Video animations by Studio Deen
Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc (Japanese: るろうに剣心―明治剣客浪満譚― 新京都編, Hepburn: Rurouni Kenshin - Meiji Kenkaku Romantan: Shin Kyōto-Hen) is a two-part original video animation (OVA) based on the manga series Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki. It is a retelling of the manga's Kyoto arc. Produced by Aniplex and animated by Studio Deen, it was released in December 2011 and June 2012. The story focuses on the young Oniwabanshu member Makimachi Misao, who encounters the protagonist, the wanderer Himura Kenshin, who is on a quest to defeat the forces of his hitokiri successor Shishio Makoto.
Release
The project was first announced by the Jump Square magazine in April 2011.[1] Director Kazuhiro Furuhashi, Studio Deen, and the original cast returned after nine years (except Hirotaka Suzuoki who died in 2006; Saitō Hajime was voiced by Ken Narita).[2] The project was split into two parts and is a remake of the second arc, the Kyoto arc, with some changes.[2] Part I, subtitled Cage of Flames (焔の獄（ホムラのオリ）, Homura no Ori), was released on December 17, 2011. The title was selected from a fan suggestion.[3] It ran at Tokyo's Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro theater and Osaka's Cine-Libre Umeda theater for one week only.[4] Part II, subtitled Warble of Light (光の囀（ヒカリのサエズリ）, Hikari no Saezuri), was released on June 23, 2012, and ran for three weeks in ten theaters.[5] Aniplex released the first part on DVD and Blu-ray on March 21, 2012,[3][6] while the second part was released on August 22 of that same year.[7]
Aniplex of America announced at Otakon 2011 that they were in "negotiations" for the English language rights to the films.[8] North American licensor Sentai Filmworks released both parts together on DVD and Blu-ray sets on March 5, 2013.[9][10]
Reception
The New Kyoto Arc OVAs received negative reception from critics. Capsule Computers stated that since the New Kyoto Arc is written from Misao's point of view, many of Kenshin's allies did not get much screentime in comparison. Nevertheless, the critic praised the voice work of Meg Bauman as Misao's actress.[11] Bamboo Dong from Anime News Network highly criticized Kenshin in the OVA's retelling of the Kyoto arc for lacking all the development he received in both the manga and anime of this arc. Dong also referred to Shishio as "everyone's favorite mummy man" but found disgust in how the OVA's staff portrayed him as having a sexual relationship despite his body being in poor shape to do so due to suffering major burns. Dong also criticized the lack of good fight scenes despite all the buildup Shishio received in order to conquer Japan through his forces.[12] Indiewire found the New Kyoto Arc inferior to the original despite still being faithful to the source material.[13] Despite noting the OVA's weak aspects, The Fandom Post still found the series enjoyable for this attempt at revisiting Kenshin's fight against the Ten Swords.[14]
The Blu-ray and DVD of the second volume of the duology sold more than six thousand copies within the first week of its Japanese release, ranking eighth and ninth, respectively.[15][16]
