Mythology Gag / Rurouni Kenshin

Here are the Mythology Gags present in the Rurouni Kenshin franchise.

Rurouni Kenshin TV Anime (1996-1998)

• Kaoru Kamiya is herself the evolved version of Chizuru Raikouji, the original Damsel in Distress Kenshin met in the first oneshot version of RuroKen.
  • Yahiko and Kaoru are strangers in the main Rurouken manga story, but they retain their sibling relationship that began during the second oneshot version of RuroKen, the one where they're actually brother and sister.
• Casting Takarazuka Revue actress Mayo Suzukaze as Kenshin references the superb performance that Kenshin's drama CD voice actress, Megumi Ogata, delivered. Only Mayo, with her background, could replicate the soulful delivery of Kurama's voice actress.
• Tae Sekihara's personality originates from Megumi Kamiya (Kaoru's sister) in Watsuki's second RuroKen story, who in turn shares a first name with Megumi Takani.^note Watsuki originally created Tae as a plot convenience during Sanosuke's first appearance and he intended for Kaoru to patronize a restaurant operated by "a good friend."
• The Jinpuu Tai and its captain Tomo Sakaki seem like a mix between the corrupt officers led by Officer Ujiki and the political assassin Kurogasa.
• Watsuki also considered turning the masked Hannya into a woman pretending to be a man, which probably led to the creation of the anime-only character Shura.
• Misao Makimachi is an Expy of Kaoru Kamiya born out of the need to give Kenshin company during the Darker and Edgier Kyoto Arc. The fact that Kaoru's drama CD voice actress, Tomo Sakurai, was cast as Misao in the 1996 TV anime is therefore a Mythology Gag. Misao also doubles as a female Yahiko too, so she's basically a mix between Yahiko and Kaoru.
• The kabuki-like Fake Battousai of the third season of the first anime is a Mythology Gag referencing the first villain of the first arc of the manga and 1996 anime, only this time this particuliar imposter is a good man who's not a Glory Hound but instead does his impersonation scam to support orphans under his care and would do anything to protect them.
• In the Feng Shui Arc of the 1996 anime, two of the characters there are Expies of previous historical characters. Jinpuu of the Wind Clan looks like the series' rendition of Kogoro Katsura, while Reisui of the Water Clan looks like Shinsaku Takasugi instead. Jinpuu also recycles his name from the Jinpuu Tai filler villains.

Rurouni Kenshin: Requiem for the Ishin Patriots (1997)

• In the first RuroKen animated film from 1997, Takimi Shigure's gimmick is that he uses a metal scabbard as part of his swordsmanship technique. This is both a Shout-Out to and a Mythology Gag from the original manga.
  • Shigure also uses friction from his scabbard to create flames by igniting nearby leaves and other flammable material, kind of like how Shishio would with his Homura Dama technique and his Flaming Sword, the Mugenjin.

Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection (2001-2002)

• In the 1997 anime film, Gentatsu Takatsuki—a veteran samurai who fought on the side of the bakufu under the Aizu Clan—is voiced by Nozomu Sasaki. In turn, Nozomu also ended up voicing the Enishi Yukishiro in the Reflection OVA.
• At the very end of the Reflection OVA, Kenji ends up with a girl named Chizuru. Originally, she appeared in one of Watsuki's RuroKen pilots as a Damsel in Distress that Kenshin saves.

Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc (2011-2012)

• In the New Kyoto Arc OVA, Shishio killing Usui is a shout-out to their relationship in the original manga and 1996 anime. This has also resulted in a controversial domino effect series of events, culminating to the "pacifistic" Kenshin's Kuzu Ryu Sen splitting Shishio's head in half.^note Here's what happened. Without Usui to injure him, the perfectly healthy Saito was able to perfectly land his Gatotsu Zeroshiki on Shishio's head. Shishio was seemingly still able to take the full brunt of the attack thanks to his protective metal plate helmet, but by the time he faced off against his ultimate rival Kenshin, he soon realized he was more injured than he thought. Kenshin then defeats Shishio inside the Rengoku warship instead of on his stronghold at Mt. Hiei, all because Shishio decided to off the annoyance.

Rurouni Kenshin Film Series (2012-2021)

• There are two Inuis (blood-related) in the cinematic version of Rurouni Kenshin due to the first film using one of them—Banjin Inui (as portrayed by Genki Sudo)—as a substitute for the absent Tokyo Oniwabanshu.
  • Tenmon Inui (as portrayed by Joey Iwanaga) ends up fighting Saito in the final film of the series while Misao (as Aoshi's proxy) takes down Mumyoi Yatsume instead. This is a reference to how they've exchanged rivals from the source material.
• Aoshi Shinomori beating Sanosuke Sagara from pillar to post in the sequel is a reference to how he did a knockout kenpo chop to Sano in the 1996 anime that wasn't present in the manga. So they went from never fighting in the manga to Sano getting curb-stomped in the film series.

Rurouni Kenshin TV Anime (2023-Present)

• The Rurouni Kenshin TV anime remake trailer by Liden Films showcased Kenshin doing a sweeping leg move not found in the manga or the original anime, but used in the film series.
  • Furthermore, the fact that Kenshin is now unambiguously voiced by a guy instead of a girl like in the RuroKen film series as well.
• The 2023 anime's opening "Hiten" features a few references to the 1996 anime. Kenshin's color palette briefly resembles his color palette from the 1996 anime, most notably his gi being magenta rather than red.
  • One shot has Kenshin sitting down before standing up with the Sakabatou used as a support, just like how the 1996 anime's first opening "Sobakasu" starts.
  • Finally, "Hiten", much like "Sobakasu", ends with Kenshin returning home to the Kamiya Dojo with the cherry blossoms in bloom.
• In episode 2 of the Rurouni Kenshin reboot, several filler episodes and anime original characters have cameos, like Ayame and Suzume as well as Toramaru the sumo wrestler.
• In the preview for episode 7 of the 2023 anime, the first title mentioned by Kaoru, "Samurai X: Harakiri Revolution", references the various uses of the series' Market-Based Title, Samurai X, outside of Japan. The second title, "Legendary Beautiful Swordmaster Appears Named Dosukoi Battousai"^note "Densetsu no Bikensha" is a reference to the title of the first episode of the 1996 anime, "The Handsome Swordsman of Legend: A Man who Fights for Love"^note "Densetsu no Bikenshi".
• In the 1996 anime, Kenshin uses a regular wooden scabbard. However, in the manga and the 2023 anime (as seen in the first duel between Kenshin and Aoshi), Kenshin instead puts his sword inside an iron sheath, just like Shigure Takimi in the anime film.
• The unnamed doctor in the manga is named Oguni Gensai in the 1996 anime and had an extended role there. In episode 13 of the 2023 anime, he's also named Dr. Gensai as an homage to his 1996 anime incarnation.