Rurouni Kenshin (film)

Rurouni Kenshin (Japanese: るろうに剣心, Hepburn: Rurōni Kenshin), also known as Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins in North America, is a 2012 Japanese jidaigeki action film based on the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. Directed by Keishi Ōtomo, the film stars Takeru Satoh and Emi Takei. It focuses on fictional events that take place during the early Meiji era in Japan, telling the story of a countryside wanderer named Himura Kenshin, a former assassin who now offers aid to those in need as atonement for the murders he once committed, as he helps a dojo owner and protects a woman from a ruthless drug lord.

Rumors circulated of a live-action adaptation of the manga before it was announced. The Sankei Sports newspaper reported that the staff aimed to release the film internationally and eventually make a series. This was the first live-action adaptation of the manga. During the production, Watsuki offered his ideas for the movie, which were used in the film.

Rurouni Kenshin was theatrically released by Warner Bros. Pictures Japan on August 25, 2012, in Japan, grossing over $36 million domestically and over $60 million worldwide as of November 2012. The film was licensed for distribution in over 60 countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia. The movie premiered in North America as an opening selection for the 2012 LA EigaFest on December 14, 2012.