Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning

"This is how it ends, this is where it began."

2021 2h 18m JA

🙌

7.7

BANGER

★7.7TMDB · 566

ActionAdventureDramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Before he was a protector, Kenshin was a fearsome assassin known as Battosai. But when he meets gentle Tomoe Yukishiro, a beautiful young woman who carries a huge burden in her heart, his life will change forever.

“This is how it ends, this is where it began.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Takeru Satoh
Kenshin Himura
Kasumi Arimura
Tomoe Yukishiro
Issey Takahashi
Kogoro Katsura
Nijiro Murakami
Soji Okita
Masanobu Ando
Shinsaku Takasugi
Kazuki Kitamura
Tatsumi
Yosuke Eguchi
Hajime Saito
Towa Araki
Enishi Yukishiro

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Keishi Otomo
Writers: Keishi Otomo
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 5 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Rurouni Kenshin Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Keishi Otomo, shot by Takuro Ishizaka. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Naoki Sato. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Tsuyoshi Imai shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Takeru Satoh and Kasumi Arimura and Issey Takahashi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "This is how it ends, this is where it began.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt11991748 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Keishi Otomo directs. Takuro Ishizaka behind the camera. Naoki Sato scores. Tsuyoshi Imai cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 5 years ago.
2Part of the "Rurouni Kenshin Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Keishi Otomo, shot by Takuro Ishizaka. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Naoki Sato. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Tsuyoshi Imai shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Takeru Satoh and Kasumi Arimura and Issey Takahashi carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "This is how it ends, this is where it began.".
8IMDB entry: tt11991748 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 12 themes, including "japan", "samurai", "civil war", "katana".

The technical file

Cinematography: Takuro Ishizaka
Original score: Naoki Sato
Editing: Tsuyoshi Imai
Production design: So Hashimoto
Stunt coordinator: Koji Kawamoto
Runtime: 138 min · 2h 18m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021)

Part of

Rurouni Kenshin Collection

Collection of the live-action adaptation of the Rurouni Kenshin comic series.

Also by

Keishi Otomo

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Alunauwie2025-09-30
★ 10/10
Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning delivers an emotionally rich prequel that perfectly concludes the saga, revealing Kenshin’s tragic past and deepening his transformation. With touching performances and cinematic consistency, the film offers a poignant, satisfying closure. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) and (English version : uwiepuspita.com)

Production companies