Netflix continues to build its roster of incredible anime offerings, although its latest addition comes with some major controversy. This February, Netflix has treated subscribers to Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, One Piece‘s “Dressrosa” arc, and the 2015 supernatural series, Charlotte, as well as the ongoing Sakamoto Days and Blue Box. But, this month, Netflix is taking anime fans back to the Meiji Era, as a divisive hit from 2023 just landed a new streaming home. Season 1 of the 2023 Rurouni Kenshin remake is currently streaming on Netflix. The anime also recently joined the Hulu library earlier this year on January 21st.
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2023’s Rurouni Kenshin is based on the eponymous manga, published in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump between 1994 and 1999, by disgraced mangaka Nobuhiro Watsuki (more on that later). Rurouni Kenshin already had one anime adaptation, which aired during the manga’s heyday — between 1996 and 1998. The 2023 version is almost a shot-for-shot remake of the original, with greatly improved animation and voice acting. Set in the late 19th Century, Rurouni Kenshin follows the titular ronin, who was once the most feared samurai alive, but now seeks a life without killing. The official synopsis reads, “Himura Kenshin is a vagabond with a dark past and sunny disposition; his travels lead him to Tokyo, and he befriends a female Kendo master.”
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Why Is Rurouni Kenshin So Controversial?
If you choose to separate art from the artist, then you’ll have no problems watching Rurouni Kenshin. There is nothing within the anime itself that is particularly controversial or out of the ordinary. However, the behind-the-scenes of Rurouni Kenshin was a horror story. In 2017, Nobuhiro Watsuki was charged with possession of child pornography, with Japanese police finding over 100 explicit and incriminating DVDs during their investigation. In Japan, the charge can come with a year of incarceration and a fine of up to 1 million yen ($6,500). However, Watsuki was only served a 200k yen fine ($1,318) with no jail time. Season 2 of the anime remake was put on hold, as was the next installment in the live-action Kenshin series of of movies. Despite that, Nobuhiro Watsuki returned to pen new chapters in 2018.
Following the charges, voice actor Howard Wang said he would donate most of his salary from the series to charity. “To address the elephant in the room: Yes, I’m fully aware of the crimes of the author, and I do not condone or support those actions in any way,” the actor said. “As such, a portion of all my earnings for Kenshin are being donated to charity.” Needless to say, fans will have no difficulty seeing why the roots of this series are controversial in light of Watsuki’s actions, but this hasn’t prevented his most famous series from further circulation.
As confirmed via Netflix’s Rurouni Kenshin (2023) listing.
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