Netflix to Stream Infamous Anime Remake This October

Netflix is preparing to stream the second season of the Rurouni Kenshin remake this October, according to What’s On Netflix.

The 2023 reboot, animated by Liden Films, first aired on Fuji TV’s Noitamina block and was picked up for streaming earlier this year. Until now, Netflix has only hosted the first season of the remake, but fans will soon get access to the continuation of Kenshin’s story.

The series, based on Nobuhiro Watsuki’s manga, follows Himura Kenshin, a former assassin known as Hitokiri Battōsai, who now wanders Japan in the Meiji era helping others with his sword skills. Kenshin uses a reverse-bladed sword, called a sakabatō, and has vowed never to take another life.

The second season, titled Kyoto Disturbance, aired in Japan from October 2024 to March 2025, with a third season already announced.

However, the franchise carries controversy. Watsuki, the manga’s creator, was involved in a criminal case in 2017 when Tokyo police discovered indecent images of underage girls in his home.

He was fined only 200,000 yen ($1,900) and returned to continue publishing the series in 2018. Many fans and critics have called this response inadequate and have criticized Shueisha, the publisher, for allowing Watsuki to continue profiting from the franchise.

Because of this, all adaptations of Rurouni Kenshin, including the 2023 anime reboot, have been shadowed by the scandal. What was once a beloved story, especially for fans of the original 1996 anime, now carries a complicated legacy tied to its creator’s actions.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!