31 - Rurouni Kenshin (Tokyo) by Nobuhiro Watsuki

We’ve decided to take on two more of our personal favourite Weekly Shonen Jump series through arc-by-arc breakdowns, similar to what we’ve done with Hunter x Hunter. First up, one of Enzo’s favourite: Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki - a series absent from Samu’s WSJ resume which is partly complete now with this discussion of the initial Tokyo arc. Tune in next episode when it’s Samu’s turn to introduce his favourite to Enzo! Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction - A new arc-by-arc coverage of our favourite Weekly Shonen Jump hits 5:31 What is it about Rurouni Kenshin that made it popular? 11:20 Nobuhiro Watsuki - the difficulty of separating the art and the artist 14:52 Is Rurouni Kenshin a traditional battle shonen? 16:28 The impact page approach to action - the depiction of Kenshin’s speed 19:34 Main cast; Yahiko in particular, our feelings on him as a self-insert character 25:14 Do Weekly Shonen Jump mangaka struggle with future series after a monster hit? 31:41 Spoiler discussion begins 31:47 Sanosuke/Captain Sozo backstory being the lowest popularity in the series - why is that? 35:41 Oniwabanshu/Megumi storyline - Samu’s disappointment vs general consensus with fans 37:44 Yutaro’s character as a mirror to Yahiko + Nishiki Painting sub-arc as a good end to the arc 40:12 Kaoru’s character depiction compared to the rest of the cast 42:38 Kenshin’s character, his influence on other characters, his guilt over his past 49:00 What currently running Jump series is the most direct descendent of Rurouni Kenshin? 51:18 Samu’s Recommendation: The Elusive Samurai by Yuusei Matsui 54:47 Enzo’s Recommendation: Vagabond by Inoue Takehiko 56:54 Overview and final scores