Skip to main content
Celluloid
ActionAdventureDramaRomance Tokyo 2021 Editor's Pick

Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning Review (2021) — 81% Celluloid Score

Directed by Keishi Otomo · 2021 ·

Short answer

Is Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning worth watching?

Yes. Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021) earns an 81% Celluloid Score. That puts it in our Recommended tier. Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one. See the 4 inputs.

81%
Celluloid Score Recommended

4-input transparent breakdown

92% Editorial Rating
91% Audience snapshot · excluded
76 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4
7.7 IMDb /10
0
Watch Trailer
Released
Runtime
2h 18m
Age rating
R (US) · 18 (UK) · M18 (Singapore) · 15 (South Korea) · G (Japan)
Cast
Takeru Satoh , Kasumi Arimura , Issey Takahashi , Nijiro Murakami , Masanobu Ando , Kazuki Kitamura
Streaming
Netflix
Country
Japan
Language
Japanese

Also known as るろうに剣心 最終章 The Beginning Samurái X: El origen Kenshin, el guerrero samurái: El principio Kenshin : Le Commencement Samurai X: A Origem 바람의 검심 최종장: 더 비기닝 浪客剑心最终章：追忆篇 神劍闖江湖：The Beginning

Where to watch

  • Netflix

Where to watch Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning by country

Country Streaming on
India Netflix
Indonesia Netflix
Japan Netflix, Prime Video, U-NEXT
Malaysia Netflix
Nigeria Netflix
Pakistan Netflix
Philippines Netflix
South Africa Netflix
South Korea Netflix
Thailand Netflix
Turkey Netflix
United Arab Emirates Netflix
United Kingdom Netflix
United States Netflix

Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.

Why this score?

  • Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (92/100).
  • Audiences widely enjoyed it (91%).
  • Metascore is generally favorable (76/100).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4/5).
  • Celluloid Score 81% combines 4 rating inputs; audience sentiment is shown separately. Consult the source notes for verification dates where recorded.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded action, adventure, drama, romance pick

Not ideal for

    Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

    Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

    Is Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning worth watching?

    Yes — Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning earns an 81% Celluloid Score. That puts it in our Recommended tier. It suits viewers who want a well-regarded action, adventure, drama, romance pick. Read our full review (5/5).

    Celluloid verdict

    A tragic, ravishing prequel — Satoh and Kasumi Arimura turn Kenshin’s assassin years into the franchise’s most emotionally devastating chapter.

    , Founder & Editor

    Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

    What is Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning about?

    Before he was a protector, Kenshin was Battosai, the feared assassin of the Bakumatsu. When he meets Tomoe Yukishiro — a gentle young woman carrying an unbearable grief — his life and blade are forever changed. The Beginning traces the love, betrayal, and blood that forged the reverse-blade wanderer audiences met in Origins.

    Watch the Trailer

    Critic Reviews

    Short review 4 min read English Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning

    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning Review: Tragedy Before Legend

    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning is the saga's sombre prequel, following Takeru Satoh's young assassin and Kasumi Arimura's grieving Tomoe through Bakumatsu Kyoto.

    Yes. It is the finest Rurouni Kenshin film, a tragic samurai romance of real beauty, best watched after the earlier films but powerful enough to stand on its own.

    Kaiser Khan Founder & Editor

    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning stills

    Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.

    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning production still 1
    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning production still 2
    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning production still 3
    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning production still 4
    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning production still 5
    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning production still 6

    Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.

    Reader takes

    No reader takes published yet. Send yours and we may publish it after editing.

    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning: frequently asked questions

    Is Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning worth watching?

    Yes. Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021) has a Celluloid Score of 81%, averaged from the available Celluloid editorial, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb ratings. That puts it in our Recommended tier. Audience sentiment is shown separately and does not change the score.

    Where can I watch Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning?

    In the United States, Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning streams on Netflix with a subscription. Elsewhere: Netflix in India; Netflix in Indonesia; Netflix, Prime Video, U-NEXT in Japan; Netflix in Malaysia. Availability changes; the where-to-watch table on this page is refreshed from TMDB.

    How long is Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning?

    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning runs 2 hours 18 minutes (138 minutes).

    What is Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning rated?

    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning is rated R in the United States, 18 in the UK, M18 in Singapore, 15 in South Korea and G in Japan. These are the official classifications as recorded on TMDB; check your local classification board for content advice.

    Who stars in Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning?

    Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning is directed by Keishi Otomo and stars Takeru Satoh, Kasumi Arimura, Issey Takahashi, Nijiro Murakami, Masanobu Ando.

    What is the Metascore for Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning?

    Metacritic's Metascore for Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning is 76 out of 100. It is one of the inputs to the Celluloid Score.

    More Like This

    Ranked by genre overlap and Celluloid Score. More movies like Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning →