Rurouni Kenshin is a popular manga and anime series from the 90s that is still beloved to this day. In recent times, the work has been adapted into a successful movie series, the latest of which, Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, was released earlier this year. The movie adapts the last arc of the manga (often called the Jinchu arc by fans), which follows main character Kenshin Himura as he must deal with a group of villains hoping to take revenge against him.
The Rurouni Kenshin movies are known for taking a lot of liberties with the source material. As a result, there are a lot of differences between the movie series and the original manga, and The Final is no different.
10 The Destruction Of The Akabeko Had Casualties
In the series, Akabeko is a beef hot pot restaurant the Kenshin and his friends visit regularly. Kenshin's enemies attack the Akabeko with a cannon strike first, destroying the building with a single shot. However, the restaurant was empty at the time, and there were no casualties whatsoever.
In the movie, however, the Akabeko is attacked while still in the middle of its operations, leaving many injured by the explosion and the resulting fires. The incident is much more horrific as a result, as even Kenshin's friends are affected by the violent attack.
9 Hajime Saito Reappears Earlier
In the original manga, the character Hajime Saito is presumed dead when the Jinchu arc begins and only reappears much later, surprising Kenshin and his friends. Much of the events in the story are already underway by the time he reappears. While characters returning from the dead is a common anime cliche, Saito pulled it off in a way that was quite refreshing.
In the movies, however, this never happens, so Saito is involved in the story from the very beginning. He has an expanded role as well, being the one in charge of investigating main villain Enishi Yukishiro's movements in Tokyo.
8 Some Characters Have Different Fighting Styles
Characters in anime often have distinctive fighting styles, enough for some to make games out of it. The villains of the Jinchu Arc, the Six Comrades, are no exception. For example, Hyoko Otowa is a user of mind tricks and hidden weaponry, while Mumyoi Yatsume uses long-reaching attacks only possible due to his unnaturally elongated limbs.
In the movie, however, these characters fight very differently. Instead of a cruel trickster, Otowa is a sadistic murderer whose main weapons are a pair of dual-bladed curved swords. Yatsume, meanwhile, does not have his elongated limbs, although he does keep his signature claws.
7 Banjin Inui And Gein Do Not Appear
Initially, the Six Comrades included characters Banjin Inui, a gauntlet-wearing brawler, and Gein, a master puppeteer. They fought against Kenshin and his comrades with the others, although they were beaten early on. Gein also played a larger role in the story due to his ability to create puppets that looked extremely life-like.
However, these characters do not appear in The Final. This is because they were already used as characters in the very first Rurouni Kenshin movie instead. Banjin Inui is replaced by a similar character named Tenmon Inui, which essentially matches Banjin's character in the manga, while Gein is not replaced at all.
6 Cho Sawagejo Betrays The Police
Cho Sawagejo was a member of the Juppongatana, Makoto Shishio's elite force of warriors. When Shishio was defeated, Sawagejo became a spy for the Japanese Police. While his turnaround may not be one for the record books, he became an unlikely ally for Kenshin and Saito during the Jinchu Arc.
However, in the movie, Sawagejo never becomes friendly with Kenshin and his friends. Instead, he gives the police false information, choosing to help Enishi and his cause instead. However, his cocky, easily provoked attitude gets him killed by the man he aided, giving him a gruesome end.
5 The Shanghai Mafia Play A Larger Role
Enishi Yukishiro is an arms dealer who rose up in the world by becoming the leader of the Shanghai mafia in China. In the movie, Enishi uses his connections to get him out of jail, and he eventually has his men carry out various attacks in his name. Wu Heixing, one of Enishi's subordinates, plays a minor role in the story as the one who moves the mafia in name.
In the original manga, Enishi's mafia background is a minor detail that explains his wealth and influence. While Wu Heixing and his bodyguards eventually appear to discuss the mafia's matters with him, Enishi generally works isolated from his mafia connections.
4 Enishi Attacks All Of Tokyo
One of Enishi's most devastating acts of revenge was his assault on Tokyo, done by first bombing the city from balloons as his troops stormed the city attacking everyone in sight. With the police caught in a trap, his men were able to rampage all over the city with glee. While Enishi would never be on the level of world-ending threat like other anime villains, he is still a menace that must be stopped.
This event does not happen at all in the manga, where Enishi takes care to only involve people related to Kenshin. Furthermore, in the manga, Enishi only had his fellow comrades with him, and the six of them together would never have been able to raze the city like in the movies.
3 The Six Comrades Seem To Not Exist
In the manga, the Six Comrades were named so because there was to be no form of hierarchy between them; no leader or subordinates, only allies. All six of them desired the death of Kenshin Himura, and they worked together to realize their shared goal.
This group does not seem to exist in the movie. Instead, Enishi seems to be the clear leader here, and while the other members have their own motivations for wanting Kenshin's death, they are not given the same level of significance that they had in the manga.
2 The Fake Corpse Gambit Is Never Used
In the manga, Enishi's revenge seems to take a cruel turn when instead of killing Kenshin, he kills his love interest Kaoru Kamiya, sending him into despair. This is ultimately revealed to be a ploy, only possible thanks to Gein's remarkable ability to make lifelike puppets. Kaoru is actually being held prisoner in Enishi's hideout, and when Enishi is finally defeated Kenshin and Kaoru are finally reunited.
In the movie, however, this trick is never employed, likely because Gein does not appear. Instead, Enishi simply kidnaps Kaoru and holds her hostage in his mansion. As a result, Kenshin never falls into despair, and the plot moves right along to the battle at Enishi's hideout.
1 Sojiro Seta Makes A Surprise Appearance
Samurai and swordsmen make up a majority of the cast of Rurouni Kenshin, and the swordfights that inevitably occur would be something any samurai fan would be interested in. Sojiro Seta is the strongest swordsman in the series, as he is both a member of the Juppongatana and Makoto Shishio's most trusted warrior. When Shishio was defeated, Sojiro went on a journey through Japan. He never appeared during the Jinchu arc as a result.
However, in the movie, he makes a surprise appearance in Enishi's mansion. He pretends to offer his services to Wu Heixing, only to betray him when Kenshin appears. The two of them fight off the mafia's men before Kenshin heads off to his final fight with Enishi. While his appearance came out of nowhere, fans of the character were surely delighted to see him.