Kenshin le Vagabond - Le Chapitre de la Mémoire

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

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.

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!

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..

At this point the only thing better than the original Rurouni Kenshin TV series is this prequel OAV series. People may pass over this because it is a mere 4 episodes long and figure there isn't much to it. Let me stop you from making a major mistake. Pick these videos up, you won't regret it. Despite only 4 episodes, this series packs in a lot of information and I do mean a lot. It traces the events leading up to Kenshin's rise as the most deadly and fearsome samurai in Meiji-era Japan and what ultimately spurs him to renounce his ways and become the peaceful wanderer known to us in the television series. Now to that gut-wrenching part. This series is a far cry from the television series it precedes. There is no comedy here, but there sure is a lot of violence and the blood flows freely for most of the 4 episodes. More shocking than Kenshin's relentless killing though, is the what happens at the end of the 4th episode. Your jaw probably will hit the floor. Other than the amazing plot there is a lot to look forward to. The animation is superb, eclipsing anything I have see recently and sometimes you begin to wonder if you are looking at photos, not drawings. The music also fits the series well and has a tender yet sad feel to it. The last thing is, DON'T miss this!