really learned some lessons that I might find useful in my life someday, enjoyment rate 7 out of 10.

Overall: well don't know if you noticed…I rated everything above with (7 out of10) so naturally the overall rating will be same, if you're interested in an old shounen manga with a good story then Rurouni Kenshin is a good choice, if you're planning to read it then I believe you will really enjoy it.

Thanks for reading :)
Sorry for any linguistic mistakes.