Very good start to the series, and I'm definitely looking forward to starting volume 2. ( )

Rurouni Kenshin is a great graphic novel series that has quickly become one of my favorite books. The books are historical fiction and are set during the Meiji restoration in Japan that occurred after the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the return of power to the Japanese emperor. The book series carries a message about fighting to protect the people, objects, and ideals that are precious to you, as the book follows a wandering sword who has sworn to protect the weak and from the criminals and the corruption that forms during peacetime in a nation that has only known war. The book's good qualities shine through the presentation of the material, and through the inclusion of an index of terms to help international readers gain a more thorough understand some of the terms and the historical period the text presents. The story is told through the use of illustrations accompanied by addition text in the form of speech and thought bubbles. the visual storytelling allows the author to display the typical mannerism and fashion displayed during this time without having to rely on words that may be mistranslated in international releases of the books. Examples of the visual storytelling helping the reader understand the cultural context of the book includes the clothing common to this period of time including kimonos and yukatas worn by the main characters and the Japanese architecture presented in the background of the series. The inclusion of an index is helpful to the international readers as well. It provides a source of factual information that helps supplement the text and informs the reader about the time period in Japan's history. The index is very useful for informing the reader about the events of the Bakumatsu war and how it established the Japanese society presented during the Meiji restoration, while also informing the reader about the actions characters take in the book based on the faction they were a part of during the war. An example of this is the main character Kenshin he was part of the Ishin-Shishi, the army that fought for the emperor, so Kenshin supports the new government, but because of his exposure to the corrupt actions of some of the military leaders he is weary of putting his trust fully in the hands of the new government. The resulting trust issues lead Kenshin to carry a sword to protect himself and lead to his decision to seek atonement for the violence commit during the war by wandering the country to help those in need. ( )

If you want an overall opinion of my thoughts on this manga, feel free to look for my review of Volume One here.


This manga only gets better and better as you read it. Another character that becomes a focal point of our group joins in this one, and then we get the biggest challenge that Kenshin has yet faced: Jin-e, a man who was also a monster of the revolutionary war ten years ago. Everything from the story we left off in the last volume with involving Sagara Sanosuke is well worth the read, and his power and backstory is one that'll affect a great many people. But the one that takes the cake is undoubtedly Jin-e. He presents the first real threat to Kenshin and to those around him, and while his reputation alone is formidable, the way he meets Kenshin at the crossroads is even more intense and frightening.

The levels of corruption that we had seen in the previous volume only increase with Jin-e's appearance as well. It is through him that the extent of the crude, merciless era that Japan has now fallen into is truly starting to unfold before our eyes, and it manifests itself in Jin-e's appearance like a prodigy. Though things get worse here, it's why this volume becomes so much the better to read. It reveals a new, darker side of Kenshin we didn't get to know before, and it makes who he is that much more shocking.

Keep reading this one, guys. It's fantastic! ( )

As always, this manga gets better and better with every volume. We get to meet so many new amazing enemies in this one, and a new person that'll be joining the cast for the duration. It's funny how when I first saw Megumi, our second female character to really take any front-and-center stage in importance in this series, that I didn't like her. I've been so badgered by bad female characters that my minimal exposure to her instantly brought a frown to my face and made my eyes darken, my thoughts instantly turning to, "Oh God. Not another one." But I, as a reader, was blind. And for a short while, I retained that pensive dislike until I learned more about her. And then, I did a remarkable and rare thing today:

I changed my mind about her.

A great deal more of who she is and what she's still going through was revealed in this volume, and it only became that much more horribly drastic and heart-wrenching when things came towards what seemed a fatal conclusion. However, through it all, every single one of the characters we're getting used to seeing now began to shine. Kenshin, Yahiko, Sanosuke even came around, and Kaoru, too, welcomed Megumi into her heart.

What is the most profound about this volume in particular is the message that I believe it sends over all the others: Though you may disagree with someone, stand on completely opposite ends of the spectrum and believe in sides normally versing each other... you can still respect the person facing off against you. You can, even, like them.

This stood true for the Oniwabanshu, our villains that got introduced in the last volume. We got to see more of them here, and we had a whole new side to them revealed when it came down to the toughest and most trying of moments. We learned not just their skills, but saw their loyalty, devotion, and strength as men. We saw who they were beneath the skin. It made for a gripping and mortifying end to a great volume.


If you're keeping up with me in this series, this is yet another volume that doesn't disappoint. It really does get only better and better. ( )

I've been a fan of the Rurouni Kenshin anime since I first saw it countless years ago on Toonami, on Cartoon Network. Back then, still a kid, barely a teenager, I fell in love with the man known as Himura Kenshin. He was a man that would forever change my life and continue to influence the type of people I admired in this world. Being able to come back now, and humbly read this comedic, playful, serious, gentle, badass, kickass, threatening, beautiful, engaging story is like coming up close and personal with a superstar that you always loved and admired from a distance, and are now able to meet face to face for the first time and speak with.

Reading just the first manga doesn't take anything away from the characters. If anything, it has only served to make each of them more personal, and open up more of who they are to me.

If you have never read this manga, I advise you to give it a chance, no matter whether you're into time period pieces, into samurai and the Japanese setting so common in manga and anime, or whether you've ever experienced a manga at all. This is one that has comedy, tragedy, romance, badassery, and more. You have an entire map of emotions and experiences you'll get to enjoy--

--and it all starts with a wandering, former samurai and assassin named Kenshin.

He's based off of a real man who fought to bring revolution, and in this story, he ceased fighting for an unknown reason, before reappearing nearly a decade later, after his name had become legend, only to step into the lives of average people trying to find their way in this era stuck between the way of the samurai and the new government that is continuously being abused by men with power and cunning, able to use the confusion to their advantage. He is kind and seemingly ridiculous at first sight, but when trouble truly arises and he cannot but unsheath his blade to fight-- he becomes an incredible force. A man who can knock down many opponents with the Hiten Mitsurugi Style, without killing a single one. He is a living contradiction, and though he wanders without intending to root himself to a single spot, he fights for those who need his aid. And in the process, they learn from him-- a girl of 17, a young boy of 10, and soon more to come. He faces each challenge with calmness and control, and does what he must to put others in their place when they threaten innocents with their abused power.

It's a story of redemption and respect, with mirth and joy mixed in to make it an enjoyable blend for anyone. It's a story anyone should give a try. The very first volume will show you what type of characters these people are, will reveal to you who they are, even if you do not know all of their story yet. It's a series that is incredibly honest with you, and makes no attempts at hoodwinking, but rather calls out the jerks and bad guys for what they do. It's one of the most open and forward series you'll ever come across, and it's well worth the read.

100% give this one your attention. You won't regret it. ( )