Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1: Release date and time, where to watch, and more

Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1 is set to release on Friday, October 4, 2024, at 12:55 AM JST, according to the series’ official website. With the smash-hit series set to return and begin its adaptation of the very violent Kyoto Arc, fans are particularly eager and curious to see just how brutal Kenshin can be without allies to ground him.

Follow along as this article fully breaks down all currently available release information for Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1, as well as speculates on what to expect from the episode.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers from season 1.

Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1 release date and time

Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1 will likely show fans a much more violent side of the titular protagonist than they're used to (Image via LIDEN FILMS)

Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1 is set to begin airing on local Japanese networks at 12:55 AM JST on Friday, October 4, 2024. For a minority of international fans, this translates to a Saturday night local release window.

The episode would become available on Sunday morning for a vast majority of international fans, including the Japanese viewers. The exact time of release varies by region and timezone.

Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1 is set to air in Japan at the following times in the corresponding time zones:

Time zones	Local date and time
Pacific Daylight Time	8:55 AM, Thursday, October 3, 2024
Eastern Daylight Time	11:55 AM, Thursday, October 3, 2024
British Summer Time	4:55 PM, Thursday, October 3, 2024
Central European Summer Time	5:55 PM, Thursday, October 3, 2024
Indian Standard Time	9:25 PM, Thursday, October 3, 2024
Philippine Standard Time	11:55 PM, Thursday, October 3, 2024
Japanese Standard Time	12:55 AM, Friday, October 4, 2024
Australia Central Standard Time	1:25 AM, Friday, October 4, 2024

Where to watch Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1

Kaoru Kamiya will likely ask Yahiko and Sanosuke to help her pursue Kenshin in Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1 (Image via LIDEN FILMS)

International audiences can stream the episode on Crunchyroll after the episode airs in Japan, with the streaming service having already confirmed this in their Fall 2024 lineup news. In addition to the original Japanese language, Crunchyroll will also be streaming dubbed versions in the English, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, and German languages.

Rurouni Kenshin season 1 recap

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Rurouni Kenshin season 1 began with Kenshin meeting Kaoru Kamiya, Yahiko Myojin, and Sanosuke Sagara in that order. The four would become the central characters of the first season. Their first threat came in the form of Udo Jin-e, a former Shinsengumi Hitokiri who targeted Kenshin due to his own legendary Hitokiri status. The four then met Megumi Takani, who’d eventually become an ally of theirs.

However, she first appeared as an enemy working with Kanryu Takeda and his personal Oniwabanshu headed by Aoshi Shinomori. Aoshi was the only one of his subordinates to survive after Takeda turned on them, teasing that he could become a future Team Kenshin ally. The first season then ran through a string of episodes that focused on individual members of Team Kenshin, such as Yahiko and Sanosuke each getting their own narrative arc.

This was interspersed with a brief arc showing Team Kenshin meeting and saving a young boy and his father from a strong swordsman who wanted to use them. After these arcs, a prequel story showed Kenshin’s experiences in Yokohama and how he got to Tokyo.

This led to Makoto Shishio’s return from Kenshin’s past as his old allies started dying. The season ended with Kenshin leaving Kaoru and the others behind to fight Shishio and ensure Team Kenshin’s safety likewise.

What to expect from Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1 (speculative)

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Given that Kenshin has fully split off from his Tokyo allies, Rurouni Kenshin season 2 episode 1 is unlikely to open up with the foursome back together again. What’s more likely is a focus on the members of Team Kenshin he abandoned, showing their reactions to this development and how they plan to move forward. As they declare their intent to go after him, focus will likely then shift to Kenshin, who is being welcomed to Kyoto in dangerous fashion by Shishio’s forces.

It’s even likely that fans will get Kenshin’s Hitokiri Battousai mentality here, especially considering that Kaoru is not here to talk him out of it as she once did with Udo Jin-e. This may even set up a confrontation with one of Shishio’s officers here, albeit likely an unimportant one given that their death would be coming so early in the season.