Rurouni Kenshin’ AnimeJapan Event Unveils Third Season: A New Era for Japanese Animation

Event Summary and Venue
On March 22, 2025, a special stage for the TV anime “Rurouni Kenshin – Meiji Swordsman Romantic Tan” was held on the RED Stage at AnimeJapan 2025 at Tokyo Big Sight. At the event, the cast members took the stage to deliver passionate messages to fans, look back on famous scenes from the past, and announce the decision to produce a third season.

Cast Members and Their Thoughts on Acting
Soma Saito as Kenshin Himura, Riyo Takahashi as Kaoru Kamiya, Taku Yashiro as Sanosuke Sagara, Yuma Uchida as Souji Shinomori, Satoshi Hino as Hajime Saito, and Shin Furukawa as Makoto Shizuo took the stage. They spoke of their emotions immediately after the final episode of the second season “Kyoto Disturbance,” their deep affection for the work, and their thoughts on scenes that each left a lasting impression on them.

Saito expressed his joy at the safe delivery of the journey “Kyoto Udan” and was particularly moved by the scene where Kaoru-dono shouted “Let’s all go back to Tokyo together,” while Takahashi reflected on the feelings he put into his performance of that scene.

Furukawa emphasized the fun of the heated battle scenes as Shizuo Makoto and the original development based on the original story, and he and Uchida made the audience feel at ease with each other.

The “Battle to Determine the Strongest!” Special Event
As part of the event, a “Rurouni Kenshin Saikyou Kessen! was held as part of the event. The cast was divided into two groups, the “Kenshin group” (Saito, Yashiro, and Hino) and the “Shishio group” (Uchida and Furukawa), and they competed to see who was the strongest while introducing famous scenes from each episode. Impressive scenes from each episode (e.g., episodes 41 “Another Purpose,” 44 and 45 “The Great Fire of Kyoto,” and 40 “The Convergence of the Ten Swords”) were selected, and the two sides exchanged heated opinions and humor.

Announcement of the decision to produce the third season
As a highlight of the stage event, the words “Production of the third season has been decided” appeared on the screen during the screening of the special PV of the main story, and the venue was filled with loud cheers.

Saito, Furukawa, Uchida, Yashiro, Hino, and Takahashi all spoke enthusiastically about their enthusiasm for the third season, expressing their hopes and determination for the future development.

The cast members reflected on their progress to date and vowed to continue to give their all to the production and grow as a team.

History and Background of the Production
The original manga by Nobuhiro Watsuki was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1994 to 1999, and was adapted into the first TV anime in 1996. The series has since been adapted into a wide variety of OVAs and movies.

The first season of the new TV anime began airing in July 2023, and the second season, “Kyoto Udan”, began airing in October 2024, running for two consecutive seasons, and has gained great popularity.

This event, held immediately after the end of the second season, symbolized the growth of the work as a whole and the deepening of ties with the fans.

Future Developments and Cast Aspirations
The cast emphasized that the work itself, “Rurouni Kenshin,” is a team, and that they will fight and improve together. They commented that the third season will bring even more fierce battles and dramatic developments than before, and left fans with even higher expectations.