One of the most popular series to be licensed in the U.S. is Ruroni Kenshi (also known to some as Samurai X, a title that you shall never hear me repeat again). However, there are still many anime fans out there who have never seen the series, and a few who have never known of its existence. Being a huge fan myself, I eventually bought the entire series. But in addition to the popular television series, there are also several Original Video Animations and a feature-length movie. I will start with the television series, and then cover the OVA’s and the movie later on in this review (scroll down to find more). For anyone who is interested in knowing more about the saga, as well as my own opinion on the strengths and weaknesses of each installment, continue on and enjoy my review of the complete collection of Ruroni Kenshin.
TV Season 1
 The first season of the television series sets the groundwork for what will be the Ruroni Kenshin saga. We meet a young ruroni named Himura Kenshin who has become a wandering do-gooder. However, lacking the Robin Hood attitude, and being extremely laid back and pacifistic at that, his demeanor never makes his foes feel threatened, unless they know the secrets of his past. Kenshin meets Kaoru, who owns the Kamiya Dojo, a sword school which her father had opened, its technique he was famous for mastering. Throughout the series we meet other characters, Sanosuke and Yahiko, as well as a ton of other minor but lovable characters. The first season spends a lot of time exploring the current time, the type of people struggling to survive at the beginning of the Meiji Restoration, and the background stories behind all the major characters. We also find out pretty early on that there are a lot of swordsmen, mercenaries, and killers who would like to see Kenshin dead, just so that they can claim the trophy of being the man to kill the infamous Hitokiri Battousai. We even meet an old Hitokiri who was a made man around the same time that Kenshin was. Later on, a longer story arc begins, and we meet Aoshi and the Oniwa Banshu, a crack team of ninjas with many strengths and strange techniques. Even further on, a policeman named Saito Hajime is introduced, a former Shinshen Gumi (protectors of the Shogunate), whose purposes change several times in the series in order to serve his own needs and twisted idea of justice. This season was very strong and introduced many very interesting and memorable characters. There are several story arcs that continue to develop the characters and the world in which the story takes place. The art style and quality ranges from good to excellent depending on the depth of the storyline. Also, the music and sound is very important, as it needs to convey a specific point in history where the Japanese world is modernizing, but is still being held back into a world controlled by the sword. All in all, a very good Season 1 is a great series.
TV Season 2
 The second season of the Kenshin TV series is a great one. The season begins with a little bit of side-plot and the introduction to the gang’s (also Saito) adventures in Kyoto. The Shishio Saga begins when Kenshin and the others discover that a former Hitokiri has become something of a warlord, and wishes to rule not only Japan, but the world. Once again, there are even more memorable characters in this series… a lighter, more justice-oriented Oniwa Banshu team - led by a 16-year-old girl, Shishio’s devoted followers – some of whom actually hate Shishio, but agree with his theories and believe that joining him is in their best interest, and even Kenshin’s master – Hiko Seijuro the 12th, the only living master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. During this impressive story arc surrounding Shishio, Aoshi, and the entire Kenshin crew, we learn a lot more about Kenshin’s sword art – Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Later in the series Kenshin can no longer progress any further until he masters the ultimate techniques of Hiten Mitsurugi. There is also a lot of conflict concerning his non-killing beliefs that Kenshin is forced to come to terms with, especially when he meets up with Aoshi again. Towards the end of the season, the characters have so much development and death that you want to see everyone come out okay. I won’t tell you what happens, but I will say that the ending of the Shishio Saga is very satisfying. The season ends with a few funny and cute side-episodes. The art and quality of this season gets to be pretty amazing at some points, especially during some of the extremely fast fight scenes. The sound and music quality continues to be impressive, and the overall design of the new characters and the city of Kyoto is very well done. Characters are even more delevoped than in the previous season, and you almost need to cry at more than a couple parts in the Shishio story arc. This is the highest point of the Kenshin TV series.
TV Season 3
 At the starting point of the third TV season, the series has built itself up so much that it seems impossible to surpass the Shishio Saga’s depth, action and suspense. Unfortunately, the truth is that this season can’t come close to what the series began from the end of Season 1 – on. The third consists of a few different story arcs – all of them much shorter than either the Oniwa Banshu or the Shishi Saga arcs – and a few two-part or four–part stories. The season begins with the longest story in Season 3 – a tale about the son of Shiro Amakusa and his use of Christianity in order to manipulate many villagers in following him, so that he can create an army to blah blah blah. This story seems very similar to the Shishio plot, mixed with a little bit of Reborn From Hell: Samurai Armageddon and a dash of Ninja Resurrection. Many of the villains in this story are easily forgettable and seem like stereotypical phantoms of the empire’s fear of Christianity as a political religion. I have to admit that I ended up skipping several episodes in the middle because the plot depth didn’t even come close to anything that was done back in the first season. There are a few miscellaneous episodes before another story about a former advisor to the Shogun, who lives in Tokyo hiding a secret left over from the Shogunate. He has a daughter and two students – one has traveled abroad and mastered the fencing foil, the other is a nerd who reads books about going to the moon – which are all very likeable characters. This story goes on for awhile about a conspiracy to kill the former advisor, but I won’t go into much more for fear of ruining something. That is the most well-done story in the third season. Later, we meet some familiar characters again, and the season wraps up without any particular opening for more episodes, nor does it go into what will happen to Kenshin next, it just peacefully ends. Season 3 is a big disappointment, not because Season 2 was so good, but because Season 3 couldn't even come close to having the quality and depth that was present in Season 1. About half of the season is really worth the watch. You could actually skip Season 3 without missing a beat, but true fans will want to watch for some of the good short stories around the middle to the end of the season.
Ruroni Kenshin The Movie
 I haven't watched this in a really long time, but I will be buying it soon just so that I can say I own it all, so I can update this review when I get it. I remember that this movie was good, although a little different from what I saw in the TV series or the OVA's. I believe that the plot is as such... Kenshin meets a guy he tried to kill way back when he was the Hitokiri Battousai. However, the guy is back, and he has an army, and they're gonna overthrow the government or something. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how many have tried to take over the world and failed against Kenshin. So, Kenshin tries to get between the army and the police in order to end the senseless killing. However, there's a lot of conflict between Kenshin and the would-be victim of assasination. The action is good, although when Kenshin starts to tap into the Hitokiri again, his hair turns pink and his skin becomes zombie-grey. I don't really understand that. Also, the movie would be about 20 minutes shorter if they didn't keep playing the same flashback scene over and over again throughout the story. But I digress. It's a pretty good movie, better than most anime-TV-to-movie efforts. My recommendation is, borrow it and if you like it, buy it.
Ruroni Kenshin OVA (Trust & Betrayal)
 This is my favorite piece of Kenshin animation. This OVA goes back in time in order to tell us the origins behind Kenshin and the Hitokiri Battousai. We are able to see Kenshin grow up from a small child, into a young man, and develop into and away from the notorious manslayer. The secret behind his cross-scar (the X, for those who don't know better) is also revealed, as well as his first love, his first kill, and his part in the Ishin-Shishi revolution against the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Shinshen Gumi. Saito makes several appearances with the Shinshen Gumi, and though his name isn't mentioned, a quick nod is given to Shishio at the end. Kenshin's early days of training in Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is also thoroughly explored, and throughout the 4-part OVA we can actually see how Kenshin's mind grew up into the man he is in the TV series. This OVA series is very dramatic, dark, and gory, so don't expect to see any goofiness or "@r@" that was a major factor of amusement in the TV series. The art style is extrememly good, and the music is nothing less than amazing. Definitely, if you have any interest at all in the Ruroni Kenshin saga, or classic samurai films for that fact, go pick this one up.
Ruroni Kenshin 2nd OVA: Seisouhen
 This OVA completes the Ruroni Kenshin saga. The art style is very similar to that of the first OVA, except a little more colorful, and it seems to make an attempt to be a happy medium between the style of the TV series and the style of the first OVA. The music is very similar, and the melodies actually sound like a continuation on what was done musically in the first OVA. This two-part series makes a recap of some of the most important episodes in first two TV series in the first episode. Then, in the second episode we learn about a new enemy, his conviction to deliver Jin-Chu (heaven's judgement) upon Kenshin, and Kenshin's absolution of his past and finally completing his redemption towards the end of his life. I thought that it was very cool and a little nostalgic to be able to see a lot of the main characters in this neat, curvy art style, as well as ressurrecting some old villains and making them look just unbelievably good. My favorite was seeing the guy called Black Hat from the first season, who had the weird eyes and made everyone's body freeze up.  The new storyline that wraps up the saga is also well done. Many people have said that Jin-Chu should have been explored more thoroughly, but I think that there is really only so far you can go with it before it become redundant. Had it been more than a conflict between the Jin-Chu guy and Kenshin, maybe that could have been developed, but as it is it would have gotten old fast, and in its present form I think it explains the story nicely. Seeing everyone getting older in their years is very cool; Yahiko is a young man, Kaoru is getting older, even Sanosuke is a more rugged-looking man than he was in the series. By the end, the story has come full circle, and we are left with a hopeful ending as many people that Kenshin fought to protect now strive to live in the new era. This hasn't been released in the U.S. yet, but be sure I'll be picking it up the day of its release.
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