'Kenshin Himura' to visit Manila in August

MANILA, Philippines - Kenshin Himura himself will visit Manila in August for the Asian premiere of the movie "Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno."

Takeru Satoh, playing Kenshin Himura, will fly to Manila with fellow actors Emi Takei and Munetaka Aoki and Director Keishi Otomo on August 6 for the red carpet premiere at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

“We are thrilled to bring director Keishi Otomo and castmembers Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei and Munetaka Aoki to Manila so they can personally thank and engage with the loyal fans of `Rurouni Kenshin.' The Philippines is a very important market for the franchise as proven by the outstanding box-office success in Manila of the first `Rurouni Kenshin' film in 2013” announced William Ireton, presidentand representative director of Warner Entertainment Japan Inc.

The "Rurouni Kenshin" main actors will also interact with fans and the media in a public press conference the following day, August 7, at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.

“Moviegoers in the Philippines have helped create a wave of anticipation and excitement for the `Rurouni Kenshin' sequels and the upcoming talent visit is a much welcome recognition of the fans' ardent support,” said Francis Soliven, general manager of Warner Bros. Philippines.

“Kyoto Inferno” which bows across the Philippines on August 20 is the first of two sequels to the 2013 blockbuster “Rurouni Kenshin.” The second, titled “The Legend Ends,” opens on September 24.

Based on the Kyoto arc of the popular manga series written & illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki, the “Rurouni Kenshin” sequels follow the story of Kenshin Himura, a legendary swordsman in the wars accompanying the turbulent fall of Japan's Shogunate in the 19th century. Once feared as "Battosai the Killer," he has adopted a peaceful life since the arrival of the 'new age'.

But Makoto Shishio (Tatsuya Fujiwara), the 'Shadow Killer' and successor to Kenshin's position as the deadly assassin, has since then been scheming in the Kyoto underworld, raising an army of disaffected former samurais with the aim of overthrowing the new regime.

Agreeing to a request by the new government to defeat Shishio, Kenshin leaves his beloved ones in Tokyo and sets out for Kyoto. He and Shishio are a match in skill and in wits, but their aims are opposite. Can Kenshin preserve the nation without breaking his vow that he will kill no more...?

Takei plays the role of Kaoru Kamiya and Aoki plays Sanosuke Sagara.

The film also stars Kaito Oyagi (Yahiko Myojin), Yu Aoi (Megumi Takani), Yosuke Eguchi (Hajime Saito), Min Tanaka (Nenji Kashiwazaki), Tao Tsuchiya (Misao Makimachi), Ryunosuke Kamiki (Soujiro Seta) and  Maryjun Takahashi (Yumi Komagata).