Rurouni Kenshin Movies in Order: Revolves around themes of atonement, peace, and romance—Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin is one of the best-selling manga series, adopted as a live-action theatrical film, released from 2012 to 2021. The story begins during the 11th year of the Meiji period in Japan (1878) and follows a former assassin from the Bakumatsu, known as Hitokiri Battosai. After his work against the bakufu, Hitokiri Battosai disappears to become Himura Kenshin: a wandering swordsman who protects the people of Japan with a vow never to take another life. The Rurouni Kenshin franchise will be coming to an end with its fifth and final film The Beginning, which is being released globally on Netflix on July 30th. Watch now Rurouni Kenshin movies in order for a proper understanding of the Rurouni Kenshin movie series. The film, which is once again helmed by director Keishi Otomo, follows lead character Kenshin Himura (Takeru Satoh) in his early days as an assassin of the Choshu clan, and their fight to bring down the Tokugawa shogunate.
Here is a collection of the live-action adaptation of the Rurouni Kenshin comic series. But if you’re going to watch it, we recommend you do it the right way. So, here’s the Rurouni Kenshin watch order guide since you’re wondering how to watch it anyway.
All Rurouni Kenshin in Order to Watch [Chronologically]
1. Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021)
Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021) is the fifth and final installment of the Rurouni Kenshin film series and serves as a prequel, depicting Himura Kenshin’s origins as the assassin “Hitokiri Battōsai”, while exploring his relationship with the woman named Yukishiro Tomoe.
In 1864, the samurai Kenshin Himura was known as the Battosai, a deadly assassin whose skill with a sword had killed more than 100 people in a year. When he saves Tomoe Yukishiro from some thugs at an inn, they slowly start to like each other and end up getting married. This makes Kenshin think that he might give up his sword for love. But those who support the Shogunate won’t make things easy for Kenshin.
2. Rurouni Kenshin: Origins (2012)
In the first installment in the Rurouni Kenshin film series, Rurouni Kenshin: Origins focuses on events that take place during the early Meiji period in Japan, telling the story of a wanderer named Himura Kenshin, formerly known as the assassin Hitokiri Battōsai.
After the Bakumatsu war is over in 1868, the former assassin Kenshin Himura says he will help people in need without killing them. During the change from the samurai age to the New Age, Kenshin walks around Japan with a sword that has a backwards edge. When Kenshin saves the good-hearted Kaoru Kamiya from the gangsters of the powerful opium drug lord Kanryuu Takeda, who wants to use her school to make opium, Kaoru invites Kenshin to stay in the school. But Megumi Takani, a drug chemist, runs away from Kanryuu and hides in the school. Battosai, on the other hand, is killing police officers and putting messages on their bodies. When Kanryuu poisons the people to get the school, Kenshin and Sanosuke Sagara, a street fighter, work together to fight their common enemy.
3. Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno (2014)
The second installment in the Rurouni Kenshin film series, Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno is the first of two sequels to the 2012 live-action Rurouni Kenshin film. In the film, Spectacular fight scenes and swordplay capture the spirit of the classic franchise in this thrilling live-action adaptation. In the film, Makoto Shishio (Tatsuya Fujiwara), who is trying to overthrow the Meiji government, faces off against Kenshin Himura (Takeru Satoh). When Kenshin Himura picks up the sword he swore he would never use again, the fate of the country hangs in the balance.
4. Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends (2014)
The second installment in the Rurouni Kenshin film series, Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends serves as a direct sequel to Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno (2014), taking place immediately after as Kenshin recovers following losing Kaoru at sea. In the film, the legendary ex-assassin Kenshin will have to look inside himself and revisit his roots to find the strength he needs to protect his friends and end Shishio’s reign of terror once and for all.
5. Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021)
The fourth installment in the Rurouni Kenshin film series, Rurouni Kenshin: The Final is based on the final arc of the Rurouni Kenshin manga series by Nobuhiro Watsuki, but its story differs from the original. In the film, After the Meiji Restoration, a famous swordsman “Himura Kenshin”, who no longer uses his sword to kill people. Instead, he uses a sword with a dull edge. He tries to live a quiet life with Kaoru, who runs a swordsmanship school in their village. Kenshin’s past comes back to haunt him, destroying his favorite restaurant, the Akabeko Restaurant. There, he finds a piece of paper that says “Jinchuu.”
How many Rurouni Kenshin movies are there?
There is a total of FIVE (5) movies in the Rurouni Kenshin film series, which you can watch in two order i.e Rurouni Kenshin Movies in Order of Release and Rurouni Kenshin Movies in chronological order. Here is the list of all 5 movies with the release date. 1. Rurouni Kenshin: Origins, 2. Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno, 3. Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends, 4. Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, and 5. Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning.
All Rurouni Kenshin Movies in Order of Release Date
Here is the list of Rurouni Kenshin Films in order, they were released.
Rurouni Kenshin movie order:
1. Rurouni Kenshin: Origins — August 25, 2012
2. Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno — August 1, 2014
3. Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends — September 13, 2014
4. Rurouni Kenshin: The Final — 23 April 2021
5. Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning — 4 June 2021
Note: Change your Netflix region to a country like the United Kingdom and start watching British Netflix, which includes Rurouni Kenshin.
Conclusion:
If you want to enjoy the Rurouni Kenshin film series that revolves around themes of atonement, peace, and romance, then watch Rurouni Kenshin movies in chronological order, that gives you non-stop thrilling adventure of a former assassin from the Bakumatsu, known as Hitokiri Battosai, and the story taking a more serious tone as it continued. Luckily, chronologically and by release date are the same, but start watching series with Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021) for better understanding. The order in which you do these things is up to you now. But when we watch it, we prefer to do so in order.
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