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Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins

Original title: Rurôni Kenshin: Meiji kenkaku romantan / Rurouni Kenshin

“The journey begins.”

2012 · 2 h 14 min
Directed by Keishi Otomo · Japan · Contemporary Asian Cinema
ActionAdventureFantasyWar

Where to watch in the United States: Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads. Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDB; availability changes.

Cast

Takeru Satoh Emi Takei Yû Aoi Munetaka Aoki Gô Ayano Yôsuke Eguchi

Credits

Written by: Nobuhiro Watsuki

Plot

In 1868, after the Bakumatsu war ends, the ex-assassin Kenshin Himura traverses Japan with an inverted sword, to defend the needy without killing.

Sinekatalog’s take

A wandering swordsman who has vowed never to kill protects the weak in a changing Japan. This live-action adaptation stages its sword fights with real speed and flair, and keeps the manga's sincere heroism intact. A satisfying pick for fans of period action.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.

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Ratings

IMDb: 7.3 / 10 (31,864 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.

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