I only dared to speculate in my RK post last month, and I’ve been hoping for it for a decade, but we finally have news today that Rurouni Kenshin has a new anime project in the works.

It would hard to overstate how important RK is to my identity as a fan of anime and manga. Only an announcement of a “Moribito” continuation would have thrilled me more, and there’s nothing I’ve been waiting for longer. This is, in a word, huge.

In some ways, it’s not hugely surprising. RK is still very popular, both in Japan and the West. It had one of the most beloved segments of the manga out there hanging, never animated. Financially, this makes so much sense that it almost had to happen sooner or later – but it still had me on edge and dragged it out till the 15th anniversary of the anime to happen. I had hoped this anniversary and the release of the PSP game might be the impetus for a new anime project, but hope is not expectation. I’m over the moon.

Now obviously, there are huge questions surrounding this. While I can hardly imagine this not involving an animation of the Jinchu Arc in some fashion, we don’t know anything. Will this be a series (please!) or OVA? Will we just get the Jinchu Arc, or an FMA-styled retelling of the whole series? How many of the original cast will be back? Will DEEN return as studio, or will it go to someone else?

For now, answers are scarce – the announcement will be in Thursday’s Jump Square but details apparently will have to wait for a bit. I’ll be on pins & needles wondering about those details, but that sure beats being on them wondering if we were ever going to get new anime at all. For sure, this is one of the most exciting days I’ve had as an anime fan.