Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc

Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc (Japanese: るろうに剣心―明治剣客浪満譚― 新京都編, Hepburn: Rurouni Kenshin - Meiji Kenkaku Romantan: Shin Kyōto-Hen) is a series of two original video animations created by Studio Deen that retell the series' Kyoto arc based on Nobuhiro Watsuki's manga Rurouni Kenshin. The story focuses on the young Oniwabanshu Makimashi Misao who encounters the protagonist, the wanderer Himura Kenshin, who is on a quest to defeat the forces of his hitokiri successor Shishio Makoto.

Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc
Compilation release of The New Kyoto Arc
るろうに剣心―明治剣客浪満譚― 新京都
(Rurouni Kenshin - Meiji Kenkaku Romantan: Shin Kyōto-Hen)
Original video animation
Directed byKazuhiro Furuhashi
Produced byAi Abe
Written byMari Okada
Music byNoriyuki Asakura
StudioStudio Deen
Licensed by
Released December 17, 2011 – June 23, 2012
Episodes2

Release

A new Rurouni Kenshin project was announced in April 2011's Jump Square. Director Kazuhiro Furuhashi, Studio Deen, and the original cast returned after nine years (except Hirotaka Suzuoki who died in 2006; Saitō Hajime was voiced by Ken Narita).[1][2] The project was split into two parts and is a remake of the second arc, the Kyoto arc, with some changes.[2] Part I was released on December 17, 2011 and titled Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc: The Cage of Flames (焔の獄（ホムラのオリ）, Zenpen Homura no Ori), which was selected from a fan suggestion,[3] ran at Tokyo's Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro theater and Osaka's Cine-Libre Umeda theater for one week only.[4] Part II, Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc: The Chirps of Light (光の囀（ヒカリのサエズリ）, Hikari no Saezuri), was released on June 23, 2012 and ran for three weeks in ten theaters.[5]

Aniplex of America announced at Otakon 2011 that they were in "negotiations" for the English language rights to the films.[6] Aniplex released part I on DVD and Blu-ray on March 21, 2012 in Japan,[3] while Part II was released on August 22, 2012.[7] In 2013, North American licensor Sentai Filmworks released both films together on DVD and Blu-ray, editing them into a single movie.[8]

Reception

The OVAs earned negative response. Capsule Monters stated that since Shin Kyoto Arc is written from her point of view, many of Kenshin's allies do not get too much screentime in comparison. Nevertheless, the critic praised the work of Meg Bauman as Misao's actress.[9] Bamboo Dong from Anime News Network highly criticized Kenshin in the OVA's retelling of the Kyoto arc for lacking all the development he faced in both the manga and anime of this arc. Dong from also referred to Shishio as "everyone's favorite mummy man" but found disgust in how the OVA's stuff showed him having a sexual relationship despite his poor body's form as a result of suffering major burns. Dong also criticized the lack of delivery of good fight scenes despite all the build up Shishio has in order to conquer Japan through his forces.[10] Indiewire found the New Kyoto Arc inferior to the original despite still being faithful to the source material.[11] Despite noting the OVA's weak features, Fandom Post still found the series enjoyable for this attempt at revisiting Kenshin's fight against the Ten Swords.[12]

Nevertheless, the second home media of the duology was popular in Japan.[13][14]

References
  1. Anime News Network April 18 Archived 2011-04-23 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "New Rurouni Kenshin Anime's Part I Promo Video Streamed". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 29, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
  3. "New Rurouni Kenshin Anime's 1st BD/DVD Volume Titled, Dated". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 17, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  4. New Rurouni Kenshin Anime's Part I Slated for December 17 Archived 2012-02-20 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "New Rurouni Kenshin Anime's Part II Promo Streamed". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 6, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  6. "aniplexUSA Otakon 2011". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 4, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  7. "Rurouni Kenshin: Shin Kyoto-Hen OVA 2 Dated". Animekon. Archived from the original on August 30, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
  8. "Sentai Filmworks Adds Rurouni Kenshin New Kyoto Arc Video Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 7 December 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  9. "Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc Review". Capsule Monsters. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  10. Dong, Bamboo (March 11, 2013). "Shelf Life Heart of Bored". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  11. "In 'The New Kyoto Arc,' Rurouni Kenshin Grapples with Dilemma Unlike Any American Animated Hero". indieWire. October 29, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  12. "Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc Blu-ray Anime Review". Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  13. "Japanese Animation Blu-ray Disc Ranking, August 20-26". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  14. "Japanese Animation DVD Ranking, August 20-26". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
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