Anime classic Rurouni Kenshin, also known as Samurai X, is set to make a grand return to the fray with a reboot series, and fans have now been offered a glimpse of what’s to come. A first look at the upcoming project was unveiled during the Aniplex Online Fest 2022 event, with its debut trailer highlighting iconic moments from the original 1996 anime, as well as details about its premiere, cast, and staff.
The show, which was first announced at Jump Festa 2022, is scheduled to release sometime in 2023, and will be a reboot of the original that didn’t adapt the manga in full. Liden Films (Tokyo Revengers, production for Berserk) is directing the project with Hideyo Yamamoto (Strike the Blood, The New Prince of Tennis) at the helm.
The protagonists, Kenshin Himura and Kaoru Kamiya, will be voiced by Soma Saito (Akame ga Kill, Haikyuu!!) and Rie Takahashi (Re: Zero, Hu Tao in Genshin Impact) respectively. A character visual of the pair was also unveiled as part of the announcement, showing an updated, modernised touch to the classic designs.
Rurouni Kenshin was written by Nobuhiro Watsuri and run its course in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from 1994 to 1999. The story centres around Kenshin Himura, once a deadly assassin during the Meiji Restoration who is trying to find a new life beyond violence. It spawned a 95-episode anime series, an anime film, and five-live action films starring well-known Japanese actor Takeru Satoh. The latest entry in the series, Rurouni Kenshin Saishusho The Beginning, opened in Japan in June 2021.
In December 2021, the Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc manga went on hiatus following Watsuki’s high-profile arrest for possession of child pornography. It later resumed publication in June 2018, with Shueisha publishing its seventh compiled volume on 2 May this year.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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