Rurouni Kenshin Volume 1

Rurouni Kenshin Volume 1

Subtitled “Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story”, Rurouni Kenshin is a fighting manga set during the 1860s (the Meiji Era). It’s against the law to carry a sword, but the title character, a former assassin who’s become a wanderer, carries a reversed blade that can’t hurt anyone. He encounters Kaoru, a woman trying to maintain the reputation of her dead father’s fighting school in the face of a murderer damaging their name. After he helps her keep ownership of the school, he stays to protect its few inhabitants.

Kenshin is short, with red hair and a cross-shaped scar on his cheek. For a mysterious warrior, he isn’t very threatening. Often, he resembles a cute girl instead of a deadly fighter, especially when he grins. That’s not the only way in which comedy keeps the story from being too grim or heavy. An orphaned former pickpocket, Yahiko, later joins the school. His anger hasn’t yet been channeled effectively. He’s always eager to be further along than he is, and his bulldog-like determination provides humor as well.

Rurouni Kenshin Volume 1

This manga explores friendship and duty by contrasting sword-wielding heirs of tradition with newly modernized villains. The thematic conflict is between the historical samurai with their traditions of honor and the more modern time of law imposed from above. Money and weapons are what matters to the villains, not pride or nobility.

For American readers, the historical setting adds to the exotic air, making the idea of sacrificing one’s life for duty more plausible. Additionally, chapters are punctuated with text pieces explaining the author’s intent and background for some of the characters. There’s also a glossary at the end to aid the reader in understanding more of the historical context.



3 comments

  • Maddie

    I love Rurouni Kenshin! It is one of the best manga series I have ever read. It isn’t filled to the brim with vulgar and suggestive humor like so many other manga, it has a great story line, and to top it all off, Kenshin himself is probably the best character out of any series. He’s got integrity, honor, and humility combined with incredible power. He doesn’t use his strength to harm others or help himself. He dedicates his whole life to aiding others in order to atone for his past “sins.” I think you should have said a lot more about this great manga series in your review. It deserves more than a few paragraphs.

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