Rurouni Kenshin's Kyoto Arc to Get Stage Adaptation
One of the biggest story arcs in the anime franchise of Rurouni Kenshin is the Kyoto arc, which [...]
One of the biggest story arcs in the anime franchise of Rurouni Kenshin is the Kyoto arc, which pitted our main Battosai against his dark mirror in Shishio, and now, the insane time during Kenshin's life is getting a stage adaptation! Kenshin, for those who might not know, is the story of the Battosai, the greatest assassin in the world named Rurouni Kenshin who makes a vow that he will never again take a human life. When he is confronted by another Battosai named Shishio, looking to unleash Kenshin's killing mentality once again, the Kyoto Arc begins and places our protagonist and his friends against strange new villains.
Stage plays aren't anything new to the world of anime franchises, with series such as My Hero Academia, Naruto, and Sailor Moon to name a few getting live action adaptations of their own. Rurouni Kenshin has had stage plays in the past, documenting the travels of our favorite Battosai as he attempts to live a life of peace wherein he doesn't take a human life. The Kyoto arc is often considered to be one of the most popular stories in the franchise, so fans are definitely curious to see how this arc is brought to life.
Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto-Hen will premiere later this fall in Japan at the Tokyo IHI Stage, so if you're in North America but just can't escape your desire to see this live action adaptation, you have a plane trip ahead of you. The actor that will be portraying Kenshin will be Teppei Koike, who definitely looks the part of the often air-headed samurai who wields a dull bladed sword so as not to murder the opponents that he faces.
The Kyoto Arc, as mentioned earlier, pits Kenshin against the burned, terrifying villain of Shishio, who assembles a group of unorthodox villains that create a worthy challenge for not only our protagonist, but his friends as well. This won't be the first time that this story line is adapted into a live action story, as the recently created live action Rurouni Kenshin films from Warner Brothers Pictures. With the final film in the franchise slated to release this year, it will put a bow on what is considered by many to be one of the greatest anime adaptations ever made.
What do you think of Rurouni Kenshin adapting the Kyoto arc into a live action stage play? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and Kenshin!