Sony Pictures Television International produced its own English dub of the series, releasing it as Samurai X in Southeast Asia.

The series was aired in the United States on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block in 2003, only broadcasting the first 62 episodes.

A second anime television series adaptation by Liden Films premiered in 2023 on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block.

Watsuki criticized the timing, the "off-the-wall, embarrassing subtitles," and the condensing of the stories; for instance, he felt the Jin-e storyline would not sufficiently fit two episodes.

Watsuki added that it was obvious that the staff of the first season "put their hearts and souls" into the work, but that the second series will be "a much better stage for their talents.

Richard Hayworth was eventually selected for the role, giving Kenshin's character a more masculine voice in the English adaptation.

Clark Cheng, Media Blasters dub script writer, said that localizing Kenshin's unusual speech was a difficult process.

When writing Sanosuke's dialogue, Clark Cheng, the writer of the English dub script, noted that the character was smarter than he would have liked in the first few episodes, so Cheng tried slowly to change the character's dialogue to make Sanosuke seem less intelligent so he would be more similar to the equivalent in the Japanese version of the series.

[21][22] Sony Pictures Television International produced its own English dub of the series, and released it under the name Samurai X in Southeast Asia.

[32][33] Media Blasters produced an English dub at Bang Zoom!, and 22 DVDs were released from July 25, 2000, to September 24, 2002.

[60] All soundtrack albums, including OVAs and films, tracks were collected in Rurouni Kenshin Complete CD-Box, released on September 19, 2002.

[64] A four-episode original video animation (OVA), titled Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal, which served as a prequel to the series, was released in 1999.

[74] Rurouni Kenshin was also a finalist in the American Anime Awards in the category "Long Series" but lost against Fullmetal Alchemist.

However, he also criticized that during the first episodes the fights never get quite interesting as it becomes a bit predictable that Kenshin is going to win as the music of moments of victory is repeated many times.

[79] However, Mark A. Grey from the same site mentioned that all those negatives points disappear during the Kyoto arc due to amazing fights and a great soundtrack.

[81] Anime News Network acclaimed both Shishio's characterization in regards to what he represents to Kenshin's past: "a merciless killer who believes his sword to be the only justice in the land.

[37] Robin Brenner from Library Journal noted that despite its pacifist messages, Rurouni Kenshin was too violent, recommending it to older audiences.

[85] In the making of the 2019 anime series Dororo, Kazuhiro Furuhashi was selected as its director mainly due to his experience directing Rurouni Kenshin.