Rurouni Kenshin

Samurai X is my fav. set of anime movies. The movies make you mad, happy, and even sad. I've cried every time I've watched the ending of Samurai X:reflection, i'm afraid to watch it now. Samurai X: trust and betrayal tells the story of how he became the hitokiri and how he fell in love for the first time and felt pain for the first time. Samurai X: reflection, looks upon kenshins now painful life away from kaoru with his disease and it also looks back on his past at some of the major events. this set of movies are very amazing and will not upset.But of course to understand some parts of Reflection (such as the parts in the past) it might be good if you watch the t.v. series, Rurouni Kenshin.but, either way, these movies RULE!

I'm not easily impressed by a movie. Even worse with an animated one. But this one got me drooling. I picked this one up by recommendation, and I'll recommend it to anyone from now on. I was familiar with the story of the TV series, but that didn't excite me in the least. But at least I knew what I was looking at (and I suggest that people considering to watch this should familiarize themselves with the TV series first).

Although the violence is very graphic and the dialog can be a bit of a drag if you lose track, everything else perfectly makes up for it. The animation is fluid, the art is beautiful, the pacing is impeccable and the soundtrack is gorgeous. Now combine all these elements in a single concluding scene, and you've got at least half of its viewers reduced to tears.

This movie is very re-watchable. I've seen it at least 6 times already, and I'm eager to watch it again. Like most people advice; you should avoid the dub like the plague, but even the subs can be a bit misleading. I've had the pleasure to have seen 3 different subtitles on this movie, and the degree of accuracy of any of them is debatable. Although the plot doesn't suffer from this, the story and especially the details and references to factual Japanese history do.

But this shouldn't stop you from watching this movie, instead, it should encourage you to set out and find out as much about this movie as you can.

What you would call me if i say there is no true love? ...A fake? a fool?

i was watching the ninja scroll OVA before this ...halfway down the line i got bored with all the mechanical gadgets used extensively in the scroll . I felt disappointed , and decided to quit it.

Then, i just thought .."lemme check this so called kenshin as well" (sarcastically). To my amazement i was glued to my seats after experimenting the first few minutes . what a score ! man o man. what a storyline..boy o boy! what a scenic..girl o girl!

Believe me . i was so touched by the movie that i missed my dinner !

i wonder how people make such movies that can take your soul away..

I used to tune in Kenshin the TV series on Cartoon Network. I hated it. I hated everything about it because it was so cheesy. I just didn't like it, but I was curious about the storyline. I checked a few anime trailers and I discovered Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal. At first I thought: 'Wow, is that Kenshin? He looks different. Wait, this looks a whole lot more serious than the TV series. I must watch this!' So I borrowed it from my friend and noticed how very well done it was. VERY well done. It gave nobody mercy regardless if they're bad or good. This isn't the type where everybody dies either, but the storyline is also twisted but it fits in at the end. It gets you thinking one thing, but the real story is about something else. I love it. I love it because it's a story about love. That's all it is! A really well done love story. In all, i think I've watched it more than six times and I still cry watching it. Don't get me wrong guys, this isn't a chick flick. It's action/romance/etc etc.. it can fall into a lot of genres. But in all, it's a great anime about love and life.

Even though I gave it a straight out 10, but I have to complain about one thing: characters... Most characters you didn't get a chance to know which you wish you did. But maybe they went into that during the last of it that continues after this. Who knows, anyway, good anime. Definitely recommended to people who aren't very fond of anime.

Forget the famous Rurouni Kenshin TV series. This has nothing to do with it. Well, yes, it's supposed to be a prequel, but the tone, mood and depth of it makes it a completely different story. It's a lyric and very adult tale about love, death, politics and betrayal that deserved, not only a theatrical release, but also massive exposure.

Production values are extraordinary and it's packed with more expressive resources than all western animation ever. Look specially for one of the best representations of smell in the history of filmmaking.

But the best part is the story. Layer over layer of meaning and symbolism create a tight, dark and deep tale. Nothing is said, nothing is shown that doesn't bear deep significance, be it a cryptic sentence, a shot of a child's toy or a slash through the face.

And then there's the fights. When "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" opened everybody talked about how the fights revealed character. Well, Rurouni Kenshin does the same thing much better, and it doesn't need 10 minutes each time. The fights are short and brutal, swords actually cut the flesh, but there's so much being told each time.

One of the most beautiful things here is what's left off screen. Rurouni Kenshin is a historical epic, but history isn't shown directly to the viewer, it isn't spelled out for you. We focus on the characters. They go through history, sometimes they even change it, but we are not shown the politics and the fights for power. We stay with Kenshin, an assassin, a mere pawn in those fights. We see the killing and then we hear the vague echoes of what it causes. The story is moved forward, but we have to build it back together with the information we receive through Kenshin's eyes. Yes, this is what critics mean when they talk about a `demanding' film.

Rurouni Kenshin is a work of art. Well worth your time and money. It comes in two one-hour volumes (two chapters each), but the best way to experience it is seeing them all back to back, as a two hour feature film. Two thumbs up and go get it.