The latest episode especially had a very bizarre moment.
Summary:
There are arguments whether the new Rurouni Kenshin adaptation is better or worse than the old one.
The latest episode included content from Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration.
Inclusion of this content makes perfect sense.
A new adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin came out of nowhere. The manga is almost three decades old nowadays, and the first adaptation, which started airing in 1996, has been considered a classic. It’s less popular these days, as most otaku are reluctant to watch older shows, but its name still holds some amount of weight. The prequel OVA, Trust and Betrayal (Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Tsuioku-hen), is still considered one of the best anime works by critics. That’s why a decision to re-adapt the manga was bizarre, but welcome nonetheless.
Is the new anime better or worse?
The main point of criticism towards the old adaptation is its filler content. With almost 40% of the show’s content being original to the anime, it was criticized for often having less interesting arcs, especially compared to the Kyoto Arc, which is still considered one of the most intense arcs in the battle shounen genre. Even some of the episodes and arcs that were adapted from manga underwent significant changes, with studios Gallop and Deen often taking creative liberties.
The 2023 adaptation follows the manga much more closely, and is widely praised for it. However, there are voices that express criticism over that as well, as a 1:1 adaptation often feels sterile and uninteresting. The new show is also criticized for lackluster direction and the animation not matching the tone of the series. All these arguments are valid, however, the first one finally got a counterpoint in Episode 20.
Another version of the story
Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration (Rurouni Kenshin: Tokuhitsuban) is a short manga that is an alternative retelling of some of the events of the main story. With only 11 chapters, it is hardly notable to give it its own adaptation, however, the most interesting content lies in its prologue, which features a whole new arc not found in the original series, with brand-new antagonists. It’s interesting how it would be adapted into the newer series, and as it is very short, the remaining episodes would be just enough to cover it. Episode 20 introduced one of the characters, and many fans who weren’t familiar with Restoration manga were caught off guard by it.
Why was it included?
The decision to include additional content not found in the main manga sounds like a bold one, but it’s completely understandable. With only a few episodes left, there’s no way the anime would cover the Kyoto Arc, which is considered the best part of the series. And instead of adding anime-original episodes, it was decided to cover a lesser known arc from an alternate version/spinoff. Who knows, maybe there’s another season in the works to get to the most beloved part.
The latest episode especially had a very bizarre moment.
Summary:
There are arguments whether the new Rurouni Kenshin adaptation is better or worse than the old one.
The latest episode included content from Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration.
Inclusion of this content makes perfect sense.
A new adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin came out of nowhere. The manga is almost three decades old nowadays, and the first adaptation, which started airing in 1996, has been considered a classic. It’s less popular these days, as most otaku are reluctant to watch older shows, but its name still holds some amount of weight. The prequel OVA, Trust and Betrayal (Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Tsuioku-hen), is still considered one of the best anime works by critics. That’s why a decision to re-adapt the manga was bizarre, but welcome nonetheless.
Is the new anime better or worse?
The main point of criticism towards the old adaptation is its filler content. With almost 40% of the show’s content being original to the anime, it was criticized for often having less interesting arcs, especially compared to the Kyoto Arc, which is still considered one of the most intense arcs in the battle shounen genre. Even some of the episodes and arcs that were adapted from manga underwent significant changes, with studios Gallop and Deen often taking creative liberties.
The 2023 adaptation follows the manga much more closely, and is widely praised for it. However, there are voices that express criticism over that as well, as a 1:1 adaptation often feels sterile and uninteresting. The new show is also criticized for lackluster direction and the animation not matching the tone of the series. All these arguments are valid, however, the first one finally got a counterpoint in Episode 20.
Another version of the story
Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration (Rurouni Kenshin: Tokuhitsuban) is a short manga that is an alternative retelling of some of the events of the main story. With only 11 chapters, it is hardly notable to give it its own adaptation, however, the most interesting content lies in its prologue, which features a whole new arc not found in the original series, with brand-new antagonists. It’s interesting how it would be adapted into the newer series, and as it is very short, the remaining episodes would be just enough to cover it. Episode 20 introduced one of the characters, and many fans who weren’t familiar with Restoration manga were caught off guard by it.
Why was it included?
The decision to include additional content not found in the main manga sounds like a bold one, but it’s completely understandable. With only a few episodes left, there’s no way the anime would cover the Kyoto Arc, which is considered the best part of the series. And instead of adding anime-original episodes, it was decided to cover a lesser known arc from an alternate version/spinoff. Who knows, maybe there’s another season in the works to get to the most beloved part.
