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Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 was released on Friday, December 15, 2023, bringing with it the exciting continuation and conclusion of the reboot anime series’ first season. Likewise, the finale for the first season excitingly ended with a clear setup for a second season, which will likely be announced at the series’ Jump Festa 2024 Super Stage later this weekend.
In any case, Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 was a tearful finale, with Kenshin seemingly abandoning his friends to protect them from the dangers he must face. This decision was spurred on by a shocking death within the episode, highlighting how skillful and discreet Shishio’s group of assassins and soldiers are.
Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 builds up Shishio’s army in a memorable way before concluding the series’ first season
Brief episode recap
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Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 began with Kenshin Himura and Hajime Saito’s fight being interrupted by a former Revolutionary Warrior, Toshimichi Okubo. Okubo is regarded as the last of the Great Trio of the Revolution and is regarded as a minister who sits at the top of national power within the Japanese government.
He tells Kenshin that he sent Saito to test his strength, asking Kenshin to hear him out about something he needs help with. Saito then leaves, warning that Himura is useless, but Battosai could prove useful. Kenshin then ounces himself in the nose, seemingly as penance for roping his friends into this situation.
Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 saw Kaoru celebrate Kenshin returning to his old self before their meeting with Okubo began. Okubo says that someone named Makoto Shishio is active again, with Kenshin explaining that he’s the successor to Hitokiri Battosai. However, few know of his existence since he stayed in the shadows, with Kenshin admitting he’s never seen Shishio in person.
Kenshin adds that he thought Shishio died, but Okubo’s expression makes it clear that the government simply covered up his continued existence for their own sake. Okubo emphasizes that they’re comparable in their skills, but Shishio’s ambitions and evil are unmatched. He adds that some of the assassinations he committed could overturn the Meiji government completely if word got out.
Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 then sees Okubo reveal that despite their best efforts to kill him, he survived and has gathered an army of treasonous subordinates stationed in Kyoto. Okubo adds that Kenshin is the only fighter they have left who can defeat Shishio, asking him to head to Kyoto once more to assassinate Shishio.
Okubo and his ally add that they can reward Team Kenshin with money and more, such as acquitting Megumi Takani of her drug-related charges. Sanosuke comments on how he cares not for the state of the government but is troubled by ordinary people being affected by Shishio’s activities.
Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 sees Kaoru say that the current Kenshin refuses to kill and that they’ll never go to Kyoto as a result. Okubo asks them to think about it for a week, upon which he’ll return for Kenshin’s answer. Meanwhile, Saito slayed Akamatsu Arundo and his former employer, revealing to them that he was loyal to the Meiji Government as a spy.
The episode then jumped ahead to a week later, where Sanosuke asked Kenshin what his answer would be. Kenshin essentially responded that Okubo would have been slain by Saito long ago if he had acted out of self-interest. Kenshin claimed that Saito’s utterance of the word justice proves that he’s more than just a loyal dog who mindlessly obeys.
Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 saw Saito sneezing at a restaurant while pondering how someone must hate him. He then wonders what Kenshin’s answer will be after realizing the date. Meanwhile, Kenshin says he will visit Okubo to give his answers, with Megumi Takani appearing just as he says this. He informs her of his getting ready to leave, asking the others to stay behind since this will be a “complicated conversation.”
The others comforted Kaoru and told her that Kenshin would never leave her behind to run off to Kyoto while Okubo was in his cart heading to see Kenshin. However, his carriage is infiltrated by one of Shishio’s men, who kills Okubo just as some general samurai attack his carriage. Upon realizing that Okubo is already dead, they mutilate his body and say they’ll take responsibility for the murder.
Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 sees the narrator call this the Kioizaka Incident, which successfully prevented the existence of Shishio and his group from becoming public news. As Kenshin came onto the scene, the ally of Shishio’s who truly killed Okubo warned Kenshin not to oppose Shishio either. However, they were already gone when Kenshin turned to see who this was.
Kenshin then met with Okubo’s associate and Saito, eventually joined by the person who last spoke to Okubo. A flashback then showed Okubo’s final conversation with him, where he essentially spoke of his desire to see Japan flourish as a reborn nation-state. Saito called Okubo’s ideals way too magnificent as the news of Okubo’s death spread across Japan.
Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 saw Saito comment on how the last honorable member of the Japanese government has been slain and how Shishio’s group will no doubt take advantage. Sanosuke then walked Megumi to a late-night patient when Kenshin suddenly appeared behind Kaoru as he left.
Kenshin asked where Yahiko was before telling Kaoru he would be heading to Kyoto since he couldn't leave Shishio at large. He says he isn’t going there to assasinate Shishio before praising the time he spent with Kaoru and the others here. However, he adds that he realized during his fight with Saito that, at his core, he is a Hitokiri who can’t change his ways.
Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 sees Kaoru try and plea that he can change, but Kenshin disputes this, and adds that her voice didn’t reach him during his fight with Saito. He then said how thankful he was for the time he spent with Kaoru, saying that he didn’t deserve it and wasn't allowed to stay any longer as someone who would always return to being Hitokiri Battosai.
Kenshin then hugged Kaoru, thanking her for everything and saying goodbye as a rurouni who needed to wander once again. The episode ended with Kenshin leaving a crying Kaoru, while dialogue seemingly from the next season played as Makoto Shishio appeared on the screen.
In review
Overall, Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 serves as a great conclusion to the first season of the reboot anime series. In the final moments, Kenshin’s tearful goodbye to Kaoru highlights how truly different the Kenshin fans saw throughout season one was from who they’ll eventually meet in the second.
The episode also does a great job of building up Shishio’s group via Okubo’s murder, especially in how stealthily Shishio’s soldier is able to warn Kenshin of the consequences of his actions. Like Aoshi Shinomori and his Oniwabanshu group, Shishio’s army feels like an intimidating and challenging force for Kenshin to overcome, and by himself, this time, no less.
In summation
Rurouni Kenshin episode 24 beautifully fulfills its role as the conclusion of the anime’s first season and is a great endpoint to the series’ first season overall. The episode also does a fantastic job of establishing that Kenshin enjoyed his time with Kaoru and the others despite choosing to be Hitokiri Battosai at the end of the installment.
Be sure to keep up with all Rurouni Kenshin anime and manga news and general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
