Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan (2023)

So, I grew up on this series and loved it. Given what we've come to learn of the mangaka behind it, my feelings on the series' legacy aren't quite so nice as they were when I was watching it back in the late 90s, but this was a story I really enjoyed. And so when it was announced that it would be getting a reboot, I was... well, pensive. Reboots don't always work, particularly when you're talking about taking a classic and updating the style, and I always worry that a reboot won't justify its own existence by modifying the plot or finding some newand interesting way to animate it. Beyond that, nostalgia is a double-edged sword. It certainly got me to watch this 24-episode season through, but it's also hard to fully distance myself from the aspects of the original series that made me love it so much back in the day. So, how is it? It's Rurouni Kenshin all over again, this time with a basic and clean animation style that looks pretty good, but has sanded off all the edges of the original series. If it changed the story, I didn't notice. They certainly changed some scenes and fights, and not for the better. In particular, a match with Saito, which stood as one of my favorites from the series as a whole, just felt sanitized and weak. I watched the original back after watching it, and the differences are very obvious: it doesn't feel nearly as claustophobic or dynamic, it lacks the rapid changes to camera angles, and you just don't really buy that anyone's out here to kill anyone else. It's just... wrong. And that pretty much embodies this whole season. It does the basics well enough, but when it comes to what makes this series sing, it just feels muted and weak. I wanted to like this, but as I worried from the outset, it just didn't give any reason to justify its existence, even leaving the best arc for later. I'll probably watch it because it is a great arc and be disappointed once again. A series like this with characters like these shouldn't just be "fine." It shouldn't just keep me mildly invested as I wait for the moment that it's going to do something interesting, only to realize that it won't deliver. I don't hate it by any means, but there's just nothing here to recommend. I recognize that much of this review has been me comparing it to the original, but part of the point is that the original had an identity to it, something that made it distinct and memorable besides a solid cast of characters and decent fights. This just doesn’t have it.

The remake (re-adaptation?) of one of the most seminal stories in the genre does the source material justice It won’t be an exaggeration to say that Rurouni Kenshin made a lasting impact on both the world of manga and anime in the 90’s that still reverberates to this day. From its heartfelt, thoughtful, tragic yet charming and poignant portrayal of characters living in one of the most transformative and tumultuous periods in the history of Japan to its over the top yet effective action, Rurouni Kenshin has truly left the lasting impact on people around the globe, myself included. The original works are so sacred thatthe new adaptation was not even necessary, incomplete 90’s anime notwithstanding, but here we are and by the time the credits roll on the last episode of the season there is no doubt. The 2023 adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin proved itself as a confident and necessary work that does the original justice. What’s especially commendable is how much attention is paid to the source material’s writing: the exploration of themes of redemption, atonement, guilt and trauma, the difficulty of having to carve a place in the new and unpredictable world while having to bear the burden of your troubled past. What always made Rurouni Kenshin shine is the attention to careful character study and exploration of difficult topics over the entertainment value that works in the shounen genre typically provide. The main character is one of the most unique, yet relatable, grounded and complex protagonists in the works of this kind. The way the story masterfully treats most of the villains like real human beings without denominating them as either good or evil calls to comparisons with Hajime no Ippo, another great manga/anime that made its mark with its considerate approach to properly developing the opponents of the main protagonist. The only thing the new adaptation doesn’t do quite as well as the 90’s version is animation itself. 90’s anime is known for its gorgeous camera work, stunning scenery and muted yet stylish presentation that creates a perfect atmosphere surrounding the proceedings. In comparison, the new adaptation looks a bit too similar to most of the current anime and doesn’t offer much in terms of Color palette and flair. It’s confidently made and gets the job done but it feels uninspired. It made me reminisce about the gorgeous backdrops of the setting sun in the 90’s work. Nevertheless, whether you’re a newcomer or a longtime fan, Rurouni kenshin 2023 is a must watch, especially if you like shounen anime that offers so much more than just flashy action with one liners. And with the 2nd season already announced there’s no excuse to skip this one.

At last, the season closes and I can start a review for the 2023 remake of Rurouni Kenshin, one of the biggest franchises in Anime history. I'm going to first of all, note that the remake doesn't actually quite achieve 10 stars, but I certainly feel it holds up well. Voice actors: I rather like the seiyuu for Kenshin. I feel it's exactly the voice I expect for the character. (In the OG I strongly prefered the EN track, especialy given the dialogue and kenshin-speak) The whole cast does a decent job and fits well. Full points. Art: The animation has a nice colour palette. The characters look good.Full points here. Animation: The animation quality uses a lot of fades in a more story-bookish manner for many scenes. It's not poorly done, just know the studio isn't MAPPA (nor Ghibli) and doesn't have as much in resources or room to add in consistently engrossing and dynamic minutiae of movement. Audio: I'm okay with OP and end songs, but as others have noted, the background audio track is, lacklustre to say the least. It would benefit in the soundtrack department greatly. The adaption has some issue with flatness, and much of what could be done about this is the audio. Faithfulness: The adaption accuracy is high and very faithful. And while some humour has been toned down, it still retains humour scenes. Spirit: The studio seemed a little unsure of their groove until around e6-e7, at which point things kick up. As noted in audio, the adaption suffers from some feeling of flatness due to especially the audio. I feel like I could be sitting and eating cereal and watching before rushing off to school with each episode. Plot: S1 is the background season, before the main arcs. In the manga, this was before it was a given that RK would become an overarching project. The important character backstories are the core of S1 and this is worthwhile. Those looking for an overarching plot or breaking action will not get that until S2 and S2 (the Kyouto arc) will be a ride. S1 is the set-up for S2. Overall: Overall, I give the remake a sole 8/10, with the points off mostly for the audio and and missing dynamism in execution. I recommend it and feel it has strong promise, and hope to see the Kyouto arc live up to it's potential. I hope to see the lackustre and flat aspects in the audio and some of the scenes rectified.

When remaking a classic such as Rurouni Kenshin, a couple questions have to be asked. “Is it necessary” and “Does it in anyway enhance the experience of the original?” In my opinion, the 2023 remake answers “yes” to both of those and does the legendary series justice. Enjoyable for newcomers and longtime fans alike. Before continuing, I have to say that it’s been a very long time since I watched the original Rurouni anime, so I don’t have a lot of the criticisms that younger fans of the original who watched it more recently have. With that out the way, I can’t emphasise enough howmuch I enjoyed this remake. It managed to capture the essence and magic of late 90s/early 2000s anime perfectly, while repackaging the timeless wandering samurai’s story for a modern era. It really does feel like I’ve been sent back in time to my childhood, watching this series on Toonami. Updated visuals, a great OST and Takahashi Rie in the cast list are just some of the things this remake has going for it. The fights, choreography and designs are all great modern updates on the original series. Again, this story really is timeless and a reminder that it should always be substance over style with good storytelling. Yea, you have the crazy over the top samurai fights and dudes dodging bullets, but for the most part Rurouni Kenshin is a story about a man trying to right his wrongs and move on from the past. Something many of us can relate to. The interactions that Kenshin has with people he meets on his journey for redemption are well done and feel authentic. Every person he comes in contact with teaches him life lessons. Seeing Kenshin go from a lonely wanderer to someone with a place to call home and genuine friends is very satisfying. While this isn’t anywhere near the entire story, in the short time we’ve had with this remake we can already see so much growth not just from Kenshin, but the other cast members as well. Every character receives ample development time and again, going back to the 2000s anime nostalgia, it feels good to see a group of characters who all matter in a story. In an age of OP MCs who outshine everyone else, it’s a literal blast from the past. From a personal standpoint, one of the things I love most about this version is the more serious take on the story. The original anime has a lot of comedy and banter, and I’m sure that’s very important for some, being a fan of the live action Rurouni Kenshin movies starring Sato Takeru, I like this more grounded and serious approach. That’s not to say it’s devoid of comedic moments, they just don’t go into memey territory as often. As I touched on earlier, the technical aspects of the remake are all very good. Even though I grew up with early 2000s anime art style, I personally like the modern look of anime more, so the updated character designs come as a welcome addition to me. The fight scenes feel weighty and are more than good enough for me as well. The reality is that when it comes to remakes of beloved franchises, they’re always going to be divisive with nostalgia being a big factor for many. For me, Watsuki’s crimes and personal stuff aside, remaking this story made total sense. There’s a large segment of the manga that wasn’t adapted because of the legal issues, the original definitely shows its age and the live action films have been pretty successful. A perfect storm and a perfect time to bring this story back. It succeeds in staying true to the message and heart of the original, while adding a modern flair to it. This is a must watch for any early 2000s anime fan, Japanese history enthusiast or just those looking for a good historical action series. Rurouni Kenshin gets 9, out of 10.

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