New key art and a promotional video for the live-action film Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning have surfaced on Twitter.
The unofficial English Twitter account for Shōnen Jump News revealed a new promotional video, as well as a new key visual, of the upcoming live-action adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin. The teaser includes previously teased footage from Rurouni Kenshin: The Final as well as new footage from Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning, the duology set to conclude the five-part Rurouni Kenshin film series.
The first half of the video highlights footage from Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, emphasizing the series' trademark action scenes and returning J-Rock band ONE OK ROCK's new song "Renegades." The teaser also offers a glimpse of new villain Yukishiro Enishi in a duel with Kenshin.
"Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning" Live-Action Film Key Visual. pic.twitter.com/mffzDHLoK5
— Shonen Jump News - Unofficial (@WSJ_manga) April 20, 2021
The second half of the teaser focuses on the final film Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning, a prequel set during Kenshin's dark past as an assassin during the Bakumatsu revolutions. The film will reveal how Kenshin received his iconic scar, his relationship with his former wife Yukishiro Tomoe and the reason Enishi is determined to destroy Kenshin. Accordingly, the promotional video teases a number of scenes between Kenshin and Tomoe, as well as some notably gruesome action. The video ends with a shot of a bloodied Kenshin cradling an injured Tomoe in a snowy forest. The key visual also depicts the same scene.
The Rurouni Kenshin manga originally ran from 1994-1999 and remains one of Shōnen Jump's most successful series, having sold over 72 million copies. It received a critically acclaimed anime adaptation, a recent, controversial spinoff titled Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc and three previous live-action films, which are often praised as some of the few good live-action anime adaptations.
Whether animated or live-action, the story of Himura Kenshin, the former child soldier and assassin who must search for atonement, remains well known and beloved among anime fans. Since the anime was canceled before completing the manga's story, Rurouni Kenshin: The Final will mark the first time fans can see the manga's final arc adapted on-screen.
Rurouni Kenshin: The Final will premiere in Japanese theaters on April 23, and Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning will premiere on June 4.
Source: Twitter
