Manga Review: Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration, Vol. 1

I've finished "Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration, Vol. 1" by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A condensed retelling of the beloved samurai tale -- one of the best-selling manga series of all time — released in conjunction with a new live-action movie.

During the violent upheaval of the Bakumatsu era, Hitokiri Battosai was a feared and ruthless assassin. But now that the Meiji Restoration has begun to heal the wounds of civil war, Battosai has taken up a new name and a new calling! He is now Himura Kenshin, a rurouni wanderer who has vowed to only draw his sword to protect those in need. But not everyone is pleased with Kenshin’s new direction, and enemies from his dark past have vowed to bring him down!

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen audiences.

About the Author

Nobuhiro Watsuki earned international accolades for his first major manga series, Rurouni Kenshin, about a wandering swordsman in Meiji Era Japan. Serialized in Japan's Weekly Shonen Jump from 1994 to 1999, Rurouni Kenshin quickly became a worldwide sensation, inspiring a spin-off short story ("Yahiko no Sakabato"), an animated TV series, and several animated movies. Watsuki's latest series, Buso Renkin, also available in English from VIZ Media, began publication in Weekly Shonen Jump in June 2003.

My Review:

I was so happy to hear that Kenshin was going to have a comeback since this one of the first animes I watched and one I would highly recommend watching.

Hitokiri Battosa was the most feared and merciless assassin alive during the violent era of the Bakumatsu era.  The Battosai is now known as Himura Kenshin a rurouni warrior that has sworn only to draw his sword to protect those in danger.  Enemies from his past have taken a vow to bring him down.

His wanderings has lead him to a swordwoman Kaoru who is facing the take over of her father's swordmanship school by a unconscionable and insane Westernized weapons dealer.  He aids Kaoru and her young charge Yahiko which puts him front and center with the villain who hires fighters to take on the legendary samurai.

The artwork is very appealing with its fresh, light and soft tone with non-stop action.  We are introduced to a large cast in the beginning of the manga to the end.

At the end we are shown notes from the author where he explains the media created from his manga, the thought process of why he decided to reboot this series and how RK Restoration came to be.

4/5

Thanks Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me this manga to review, greatly appreciated!