As an itinerant anime and Asian film writer I have been reporting about the theatrical release of various movies for quite a while on this blog and another site in particular. One long-running project has been the Rurouni Kenshin movies which I have been tracking since back in 2011 (on this very blog) and 2012 (like here) and keeping track of the BBFC website I was able to spot that the first would be playing at select theatres in the UK. I was pleased when the first Rurouni Kenshin film appeared in my local cinema back in 2013 and I was soon helping spread the word about Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno when it was released last year. This year it’s all coming to a close with Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends. The day of that film’s release has nearly arrived! It’s so close! It’s released tomorrow on April 17th! I have booked the day off work to savour the experience and possibly re-watch Kyoto Inferno which I now have on DVD!
Here are the UK theatrical release details for the third and final Rurouni Kenshin film…
Rurouni Kenshin The Legend Ends 
Japanese: るろうに剣心 伝説の最期編
Romaji: Rurouni Kenshin: Densetsu no Saigo-hen
Release Date: September 13th, 2014 (Japan)
UK Release Date: April 17th, 2015
Running Time: 134 mins.
Director: Keishi Otomo
Writer: Kiyomi Fujii, Keishi Otomo, (Screenplay), Nobuhiro Watsuki (Original Manga)
Starring: Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei, Yu Aoi, Munetaka Aoki, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Yusuke Iseya, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Kaito Oyagi, Tao Tsuchiya, Maryjun Takahashi, Kazufumi Miyazawa, Masaharu Fukuyama,
Here’s the UK trailer:
This is the finale to the Kyoto arc of the original manga and it comes to an explosive end as Kenshin (Sato) must face off against another elite assassin, Makoto Shishio (Fujiwara), a man who wants to overthrow the newly formed Meiji government by destroying everything with his ironclad and returning Japan to chaos. At the end of the last film Kaoru (Takei) and Kenshin went overboard into a stormy sea and we see that Kenshin is saved by his former mentor, Hiko Seijuro (Fukuyama). In order to stop Shishio in time, Kenshin enlists the help of his old master to train for the ultimate battle between hero and villain in an epic blood-drenched showdown!
The film stars Takeru Sato (Real), Emi Takei (Ai to Makoto), Tatsuya Fujiwara (Battle Royale) and Yu Aoi (Hana and Alice) taking the lead roles with Ryunosuke Kamiki (The Kirishima Thing), Yusuke Iseya (Thirteen Assassins), and Masaharu Fukuyama (Like Father Like Son).
The cinemas confirmed as screening the film are part of the Cineworld chain and it looks like most screening are in the evenings. Here’s the list of cinemas:
Cineworld Glasgow Renfrew St.,
Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno and Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends will also screen at Dublin’s Lighthouse cinema as part of a rather excellent-looking Japanese Film Festival (Fuku-chan, Forma, Kwaidan and other excellent titles are on offer!!!) on April 17th and April 18th respectively.
I think it’s great that Warner Bros. are releasing Japanese movies they make in the West and I hope people go and see them so we can continue to get more. I know it’s about supporting the ‘right release’ and I can tell you that the Rurouni Kenshin films are an excellent series of action packed historical epics that have excellent visuals, great soundtracks, fantastic fights, memorable villains, and cool heroes. I have taken friends and family to see the first two as well as a few other Warner Bros. Japan productions and they have enjoyed them all.
Here’s a selection of other Warner Bros. Japan films I have reviewed:
Berserk: Golden Age Arc The Egg of the King
Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno
Apart from Tajomaru and Higanjima…
