Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story — The Hokkaido Arc (るろうに剣心 ─明治剣客浪漫譚・北海道編─ Rurōni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Roman Tan Hokkaidō-hen) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki with his wife, Kaoru Kurosaki credited as story consultant. It is a direct sequel to the first Rurouni Kenshin manga following Himura Kenshin and his friends in 1883 Japan as they traverse Hokkaido in search of his father-in-law.
It has been serialized monthly in Jump Square since September 4, 2017 with its tankōbon volumes by its publisher Shueisha. Viz Media released the series digitally in Weekly Shonen Jump simultaneously as it ran in Japan until November 2017. Alongside the releases of the Hokkaido chapters, is an ongoing parallel series of short novel entries titled Rurouni Kenshin: Tales of Kamiya Dojo, which is written by Nobuhiro Watsuki's wife, Kaoru Kurosaki. These short stories depict the misadventures and daily activities of Kenshin and his friends following the ending of the original series and leading to the beginning of the Hokkaido arc.
Before the official serialization, Watsuki began a two-chapter prequel spin-off titled Rurouni Kenshin Side Story: The Ex-Con Ashitaro (-るろうに剣心・異聞- 明日郎 前科アリ Rurouni Kenshin Ibun: Ashitarō Zenka Ari) in the December 2016 issue of the monthly Jump Square on November 4, 2016.
Summary[]
Following the events after of the previous series, Himura Kenshin resumes his peaceful life, having married Kamiya Kaoru, become a father to Himura Kenji, but continues to fight for those in need despite his deteriorating body. Regaining its former prosperity, the Kamiya Dōjō gains 3 new live-in students; former juveniles Inoue Alan and Hasegawa Ashitarō, a former member of Shishio Makoto's latter faction, and Kubota Asahi, a member of the Yaminobu. Apparently before Asahi's joining, the Yaminobu accidentally leave behind a recent photograph taken in Hokkaido of Kaoru's father, Kamiya Koshijiro, who was thought to have died in the Seinan War. After reacquiring his Sakabatō from Myōjin Yahiko, Kenshin and his family, along with the new residents of Kamiya Dojo head off to Hokkaido. Along the way, they reunite with old friends and former foes when a new enemy group called the Kenkaku Heiki start to wreak havoc throughout Japan in order to gain battle experience to protect the country from foreign threats, making the Kamiya Dojo's goal more entangled in the crossfire.
Volumes[]
Chapters not yet in tankōbon format[]
- Act 57. Itekura's Battle Style (イテクラの戦い方 Itekura no tatakai-kata)
- Act 58. Itekura in the Snowy Scenery (雪景色のイテクラ Yukigeshiki no itekura)
- Act 59. Outclassed (優れた Sugureta)
- Act 60. Various Fighting Forms (多彩な戦闘形態 Tasaina sentō keitai)