How to watch Rurouni Kenshin in order
He’s aged like a fine wine.
Long before the stars of My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen appear on screens, Rurouni Kenshin led the way for thrilling warrior anime.
Based on the manga written by Nobuhiro Watsuki, the series went on to have a staggering 28 volumes — which is plenty of material to kick off a franchise of anime.
The franchise follows the journey of a wandering man called Kenshin, who used to go by Hitokiri Battousai during the Japanese Civil War. He is on a mission to try and redeem his past self after taking many lives during the war. His chosen method? Helping those in trouble by using his reserve-blade sword known as the sakabato.
Not only has Rurouni Kenshin had plenty of animated outings, but Kenshin’s story also led to live-action adaptations almost a decade after the original timeline aired.
To feel the full warrior fantasy, here’s how to watch Rurouni Kenshin in order.
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How to watch Rurouni Kenshin in release order
For viewers that are new to Kenshin’s story, watching the franchise in release date order is fairly simple to follow.
Kicking off with the original anime series, watching Rurouni Kenshin in order of release is arguably the better way to understand the series, with the TV show providing the bulk of Kenshin’s journey.
That looks like this:
- Rurouni Kenshin (1996-1998)
- Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture (1997)
- Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal (1999)
- Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection (2002)
- Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc (2011)
How to watch Rurouni Kenshin in chronological order
Unlike many other anime franchises, the chronological order for Rurouni Kenshin is almost completely different to its release date order.
Kenshin’s life journey is a complex and varied one, so it almost makes sense that his chronological timeline feels more all over the place. Though most of Rurouni Kenshin takes place in the 1996 anime, there’s still lots to enjoy by watching the 1999 season first.
The chronological order for Rurouni Kenshin is as follows:
- Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal (1999)
- Rurouni Kenshin (1996-1998)
- Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection (2002)
- Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture (1997)
- Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc (2011)
- How to watch the live-action version of Rurouni Kenshin
On top of the anime, Rurouni Kenshin was later adapted into 5 live-action films from 2012 onwards. It’s easy to get the two confused, so watching the original Rurouni Kenshin anime adaptations first is likely to make understanding the story more straightforward.
Here’s how to extend the Rurouni Kenshin binge-watch through the live-action movies:
In release order
- Rurouni Kenshin (2012)
- Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends (2014)
- Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno (2014)
- Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021)
- Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021)
In chronological order
- Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021)
- Rurouni Kenshin (2012)
- Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno (2014)
- Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends (2014)
- Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021)
- How to watch Rurouni Kenshin in the UK
For UK fans of Rurouni Kenshin, episodes of the anime series are currently available on Crunchyroll.
The franchise’s films can be streamed on Netflix or purchased on Prime Video.
You can catch Rurouni Kenshin on Crunchyroll. Sign up to Crunchyroll from $7.99 per month with a 14-day free trial.
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