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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 

RUROUNI KENSHIN is set in the Meiji Era, which began in 1868. It was a time of great change and great uncertainty for Japan. The political and economic events of the era play an important part in the KENSHIN story. 

THE DEMISE OF THE TOKUGAWA SHOGUNATE 

Before the Meiji Restoration, which gave rise to the Meiji Era, Japan had been ruled by the Shogun for over two hundred years. After the Battle of Sekigahara, conveniently held in 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu unified Japan and declared himself Shogun, the ruler of the nation. The Emperor was retained, but his power and status were merely symbolic.  
The government system Tokugawa installed was essentially a blanket over the existing local government. Local lords, called daimyos, could do as they pleased, as long as they conformed to the Shogunate's policies and wishes. This loose system of government was obviously not ideal, and after some two hundred years, the foundation for the Shogunate had become unstable.  

At the beginning of the Tokugawa period (1600-1858), there were essentially three classes in Japan's hierarchy: nobles, samurai, and peasants. The nobles made the rules, samurai enforced them, and the peasants followed them. However, the peasants were also responsible for producing enough food to feed all three classes. Taxes were paid in rice, and from the taxes paid to the local daimyo, he gave stipends to the samurai under his command. It was a fragile agrarian-based economy that could only endure for so long. 
Later in the Tokugawa period comes the rise of the "fourth class," the merchants. Merchants were looked down upon because they didn't contribute or produce anything; they merely made money off the work of others. However, despite the disdain from the other classes, the merchants had products that were in demand. 

And this increased demand lead to an increase in currency, but there is only so much rice one can grow. Daimyo started taking taxes years in advance to attempt to retain a positive cash flow, but in the end, this strategy proved unsuccessful. But the hardest hit by all of this was the Samurai. Since they only had a fixed income upon which to live, they often found themselves indebted to the merchants, which of course weakened their position. 

So when Commodore Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay and demanded Japan open up trade relations, Japan had a very unhappy peasant base, an indebted and nearly powerless samurai class, and a government that could hardly support its own weight. The merchants were the ones quietly holding much of the power. As a result, the government knew that they could not refuse the United States. 

THE MEIJI RESTORATION 

However, many argue that it was this very act that prompted the beginning of the revolution. People saw their government as weak, since they did not refuse the United States. Still others were afraid that renewed contact with the outside world would have disastrous results. The Ishin movement was born from these concerns, and it wanted to take back to a more "refined" time in Japan's past. Their motto was "Sonno Joi" ("Revere the Emperor and expel the barbarians!"), and that is what they planned to do. But they only got as far as the first part. The Ishin movement (of which Kenshin and Shishio were both a part) claimed its legitimacy through the Emperor, and restored him to the throne. 
The Shogun could do little to stop them, as the government was a shambles. After taking the reins, however, the Meiji officials decided that modernizing Japan was the best way to go. After all, Imperialism was running rampant in Asia, and Japan did not want to become a colony of a European nation. So they decided the best way to compete was to play their game on their terms. This move shocked and dismayed many who had once supported the Ishin movement. After all, the whole idea behind restoring the Emperor was to return Japan to a more golden time. But it was not to be. Japan, as a nation, was confused. A few political leaders steered Japan towards modernization and dragged the nation, kicking and screaming, into the Industrial Age. 

The Meiji Era also marked the elimination of the samurai class. With no feudal lords to serve anymore, many of the samurai joined the army or local law enforcement offices, just as Saito did. Others attempted to become bureaucrats in the newly-formed government. They were also forbidden to carry swords anymore, something they had done since before the Tokugawa period. In one of the early episodes, the Meiji police warn Kenshin that it is illegal for him to carry a sword. Without a doubt, since their income had suddenly dried up and they were suddenly displaced, there was cause for much dissension. 
The politics of the Meiji Restoration are felt in Kenshin, but serve as background rather than as the main story. Many of the actions of the characters are motivated by what the Meiji government or its officials have done to them in the past. 

Kenshin is no longer fighting for the Ishin, but for himself. He does not want to fight at all, and will only do so to defend himself or those he cares about. 
He is no longer interested in the political power struggles and squabbles that were once a part of his past. Yet for a while he is plagued both by those who would have him join the Meiji government and by those who would exact their revenge for his past actions. Sometimes it seems that Kenshin will never find peace in Meiji Japan. 

Saito is a different story. Since his days as part of the Shinsengumi, he has followed the credo of "San Zoku An" ("Destroy Evil Instantly".) It is this credo that allows him to justify changing sides after the Restoration and joining the Meiji police force. After all, he will still be allowed to carry out his quest for eliminating evil. It is this ideal that brings him first to Kenshin as an enemy, and later as an ally. In his case, politics is second to his particular brand of morality; they are a means to an end. 

As a child, Sanosuke saw his squad leader and mentor brutally executed by the Meiji officials when his group was no longer of any use to them. As a result, he despises the Meiji government and what it stands for. Before Kenshin and Kaoru change his mind, he is obsessed with vengeance against those who dishonored his squad and killed his friend. 
The character most personally affected by the Meiji government is, naturally, Shishio. As Kenshin's successor to the title of Hitokiri, he was invaluable to them while the battles raged. However, after establishing the legitimate government, the leaders decided that Shishio knew too much; his knowledge was dangerous and could destroy the Meiji government while it was still in its infancy. So they arranged to have Shishio wounded and set on fire. Shishio harbors an intense hatred for the Meiji government because of this (and who wouldn't?). He views those in power as liars who are unfit to rule, just as many did at the time, but his reasons are much more personal. He becomes willing to sacrifice any and everything to get the power he feels he deserves. 

THE MANGA 

The manga began running in WEEKLY JUMP in 1994. It was the first published continuing series of author Watsuki Nobuhiro. According to Watsuki, the story was only supposed to run for ten issues of JUMP, resulting in a series of approximately three or four volumes. However, it was obviously more successful than that, as there are currently 23 volumes of tankuobon available to date. 

KENSHIN came to be when Watsuki decided that he wanted to do a fantasy-type manga. After some consideration, he chose to set his manga in the Meiji era, partially because he was inspired by historical novels he was reading at the time. When he was planning the manga to be only a ten-installment series, he decided to use the eleventh year of the Meiji Period because things were less tumultuous. Before then, there was too much going on, too much background that would be required to tell a good story, he believed. 
However, there is still plenty of historical background that comes to play in RUROUNI KENSHIN, which is perhaps one of the reasons that the series continues its run. After all, there were a lot of political factions at the time, and the transition from an isolationist feudal nation to a fully-modern industrial power was not an easy one. 

THE ANIME 

The television series can be divided into two parts. The Tokyo Chapter introduces Kenshin and the rest of the main characters who will come to call the Kamiya doujo home. After these characters become established, the show tells a variety of individual stories; there is not a unifying plot thread throughout the episodes. Many of these stories are not found in the manga. 

The Kyoto Chapter begins when Kenshin departs for Kyoto to prevent Shishio from overthrowing the Meiji government. A marked change in the series occurs as Kenshin leaves behind his friends and adopted family in Kyoto. He refuses their help and their company, partly because they will only be a hindrance to him, but also because he does not want them involved in what he knows he must do. A somber Kenshin makes his way to Kyoto, dreading what he knows in his heart he must do. He must become the Hitokiri again. Of course, Kaoru and the others don't sit idly by and eventually they join him in Kyoto. The Kyoto chapter is much more faithful to the manga. 

The television series ran 94 episodes (95, if counting the "unaired last episode"), a remarkable run when considering that the average length of an anime television series is currently 26 episodes and shrinking. For Kenshin to have run three times the length of the normal animated series is certainly proof of its popularity in Japan. 

The movie REQUIEM FOR THE ISHIN SHISHI was released in theaters in 1997 and borrows again from the historical events. After the establishment of the Meiji government, some people began to see that the new government was as corrupt as the old one. There were several revolts in an attempt to oust the Meiji officials. In REQUIEM, Shigure is one of those who believes the government to be corrupt. He organizes a revolt, but it is put down. Once again, betrayal from within the Meiji government leads to the downfall of a character in RUROUNI KENSHIN. 

The OVAs have just begun, and will continue the story from the end of the television series. The OVAs are being called the "Reminiscence Chapter," and the first volume should be released by the time this article is published. There are four volumes in the OVA series. 
The anime, like the manga, manages to be both serious and funny. At times, the anime is very serious, usually when Kenshin is fighting or trying to avoid a fight. But humor presents itself during the more mundane events of everyday life. One such area is of course when Kenshin and Kaoru get into an argument. The anime manages to show a humorous side to the characters and their life in the Meiji era. Without such periods away from the overwhelming seriousness of the story, the series would surely become tired. The humorous moments always provide a laugh and keep the series from becoming stale. 
Since the manga is still being serialized in JUMP, it is doubtful that the OVAs will be the finale of the series. While the "Reminiscence Chapter" may be the last animated KENSHIN, the story will no doubt continue on to its true end in the manga.