Rurouni Kenshi’s entire live-action adaption trilogy is now available in North America on DVD and Blu-Ray. Starring Takeru Satoh as the titular character, Himura Kenshi, the wandering samurai has vowed off of killing and travels Japan searching for new meaning. Along his traveling he meets and befriends Kamiya Kaoru & Sangara Sanosuke both of whom change his life.

The Rurouni Kenshi Trilogy is an 2012-2014 action film trilogy, it is distributed by WB Pictures Japan, and licensed by Funimation Films, it is currently available on DVD and Blu-Ray in English Dub and Japanese subtitles.

Himura Kenshi as he appears in the film.

While I’ve not particularly seen the anime series, nor read the manga for the Rurouni Kenshi series, I’ve always heard good things about the films upon release. Many praised the film’s portrayal of the franchise into live-action from the choreography to the likable cast to the performance of the actors and actresses involved. After finally getting a chance to view the trilogy, I can honestly say it’s one of the best live-action adaption franchises ever produced.

Kenshi with his allies.

THE GOOD: Choreography for the sword and action scenes are some of the best in live-action adaptions today. The film’s story is very true to to the story of the anime and manga before it. The trilogy comes off as extremely well polished, and it’s just damn good entertainment throughout the viewing of all three movies.

Perfection choreographed.

THE BAD: Absolutely nothing.

One of the greatest anime film adaption series of our time.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: The Rurouni Kenshi film trilogy will go down as an cult classic of live-action adaptions of animated IP. With A+ performances from the cast, crew, and all involved, it’ll hopefully become a pinnacle to studios giving live-action adaptions of beloved animated properties a fair shake choosing quality and canonical story being adapted rather than a writer looking to get his or her own personal vision of the property made instead. Otaku Dome gives the Rurouni Kenshi film trilogy a combined score of 95 out of 100.