Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration, Vol. 1
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3.8 • 4 Ratings
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
But not everyone is pleased with Kenshin’s new direction, and enemies from his dark past have vowed to bring him down!
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The original Rurouni Kenshin was a very popular manga, anime, and live-action film property, and this "rebooted" version serves as a tie-in to the latest live-action film. Set during the early years of the Meiji Restoration (1868 1912), the story follows the adventures of scarred wandering samurai Himura Kenshin, who was once known as Hittokiri Battosai, one of the deadliest swordsmen of the pre-Restoration era. Now determined to draw his sword only to protect those in need, the samurai's path leads to Kaoru, a charming swordswoman who faces the takeover of her late father's swordsmanship school by an unscrupulous (and more than a little insane) Westernized arms maker. Aiding Kaoru and her young orphan friend, Yahiko, puts Himura square in the industrialist's sights, as the villain attacks using hired fighters to take down the legendary samurai. Packed from top to bottom with crisp, appealing art and wall-to-wall action, this series also distinguishes itself with its light tone, an element seldom found in the wandering samurai genre. Though operating on familiar ground, this series will appeal to the many fans of Watsuki's original.
Customer Reviews
A serviceable manga
Rurouni Kenshin is one of my favorite manga/anime series ever. I love it for the same reason other Kenshin fans love it: the action, the comedy, the romance, the historical intrigue, and the story of a man seeking redemtion from a bloody past.
The story revolves around Himura Kenshin, a former assassin who played an instrumental role in making the Meiji Restoration possible. During the Boshin War, he was known as Hitokiri Battousai, but when the war was over, Kenshin renounced the name of Battousai and took up an oath to never kill again. Now with a reversed-edge sword in hand, Kenshin fights for the weak, defending them from ruthless villains without ever taking their lives.
It's a compelling story and there's much more to it, but I wish to not draw out this review for too long. Suffice it to say, the original manga is brilliant, the anime adaptation and the live action films as well. However, this volume, Restoration was slightly disappointing. The characters have changed somewhat from their original incarnation, which leaves the reviewer with mixed emotions. The new artwork is nice, though, and the manga's author, Nobuhiro Watsuki gives us the consolation of stating that this manga is not a rewrite, but rather and "alternate universe" retelling a la Ultimate X-Men.
In short, RuroKen: Restoration is a good read for longtime fans, but for new fans, the reviewer strongly recommends the original manga.