Summary
Almost a full year after concluding its first season,Rurouni Kenshinis set to return for a second season, covering what many fans feel is the franchise’s best arc. The first episode will premiere sometime in October 2024, and will do so onCrunchyroll, just like the first time around.
While the trailer has been vague about the contents of the second season), here are some of the details on what viewers can expect when the show returns in October.
Catching Up with Kenshin and Friends
In the season of the series (also known as the “Tokyo Arc”), fans were introduced to Himura Kenshin, a wandering swordsman who is rumored to be the legendary assassin known as Battousai the Manslayer. The arc introduces Kenshin as he arrives in Tokyo during the Meiji era, seeking atonement for his violent past by living as a peaceful rurouni (a wanderer in Japan). Here he meets a group of new friends who accept him for how he truly is, and despite several attempts from outsiders to challenge the traveling rurouni, he decides he likes this village enough to plan an extended stay.
Kenshins Relationship with Kaoru
Kenshins most notable encounter is with Kaoru Kamiya, a spirited young woman who runs her late father’s dojo, the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu. As with others in the town, she mistakes Kenshin for a criminal claiming to be the Battousai (a fact that would turn out to be true…or, at least, he turns out to be Battousai, but not a criminal…its confusing out of context). Kenshin ultimately helps her defeat the Battousai impostor, which is when she learns his true identity. She is so grateful that she invites Kenshin to live with her at her family dojo, thus forming a family dynamic with him. Soon, their family will grow to include Yahiko Myojin (a street orphan and aspiring swordsman), and Sanosuke Sagara (a brawler with a grudge against the government).
Kenshins Dark Past
Himura Kenshin’s dark past is rooted in his role as the legendary assassin known as Hitokiri Battousai during the Bakumatsu, the turbulent period leading up to the Meiji Restoration in Japan. As a highly skilled swordsman, Kenshin was recruited by the Ishin Shishi, a faction fighting to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate and establish a new government. Kenshin’sexceptional swordsmanship and willingness to killmade him one of the most feared and effective assassins of the era. At the time he believed that his actions were necessary to create a better future for Japan, but the countless lives he took weighed heavily on his soul.
When the war came to an end, Kenshin could no longer justify his actions, leading him to renounce killing and adopt his reverse-blade sword (sakabatou), which cannot kill. To revel more would be to spoil revelations that will be reveled in the possible third season (though the second season is likely to drop more hints about such revelations to help build audience anticipation).
The Creator’s Dark Life
Sadly, like the first season, the second season ofRurouni Kenshinis partially being overshadowed by the real life controversy surroundingits creator Nobuhiro Watsuki. In 2017, the creator was charged with possession of illegal materials on his computer. During a police investigation into another case, authorities discovered that Watsuki had also purchased and possessed multiple DVDs containing explicit images of underage girls. Watsuki admitted to the charges, and in early 2018, he was fined the equivalent of $1,800 USD.
Thus, the existence of theRurouni Kenshinreboot sparked heated discussion among fans about whether fans can enjoy this franchise in good conscious when know money will be going into the creators' bank account. Readers will have to grapple with this decision on their own, but considering what a huge deal the situation is, it felt appropriate to broach the topic.
Chapter 48 to Chapter 151
Release
August 02, 2025 to July 19, 2025
The Kyoto Arc is arguably the most significant story arc inRurouni Kenshinand serves as the second major arc of the series. It is often regarded as the climax of Kenshin’s journey, delving deeper into his past and his struggles to protect the new era of peace in Japan without reverting to his old ways as an assassin.
A Journey to the Past
At the tail end of the previous season, Kenshin was approached by a government official named Misao Makimachi, who pleads with him to go to Kyoto and stop a man named Shishio Makoto - a cunning assassin who was betrayed by the very government he served - who will act as the arcs main antagonist. Though conflicted about the request, Kenshin ultimately agrees to leave Tokyo and his friends, believing that confronting Shishio is the only way to protect the peace he fought for during the Bakumatsu.
A Journey of Redemption
The Kyoto Arc explores themes of redemption, the consequences of past actions, and the struggle between old and new values in a rapidly changing Japan. This season will emphasize Kenshin’s growth as he faces his inner demons andreaffirms his vowto protect without killing. The upcoming season will delve into many details about Kenshin’s past, further develop the relationships between him and his adopted family, all while giving viewers a scene-steeling antagonist who is pure evil. It is everything one could want from a second season of an epic journey.
The Takeaway
Despite some lingering bad feelings surrounding the creator, few who saw the first season of theRurouni Kenshinreboot would argue that it was anything but a great new adaptation of the source material. With the Kyoto Arc considered by many fans to be the high point of the series, there are some very high expectations that will be placed on the season. Thankfully, if the previous one is anything to go by, fans are in for a true treat when the premier comes around. The series will premier in its original Japanese language initially, with an English dub to follow at a later unspecified date.
