Netflix to Drop a Controversial Anime This October

Netflix is set to add the second season of the 2023 Rurouni Kenshin remake to its streaming library this October, according to What’s On Netflix.

The series first aired in 2023 and Netflix picked up the first season for streaming in February. Until now, only the first season has been available, but fans will soon be able to continue the story with Season 2.

Rurouni Kenshin, or Rurōni Kenshin -Meiji Kenkaku Roman Tan-, is a Japanese anime based on Nobuhiro Watsuki’s manga. It’s the second anime adaptation following the 1996–98 series.

The first season of the remake, animated by Liden Films and directed by Hideyo Yamamoto, aired from July to December 2023 on Fuji TV’s Noitamina block. Season 2, subtitled Kyoto Disturbance, aired in Japan from October 2024 to March 2025 and was directed by Yuki Komada. A third season has already been announced.

The story follows Himura Kenshin, a former political assassin known as Hitokiri Battōsai, who now wanders Japan as a pacifist. He uses a reverse-bladed sword, or sakabatō, and has vowed never to take another life, instead helping people with his sword skills.

The series has been controversial due to its creator. In 2017, Nobuhiro Watsuki’s home was raided by Tokyo police, who found indecent images of underage girls.

Despite this, Watsuki returned to publish Rurouni Kenshin in Shonen Jump a year later after paying a fine of only 200,000 yen (around $1,900). Many fans were outraged that he was allowed to continue working on the series and be paid for it.

As a result, every adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin, including the 2023 remake, has been overshadowed by Watsuki’s criminal charges. What was once a beloved series, especially among fans of the 1996 anime, is now tainted by the scandal surrounding its creator.

The controversy doesn’t stop the show’s release, and Netflix is moving forward with streaming Season 2 this October. This continues to make Rurouni Kenshin a hotly debated topic in the anime community.

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