Name of Topic Being Reviewed: Rurouni Kenshin

Category: Movie
Rating:

After so many months of waiting since we have heard that there was a movie being made about our beloved wandering samurai, finally the wait was over and the long wait was really worth it.

"Rurouni Kenshin" or popularly known as "Samurai X" tells about a former assassin hired during the Meiji Era who became a wanderer helping out as much as he can throughout Japan in hopes to repent from his former life.

This movie was an adaptation of a very famous manga series of the same name as well as an anime series that is still being shown until today.  Goes to show how well loved the characters and the story itself were to everyone and it was a breath of fresh air that this movie was done very well and that they have done justice to the story  in its entirety.

Story wise, it was a compressed version of the anime and manga series (correct me if I'm wrong about the manga part since I have yet to read it), of the first story arc, introducing Kenshin to the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu instructor and owner Kamiya Kaoru and how he had decided to stay with her.  I liked the little twist in their story on how he started to don his signature red kimono.  It gave the audience the feeling of a transition from living a life of a wanderer to staying with Kaoru in the dojo. 

While the other characters like Megumi, Sanosuke, Saito and Yahiko were introduced in a very different way from the anime series, it did little to change the whole plot and it was done in a way that you would appreciate it.

The whole story-line, although compressed to a 2 and a half hour movie, was seamless that you can follow the flow of the story well even if you weren't a fan of the anime or the manga series.

The characters were spot on (except for one).  The guy who played Kenshin did a marvelous job in getting all his quirks and nuances that there were times during the movie, I find myself smiling and seeing the anime version in the actor who played him.  He did a really great job and kudos to him.  Kaoru was also portrayed well, although she wasn't as "hyper" as the anime version.  But I loved her silent strength that for me was a really good interpretation of how Kaoru should be.  My little problem although it really didn't tarnish the whole movie for me was Megumi.  They should have gotten someone who was really gorgeous.  I'm not saying that the girl who played Megumi wasn't pretty but she was just cute and not jaw dropping beautiful as how she was portrayed in the series.

I do love the fight scenes.  The choreography was done very well and the fight scenes were amazing...and there were a lot of fight scenes to be scene.  Although my favorite was the fight between Sanosuke and one of the henchmen in the final battle...it was hilarious and fun to watch.  The final battle of Kenshin and Jin'e was also great.  The creators of the movie followed the anime series very well especially when they were showing their special techniques.  Everyone in the movie house were "ooohhh-ing" and "aaahhh-ing" when they showed the special movies of Saito, Kenshin and Jin'e.

I am very happy as well that this wasn't a Hollywood movie, as they have yet to make a very good adaptation of any anime or manga series to date.  I'm sure this would have been a very different review if the Japanese weren't the ones who handled this movie.

All in all, 5 tumbling babies for me.  Even with the so-so dubbing and the only cute Megumi, the creators deserve a pat on the back and a job well done.  I had enjoyed the movie immensely and I had promised myself that I will buy the original DVD when it comes out in stores.