Hitokiri Battousai is back in action as the new Rurouni Kenshin finally premiered on July 6, 2023. Although I mentioned that he’s back, there is actually a double meaning in “him coming back.” The first one is that Rurouni Kenshin, popularly known as Samurai X, already had an anime adaptation that ended 24 years ago. I’m sure most people knew about this, especially the fans. That said, the remake of the anime signals the return of its protagonist, Hitokori Battousai. Watching the series feels really nostalgic, and I really love the brighter atmosphere that it has now. The animation quality upgrade also allows us to enjoy the fights in full detail. Another notable thing in the creation of this new anime is that we can still hear Battousai’s signature line, “ORO.”
The second meaning is that in the anime, Battousai finally returned in the eyes of the public as part of the story. The story began in 1878, 10 years after the battle of Toba-Fushimi, which led to Edo’s downfall and the rise of the Meiji Era. It was said that after winning the war, Battousai, who killed countless men under the Tokugawa shogunate, disappeared without traces and he became a legend so much that so most people are questioning if he truly exists. Although he became a legend, people still fear his name to the point that if someone killed a person pretending to be Battousai, the crowd and city will be in chaos.
In episode 1 of Rurouni Kenshin, a certain someone is actually killing tons of people at night and claiming to be Battousai. As such, the real Battousai made an appearance under the name, Kenshin Himura in a low-key manner to clean up the mess, which leads to his fateful encounter with Kaoru Kamiya. After investigating, he discovers the perpetrator and defeats him along with his underlings single-handedly using the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu sword technique, which eventually leads to Kaoru discovering his identity as the real Battousai.
One thing led to another and the episode ends with Kenshin living with Kaoru. Kaouri didn’t care about Kenshin’s past, and according to her, the one she met was Kenshin and the Battousai. Well, it’s refreshing to watch episodes like this because it’s somewhat inspiring in terms of looking at the positive side, which I really need right now.
Rurouni Kenshin (2023) premiere really made an impression on the fans. A few hours after its premiere on July 6, “Rurouni Kenshin” was already trending on Twitter with more than 12,000 tweets. The episode was really wholesome and it didn’t disappoint and if you agree, you can vote for the anime in our Summer anime season weekly poll.
Screenshots via Crunchyroll
© Nobuhiro Watsuki/Shueisha, “Rurouni Kenshin -Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story-” Production Committee
