People usually like to think of assassins and murderers as heartless, psychotic beings, but that is not the case with Histokiri Battōsai.
He is a peace-loving and non-cold-hearted person, contradictory to what his reputation implies.
That’s how the anime series Rurouni Kenshin kicks off!
The main character, Himura Kenshin, who goes by the name Histokiri Battōsai, wanders through Japan with his reverse-blade sword after participating in the Boshin War during the early Meiji era.
He now offers protection and aid in redemption of the murders he once committed as an assassin.
While his visit to Tokyo, he encounters Kamiya Kaoru, who is fighting a murderer – who is impersonating Battōsai himself!
Kenshin decides to help Kamiya and eventually defeats the fake Battōsai.
The series follows an adventure of Kenshin and Kamiya living in her dojo, which she offers to him after learning his true identity.
Here, Kenshin befriends Takani Megumi, Myjin Yahiko, and Sagara Sanosuke.
In tense battles with his rivals, Kenshin narrowly defeats Shishio. Still, Shishio eventually reaches the physical limit of his abnormal body and burns to death.
Yukishiro Enishi, who intends to exact retribution, waits for Kenshin and his comrades when they return to Tokyo.
At the end of the series, Kenshin moves away from battle and settles down with his wife Kamiya and their son, passing down his reverse blade sword to his friend Yahiko as a ceremonial present.
Written and directed by Keishi Ohtomo and Nobuhiro Watsuki, the series aired in August 2012.
If you are searching for similar anime telling the tales of love and courage through drama and intense action sequences like Rurouni Kenshin.
In that case, you’re in the right place!
The list below has been hand-picked by us to serve this exact purpose! So sit tight and keep these 11 action shows in mind, like Rurouni Kenshin!
11 Similar Anime Like Rurouni Kenshin
11. Ryo
- Genres: action, drama
- Where to watch: Justwatch, Plex
- MAl ratings: 5.8
In Ryo, a samurai boy who lost his parents during an English ship attack on a Japanese town is named Ryo and works as Ryoma Sakamoto’s bodyguard.
Ryoma Sakamoto has his strategy for fighting for the nation.
The action anime brings out the emotion of losing something close to the audience’s hearts. Directed by Koichi Chigara, Ryo was released in 2013 and is 26 minutes long but will give you shivers!
The samurai and action themes make Ryo an anime like Rurouni Kenshin.
10. Bleach (2004)
- Genres: Shonen Manga (action and drama)
- Where to watch: Hulu, Netflix
- MAl ratings: 7.911
The main story arcs from Kubo’s manga are adapted in the series, along with certain anime-exclusive ones.
Rukia Kuchiki risks her life to shield Ichigo Kurosaki from a Hollow and turns him into a substitute for a Grim Reaper.
He encounters the banished Soul Reapers Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihin, who provide him and his comrades the opportunity to save Rukia.
It is made known that former squad leader Sosuke Aizen has been conducting unauthorized research on Soul Reapers and Hollows and intends to take over the Soul Society using the Hogyoku.
After saving Orihime, Aizen admits that her abduction was a ruse to let him seize Karakura Town since the Oken needs its spiritual force.
After getting training to seal Aizen away when the Hogyoku rejects its master, Ichigo sacrifices his strength in order to defeat his father, Isshin.
Several new plot arcs are introduced in the series, such as those involving the Bount, Shsuke Amagai, Muramasa, and Kageroza Inaba.
The Soul Society is being attacked by a group of spiritual humans known as the Bount, who use soul thievery to extend their immortality.
Muramasa is a Zanpakuto spirit that seeks retribution against the Soul Society for imprisoning Koga Kuchiki, the organization’s master.
Kageroza Inaba makes altered versions of every Soul Reaper in Reigai’s body, but Nozomi gives her life to stop him, and Ichigo loses his strength.
Bleach, like Rurouni Kenshin, embodies anime with drama, action, and memorable characters.
9. Berserk (1997 – 1998)
- Genres: Sinen manga, Fantasy
- Where to watch: Funimation, Crunchyroll, Justwatch
- MAl ratings: 6.301
The story’s main character is Guts, who briefly appears as the “Black Swordsman” in the pivotal moments of the 1997 television series and the Golden Age Arc films.
Guts was a roaming mercenary who was taken in by the band before Griffith, the mutilated commander of the Band of the Hawk, had sacrificed his people to join the God Hand and fulfill his dream of building his kingdom.
Ultimately, only Guts and Casca could flee the “Eclipse” ceremony; Casca suffered mental and memory loss due to the horrors she witnessed and experienced.
However, they were marked with symbols that drew bad, restless spirits.
The “Eclipse” ritual was avoided by Guts and his beloved Casca, who had lost her memory and sanity due to the atrocities she had witnessed.
However, they had markings that attracted evil spirits, restless ghosts, and similar entities.
Guts left Casca in the care of Godo, his adopted daughter Erica, and Rickert, the only Hawk absent during the Eclipse, as he sought Griffith in his quest for revenge and kill him.
Years have passed, and the God Hand’s long-awaited events are now starting to take place as Guts is joined in his pursuit by an elf named Puck.
8. Sword of the Stranger
- Genres: action, adventure, samurai cinema
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Dailymotion
- MAl ratings: 8.3
Kotaro, a young boy who runs away from his pursuers at the start of the Sengoku era novel, is told by Shouan to go to Master Zekkai for assistance at the Mangaku Temple in the Akaike Province.
In the meantime, Lord Akaike’s soldiers are leading a group of Ming Chinese warriors led by the senior master Bai-Luan.
Lord Akaike has agreed to let the Ming construct a sizable altar on his property in exchange for riches.
They are located by a search group of two Ming warriors and Akaike troops after Kotaro meets Nanashi, a wandering swordsman.
To blend in with the Japanese populace, Nanashi explains that he is a shipwreck survivor with red hair who dyes it black.
Nanashi notices a problem and goes back when the Akaike shows up there and tries to kidnap the boy. The dog follows Kotaro, and his kidnappers, like Tobimaru, guide Nanashi.
The Ming captures Lord Akaike and uses him as a human shield.
Itadori leads a small battalion of soldiers to rescue him but is killed in the battle. Kotaro is saved when Nanashi enters the stronghold and battles to the altar.
Luo-Lang challenges Nanashi to a duel, but Nanashi defeats him. Kotaro and Nanashi start a new life together.
“Sword of the Stranger” shares a similarity with “Rurouni Kenshin” in that both protagonists have red hair, which makes them stand out and occasionally subjects them to mistreatment due to their foreign ancestry.
Furthermore, both anime leads are struggling with past battles they fought and their past demons that haunt them, all the blood they shed to become famous fighters.
Sword of the Stranger is an amazing watch if you are looking for an anime like Rurouni Kenshin.
7. Intrigue in the Bakumatsu: Irohanihoheto
- Genres: Historical Fantasy
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Yidio
- MAl: 7.1
The Bakumatsu era, when the Shogunate was nearing the end of its reign and conflict was looming, is the setting for the television series.
The ornament on the end of Yojiro Akizuki’s sword hilt waves in its direction; his eyes shine curiously, and he feels compelled to pursue it when he is close to anything supernatural that holds significance for him.
He finds a traveling theatre troupe seeking retribution for the murder of the leader’s parents and whose enigmatic writer enjoys subtly influencing historical events.
As the sinister plot continues to trail behind him, Yojiro joins them to lend them his expertise in combating their adversaries.
Bakumatsu: Irohanihoheto is similar to Rurouni Kenshin in two major respects: first, its focus on character chemistry between two main characters, and second, its intensity and choreographies of fight scenes that provide similar feelings of excitement and anticipation.
Suppose you are a fan of these two aspects. In that case, Bakumatsu is an interesting anime similar to an anime like Rurouni Kenshin.
6.Gintama
- Genres: Comedy, Sci-fi
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, JustWatch, Netflix
- MAl rating: 8.9
The tale unfolds in an alternate timeline from the late Edo period, where “Amanto” aliens are waging war against humankind.
Samurai from Edo, Japan, struggle to protect Earth. Still, the shogun gives up, and the Tokugawa bakufu (shogunate) is replaced by a puppet administration.
Gintoki Sakata, a freelancer who performs odd jobs, assists Shinpachi Shimura in defending his sister Tae from an alien gang. They take the name “Yorozuya” after rescuing Kagura from a Yakuza gang.
They frequently run into members of Gintoki’s erstwhile Amanto invasion allies and the Shinsengumi police.
Gintoki collaborates with allies and foes to prevent Utsuro from wiping out the planet.
Gintama provides an enjoyable viewing experience for fans who want to enjoy similar to an anime like Rurouni Kenshin.
5. Samurai Champloo (2004 – 2005)
- Genres: Action, Comedy, Samurai Cinema, Historical fiction
- Where to watch: Hulu, Crunchyroll
- MAl ratings: 8.511
The first scene of Samurai Champloo occurs in a small hamlet where where the corrupt prefect’s son is bullying Fuu.
Jin, a ronin, and the outlaw Mugen enter the village, and Mugen offers Jin security in exchange for food.
Jin, mistaken for one of the prefect’s men, murders the prefect’s bodyguards.
To assist her in discovering a warrior who smells like sunflowers, Fuu throws a coin, and the two go on a series of adventures.
A group of assassins ordered by the government to kill Fuu’s father, Seizo Kasumi, confront each of the three when they arrive in the town of Ikitsuki in the final stories.
When Fuu finds out her father was involved in the Shimabara Rebellion, she flees to be with her.
4.Peacemaker Kurogane (2003 – 2004)
- Genres: Action, Historical Fiction
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, JustWatch
- MAl rating: 7.301
The novel’s protagonist, Tetsunosuke Ichimura, is a fifteen-year-old boy who appears animated, short, and remarkably infantile (16 in the manga).
After brutally murdering his parents, they left him and his older brother, Tatsunosuke, alone.
Tetsunosuke seeks retribution, but his pacifist brother is not as motivated.
To make a living, “Tatsu” joins a special police organization called the Shinsengumi; his brother “Tetsu” wants to enlist as a soldier to exact revenge.
The narrative details Tetsu’s struggles as a struggling page looking for salvation.
He forms bonds with all the illustrious soldiers of the Shinsengumi army. He aids them in their many conflicts while waging a never-ending war with himself.
In the end, Tetsu learns about himself and the enormous responsibility that the ability he seeks carries.
If you like Rurouni Kenshin, Peacemaker Kurogane should be your go-to anime.
3. Inuyasha (2000 – 2010)
- Genres: Shonen Manga, Horror Comics
- Where to Watch: Gogoanime.free.net, Hulu
- MAl ratings: 7.9
The previous keeper of the Shikon Jewel, a potently magical artifact created from the offering by the priestess Midoriko, is the warrior priestess Kikyo, now known as Kagome Higurashi.
A centipede demon takes her into the Bone Eater’s Well on her fifteenth birthday. She is a reborn version of the long-dead Kikyo, and a crow demon steals the Shikon Jewel.
Kagome shoots the demon with an arrow but unintentionally breaks the jewel into several pieces across Japan.
Inuyasha receives Tessaiga, his father’s sword, and helps Kagome gather the shards.
A juvenile fox demon named Shipp and Kikyo, later restored and discovered as Inuyasha’s lover, also joined him. Sango, a demon slayer, and Miroku, a cursed monk, are an addition to the crew.
Inuyasha strengthens Tessaiga as he battles Naraku’s plans and henchmen. He coincides with Kga, the head of the eastern wolf demon group, and Sesshomaru, the revived Kikyo.
Inuyasha’s lingering affection for Kikyo intensifies the developing romance between him and Kagome.
Naraku fatally wounds Kikyo, momentarily removing his human heart, but he soon regains his free will and memories.
To give his brother a chance to master Tessaiga, Sesshomaru resolves the conflict with Inuyasha.
Kikyo gives Kohaku a second chance at life using the remainder of her life power.
Before passing away, Naraku uses his will to enclose Kagome and himself inside the Shikon Jewel.
Kagome aims to eliminate the Shikon Jewel, so that she can go back to the time when the well was closed.
2. Basilisk: Kouga Ninpou Chou (2005)
- Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation Now, Apple TV.
- MAl rating: 7.551
At the onset of Japan’s Azuchi-Momoyama period, two rival ninja clans Iga Tsubagakure and Kouga Manjidani become embroiled in an intense blood feud.
Although Hattori Hanz the 1st can broker a truce between the two clans, hostilities continue.
In 1614, Ieyasu declared his intention to terminate the cease-fire between Kouga and Iga by instructing both clans to dispatch 10 of their top ninjas for a deadly contest of killing or surviving.
The clan that defeats the other’s chosen 10 will receive a millennium of favor, and their proxy will inherit the Shogunate.
Now, Gennosuke and Oboro must decide between killing the person they love and taking control of their entire clan to annihilation.
1. Shura no Toki: Age of Chaos
- Genres: Martial arts, Manga series
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, 9anime.tube
- MAl rating: 7.6
Adapted from three main story arcs from the manga of the same name, Shura no Toki, the anime has been wrapped up into 26 episodes.
The Mutsu family has practiced the unarmed martial art Mutsu Enmei Ry since the Heian era.
The Shura no Mono, also known as the Men of Carnage, were notorious for following the path of the unconquerable.
Each arc centers on a member of the fictitious Mutsu clan and their impact on the life of a famous swordsman and is primarily based on Japanese history.
The anime’s first episode centers on Yakumo Mutsu and Musashi Miyamoto in the early Edo period; the second episode picks up shortly after with Takato Mutsu and Jbei Yagy; and the third episode features Izumi Mutsu, a more distant descendant of the Mutsu family, who becomes good friends with Sakamoto Ryma in the Bakumatsu period.
Other characters regularly comment on every Mutsu’s ravenous hunger, making it a recurring joke.
Other anime like Rurouni Kenshin that you can check out!
- Ninja Scroll
- Akame ga Kill!
- Naruto
- Blade of the Immortal
