Growing up Rurouni Kenshin wasn't really one of my faves. I was pretty lukewarm about it, but it was on Toonami between shows I did like and everyone I knew liked it so I kind of tolerated it.
I'm watching the 2012 movie right now and I'm really enjoying it. It also kind of made me realize that part of why maybe I couldn't really get into the anime when I was younger was because I was still in a I'M GOING TO FIGHT EVERYONE and kind of FUCK YOU I HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXIST mode, which I think is why I was drawn more to things like Naruto, Bleach, Neon Genesis Evangelion, etc...at the time more than Rurouni Kenshin.
Like now that I'm older and my will to fight like an immature punk has kind of melted down if not completely away, that might be why I'm more open to its themes. I know what it's like to fight fight fight and just get tired of it, though I will admit that I never went to war so this is not the same kind of fighting, but you know what I mean? I'm less like Naruto now sine I'm no longer around a large population that strongly dislikes/hates me, so I just fell out of habit I guess. Like when I get anon hate now it's like plz I've heard this more than once to my face whereas when I was a teen it would have been like NO. I REJECT THIS.
I don't know. I'm not sure if that's the reason I'm more open to Kenshin now or if it was just a maturity thing.