The Anime Order 
Watch order
Rurouni Kenshin Watch Order
The Rurouni Kenshin franchise runs to twelve entries — four TV series, one film and seven OVAs and specials — spanning 1996 to 2024, 154 episodes in all. The list below follows release order: start with Rurouni Kenshin (1996) and work down. One entry, Rurouni Kenshin, carries filler worth skipping — 44.7% of it.
- Entries12
- Episodes141
- TV series4
- Films1
For most franchises release order is also the best viewing order. The common exception is a prequel — released late, but set first — so check the years in the table if a title looks out of place.
The order
| # | Title | Type | Year | Episodes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Rurouni Kenshin Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan 44.7% filler — see what to skip Watch on Netflix Bilibili TV +1 | TV | 1996 | 94 |
| 2 |  | Rurouni Kenshin: Review Special | SPECIAL | 1997 | 1 |
| 3 |  | Rurouni Kenshin: Special Techniques | SPECIAL | 1997 | 1 |
| 4 |  | Rurouni Kenshin The Movie Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Ishinshishi e no Requiem Watch on Bilibili TV | MOVIE | 1997 | 1 |
| 5 |  | Samurai X Special Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Rurou no Saihate - Hi to Ruri no Kizuna wa Shiosai no Uchi ni | OVA | 1998 | 1 |
| 6 | | Rurouni Kenshin OVA: Trust & Betrayal (Tsuioku-hen) Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Tsuioku-hen Watch on Bilibili TV | OVA | 1999 | 4 |
| 7 |  | Rurouni Kenshin OVA: Reflection (Seiso-hen) Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Seisou-hen Watch on Bilibili TV WeTV | OVA | 2001 | 2 |
| 8 |  | Samurai X DVD-BOX Special Ending Rurouni Kenshin DVD-BOX Special Ending | SPECIAL | 2007 | 1 |
| 9 |  | Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Shin Kyoto-hen Watch on Hulu | OVA | 2011 | 2 |
| 10 |  | Rurouni Kenshin (2023) Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan (2023) Watch on Crunchyroll Netflix +1 | TV | 2023 | 24 |
| 11 |  | Rurouni Kenshin -Kyoto Disturbance- Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Kyoto Douran Watch on Crunchyroll | TV | 2024 | 23 |
| 12 |  | Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan 3rd Season | TV | — | — |
Where to watch Rurouni Kenshin
Bilibili TV carries the most of it, 4 of the 12 entries. Each link goes to the earliest entry that service carries, so you start at the beginning rather than wherever its search drops you.
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Streaming destinations as listed by AniList, checked September 26, 2026. Catalogues differ by country and change often — check the service for your own region.
Filler in Rurouni Kenshin
One series in this franchise has filler episodes worth skipping.
Where to start
Rurouni Kenshin (1996) is the earliest entry. Himura Kenshin is a vagabond with a dark past and sunny disposition. Not a ronin but a rurouni, he was never a samurai, but an assassin of utmost skill in the Meiji restoration, who in the turning point of the war simply walked away. His travels lead him to Tokyo in the 11th year of the Meiji era, where he befriends a…
What to watch after Rurouni Kenshin
177 people who watched Rurouni Kenshin recommend Dororo as the next thing — more than any other title. These are votes cast by viewers on AniList, not genre matches:
More like this
Rurouni Kenshin is filed under 5 genres on this site. Each one lists every other franchise that shares it, with its watch order and filler figures.
Franchises sharing the most genres with Rurouni Kenshin — a rough match by subject, not the vote-ranked suggestions above.
Frequently asked
How many episodes of Rurouni Kenshin are there?
Rurouni Kenshin has 141 episodes across 4 TV series, plus 1 film, which are counted separately.
How many Rurouni Kenshin entries are there?
12 in total: 4 TV series, 1 film, and 7 OVAs and specials.
What order should I watch Rurouni Kenshin in?
Release order works for Rurouni Kenshin — start with Rurouni Kenshin (1996) and follow the table on this page.
Do I need to watch the Rurouni Kenshin films and OVAs?
Most films and OVAs in a long-running franchise are side stories that sit outside the main continuity. They can be watched at any point, or skipped entirely, without losing the thread of the main series.
Last refreshed August 13, 2026