The new television anime adaptation of Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story shōnen manga has revealed a new visual, the first trailer, main staff, and cast. The reboot anime will debut in 2023 on Fuji TV’s Noitamina program block.
Initially announced to be in the works last year, Rurouni Kenshin’s latest update from Aniplex Online Fest 2022 this year revealed that this project will actually be a new rebooted anime adaptation that will pick up from the very beginning of the series.
It has also been announced that the series will star Soma Saito as Kenshin Himura and Rie Takahashi as Kaoru Kamiya. Directed by Hideyo Yamamoto for Liden Films, the new reboot will also feature Terumi Nishii handling the character designs, Hideyuki Kurata will be handling the series composition, and Yu Takami signed on as the composer.
The original Rurouni Kenshin manga was serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from April 1994 to September 1999. The chapters have been collected into 28 tankōbon volumes, while years later it was reprinted into twenty-two kanzenban volumes. In 2017, Watsuki began a direct sequel titled Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc in Jump Square.
Studio Gallop, Studio Deen, and SPE Visual Works adapted the manga into an anime television series, which aired in Japan from January 1996 to September 1998. Besides an animated feature film, two series of original video animations (OVAs) were also produced.
▍Rurouni Kenshin Anime Reboot PV1
▍Rurouni Kenshin Anime Reboot Story
Welcome to the Meiji Era. Japan is a land experiencing times of troubled peace and renewal after a long and bloody civil war. Swords and killing are outlawed, but all is not as well as it would seem. Lurking in the shadows are many survivors of the revolution awaiting their chance for vengeance. Only the former government assassin, Kenshin Himura can keep the peace. Kenshin gives up the life of ‘Battousai The Man Slayer’ and sets off as a lone wanderer. His travels lead him to the Kamiya Dojo where he discovers the chance to start life over.
▍Rurouni Kenshin Anime Reboot Staff & Production
Original Work: Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story [Shueisha’s Jump Comics]
Director: Hideyo Yamamoto
Character Design: Terumi Nishii
Series Composition: Hideyuki Kurata
Music: Yu Takami
Animation: Liden Films
▍Rurouni Kenshin Anime Reboot Cast
■ Kenshin Himura – CV: Soma Saito
■ Kaoru Kamiya – CV: Rie Takahashi