Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen - Recommendations

VRDave says...

Hakkenden is probably one of the closest series to the Kenshin OVA you will find. It has very good action, plot, and character development, coupled with a dark story and plenty of violence.

Laone says...

Trust, loyalty, friendship, love and fate are all tested in both Samurai X and The Hakkenden. Both are stories based in feudal times, using of swords and hearts, yet both have a subtle way of telling grand stories without "leaving anything out." Rich in dialogue, emotionally impacting and visually interesting (often times disturbing), both offer a feeling of solidity. Being visually different, The Hakkenden adopts its own style of animation often varying itself and limited use of color which imo makes it as visually satisfying as Samurai X which uses crisp animation and the contrasting of color. The Hakkenden does have a larger character base in comparison to Samurai X, but the emphasis is only on a few, making character development for both fluid and effortless.

shalist says...

Both series feature kids who's parents were brutally murdered, and who became assassins because of it. And both deal with the character regaining a sense of humanity. Also, they've both got some decent fight/killing scenes, whether it's with guns are swords.

Rossko says...

Lots of violence and blood while still maintaining a very serious aspect of killing. Tragic story.

aldat says...

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust and Kenshin - Reminicense are beautifully drawn darkly romantic stories with a convenient amount of great looking action blended in. Plus they both have a tragic and legendaric main character with a dark past...enough to steal a heart of any anime fangirl ^__^

puolukankukka says...

Both the Kenshin OVA and VHD have a lonely rider theme, and the same kind of dark and romantic over-all feeling.

kaz says...

Samurai X embodies the darker side of Cowboy Bebop, retaining that sense of sheer style, though in an admittedly much different setting. If you like your samurai anime dark, violent, and stylish, this OVA works great.

bwing55543 says...

I recommend Bebop because, like RuroKen: Tsuiokuhen, it has a rather dark (but completely different) setting with plenty of mature content. If you liked Tsuiokuhen, you will most probably like Cowboy Bebop.

Iahel says...

Champloo and Kenshin are both samurai stories. Cruel and impressively realistic, these series show us fields of honour for every character. They meet their destiny with blade in their arms and love in their hearts. You'll also enjoy great love stories without verbiage and superfluous expressions.

dragonballk says...

Both Rurouini Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen and Samurai Champloo take place in roughly the same time period, both feature skilled swordsman, and both have decent stories. Don't expect the same comedy aspect or happy ending from Kenshin that we get from Samurai Champloo. 

yvonniewaj says...

Graphic violence and amount of blood are on even levels. They are both tragic to some extent. Kenshin and Lucy are both skilled fighters and merciless killers, and have alter egos.

Sangokagome says...

Elfen Lied is a must see for fans of Tsuiokuhen. Both series are filled with gorey scenes with the camera being drenched in red, along with romance to add that special spice to the story. It really is worth taking a look at!

Sangokagome says...

If the sword fighting was your favorite aspect of Kenshin, then you'll love the swords used in Claymore. Both of these anime have a dark feel to them, and they involve plenty of violence in each episode. Be sure to give it a shot.

LovelyOne says...

Both of these series have a lead character that holds their feelings back, even though so much is happening to them.  Although there isn't any romance in claymore, you will really learn to feel for claire they way you do for Kenshin.  It's the classic story of a lone warrior finding companionship.  Plus, the fighting, storyline, and character development is amazing.  These two anime have a lot in common, but intense action scenes are where they are most similar.  This is a must watch for any fan of Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen. 

Uriel1988 says...

Both anime are dark, tragic tales revolving around warriors who find themselves struggling to abandon compassion in order to become more efficient fighters while at the same time clutching onto the few people they still love. The protagonists in both anime also end up having to face a dilemma in which they have to choose between duty and love. Finally, both anime serve as preludes to series that end up being much more lighthearted in tone than what you saw in said preludes.

Szwagier says...

Both animes are made as a prequels to the events occuring in the corresponding mangas (Ga-Rei for Ga-rei zero, and Rurouni Kenshin for Rurouni Kenshin:Tsuiokuhen ). Both suprisingly exceed the mangas.

In both animes there is an immature (in one way or another) main character that have to grow up at one point due to loss of an important person. Also in both shows main character have to deal with betrayal of someone close to him.

NekoRocket says...

The darker feel of the first Rurouni Kenshin OVA puts me in mind of the them of Noir. Basically, you have young people trained as assassins with no knowledge of what it's like to be a normal kid. Both of these anime series number among my list of favorites, and if you enjoy dark anime about revenge and retribution, than these are right up your alley.

sothis says...

If you like the gore factor, here's another good one. Much more crude, with a ridiculous storyline, and lots of sex and violence. Still, it will appeal to the almost hilarious gore fans out there.