On April 4, 2021, the official website for Rurouni Kenshin The Final/The Beginning released a new trailer. It teases Kenshin Himura’s past when he was still Hitokiri Battousai. In case you didn’t know, Rurouni Kenshin The Final/The Beginning are the two final chapters of the live-action film adaptation of the Japanese manga series, Rurouni Kenshin (popularly known as Samurai X on TV).
You can check out the new trailer below:
As mentioned above, those will be the two final chapters of the manga’s live-action adaptation. The first one is Rurouni Kenshin The Final. It is set to premiere on April 23, 2021. The story of this film will revolve around the Jinchū arc of the manga which highlights Kenshin’s conflict with a certain weapon dealer.
The second is Rurouni Kenshin The Beginning. It will premiere on June 4, 2021. The story of this film will be about Kenshin being a Hitokiri Battosai. We will be able to see his life before he became Kenshin Himura and before he got an X-mark on his face.
You can also check the key visuals of the final chapter of Rurouni Kenshin live-action film below:
The films were originally set to premiere on July 3 and August 7 last year. However, it has been delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
What is Rurouni Kenshin?
Rurouni Kenshin was originally a Japanese manga series written by Nobuhiro Watsuki. It was published by Shueisha on Weekly Shōnen Jump from April 1994 until September 1999 with a total of 28 volumes.
Moreover, it received an anime adaptation that is popularly known as Samurai X. Studio Gallop and Studio Deen were in charge of its production and it aired from January 1996 to September 1998 with a total of 95 episodes. An anime film adaptation of the manga titled, “Rurouni Kenshin: Requiem for the Ishin Patriots” also aired in December 1997.
Furthermore, it also inspired a live-action film titled “Rurouni Kenshin” that premiered on December 5, 2012. A sequel of the film titled “Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno” premiered on August 1, 2014. Then, it was followed by the third live-action film titled “Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends”, which aired on September 24 of the same year.
Lastly, the two final films of the live-action series will be released on April 23 and June 4, 2021.
The Synopsis
In the final years of the Bakumatsu era lived a legendary assassin known as Hitokiri Battousai. Feared as a merciless killer, he was unmatched throughout the country, but mysteriously disappeared at the peak of the Japanese Revolution. It has been ten peaceful years since then, but the very mention of Battousai still strikes terror into the hearts of war veterans.
Unbeknownst to them, Battousai has abandoned his bloodstained lifestyle in an effort to repent for his sins, now living as Kenshin Himura, a wandering swordsman with a cheerful attitude and a strong will. Vowing never to kill again, Kenshin dedicates himself to protecting the weak. One day, he stumbles across Kaoru Kamiya at her kendo dojo, which is being threatened by an impostor claiming to be Battousai.
After receiving help from Kenshin, Kaoru allows him to stay at the dojo, and so the former assassin temporarily ceases his travels.
Source: Rurouni Kenshin The Final/The Beginning official website, Warner Bros. Japan Youtube Channel
©和月伸宏／集英社 ©2020映画「るろうに剣心 最終章 The Final/The Beginning」製作委員会
