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Funimation Acquires Live-Action Rurouni Kenshin Films
posted on by Karen Ressler
Funimation Films announced on Tuesday that it has licensed the three live-action Rurouni Kenshin films: Rurouni Kenshin: Origins, Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno, and Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends. The license covers North American theatrical, home video, video on demand, and broadcast distribution.
The company plans to release all three films Japanese with English subtitles in theaters in the United States. Rurouni Kenshin: Origins will open from August 8-10, Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno will open from September 12-14, and Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends will open from October 3-5.
The first live-action Rurouni Kenshin film opened in 2012 in Japan, while the sequels opened in August and September 2014. The films collectively grossed more that US$160 million internationally. The first two films were screened at L.A. EigaFest in 2012 and 2014, respectively.
The films adapt Nobuhiro Watsuki's manga, which ran from 1994 to 1999 in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. An anime series aired in Japan from 1996 to 1998 and spawned several anime film and video projects. Viz Media publishes both manga in North America, while Media Blasters released the television anime. ADV Films released two later original video anime projects and a film on DVD, and Aniplex released these three titles on Blu-ray Disc. Sentai Filmworks released the two more recent video anime series on Blu-ray Disc and DVD.
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