Kenshin le Vagabond - Le Chapitre de la Mémoire

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.

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.

I used a method once to determine whether a movie/video worth watching or not; the soundtrack! If it's able to evoke certain mind picture, then I'd check the video. This is one where such would work wonder. Compared to the TV episodes, the OVA use full classical theme instead of pop or electronic (there's a reason why every great/grand movie soundtrack is done in classical). If the soundtrack catched you, be sure to check the entire OVA. Whenever you listen to the soundtrack afterwards, the images will stick with you and the soundtrack will keep its echo

First and foremost my goal is to write a review about a movie, not an anime. Many people consider this one of the greatest anime ever made but it kind of saddens me that people only treat it as an anime and recommend fans of anime to watch it. I see Kenshin OVA Trust/Betrayal as a movie and recommend every movie fan to watch it.

If you are looking for a summary, read somewhere else. If you are trying to find out why this is a great movie, I will try my best to convince you.

Kenshin OVA is a character driven movie with excellent character development. The two main characters, Kenshin and Tomoe, have humane and non exaggerated personalities, they are conflicted with their emotions, and they grow and change. I guess what I am trying to say is that the two main characters are not cliché.

The stories' setting takes place during the late 1800's in Japan, where a civil war is taking place, where the samurai era is coming to an end, and the shogunate is fighting to keep its place. People who don't know Japanese history of that time period probably going to get a bit confused, but the historical setting provided the movie more depth and political intrigue. Like the current trend of war movies, the historic conflicts are not presented in black and white, but rather shades of gray.

The action sequence is something to behold of. It is violent, gruesome, bloody, but does not feel gratuitous, due to the mood and setting the animators have created. The sword fights short, but quick, intense, believable (realistic), and original in presentation. Far better than any live action choreography.

Finally there are many subtle touches that makes the movie feel more like a work of art, rather animated violence. The animators are created a lot of scenes with nature. Whether it is the subtleness of snow flake or sakura leaves falling, or the glistening of the lake from the sun, the animators created a world of beauty. On top of that, the soundtrack just masterfully sets up the mood of the scene. The soundtrack is haunting, kinetic during battle, and subtle and poignant. Most importantly the soundtrack is memorable.

Kenshin OVA Trust/Betrayal is on the top tier of anime, however if the movie had gotten greater exposure, it would belong in the top tier of movies.