After leaving Kamiya Kaoru in the first season finale, Himura Kenshin is back, ready to confront a fan-favorite villain, Shishio Makoto, in Rurouni Kenshin Season 2. The revival anime left fans hanging with a major cliffhanger in December 2023, and a new season was promptly announced, set to adapt the manga’s second arc, the Kyoto Arc. The series’ dedicated fanbase, both new and longtime, eagerly awaits the anime’s return. Fortunately, the anime has just confirmed that it will hit the small screens in October 2024, delivering two consecutive cours.
The anime’s official website has announced the release window of Rurouni Kenshin Season 2, which will run for two consecutive cours for half a year on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block. Back in December 2023, Shueisha, Aniplex, and Linden Films dropped a preview for Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Disturbance at Jump Festa 2024. Aside from giving a glimpse of Himura’s action-packed scenes while training and fighting a new set of enemies, it also reveals two new voice actors who will give life to the latest character additions: Makoto Furukawa as Makoto Shishio and Daiki Yamashita as Sojiro Seta.
Fans will also see Makimachi Misao (voiced by Yamane Aya) and Hiko Seijuro (Yuichi Nakamura), who will join Himura in the series’ return. Of course, the new season will also reunite fans with their favorite characters, like Saito Hajime (Satoshi Hino) and Shinomori Aoshi (Yuma Uchida).
Who are the cast and staff of Rurouni Kenshin Season 2?
Soma Saito returns to reprise his role in Rurouni Kenshin Season 2. For other cast members, you can check the list below:
Soma Saito as Kenshin Himura
Rie Takahashi as Kaoru Kamiya
Taku Yashiro as Sanosuke Sagara
Makoto Koichi as Megumi Takani
For the main staff, Hideyo Yamamoto (Strike the Blood, Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka, Cells at Work! Code Black) directs the anime with Terumi Nishii as the character designer. It also includes Hideyuki Kurata as the scriptwriter and Yu Takami as the music composer.
What is Rurouni Kenshin Season 2 Kyoto Arc about?
Kyoto Arc sees the return of the former government assassin Makoto Shishio to the spotlight. This entire arc runs for about three months, beginning on May 5, 1878, and ending during the Kyoto Obon Festival on August 15, 1878. Here, Himura faces the consequences of his actions.
After his exploits during Bakumatsu, the successor of Hitorkiri Battosai was born, and it’s none other than Makoto. Himura will do everything to stop Makoto’s ambition to topple the Meiji government to establish a new Japan. Hence, the country’s survival now depends on Himura’s strength.
You can read the synopsis below:
The Kyoto Arc is the second arc of the Rurouni Kenshin manga. According to the dates set within, the entire arc takes place in the span of three months, beginning on May 5, 1878, and ending around the Kyōto Obon Festival on August 15, 1878. This arc runs through one of the major repercussions of Himura Kenshin's actions, as a major antagonist is born due to his exploits during the Bakumatsu, the successor of Hitokiri Battosai: Shishio Makoto.
The revival anime is based on the Japanese manga by Nobuhiro Watsuki. It was serialized from April 1994 to September 1999, consisting of 28 tankobon volumes, and was reprinted into 22 kanzenban volumes. It has over 72 million copies in circulation as of 2019, making it one of the best-selling manga of all time. It was first adapted into anime by Studio Gallop, Studio Deen, and SPE Visual Works, airing from January 1996 to September 1998. It also had two original video animations (OVA) and several art and guidebooks published. It also has a sequel, titled Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc, by Watsuki.
Kaoru Shizuka also wrote three official light novels published by Shueisha. It has also inspired several video games and five live-action movies. Liden Films adapted its revival anime, premiering in July 2023. Viz Media licensed its manga, light novel, and guidebook in North America, while Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired.
In a few months, fans will again see Himura Kenshin continuing his fight in Rurouni Kenshin Season 2. After the anime’s massive comeback in 2023, let’s see how fans will receive the second season this time.
