The Rurouni Kenshin Movies Are Finally Coming to the States

I enjoy a good samurai movie more than just about any other kind of movie, and I’ve been particularly eager to see the Rurouni Kenshin trilogy. Adapted from Nobuhiro Watsuki’s popular and acclaimed manga series — which was also turned into an excellent anime series in 1996 — the live-action Rurouni Kenshin movies have been both critical and commercial successes in Japan and beyond.

Rurouni Kenshin tells of a samurai named Himura Kenshin who was once a feared government assassin named Hitokiri Battōsai. In order to atone for the many lives he’s taken, Kenshin now wanders Japan, helping those in need and making new friends. Naturally, things don’t go too smoothly; old enemies and new rivals come out of the woodwork to avenge themselves, test the legendary assassin’s skills, and otherwise do their best to make the lives of Kenshin and his newfound friends miserable.

After playing in Japan and having a pretty successful festival run, ScreenAnarchy reports that Funimation will be bringing the Rurouni Kenshin trilogy to the States for a limited theatrical run in the late summer/early fall, followed by a home video release. No date’s been announced yet for the home video release, but let’s hope we don’t have to wait several years like we did for Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo.