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Ruroni Kenshin: A Review by Shad |
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One of the most popular series to be licensed in the U.S. is Ruroni Kenshi (also known to some as Samurai X, a title that you shall never hear me repeat again). However, there are still many anime fans out there who have never seen the series, and a few who have never known of its existence. Being a huge fan myself, I eventually bought the entire series. But in addition to the popular television series, there are also several Original Video Animations and a feature-length movie. I will start with the television series, and then cover the OVA’s and the movie later on in this review (scroll down to find more). For anyone who is interested in knowing more about the saga, as well as my own opinion on the strengths and weaknesses of each installment, continue on and enjoy my review of the complete collection of Ruroni Kenshin.
TV Season 1
TV Season 2
TV Season 3
Ruroni Kenshin The Movie
Ruroni Kenshin OVA (Trust & Betrayal)
Ruroni Kenshin 2nd OVA: Seisouhen
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The
first season of the television series sets the groundwork for what will
be the Ruroni Kenshin saga. We meet a young ruroni named Himura Kenshin
who has become a wandering do-gooder. However, lacking the Robin Hood
attitude, and being extremely laid back and pacifistic at that, his
demeanor never makes his foes feel threatened, unless they know the
secrets of his past. Kenshin meets Kaoru, who owns the Kamiya Dojo,
a sword school which her father had opened, its technique he was famous
for mastering. Throughout the series we meet other characters, Sanosuke
and Yahiko, as well as a ton of other minor but lovable characters.
The first season spends a lot of time exploring the current time, the
type of people struggling to survive at the beginning of the Meiji Restoration,
and the background stories behind all the major characters. We also
find out pretty early on that there are a lot of swordsmen, mercenaries,
and killers who would like to see Kenshin dead, just so that they can
claim the trophy of being the man to kill the infamous Hitokiri Battousai.
We even meet an old Hitokiri who was a made man around the same time
that Kenshin was. Later on, a longer story arc begins, and we meet Aoshi
and the Oniwa Banshu, a crack team of ninjas with many strengths and
strange techniques. Even further on, a policeman named Saito Hajime
is introduced, a former Shinshen Gumi (protectors of the Shogunate),
whose purposes change several times in the series in order to serve
his own needs and twisted idea of justice. This season was very strong
and introduced many very interesting and memorable characters. There
are several story arcs that continue to develop the characters and the
world in which the story takes place. The art style and quality ranges
from good to excellent depending on the depth of the storyline. Also,
the music and sound is very important, as it needs to convey a specific
point in history where the Japanese world is modernizing, but is still
being held back into a world controlled by the sword. All in all, a
very good Season 1 is a great series.
The
second season of the Kenshin TV series is a great one. The season begins
with a little bit of side-plot and the introduction to the gang’s (also
Saito) adventures in Kyoto. The Shishio Saga begins when Kenshin and
the others discover that a former Hitokiri has become something of a
warlord, and wishes to rule not only Japan, but the world. Once again,
there are even more memorable characters in this series… a lighter,
more justice-oriented Oniwa Banshu team - led by a 16-year-old girl,
Shishio’s devoted followers – some of whom actually hate Shishio, but
agree with his theories and believe that joining him is in their best
interest, and even Kenshin’s master – Hiko Seijuro the 12th,
the only living master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. During this impressive
story arc surrounding Shishio, Aoshi, and the entire Kenshin crew, we
learn a lot more about Kenshin’s sword art – Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Later
in the series Kenshin can no longer progress any further until he masters
the ultimate techniques of Hiten Mitsurugi. There is also a lot of conflict
concerning his non-killing beliefs that Kenshin is forced to come to
terms with, especially when he meets up with Aoshi again. Towards the
end of the season, the characters have so much development and death
that you want to see everyone come out okay. I won’t tell you what happens,
but I will say that the ending of the Shishio Saga is very satisfying.
The season ends with a few funny and cute side-episodes. The art and
quality of this season gets to be pretty amazing at some points, especially
during some of the extremely fast fight scenes. The sound and music
quality continues to be impressive, and the overall design of the new
characters and the city of Kyoto is very well done. Characters are even
more delevoped than in the previous season, and you almost need to cry
at more than a couple parts in the Shishio story arc. This is the highest
point of the Kenshin TV series.
At
the starting point of the third TV season, the series has built itself
up so much that it seems impossible to surpass the Shishio Saga’s depth,
action and suspense. Unfortunately, the truth is that this season can’t
come close to what the series began from the end of Season 1 – on. The
third consists of a few different story arcs – all of them much shorter
than either the Oniwa Banshu or the Shishi Saga arcs – and a few two-part
or four–part stories. The season begins with the longest story in Season
3 – a tale about the son of Shiro Amakusa and his use of Christianity
in order to manipulate many villagers in following him, so that he can
create an army to blah blah blah. This story seems very similar to the
Shishio plot, mixed with a little bit of Reborn From Hell: Samurai Armageddon
and a dash of Ninja Resurrection. Many of the villains in this story
are easily forgettable and seem like stereotypical phantoms of the empire’s
fear of Christianity as a political religion. I have to admit that I
ended up skipping several episodes in the middle because the plot depth
didn’t even come close to anything that was done back in the first season.
There are a few miscellaneous episodes before another story about a
former advisor to the Shogun, who lives in Tokyo hiding a secret left
over from the Shogunate. He has a daughter and two students – one has
traveled abroad and mastered the fencing foil, the other is a nerd who
reads books about going to the moon – which are all very likeable characters.
This story goes on for awhile about a conspiracy to kill the former
advisor, but I won’t go into much more for fear of ruining something.
That is the most well-done story in the third season. Later, we meet
some familiar characters again, and the season wraps up without any
particular opening for more episodes, nor does it go into what will
happen to Kenshin next, it just peacefully ends. Season 3 is a big disappointment,
not because Season 2 was so good, but because Season 3 couldn't even
come close to having the quality and depth that was present in Season
1. About half of the season is really worth the watch. You could actually
skip Season 3 without missing a beat, but true fans will want to watch
for some of the good short stories around the middle to the end of the
season.
I
haven't watched this in a really long time, but I will be buying it
soon just so that I can say I own it all, so I can update this review
when I get it. I remember that this movie was good, although a little
different from what I saw in the TV series or the OVA's. I believe
that the plot is as such... Kenshin meets a guy he tried to kill way
back when he was the Hitokiri Battousai. However, the guy is back, and
he has an army, and they're gonna overthrow the government or something.
Unfortunately, he doesn't know how many have tried to take over the
world and failed against Kenshin. So, Kenshin tries to get between the
army and the police in order to end the senseless killing. However,
there's a lot of conflict between Kenshin and the would-be victim of
assasination. The action is good, although when Kenshin starts to tap
into the Hitokiri again, his hair turns pink and his skin becomes zombie-grey.
I don't really understand that. Also, the movie would be about 20 minutes
shorter if they didn't keep playing the same flashback scene over and
over again throughout the story. But I digress. It's a pretty good movie,
better than most anime-TV-to-movie efforts. My recommendation is, borrow
it and if you like it, buy it.
This
is my favorite piece of Kenshin animation. This OVA goes back in time
in order to tell us the origins behind Kenshin and the Hitokiri Battousai.
We are able to see Kenshin grow up from a small child, into a young
man, and develop into and away from the notorious manslayer. The secret
behind his cross-scar (the X, for those who don't know better) is also
revealed, as well as his first love, his first kill, and his part in
the Ishin-Shishi revolution against the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Shinshen
Gumi. Saito makes several appearances with the Shinshen Gumi, and though
his name isn't mentioned, a quick nod is given to Shishio at the end.
Kenshin's early days of training in Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is also thoroughly
explored, and throughout the 4-part OVA we can actually see how Kenshin's
mind grew up into the man he is in the TV series. This OVA series is
very dramatic, dark, and gory, so don't expect to see any goofiness
or "@r@" that was a major factor of amusement in the TV series.
The art style is extrememly good, and the music is nothing less than
amazing. Definitely, if you have any interest at all in the Ruroni Kenshin
saga, or classic samurai films for that fact, go pick this one up.
This
OVA completes the Ruroni Kenshin saga. The art style is very similar
to that of the first OVA, except a little more colorful, and it seems
to make an attempt to be a happy medium between the style of the TV
series and the style of the first OVA. The music is very similar, and
the melodies actually sound like a continuation on what was done musically
in the first OVA. This two-part series makes a recap of some of the
most important episodes in first two TV series in the first episode.
Then, in the second episode we learn about a new enemy, his conviction
to deliver Jin-Chu (heaven's judgement) upon Kenshin, and Kenshin's
absolution of his past and finally completing his redemption towards
the end of his life. I thought that it was very cool and a little nostalgic
to be able to see a lot of the main characters in this neat, curvy art
style, as well as ressurrecting some old villains and making them look
just unbelievably good. My favorite was seeing the guy called Black
Hat from the first season, who had the weird eyes and made everyone's
body freeze up. 
The
new storyline that wraps up the saga is also well done. Many people
have said that Jin-Chu should have been explored more thoroughly, but
I think that there is really only so far you can go with it before it
become redundant. Had it been more than a conflict between the Jin-Chu
guy and Kenshin, maybe that could have been developed, but as it is
it would have gotten old fast, and in its present form I think it explains
the story nicely. Seeing everyone getting older in their years is very
cool; Yahiko is a young man, Kaoru is getting older, even Sanosuke is
a more rugged-looking man than he was in the series. By the end, the
story has come full circle, and we are left with a hopeful ending as
many people that Kenshin fought to protect now strive to live in the
new era. This hasn't been released in the U.S. yet, but be sure I'll
be picking it up the day of its release.