PHLive-Action Rurouni Kenshin Sequels' New TV Spots Preview Romance, History, Battles
Three new TV spots for this summer's Rurouni Kenshin live-action films began airing in Japan this week. All three spots feature the film's theme song "Mighty Long Fall" by the band ONE OK ROCK, who also performed the first live-action Rurouni Kenshin film's theme song.
”Romance” TV Spot
Kaoru: You can't kill him!
Narrator: It was his decision he made to protect the person he loved, as well as the future of Japan...
Kenshin: Thank you for everything up until now, and... Goodbye.
Narrator: Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen.
Text: For the sake of the future.
”History” TV Spot
Narrator: Rurouni Kenshin will change the history of Japanese cinema!
Man: Now you've done it, you jerk!
Kenshin: Oro?
Narrator: Defeat the strongest enemy!
Narrator: Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen.
Text: For the sake of the future.
”Battles” TV Spot
Narrator: In front of the the legendary man, the most twisted (strongest) enemy appears!
Shishio: We're taking back the country.
Narrator: Can he protect the future of Japan without breaking his promise not to kill!?
Sgusgu
Narrator: Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen.
Text: For the sake of the future.
Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen (Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno) will open on August 1, followed by Rurouni Kenshin: Densetsu no Saigo-hen (Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends) on September 13. The film is holding a promotional campaign in all 47 prefectures in Japan.Kaoru: You can't kill him!
Narrator: It was his decision he made to protect the person he loved, as well as the future of Japan...
Kenshin: Thank you for everything up until now, and... Goodbye.
Narrator: Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen.
Text: For the sake of the future.
”History” TV Spot
Narrator: Rurouni Kenshin will change the history of Japanese cinema!
Man: Now you've done it, you jerk!
Kenshin: Oro?
Narrator: Defeat the strongest enemy!
Narrator: Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen.
Text: For the sake of the future.
”Battles” TV Spot
Narrator: In front of the the legendary man, the most twisted (strongest) enemy appears!
Shishio: We're taking back the country.
Narrator: Can he protect the future of Japan without breaking his promise not to kill!?
Sgusgu
Narrator: Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen.
Text: For the sake of the future.
The sequels will feature the return of the following cast members:
- Takeru Satoh as Kenshin Himura
- Emi Takei as Kaoru Kamiya
- Munetaka Aoki as Sanosuke Sagara
- Yuu Aoi as Megumi Takani
- Yosuke Eguchi as Hajime Saitō
Tao Tsuchiya as Misao Makimachi
Ryunosuke Kamiki as Sōjirō Seta
Yusuke Iseya as Aoshi Shinomori
68-year-old min Tanaka (Tekkonkinkreet, The Twilight Samurai, 47 Ronin remake) as Nenji Kashiwazaki/Okina
47-year-old Kazufumi Miyazawa (The Boom music band) as Toshimichi Ōkubo
39-year-old Yukiyoshi Ozawa (Umi no Hotaru) as Hirobumi Itō
12-year-old Kaito Ōyagi (Ninja Kids!!! Summer Mission Impossible) as Yahiko Myōjin
25-year-old model Maryjun Takahashi as Yumi Komagata
The cast of the Juppongatana (Ten Swords), a group of elite swordsmen led by Shishio (played byTatsuya Fujiwara), include:
- Ryōsuke Miura as Chō Sawagejō
- Kenichi Takitō as Hōji Sadojima
- Tomomi Maruyama as Anji Yūkyūzan
- Matsu Murata as Usui Uonuma
- Hiroko Yashiki as Kamatari Honjō
- Yuuya Hara as Henya Kariwa
- Takao Yamada as Iwanbō
- Kentarō Shimazu as Saizuchi
- Kōta Yamaguchi as Fuji
Taketo Tanaka played Yahiko in the first live-action Rurouni Kenshin film. Director Keishi Ōtomo(Ryōmaden) returned from the first film along with character costume designer Kazuhiro Sawataishi.
The first live-action Rurouni Kenshin film opened in Japan in 2012. The film had its North Americanpremiere in Los Angeles in December 2012.
Watsuki's manga ran from 1994 to 1999 in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine and sold over 58 million copies. The creator also drew the Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration retelling that launched in Jump Square magazine in May 2012 and ended last year. He is now drawing a newRurouni Kenshin spinoff manga about Shishio.
An anime series aired in Japan from 1996 to 1998 and spawned several anime film and video projects. Viz Media publishes both manga in North America, while Media Blasters released the television anime. ADV Films released two later original video anime projects and a film on DVD, andAniplex released these three titles on Blu-ray Disc. Sentai Filmworks released the two more recent video anime series on Blu-ray Disc and DVD, which also covered the Kyoto arc. 
Images © Nobuhiro Watsuki/Shueisha © 2014 Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen/Densetsu no Saigo-hen Production Committee
