Rurouni Kenshin: Strongest Characters In The Series, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Rurouni Kenshin
  is an anime series set in the Meiji era of Japan, following the story of Himura Kenshin, a former assassin turned wandering samurai.
• The series features a range of strong and formidable characters, such as Hiko Seijuro and Shishio Makoto, who are widely feared and possess immense combat abilities.
• Kenshin himself is one of the strongest characters in the series, known for his exceptional swordsmanship skills, agility, speed, and unique fighting style with the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu technique.

Rurouni Kenshin is an anime series set in Japan during the Meiji era. The story follows Himura Kenshin, a former assassin who went by the name Hitokiri Battosai. Now, Kenshin has vowed never to kill again and wanders the country as a Rurouni (a wandering samurai). Along the way, Kenshin meets a variety of characters, both friends and foes, and becomes embroiled in various conflicts and battles.

From the legendary Hiko Seijuro to the cunning and intelligent Shishio Makoto in the Rurouni Kenshin series, various characters have proven themselves capable warriors, but only a few stand out as the best.

Updated October 29, 2024, by Oluwatokiloba Folami:With its reanimation, the Rurouni Kenshin anime series has re-portrayed various battles from the past that fans love. However, said battles are now drastically better than fans remember them. Whether it be Hiko Seijuro’s undisputed strength or Myojin Yahiko’s journey to become stronger, the strongest characters in the series have left their mark, although, some more than others. Seeing the Rurouni Kenshin’s strongest through this new lens, fans get to witness the power of various warriors and sword masters, experiencing techniques that were scarcely noticed during the series’ original run. This fresh perspective allows various fans to reconsider the strength of various characters, but some characters remain indisputably among the most powerful.

16 Makimachi Misao

A Master Of The Oniwaban-Ryu Fighting Style

While a kunoichi, Misao retains the temperament of an adolescent girl and gives in to her emotions. Rather than stealthily try to attack an enemy, Misao would rather make her presence known, fighting more as a warrior than the kunoichi she’s supposed to be. Despite her shortcomings, Misao can hold her own in a fight as she’s a master of the Oniwaban-Ryu fighting style alongside hand-to-hand combat and Kempo.

Like most kunoichi’s Misao primarily uses a kunai as her weapon of choice and utilizes it with various throwing techniques. Initially, this female kunoichi left home to search for Shinomori Aoshi, someone she shared a brother-sister relationship with while growing up, but eventually ended up tagging alongside Himura Kenshin.

15 Myōjin Yahiko

From Pickpocketer To National Champion

Throughout the series, Myojin goes from being a child pickpocketer to a warrior. Starting off as a 10-year-old working for the Tanishi Yakuza by compulsion, Yahiko was eventually saved by Himura Kenshin and raised in the way of the sword, something he had always dreamed of due to his Samurai lineage.

Compared to characters like Kenshin, Enisu, and Seta Sojiro, Yahiko has a long way to go; however, he’s considered a child prodigy due to the relentless effort he put into Kenjutsu and the mastery he gained from it. After becoming a national champion-level swordsman at the age of 15, Yahiko is even able to catch blades and break them with his bare hands.

14 Okita Sōji

A Genius Who Succumbed To Illness

Among Rurouni Kenshin’s characters, Sōji might not have been the most portrayed, but in terms of strength, he was ranked similarly to Saito Hajime. Unfortunately, Okita had an illness that made him unable to show his full power, particularly for long periods of time, as he would begin to cough up blood during a battle.

While he ultimately died of illness, during his life, Okita was able to stand his own against Kenshin and was renowned as one of the best among the Shinsengumi, even becoming the first unit captain. Moreover, he also created his own sword move that involved a three-way thrust.

13 Yukyuzan Anji

From Buddhist Monk To Vengeful Juppongatana

As a former member of the Juppongatana, Anji is a powerful warrior that few could match. Despite his now-vengeful nature, Anji used to be a Buddhist monk. However, after the Meiji government took over, their anti-Buddhist ideals also took over, and Anji’s temple was burned to the ground alongside the five orphans that Anji had in his care. This made Anji decide that Buddha was unable to decide righteously who lives and who dies, and so he took matters into his own hands, avenging the orphans that were killed.

Anji would later go on to meet Shishio and join his Juppongatana. Anji mainly indulges in hand-to-hand combat, and with his muscular build, few can stand up to his blows. Anji also developed the killer technique ‘Futae no Kiwami,’ which he would later teach to Sagara Sanosuke.

12 Sawagejo Cho

The Ambitious Sword Hunter Of Rurouni Kenshin

Sawagejo Cho, also known as Cho the Sword Hunter, is a man who seeks to use all types of swords and consequently collects them. With his various swords, Cho has a bloodthirsty and arrogant demeanor, causing him to look down on many others. However, compared to the likes of Kenshin and Shishio, Cho stands no chance in battle. However, he is still stronger than the average individual.

Cho has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, although some of them may not be the most useful of techniques. Cho has been seen to particularly love swords made by Shakku Arai. And so, when Kenshin is stated to have the last of Shakku Arai’s swords, he quickly leaves to battle Kenshin, who promptly defeats him.

11 Fuji

A Towering Giant Of Destruction

Fuji is easily the largest character in the Rurouni Kenshin series. This giant of a man has incredible strength and durability, with only a few select warriors being able to face him. With his large sword, Fuji can easily decimate countless buildings, and few warriors would be able to defend against such an attack.

In the series, Fuji was initially portrayed as a mindless monster as he worked under Saizuchi, who saved his life countless years ago. Despite being mistreated and used for evil things, Fuji continued to obey and stay with Saizuchi as he believed he owed him. However, after facing and losing to Hiko Seijuro, Kenshin’s master, Fuji realized that he had garnered the respect of Seijuro, who then explained to him that there was no need for him to continue to remain with Saizuchi and he could turn on a new leaf.

10 Sagara Sanosuke

Kenshin’s Unbreakable Right-Hand Man

While Sagara Sanosuke may stand no chance against enemies like Udo Jin-e, Shishio, and Kenshin, his physical prowess puts him above various others. With his upright, brash, and thick-headed personality, Sanosuke serves as a dependable friend and ‘right arm’ for Kenshin.

Sanosuke’s battle prowess lies not in the use of a blade but in his sheer physical prowess. With strength capable of splitting trees with a punch and breaking down doors with a kick, few are a match for Sanosuke in terms of raw power, but even his strength might prove insufficient against various enemies.

9 Usui Uonuma

A Blind Warrior Improved By Defeat

As a former member of Shishio’s Juppongatana, Usui Uonuma was a violent and bloodthirsty person who saw killing as entertainment. Usui saw Shishio as a rival, but when they fought, Usui lost to Shishio, who blinded him. After losing his sight, Usui was deemed useless and discarded.

However, Usui learned to sense movements and emotions through hearing to make up for his blindness. In battle, Usui uses a short spear and a turtle carapace as a shield. As he developed himself as a warrior after his defeat at Shishio’s hands, Usui joined Shishio’s Juppongatana on the condition that he could attempt to kill Shishio at any time.

8 Shinomori Aoshi

The Cold And Calculated Leader Of The Oniwabanshu

The tall and lean Aoshi is the leader of the Oniwabanshu, an elite cadre of ninjas and assassins. Aoshi’s skills in combat, stealth, and reconnaissance are unmatched, and he uses them in tandem with his cold, calculating nature and intelligence to get what he wants.

As a grandmaster of the Oniwabanshu Ninja clan, Aoshi’s skills with a blade leave corpses in his wake. He also has great observational skills that help him deduce the most minute distances and sounds. With all his abilities, Aoshi seeks to become the strongest and challenges Kenshin to defeat his Battosai personality and earn the title of strongest.

7 Udo Jin-e

The Hitokiri Who Paralyzes His Prey

As a Hitokiri with a passion for killing, Jin-e murdered his allies and enemies alike during the war. He became bloodthirsty soon after and became a hired assassin for the fun of it. Jin-e possesses mastery over the Nikaido Heigo sword style and can effectively wield his sword in either hand, increasing his dexterity with a blade.

Despite his heightened agility, endurance, and physical strength, Jin-e’s most dangerous technique is his unique paralyzing terror technique. With this technique, Jin-e paralyzes and hypnotizes his opponents. He can even paralyze their lungs, making them suffocate and die.

6 Saito Hajime

The Justice-Driven Captain Of The Shinsengumi

Hajime Saito, the former captain of the Shinsengumi’s third unit, is an extremist who values justice above all else. He lives by the code of ‘Swift Death to Evil’ and is sent to fight Kenshin. Saito and Kenshin (then known as Hittokiri Battosai) have a history of clashing, and Saito has always considered him an enemy.

In Rurouni Kenshin, all of Saito’s battles against Kenshin have been inconclusive. His consistent battles portray him as being on par with Kenshin, but a winner has never been declared. Apart from his excellent swordsmanship skills, Saito is well-versed in various martial arts.

5 Seta Sojiro

A Warrior With Speed And Precision That Rival Hittokiri Battosai

Shishio’s right-hand man and the most skilled of Shishio’s Juppongatana, Sojiro, gives Kenshin a run for his money during their fight. Sojiro is usually seen with a smile and lacks an offensive aura, even during a fight.

His ‘emotionless’ state often makes it impossible for enemies to read him and anticipate his next attack. When Sojiro battled Kenshin, the latter had to break down his mental state before he could find an opening in Sojiro’s beautiful swordsmanship. Moreover, Sojiro’s speed rivals that of Kenshin’s, leaving him with very few weak spots in a fight.

4 Yukishiro Enishi

A Self-Taught Sword Genius

As the primary antagonist of the Jinchu Arc, Yukishiro Enishi is immensely vengeful. After his sister was accidentally killed by her then-husband, Kenshin, Enishi made it his life’s goal to end Kenshin and put him in a suffering hell as he (Enishi) went through.

Enishi is a highly skilled swordsman who specializes in Watojutsu, a self-taught sword technique. He combines it with various other forms of martial arts, increasing his battle prowess. Enishi also has a ‘Frienzied Nerves’ ability that allows him to increase strength, speed, and reaction time, albeit at a cost.

3 Makoto Shishio

The Successor To The Hitokiri Battosai

Makoto Shishio, the final boss of the Rurouni Kenshin Kyoto arc, developed an anti-government militia after an assassination attempt on him by the government failed. Shishio is extremely cold-blooded and ruthless. He believes the weak exist for the benefit of the strong and uses them to achieve his goals.

As one of the deadliest warriors to ever live, Shishio has enough power to support his grand and sadistic claims. Shishio is able to counter and neutralize an attack after seeing it once, and he was named the successor to the Hitokiri Battosai.

2 Himura Kenshin

Hitokiri Battosai Turn Defender Of Justice

Kenshin, the protagonist of the Rurouni Kenshin anime series, is considered one of the strongest characters in the series due to his exceptional swordsmanship skills, agility, and speed. He is a former assassin who has honed his abilities over years of experience.

Kenshin has a unique fighting style that combines speed and precision with his signature sword technique, the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. This technique allows him to execute incredibly fast and powerful strikes, making him a formidable opponent in battle. Moreover, Kenshin is known for his incredible physical strength, endurance, and resilience, which have helped him overcome many challenging situations throughout the series.

1 Hiko Seijuro

The Undisputed Strongest Of Rurouni Kenshin

Kenshin’s master, Hiko Seijuro, is the thirteenth successor to the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu sword art. While Hiko can come across as crude, hateful, and lazy, that does not dull his battle prowess in any way.

In combat, Hiko is vastly superior to Kenshin. Despite being in his early 40s, he looks like he is in his 20s. This is due to the immense training he does to keep his powerful musculature at its peak. His battle prowess is so outstanding that Nobuhiro Watsuki, the Rurouni Kenshin manga artist, has compared him to a joker in a deck of cards.