Kenshin le vagabond

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 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!"

In 1868, after the end of the Bakumatsu war, the former assassin Kenshin Himura (Takeru Sato) promises to defend those who needs without killing and wanders through Japan with a sword with inverted blade during the transition of the samurai age to the New Age.

When Kenshin helps the idealistic Kaoru Kamiya (Emi Takei) from the gangsters of the powerful opium drug lord Kanryuu Takeda (Teruyuki Kagawa) that wants her school for his production of opium, Kaoru invites Kenshin to stay in the school. But the drug chemist Megumi Takani (Yû Aoi) escapes from Kanryuu and seeks shelter in the school. Meanwhile the killer Battosai is murdering police officers and leaving messages attached to their bodies. When the cruel Kanryuu poisons the population to get the school, and Kenshin and the street fighter Sanosuke Sagara (Munetaka Aoki) join forces to attack their common enemy.

"Rurôni Kenshin: Meiji kenkaku roman tan" is an excellent samurai movie with spectacular choreography of the fights and a good story. I have just learned that it is based on a manga and I really liked a lot. I saw this movie in the airplane and unfortunately my flight arrived and I did not see the conclusion of the story. The worst thing is that I will have to wait since this movie has not been released in my country yet. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

Note: Fortunately Internet does exist and today (30 December 2012) I have just finished watching this awesome movie again, this time until the very end.

On 13 August 2016, I saw this film again on DVD.

First off - many of the reviewers thus far seem to be comparing this movie adaptation to "Samurai X" instead of its source material which is the manga. What they must realize is that "Samurai X" was an OVA created for western audiences done by people who had no connection with the manga or the original anime and thus was a departure from the original intent and feel of what the creator of the manga had in mind. He even disagreed with how "Samurai X" ended regarding the fate of Kaoru and Kenshin, so much so that he insisted on having the proper ending he envisioned for his own characters put into a collector's box edition of the original anime released in Japan. Even though it was gorgeously rendered, it was overly depressing and moody. Whether you want to believe it or not, Kenshin really wasn't that way. The whole point of his redemption was that, in spite of the pain of his past, he was still able to appreciate the simple joys in life and even laugh at things. The Kenshin in "Samurai X" was a somber, overly-wrought, super-tortured fellow who was awash with his own suffering. As a fan of RK, seeing him portrayed that way in "Samurai X" really broke my heart because a huge chunk of his personality went missing and all that was left was this emo dude. Onto the review:

PLOT/STORY: Understandably, this movie had a hard time trying to capture everything in the first volume of the manga in just over two hours. Because the manga was continuous, there was no way for the movie to be cut and dry in terms of villains and side characters. The director had to draw the line somewhere so the movie could have an ending. So, many fan favorite scenes were cut or changed in order to accommodate a more fluid movie. Time constraints didn't allow for a deep fleshing out of all the characters but, since this the first installment of other movies to come (it has been greenlit as a continuing series) I suspect that the audience is going to be exposed to that over time. I was taken aback at just how many things were changed (Sano's intro, Jin'e's concocted connection to Kanryu, Hanya's choice of weapons, the Oniwabanshu but no Aoshi?!) but I felt they did their best to stay true to the spirit of the story by trying to streamline events. There is even a flashback scene of Kenshin's past included in this movie but it gave you a hint (just a hint) of his tortured past and leaves you wondering.

ACTORS: The casting was very well done for this movie. Kenshin is supposed to be relatively diminutive and almost feminine in his looks and stature (the creator based him on an actual historical figure who could carry out assassinations in broad daylight, he was that good), which is why people always underestimated him in a fight or commented on his slight figure. He was a Jekyll and Hyde that way. He could go from unassuming, humble Rurouni to out-and-out killer who's eyes would change into a murderous gaze when the "hitokiri" side was provoked (straight outta the manga). You could say Kenshin can "hulk-out" lol. Sato, with his pretty looks and physicality, really did well in portraying the conflicted character of Kenshin. Emy was cute as a button, perhaps too cute, since Kaoru is supposed to be a bit more plain and a tomboy but it was satisfying to see her bickering with Yahiko. The kid playing Yahiko was spot-on with the brashness and stubborn pride. Sanosuke's portrayal was a little goofy. There is no allusion to what drives Sano into being a fighter for hire but read the manga for clarification and you will see why he and Kenshin create such a strong bond of friendship. In the movie, there was no time to do so, I guess and Sano's a lot tougher than he is portrayed. Megumi's actress did her justice, I think. Again, not too deep in fleshing out her past either but still, you can see her intelligence and intensity underneath her manipulations. Lastly, Saitou's actor was awesome. He captured the cold, brutal carriage of the Wolf of Mibu very well with his stoic face and the constant badgering of Kenshin. I will stop at the main characters or else this will be too long. All in all, the casting was superb.

MUSIC AND CINEMATOGRAPHY: The music ranges from fairly modern (techno beats with tribal vocals) to standard orchestral. I don't remember hearing any traditional Japanese instruments being played over scenes but I could be mistaken. Sometimes the music seemed to be out of place or over-used. For example, dramatic fight scenes seemed to bring out that techno song again and again). A part of me wishes they had somehow incorporated Kenshin's theme from the original anime series; just s simple wooden flute part or something as a nod since it's so recognizable. Otherwise it was fine. The look of the movie is fantastic. Whether it's a war-torn forest or just a village scene or a shot of Kaoru's dojo, it looks thick and substantial. I remember seeing shots of the creator of the manga (Nobuhiro Watsuki) on the set of the movie and watching over the set building. It gave me great comfort that he was there to see it through.

Overall, this is one of the best, if not THE best, live-action adaptations of a manga I've yet seen. For those of you who are going to see it, if you haven't read the manga yet it certainly isn't required in order to enjoy the movie but it was thoroughly more enjoyable to see these beloved characters come to life on screen. In any case, I am greatly looking forward to the next installment and will relish in trying to figure out what storyline is going to be featured next!!