Samurai X - Rurouni Kenshin

I went to see this film last night with absolutely no knowledge of the manga upon which it was based, which was both a good and a bad thing. Good, because I understand how the average movie goer like myself will feel about this film. Bad, because I feel like as a fan of the original comic, I would have taken a lot more out of this film.

I'll start with the positives - this movie is beautifully filmed. There is not a single unattractive shot within it. I really feel like this movie was made for fans, by fans, because it is so lovingly crafted. The sets are gorgeous, the lighting and colour palette lovely, and the choreography of the fight scenes? FUN. It's actively enjoyable to watch Kenshin dance around with his sword. You actually believe that he is this extraordinary swordsmen, agile and swift.

Which brings me to Sato Takeru, who plays Kenshin himself. Again, I feel like he was a fan of the series, as he seems to be so invested in the role. I've no idea what the character of Kenshin was like in the manga, but Sato's portrayal is so layered and believable, I can't imagine it strays far. On that note, I felt like all of the actors did quite a good job. I've a friend who assures me the personalities of all the female characters do not line up with the manga, but I was actually completely satisfied with them! I was particularly enamored with Aoi Yu (whom I don't think has ever disappointed me in a role) who did her best with the script given to her in the role of Megumi.

But this brings me to what I felt were the weak points of the film. First, was the over inclusion of bit characters. I said this to friends afterwards, I'm sure if I was a fan of the series they would have been charming cameos from beloved fan favourites. As it is though, to me their inclusion seemed pointless, and stole time that could have been better spent on plot development.

And honestly, the plot for the film? A bit weak, and never properly fleshed out. A lot of characters who seem important to the story are never given proper motivations, leaving them seeming 2 dimensional - and the story as well, as a result. Particularly at the end, I feel like the storyline fell to pieces in a series of rushed character inclusions/fight scenes. This is the problem with a film made by fans for fans - while you can feel the love that's been poured into it, you can also see that they're trying too hard to put EVERYTHING in to a two hour film. These sort of films really suffer because they don't have someone ruthlessly eliminating the excess, and making the film more accessible to the public at large.

I read that they're hoping for an international release for this film, and I'm not terribly convinced that it will succeed. Fans of the original anime overseas will be at best a niche market (at least for the domestic release, there's a good chance the majority of the audience will have at best a passing familiarity with the series) and I feel like the rapid inclusion of bewildering useless characters will leave many in the audience feeling somewhat alienated.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film, don't get me wrong, and I intend to seek out the manga as a result. However, I feel like they've pigeonholed themselves somewhat with their audience, if not so much domestically, then definitely abroad. However, if you can manage to be like me and just sit back and let the beautiful cinematography and Sato's truly excellent portrayal of Kenshin wash over you, you'll derive plenty of pleasure from this film.

...you will love this live action version. The actor portraying Kenshin was perfect. So are Saito, Sano and Megumi--so perfect in fact, that I recognized each of them at first sight. And was filled with all sorts of warm/fuzzy feelings as if I was seeing long lost friends again for the first time in years.

I am not sure how people new to the Kenshin franchise will respond, because the film's creators leave out a lot of character development that we get in the slower paced manga and anime TV series in order to jump straight into the action. Since this is one of the best manga/anime series to come out in a long time, I suggest reading the manga, seeing the anime and THEN watching the live action film for maximum enjoyment.

"Oro!"

Rurouni Kenshin Trilogy is the best anime based live action movie ever! All three of it are the best. I didn't really appreciated the anime series when I was a kid but then I grew up and I saw the first movie. I was like, "Wow, even live action movies based on an anime is possible!" Because of this movie, I'm now interested to watch the anime series.

The story was great, the characters were also great, even the setting. This is the movie that made samurai battles more realistic. As anime fan, I also like this movie from start to finish. The sequels were also great and I might review those in the future.

In conclusion, Rurouni Kenshin is a must watch especially to Samurai X fans and other anime fans out there.

Relying on the familiar narrative of a warrior who tries to shed his violent past in pursuit of a peaceful existence, this live-action adaptation of the highly popular manga and anime series (sometimes known as 'Samurai X') based on the well-known Civil War hero Himura Kenshin makes one wonder why there aren't more of such films coming out of Japan. To say it is good is an understatement, because director Keishi Otomo's film really is a rip-roaringly entertaining samurai movie that packs a riveting punch.

We'd have to admit that we aren't acquainted with Nobuhiro Watsuki's original shonen manga nor the anime series that followed, so we won't be able to inform fans of the former or the latter if this adaptation stays close to its source material. From what we have gathered though, Otomo – who co-wrote the screenplay with Kiyomi Fujii – has taken from the first two story arcs of the series, namely Kenshin's vendetta with an opium dealer during the early years of the Meiji Restoration as well as his harrowing past during the Civil War that led to the cross-shaped scar on his face.

When we are first introduced to Kenshin, it is already the deciding battle of the revolution - the battle of Toba-Fushima in 1868 – and amid stark sobering scenes of bloodshed and death, Kenshin, better known as the fearsome 'Battosai the Killer', slices the last remaining cohorts of the Shogunate. As news spreads of the Emperor's victory, Kenshin is content to ditch his sword for the solitary life of a wanderer – even as his fellow samurai, Jin'e (Koji Kikkawa), warns him that a samurai lives and dies by the blade.

Ten years later, Kenshin has pretty much managed to live his choice of seclusion, before running one day into Kaoru (Emi Takei). Kaoru runs the fencing school left to her by her father, a school whose name has however been vilified for being that of 'Battosai' widely believed to be responsible for a string of murders around Tokyo. A psychopathic warrior who manages to escape death from Kenshin's blade in the battle has assumed the name of 'Battosai' and now goes about doing the bidding for the ruthless businessman Kanryu (Teruyuki Kagawa).

Rapacious for power, Kanryu amasses his own private army of ex-samurai, most of them he wills into his service by getting them hooked on a special brand of opium he develops with reluctant pharmacist Megumi (Yu Aoi). Kenshin is forced to revisit his deadly ways when Kaoru, whom he develops an affection to, is threatened first by a sudden run-in with Battosai and later on when Megumi seeks refuge from Kanryu's men at the dojo. The only difference? Kenshin now fights with a 'reverse sword', or simply one with the sharp edge reversed.

Truth is, you can pretty much guess where the story is headed, but what makes the movie so enjoyable is the exhilarating fight choreography from action director Kenji Tanigaki. Indeed, the best parts are when we see Kenshin wielding his sword against numerous other opponents, even without the benefit of a lethal blade. Tanigaki ensures that the action is never repetitive, and each sequence boasts its own balletic rhythm to keep you engrossed. Unlike some wuxia films, Tanigaki also opts for a realistic style even with the requisite wirework, offering his audience the spectacle of fluid and furious swordplay without the exaggerated embellishments.

In between the clashing of swords, Otomo stages confidently the bond that develops between Kenshin and Kaoru. Rather than conforming their relationship to some formulaic romance, both characters are allowed to play out a more complex relationship that is entwined with Kenshin's own demons from the past. And in that regard, it is fortunate that both Sato and Takei are better actors than to resort to the melodramatic trappings of TV romances where both hail from, with both performers also sharing a graceful chemistry with each other.

That they are able to deliver such nuanced performances is also to Otomo's credit, who directs the movie with an assured hand. Rather than the slapstick humour we are told is part and parcel of Kenshin's character in the manga, Otomo opts for a more down to earth portrayal, so even the light heartedness is never overplayed. Similarly, Otomo drops the exposition on the various schools and techniques of kenjitsu, and keeps to having some other character name the cool-sounding move that Kenshin executes whenever it is expedient.

It is inevitable given its origins that fans of the manga and anime will bring their expectations to bear on this live-action version. Nonetheless, in going for a more true-to-life feel, this adaptation is, in our opinion, all the better for it. It's not one of those Yoji Yamada samurai movies, nor is it anywhere close to Takashi Miike's '13 Assassins', but this is solid blockbuster entertainment with universal themes of pacifism, vengeance and love packed with a distinct Nippon flavour.

I have never even seen a manga so approached this movie with no preconceptions or prior knowledge of the characters. A bit like seeing a Batman movie without ever having read a comic, I imagine. The result was a very pleasant surprise. The principle characters were largely convincing, the photography was very attractive and the story line reasonable given the limits of the genre. The fact that it kept me interested for the entire 2+ hours speaks for itself. I found the sub-titles very effective in keeping me involved which is normally not the case. I am not sure if they are integral to the movie or a third party add-on, but were much better than a dubbed English version which would have taken away much of the authenticity of the movie. I am looking forward to the next episode.