Here we are, the last episode of Rurouni Kenshin season one. We’ve been through a lot to get to this point, and we’re at the home stretch. We saw Kenshin and Saito have their epic duel in the Kamiya Dojo last week. It was less impactful than the 1996 version, and Kenshin didn’t even knock out one of Saito’s teeth. However, that duel ended when Toshimichi Okubo called for them to stop. Let’s see how they top themselves this week.
Episode 24 — Meiji 11, May 14th
Rurouni Kenshin: Past and Present — The Shadow of Shishio
Okubo’s meeting with Kenshingumi happens much the same. Saito excuses himself after saying, “Kenshin Himura is useless,” but “Himura Battosai is fine.” Saito visibly noticed Akamatsu nearby, which is when he left. Here in 2023, there’s no sign that Saito noticed Akamatsu, but we can only assume he did. In addition, Kenshin got a nice bandage for his forehead punch in 1996, but he didn’t get one in 2023. The forehead punch scene was also done far better in 1996. His hand visibly struggled to make a fist back then, and his eye color changed from yellow to blue, indicating he exited hitokiri mode.
Okubo’s story about Shishio Makoto happens similarly, but the flashbacks differ. In 1996, we saw him pretty clearly. Shishio was standing in Kenshin’s actual shadow when Kenshin explained the time he stepped into the light, and Shishio became the Shadow Hitokiri. Likewise, when Okubo described Shishio’s reasoning for becoming a hitokiri, we saw Shishio with glowing red eyes. It’s far better than 2023’s black silhouette scenes of only Shishio standing there. The silhouettes return for the scene where Shishio is shown to have survived his immolation and army recruitment.
Rurouni Kenshin: Past and Present — Kenshin’s Departure
It’s scenes like this where I really miss Ayame and Suzume. They helped him with the laundry in 1996, and they were adorable. They also went on a stroll with him, Kaoru, and Best Doctor Dr. Gensai in a scene that did not happen in 2023.
Kenshin’s meeting with Kawaji and Saito after Sojiro assassinated Okubo played out slightly differently in 2023. An impactful moment was oddly omitted. Yamayoshi, the governor of Fukushima Prefecture, explained that Okubo was oddly passionate during their meeting that morning. He did not suspect that Okubo predicted his death but that he was looking forward to an encounter that would affect the future of Japan. That meeting was with Kenshin, so Okubo’s death had more impact on Kenshin.
During Kenshin’s stay on the bridge to mull the situation over, he had a poignant flashback to Jin-e commenting about his Battosai nature. This flashback happened in 1996, of course. There was nothing so effective in 2023.
Likewise, Kenshin’s meeting with Kaoru at the end, to tell her that he was leaving to fight Shishio, happened a bit differently. The conversation happened as before, but the setting was different. Kenshin met Kaoru in the area where they walked with Ayame and Suzume, and the fireflies were flying about. Since that stroll never happened in 2023, he just met her at the front of the Kamiya Dojo. It’s a lot less romantic and hard-hitting.
I credit the 2023 version somewhat because a great scene of Shishio in flames played as Kenshin walked away from Kaoru.
Rurouni Kenshin Season 2
Where one season ends, another begins. Well, the second season won’t start right away. We have a release window of 2024. The new season will be subtitled “Kyoto Disturbance (Kyoto Doran)” rather than the original “Kyoto Arc,” and it should cover Kenshingumi’s battles against Shishio’s Juppongatana.
Rurouni Kenshin: Past and Present — Final Thoughts
Perhaps because I grew up watching Rurouni Kenshin on Toonami, I prefer the original 1996 version. I still remember hanging out with my brother at my aunt’s house with this anime. Those were enjoyable times. It can’t all be bias and nostalgia, though. I respect the 2023 version for adhering closer to the manga version than the 1996 adaptation did. Episode 31’s plot matches 2023’s episode 24, showing how much filler was in the 1996 version.
2023 was quick and to the point. No shot lingered, and the story kept going. However, that didn’t always work in its favor. Some lingering shots from 1996 added to the tension and set the stage for what happened. In that respect, the 2023 version feels more sterile. The 1996 animation style is definitely of its time. You can tell a ’90s anime from a 2020s anime by style alone. It might look rough, but it feels like there’s more heart in it. I won’t say that the animators from today lack heart. Nobuhiro Watsuki himself worked with the studio on this.
As we discussed in these reviews, there are numerous changes made between then and now. Some of them are understandable, others can be called nitpicks, but things like Kenshin’s eye color changing and him no longer calling out his attacks were just weird. You can easily say that the 2023 animators made some necessary cuts. There were filler things, after all, and it’s clear they were sticking closer to the manga. That’s no excuse for cutting Ayame and Suzume, mind you. However, I will say that I still prefer the 1996 iteration. Maybe it’s a bias, but rewatching that anime and comparing it to the modern one affected me more than the 2023 version. The fights seemed more epic, the lingering moments had more warmth and depth, and Kenshin changed colors in Battosai mode.
What did you think of this season finale? Which adaptation did you prefer between 1996 and 2023? Are you looking forward to season two? Let us know in the comments below.
To wrap up our fantasy fights, let’s take another look at the mecha girls of Azur Lane. The Sirius [White Rose] 1/7 Figure and her twin cannons are now available.
