Title

Rurouni Kenshin

Also known as: Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan, るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚-, Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story, Samurai X, Sengoku no Mikazuki, Crescent Moon in the Warring States, Rurouni Kenshin - Η ρομαντική ιστορία του ξιφομάχου της εποχής Μέιτζι, Kenshin, o Samurai Errante, Kenshin le Vagabond, Kenshin - Samurai vagabondo, Kenshin

by Nobuhiro Watsuki

Score from AniList: 82/100finished28 volumes259 chapters

ActionAdventureRomance

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One hundred and forty years ago in Kyoto, with the coming of the American "Black Ships," there arose a warrior who, felling men with his bloodstained blade, gained the name Hitokiri, manslayer! His killer blade helped close the turbulent Bakumatsu era and slashed open the progressive age known as Meiji. Then he vanished, and with the flow of years, became legend. (Source: VIZ Media) Included one-shots: Volume 1: Rurōni -Meiji Kenkaku Romantan- (second one-shot for the series, which Watsuki calls a "side-story") Volume 3: Rurōni -Meiji Kenkaku Romantan- (first one-shot for the series, which Watsuki calls the "pilot") Volume 6: Sengoku no Mikazuki (Nobuhiro Watsuki's debut one-shot) Volume 28: Meteor Strike

Hoard Verdict

The StoryHoard editorial verdict

★ 4/5

A warm, action-packed samurai story about a former assassin who wanders Meiji Japan with a reverse blade, with a gentle heart beneath the sword fights.

Pros

A memorable lead with a clear moral arc
Warm, colourful supporting cast
Solid, well-staged swordplay

Cons

The early arcs can feel episodic
The historical tone is lighter than some readers expect

Read this if you liked:Vagabond Blade of the Immortal Gintama

Read the full take

Rurouni Kenshin is a warm, action-packed samurai series with a lead who is more than his notorious past. A former assassin who once struck fear across Japan now wanders the new Meiji era with a reverse-edged sword, determined never to take a life again. The premise is strong, and the lead's moral struggle gives the story its emotional spine. The supporting cast is colourful and affectionate, and the series mixes comedy and drama with easy confidence. The swordplay is well staged, with clear, dynamic fights. The honest cons: the early arcs can feel episodic before the larger story takes shape, and the historical tone is lighter than some readers may expect. Some villains are more memorable than others. Still, it is a heartfelt, engaging read for fans of samurai fiction. If you want a hero who is shaped by regret and kindness, this is a good pick.