Namco Bandai is once again showing their devotion to anime faithfuls with the announcement of Rurouni Kenshin: Saisen. Fans of the Rurouni Kenshin anime and manga will be able to battle it out with characters from this classic hit on the PSP.

Rurouni Kenshin was a long-running anime and manga franchise that took place in Japan, back in the Meiji era. Kenshin Himura, the main character, is a former assassin that wishes to lead a quiet life, devoid of killing. His journey eventually brings him to a small dojo where he meets the characters Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Yahiko who join him in his quest to protect the weak and the innocent, without taking lives in the process.

New details have been released about Rurouni Kenshin: Saisen, which will be a 2D fighter that will have the following characters joining the roster, and more to be announced at a later date:

  • Kenshin Himura
  • Kaoru Kamiya
  • Sanosuke Sagara
  • Yahiko Myojin
  • Aoshi
  • Saito

At this time, there is no confirmation on which arcs the game will cover, so players hoping that Saisen will cover everything up to the Kyoto arc will want to keep checking Game Rant for the latest details on the game. One possible hint that players could use to determine just how far this game will go in the storyline of the anime is to look at the latest issue of Shonen Jump, in Japan. In an article about Saisen, Kenshin is seen performing the "Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki", which fans of the show will recognize as a technique Kenshin learned in the Kyoto arc of the anime.

With this year's release of Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2, as well we a slew of other games, Namco Bandai is proving itself to be a company that recognizes that fans of anime-based games are a popular commodity and will continue to release more games based on anime properties.

Has Namco Bandai waited too late to release a new Rurouni Kenshin game since it has been several years since the anime and manga ended in both Japan and the US? Could it be possible that this game will actually be the beginning of a revival for the series, similar to how Namco Bandai can continue to release new Dragon Ball Z games every year with success?

Let us know with your thoughts and comments below!

Rurouni Kenshin: Saisen is scheduled to be released exclusively in Japan in Spring 2011 for the PSP.

Source: Siliconera