The typical high-performance shaft induction system will run either way because the induction opens early, to give the crankcase time to fill when the engine is going fast. But they don't run at all well in reverse.
One of the compromises that "sport" engines like the LA series makes is to make the induction open later. This makes it much easier to hand-start the engine and have it go forward, but it limits the top speed.
You could make a rotary induction engine run equally well in forward or reverse, by placing the induction hole (or disk or drum) so that it opens equally on both sides of top dead center -- but if you did that, you may as well use piston timing.