Day 3 of Anime Expo 2023 started out with a bang for attendees interested in the U.S. premiere of Rurouni Kenshin. Not only were fans treated to the first adaptive episode of a beloved anime series but also graced by the presence of the producer Masami Niwa, Kenshin Himura’s voice actor Soma Saito, and Kaoru Kamiya’s voice actress Rie Takahashi. All in all, the experience was memorable in more ways than one.

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This was Saito’s first visit to Los Angeles who greeted the crowd with a “hello”. Takahashi also expressed her excitement and how “happy” she was to be there. When asked how they felt to be in front of the American fans, Saito iterated how “amazing” it was whereas Takahashi showed how “happy” she was for receiving a lot of the fans’ smiles. Niwa pointed out that it had been five years since his last visit and that it was an honor to be with the other two guests that day.

Although the visit to America was in part to promote the series adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin, the guests also found time for personal endeavors around L.A. County. Saito, who is into music, bought a guitar and had the opportunity to catch one of Shohei Ohtani's home runs (Shohei Ohtani is a Japanese professional player for the Los Angeles Angels). Takahashi, on the other hand, visited a lot of vintage stores and did some shopping.

Getting back to the series adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin, however, there was plenty to talk about. Saito and Takahashi were both asked to describe their mindset upon confirmation of receiving their respective role on the show. Saito pointed out how big of a fan he was of Kenshin from the old series. Because of that, he felt a great responsibility to voice the character. Takahashi, on the contrary, indicated that it was a “big surprise” when her manager gave her the news. She humorously pointed out that she thought her manager was going to quit on her, hence, leading to her surprised state.

Regarding how they prepared for their role, Saito said that his preparation involved reading old volumes of the series in order to project Kenshin into an anime setting. Takahashi added on by describing Kaoru (the character she plays) as someone who is strong and feminine - such a recognition allowed her to put everything into acting.

Given how invested Saito and Takahashi were in each of their characters, they were given the opportunity to share what Kenshin, as a series, meant to them and what they thought about the U.S. premiere. Saito was excited to impart something to the fans who watched and he got goosebumps when he saw Kenshin moving on the screen. Takahashi added how she could not wait for what happens next despite already knowing some of the content.

One of the most interesting junctures of the panel discussion was when Niwa (the producer) was asked to explain the state of Japan during the era that Kenshin took place. The knowledge he shared helped set the stage for those interested in the history of Japan and how the series revolved around it. Niwa indicated that Bakumatsu was a huge turning point in Japan which it was a transitional period from the shogun government to the Meiji period. The Meiji period, as Niwa explained, outlawed carrying swords which led to the end of the samurai age. Despite that, Kenshin sided with the Meiji Party during this transitional period. Their party ended up winning in the end. As a side note, Niwa encouraged those who were interested in Japanese history to go seek knowledge online.

When talking about the first episode, Takahashi was asked what her favorite moment was. She acknowledged it was the first encounter between Kenshin and Kaoru because it set the stage for the series. Both Saito and Takahashi also commented on the opening theme song (“Hiten” by Ayase & R-Shitei) and the ending theme song (“Edge” by Reol). Saito considered the songs to be huge moments because of his musical endeavors. Takahashi took it a step further by indicating that the tempo of the opening theme personally reminded her of the spring season whereas the ending theme gave her a walking sensation.

As the panel headed toward its conclusion, a video was played where Makoto Koichi (voice of Myojin Yahiko) and Taku Yashiro (voice of Sagara Sanosuke) delivered a special message to the fans in attendance. They expressed how much they would have liked to be there with the crowd given their excitement about the Kenshin series.

Rounding out the panel, Niwa expressed his nervousness about bringing Kenshin to the present day; however, hearing the attendees’ applause gave him hope. Saito added on by thanking the attendees for joining them that day and expressed that life is a journey - Kenshin is a samurai on a journey and that it has just begun. Takahashi pointed out that many individuals from the show wanted to come to L.A. but could not make the trip. Despite this, the team was going to continue working hard so she asked everyone to continue to support them.

The panel concluded with the guests sounding off with a “Rurouni” followed by a reverberating “Kenshin” from the crowd.