Rurouni Kenshin [manga]

[Ragnar]

Rurouni Kenshin
By Nobuhiro Watsuki

  This would be another entry into the First-Volume-Checked-Out-of-the-Library series, except I'd have to call it the First-Ten-Volumes-Checked-Out-of-the-Library series. Kenshin is a series that has had much recognition, and I'd have to say that it deserves it.
  The story follows a wandering samurai (a "rurouni." The word seems to have been based on the Japanese "ronin," but otherwise completely made up by Mr. Watsuki) in the 11th year of the Meiji period. In this period, the samurai have been abolished as a class, forcing most of them to seek out work elsewhere, and others to become penniless thugs mired in disgrace. Still others, like Kenshin, choose the life of a wandering swordsman. We find out that Kenshin used to be a masterful "hitokiri" (assassin) by the name of Hitokiri Battôsai who fought for the patriots in order to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate. He has since taken a vow not to kill, and uses a sword with the blade reversed in order to do so. The story follows his involvement in protecting his new friends and others.
  Frankly, I think this is one of my favorite series. Although it can seem kind of cheesy at times, the plot is held together well, the art is great, and the character designs are exceptional. One of the most intriguing things is that almost every different character has their own history, motivation, and philosophy, making for a cast that's very hard to break down into archetypical "good guys" and "bad guys." Another unusual feature is the inclusion of the original one-shot comic in various versions. I have enjoyed this title so far, and am looking forward to reading more of it. Highly recommended.

Rating: 7 out of 7.