Rurouni Kenshin episode 12: Release date and time, countdown, where to watch, and more

Rurouni Kenshin episode 12 is set to release on Friday, September 22, 2023, at 12:55 am JST. With Han’nya and Shikijo now defeated, all that remains in the Oniwabanshu arc is the incredibly exciting matchup between Kenshin Himura and Aoshi Shinomori, the Oniwabanshu’s leader.

Unsurprisingly, fans are desperate to learn what’s next for Kenshin and his group in the 2023 readaptation of the world-famous manga series. Unfortunately, there's no verifiable spoiler information available for Rurouni Kenshin episode 12 at the time of this article’s writing. Fans do, however, have a confirmed release date and time for the much-anticipated episode.

Follow along as this article fully breaks down all currently available release information for Rurouni Kenshin episode 12, as well as speculates on what to expect from the episode.

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Rurouni Kenshin episode 12 will see Aoshi and Kenshin duel while Yahiko looks for Megumi, deals with Takeda

Release date and time, where to watch

Rurouni Kenshin episode 12 is set to begin airing on local Japanese networks at 12:55 am JST on Friday, September 22, 2023. For the majority of international fans, this translates to a Thursday morning and evening local release window.

International audiences can stream the episode on Crunchyroll roughly one hour after it begins airing in Japan. While the delay is unfortunate, Crunchyroll is nevertheless the best way to watch and support the series legally, and possibly the only way to do so via streaming, depending on the specific region.

Rurouni Kenshin episode 12 is set to become available on Crunchyroll at the following times in the corresponding time zones:

• Pacific Standard Time: 8:55 am, Thursday, September 21
• Eastern Standard Time: 11:55 am, Thursday, September 21
• Greenwich Mean Time: 3:55 pm, Thursday, September 21
• Central European Time: 4:55 pm, Thursday, September 21
• Indian Standard Time: 9:25 pm, Thursday, September 21
• Philippine Standard Time: 11:55 pm, Thursday, September 21
• Japanese Standard Time: 12:55 am, Friday, September 22
• Australia Central Standard Time: 2:25 am, Friday, September 22

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Episode 11 recap

Rurouni Kenshin episode 11 began with Team Kenshin realizing that Han’nya was wearing metal gauntlets beneath his gloves. Kenshin then began dodging his attacks but commented on how it seemed as though Han’nya’s arm was extending. It was revealed that this was an optical illusion due to the stripes on Han’nya’s sleeves, with Kenshin counterattacking once he realized the trick.

Han’nya then revealed his mutilated face, which he did to himself in order to be of maximum service to Aoshi and the Oniwabanshu as a spy. Kenshin defeated him quickly after, resulting in the group discovering their next opponent, Shikijo. Sanosuke Sagara urged Kenshin and Yahiko Myojin onward, while he stayed behind to fight Shikijo. Like Han’nya, Shikijo also got some brief backstory here as he overpowered Sanosuke.

However, the former underground fighter was eventually able to create some offense, first by breaking the tool Shikijo used as a weapon. He then caught two of his punches and broke both of his hands before pushing him off the stairs and slamming him into the ground for the win. The episode ended with Yahiko and Kenshin running into Aoshi, who refused to stand aside despite Kenshin’s pleas for peace.

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What to expect (speculative)

With Aoshi seemingly being the only Oniwabanshu member left, Rurouni Kenshin episode 12 will almost certainly see Kenshin take him on one-on-one. While Yahiko is present, he’ll most likely be given an alternate role, likely to find Megumi or deal with Kanryu Takeda. In any case, Yahiko is unlikely to be directly involved with or even present for Aoshi and Kenshin’s duel.

While Rurouni Kenshin episode 12 should predominantly focus on this duel, the episode will also individually focus on Yahiko, Takeda, and Megumi. This should have the effect of the former two sharing their opinions on the duel while Megumi reflects on what brought her to this point. Fans should also expect some brief backstory for Aoshi in the coming episode, at least as teased.

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Be sure to keep up with all Rurouni Kenshin anime and manga news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.