Ranking the Rurouni Kenshin Films from Worst to Best
In typical Western cinematic behavior, the adaptation of the popular manga-anime of the same name became a franchise spanning nine years and five installments. Supported by (surprisingly) the same creative team of director-screenwriter Keishi Ohtomo, lead actor Takeru Satoh, cinematographer Takuro Ishizaka, editor Tsuyoshi Ishai and composer Naoki Satoh, the “Rurouni Kenshin” (2012-2021) series is a landmark achievement in Japanese cinema despite its modest budget making the most of locations, practical sets, costumes and an appropriately atmospheric cinematography for Japan’s unique cultural and natural aesthetics.
Not only it established an efficient protocol of live-actioning a manga with excellent production values, it also respected the source material and the fans reaching worldwide audiences through its visceral sword fighting sequences which did not cater exclusively to its national sensibilities. Thus, it reinvigorated the genre in a way that has not been seen since Tarantino’s “Kill Bill Volume 1” (2003) and “Azumi” (2003).
Of course, utilizing the same lens across all films has helped to establish a distinct identity boasted by a clear narrative focus on strong characterization and jaw dropping action scenes that captivated cinephiles all around the world. Unable to shy away from violence even though the protagonist has renounced killing, the “Rurouni Kenshin” movies lack bloodlusting making Himura’s swordfighting techniques a beautiful canvas of athletic movement. It is as if “John Wick” (2014-2023) was using Katanas instead of guns. Therefore, Keishi Ohtomo’s work is a rarity, a succession of action flicks which maintained esoteric quality with compelling stories inside the fictional but reality based boundaries of a modern day Japan.
Fights and IMDB score
Budget and Box Office
5. Rurouni Kenshin: Origins (2012)
MVP: Takeru Satoh is Rurouni Kenshin.
“Origins” was an excellent introduction for the beloved stoic, almost superhuman assassin. While it features the series’ perhaps most boring villain who seems to belong in a different movie with his tedious motivation (i.e., expand opium trade), it is well made enough, has a solid pace and juggles adequately several key characters who will continue to appear in the franchise. Yet, the most important breakthrough is the development of a new fighting style; Kenshin’s technique is vicious and fast aiming to incapacitate opponents instead of ending their lives. Throughout its thunderous fights, director Keishi Ohtomo does not follow the Hollywood shaky cam route opting to rely on his lead’s superb movement captured in real time and speed. It is a remarkable feat something for which Takeru Satoh deserves praise for his commitment to a role that on paper looks silly. He brings genuine vulnerability in his unstoppable and feared ex-assassin invoking his humanity in a genuine redemption arc exploring the cost of political violence. Things are off to a great start! And the most we discuss Naoki Satoh’s score, the best. Kenshin’s theme is one for the ages; the vocals, the guitar, the drum work complement each other perfectly.
Direction
🎬🎬🎬
Stunt work
🧗♂️🧗♂️
Cinematography
👓👓👓👓
Fights
⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Characters
🎭🎭🎭
Locations
🏯🏯
Inventiveness
🌸🌸🌸
Best moment: Kenshin’s first on-screen use of his unusual blade. Satoh sells every moment of it.
4. Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021)
MVP: MacKenyu is a beast of an antagonist.
The highly anticipated installment seven years after the very successful “The Legend Ends”, the bizarrely titled “The Final” was a gigantic production bearing all the now expected elements of a “Kenshin” flick: sensational choreography, hundreds of extras, enormous sets and an appropriately moody score by Naoki Satoh. Nevertheless, despite its enormous promise which brings Kenshin’s past full circle, “The Final” suffers from some minor pacing issues and a similar villainous trope of want-to-wipe-out-everything-Kenshin-has-fought-for. Be that as it may, Ohtomo amps up his action scenes in their complexity, stuntwork and scale setting up a pretty high standard. He honors his main character who has become an action icon now in his own right in several dramatically stoic scenes making us care for Kenshin’s happiness. It is a credit to Satoh’s performance too appealing to our relatable humanity with a person who did the right thing in the wrong way. Although the overabundance of characters almost overshadow Kenshin fighting each other for a few meagre minutes of screentime, the new antagonist portrayed by a fiery MacKenyu who can counter Himura’s martial art style leads to perhaps one of the best fights in the entire series and off all time with its dazzling display of moves and blows inside a Chinese pagoda.
Direction
🎬🎬🎬🎬
Stunt work
🧗♂️🧗♂️🧗♂️🧗♂️
Cinematography
👓👓👓👓
Fights
⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Characters
🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭
Locations
🏯🏯🏯
Inventiveness
🌸🌸🌸🌸
Best moment: Enishi Vs. Kenshin is a battle for the ages.
3. Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno (2014)
MVP: Tatsuya Fujiwara’s Shisio dominates every shot he is in by sheer presence alone.
Like all sequels in the spirit of “The Matrix” (1999-2021) and “Pirates of the Caribbean” (2003-2017), the next two installments of “Rurouni Kenshin” were shot back to back. The first, “Kyoto Inferno” has a relentless pace leaving little room for Himura and his quartet of friends to understand what the plan of the big bad Shishio is. “Kyoto Inferno” is exactly what this ambitious sequel’s title suggest - fire being the element that causes chaos directly linked to the new antagonist’s both character and nature. A triple budget enables director Ohtomo to go a step further by engaging his cast in complex battles, and one on one fights which are simply stunning (and painful from a stuntwork perspective) to watch - Satoh’s unfathomable speed is front and center in multiple Hollywood shaming duels (Kenshin vs Sojiro and Aosi vs Okina are works of art) that would cause emotions of shame in other action stars. Nevertheless, not for once the action overshadows the script’s underlying themes of patriotism, war mongering, suffering and sacrifice. While some characters do not have much to do, they do not distract from Himura’s mission to take down Tatsuya Fujiwara’s villainous Shishio who gets a brilliant and Shakespearean introduction and a beautiful orchestrated musical theme.
Direction
🎬🎬🎬🎬
Stunt work
🧗♂️🧗♂️🧗♂️🧗♂️
Cinematography
👓👓👓👓👓
Fights
⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Characters
🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭
Locations
🏯🏯🏯🏯
Inventiveness
🌸🌸🌸
Best moment: A thug attacks Kenshin; he gets dispatches in lighting fast speed sword draw technique in a single take.
2. Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends (2014)
MVP: Takeru Satoh and action scenes. Hollywood take notice.
“Kyoto Inferno” set up a few plot threads, so it's up to “The Legend Ends” to not only solve them satisfyingly but also to be able to stand on its own from its action heavy predecessor both thematically and visually. However, Ohtomo succeeds where others have failed in their third (aka second part of a split movie) output. “The Legend Ends” genuinely tones down the sword shenanigans, at least for the first half focusing on a hero’s journey involving Kenshin’s own mentor (a brilliant Masaharu Fukuyama as the ultimate badass and pragmatist swordmaster). Shifting the narrative towards inner turmoil, acceptance of one’s deeds and pacifism, there is some excellent wabi sabi wisdom nuggets which make the movie more intellectually stimulating. Once Kenshin is on his way, the action is non-stop culminating into a 40 minute (!) climax inside Shishio’s ship. And speaking of Shishio, the filmmakers manage to surpass the bar set “Kyoto Inferno” delivering an extended and multi-faceted skirmish that who will leave you breathless and mouth-opened. This duel is simply too spectacular to be ignored and should be studied for how to conduct and frame an action sequence in the years to come bearing undeniably an underlying tragical sentiment in how lives our ruined for the sake of political purposes.
Direction
🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬
Stunt work
🧗♂️🧗♂️🧗♂️🧗♂️🧗♂️
Cinematography
👓👓👓👓👓
Fights
⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Characters
🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭
Locations
🏯🏯🏯🏯🏯
Inventiveness
🌸🌸🌸🌸
Best moment: The final face-off is not a typical one versus one but a visceral four vs one.
MVP: Naoki Satoh’s fifth take on Kenshin’s score is by far his best.
Breaking the quality rules of consecutive entries, “The Beginning”, a prequel is the last flick tying several elements together (e.g., Enishi’s backstory, Himura’s scars) to the …. start of “Origins” complementing the protagonist’s complex progression from an introverted and determined person to fully fledged assassin of the new government. And only after 9 years of katana cutting and slashing, we are able to fully understand Kenshin piecing together elements from five installments. It is a bold move to finish the franchise on a semi-prequel note. Still it works due to Ohtomo’s insistence to take things (very) seriously showcasing the effects of political violence. Finally, Kenshin receives the emotional expansion he deserves. We experience a more romantic side of him rather than a typical, non-beneficial melodramatic development. “The Beginning” might have the least amount of action from all films, but it is certainly the bloodiest opening with a banger of a sequence and scattered skirmishes including the film’s highlight that sees Himura fighting a Souji Okita under an atmospheric forest backdrop under a career high score from Naoki Satoh and a top performance by the still reliable Takeru Satoh. An excellent conclusion to one of cinema’s greatest heroes.
Direction
🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬
Stunt work
🧗♂️🧗♂️🧗♂️
Cinematography
👓👓👓👓👓
Fights
⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Characters
🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭
Locations
🏯🏯🏯🏯
Inventiveness
🌸🌸🌸🌸
Best moment: Kenshin fighting one of the most famous samurai of all time (Souji Okita) is the entire series’ best fight.