Kenshin Kyoto Inferno

When I watch Japanese movies about samurais, ronins and ninjas, swordplay and kungfu are never the reason. Japanese sword fighting just CMI - it starts with a physical pose, one powerful swipe and the man is down and forever out. How interesting can that be? But the Japanese puts more effort into the foreplay and the aftermath of the fights. The motivation for the fight and the consequence are always examined in keen details. Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno does that as well and I am glad to add that it ups the ante on the sword fights.

My knowledge of the universe of Rurouni Kenshin is pathetic. I have only watched an episode of the anime and decided it wasn't my thing, but I do know it is a cult series and a pop culture phenomenon. I also missed the earlier 2012 film. So I really went into this like a blind Zatoichi samurai film lover and I just love it, all 139 minutes of it.

First of all, this is the first part of a two parter. It feels like an elaborate setup for the ultimate Battle Royale and I am so hyped for the last part now. Thank goodness it will hit our cinemas on 2nd October. Is this a complete film by itself? No, but it works like a Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back kind of way.

I know a lot of the critics' complaints are centered on which aspects - too long, too many characters, too much info to digest, and the pacing is not furious enough. To some extent I do see where the complaints come from but I really didn't mind the duration. For a layman like me, I feel the director, Keishi Ohtomo told his story with great clarity, perhaps even too much clarity. It does feel over-written especially if you already know the world of Kenshin. All the characters' motivations are clearly depicted. There are indeed a myriad of characters on screen but I never have a feeling they are under-developed to the point of detriment. Perhaps the only relationship I feel suffered is the love between Kaoru and Kenshin. Wished I had seen more of that because she looks great.

There is quite a bit of exposition of past events but IMO these scenes didn't feel tagged on for people who wandered into the cinema knowing nothing of the back stories. I think Ohtomo was trying to cater to two camps of movie patrons - the fans and the curious ones like me and the wifey. With regards to the pacing, I thought Ohtomo handled it well. When things start to sag, a fight scene comes in. I absolutely love the exhilarating fight choreography and I am sure I have not seen anything like this in Japanese samurai films.

For a movie that is about a cult manga, the titular characters all look and behave exactly like their manga counterparts. The clothes, intricate set designs and modern soundtrack, all tied in together for a sumptuous feast. I know I did miss out on some manga/anime references because the boisterous crowd last night was full on hyped up and laughing away. For a movie that is one week old the 90% crowd last night was superb. Finally, talking about boisterous audience, there were two PRC girls sitting in front of us. At the final scene where yet a new character is introduced, the two girls screamed their heads off and arms gesticulated everywhere. I looked at my wife feeling amused by their antics. Later on she told me who is the actor and I 'screamed' and 'flailed' my arms. It is Masaharu Fukuyama, but I know him better as Professor Yukawa of Galileo and Suspect X fame.

I have some complaints with the first Rurouni Kenshin but this movie finally answered me. I have to attribute it to the fact that the movie already employed the most celebrated villain of Rurouni Kenshin, *drumroll* Makoto Shishio.

One aspect where the first movie failed, in my opinion, is its failed attempt at comedy. The manga/series was injected with comical scenes and lines and as much as the first one tried, it failed. However, with Kyoto Inferno, they have pulled it through. This burden mainly fell on Munetaka Aoki (Sanosuke Sagara) and fortunately, he was successful to elicit some laughs.

If there's anything which cemented this film's success as an adaptation, it would have to be on the character actors. The movie gave life to the characters which we only once saw in animated form. Even Makoto Shishio's ruthlessness, albeit covered in plaster, was very visible. Takeru Sato deserves his role. He gives out not only the Kenshin physique, he knows how to give the Kenshin aura...the playful yet skillfull Battousai. The most dangerous member of Juppon Katana (Shishio's hired assassins), Soujiro Seta, was brought to life courtesy of Ryunosuke Kamiki (probably with the most well-recognized filmography in this group). Everyone gave justice to the roles the were playing.

The movie was perfect in all its aspects. Don't take that too literally of course, but for someone who's a fan of the series, I can safely say that they did justice. They made some deviations from the source material, but they're harmless nonetheless. There's room for error but one cannot discount how the movie successfully made a good product. The soundtrack was very, very registrable and consistent that it will give the eerie feeling.

The fight scenes were well-choreographed it looked like they were literally dancing. The movie incorporates all essentials of a Rurouni Kenshin fight...from the speed, to the agility, to the technique. It had momentous fight scenes its hard to choose which one is the best.

And the best is yet to come as Kenshin Himura will still battle it out against Aoshi Shinomori, the Juppon Katana (with emphasis on Soujiro Seta), and ultimately Makoto Shishio. Kyoto Inferno left a good ending to what will be a legendary beginning in The Legend Ends.

I am deeply surprised. I was expecting a really bad adaptation, as it has been done before. This movie however is great. If you grew up watching the anime you will be pleased, as it brings to life the right personality of the characters. They even have that goofiness Himura always showed whenever he was surrounded by the ones he loved. But shifting right back to some cold heart determined killer that awarded him his nickname. The fighting scenes, were tremendous. None of that "shaking camera" BS that Hollywood vomits on us. Really well done.

The filming and editing are sublime. I could easily notice on one of the big fights (wont spoil it for you), the still burning ashes floating around the scene, giving me instant flashbacks to the anime. Really nice touch. And the opening scene of Shishio and Saito is tremendous.

The action is great. Himura is perfectly portrayed, with all of his goofy nuances, deep honor, shame, guilt, and killer instinct. And the same can be said of the remaining characters. Sanosuke is as obnoxious and lovable as ever. And Sojiro is perfectly depicted in his psychopath childish assassin persona.

I feel like i could show this movie to people that have never seen the anime, and they would still love it. Great work guys.

Are you Japanese Live-Action Fan?

If Yes, No reason to miss this show. This is the best live-action movie I've ever watched!

The Storyline: Great The Action Scene: Excellent (You will not see the awesome samurai fight like this!) The Music or Soundtrack: More than excellent!

and with the length that more than 2 hours, you will really enjoy the show. NO REASON TO MISS, Believe ME!

If No, then It's depend on you. Japanese Movie Style may boring for someone who never watched.

However, Let's give a chance for this one.

I'm not a huge fan of the Samurai genre. The blood, brutality and cruelty that inhabits many of the films in this genre is, at times, very disturbing. It was a pleasant surprise therefore to encounter the Rurouni Kenshin series. These films follow the Samurai formula but depart from the norm in so much as they actively downplay the brutality in favour of a more peaceful, hopeful message.

The key character Rurouni Kenshin could best be described as a reformed Samurai. Rurouni has come to see the wastefulness of taking human life, choosing, instead, to take a less lethal approach to subduing the bad guys with the blunt edge of a double edged sword. Of course, there are always a few genuinely vile villains and these are dispatched with the swords sharpened edge.

Its my understanding this is the second in the live, as opposed to animated, Rurouni Kehshin series of films. I watched the first and enjoyed it immensely so I decided to give the second a go. This film is darker and more serious than its predecessor, possessing somewhat less humour. The violence is a little more intense too and occasionally sadistic but not overly graphic. The conspicuous fight scenes, as was the case in the first outing, remain remarkably polished and exceptionally well choreographed. Especially when you consider the large scale and numbers of people involved in many of the battles scenes scattered throughout the film.

The key fight scenes between central hero's and villains are of the highest caliber and its these moments of stirring swordplay and martial skill that make this film really shine. Combine this with solid, original storytelling, good pace and some novel plot twists and turns and you have a very engaging action flick.

I watched both this film and its predecessor from end to end without getting up once or feeling in any way bored.There are subtitles, unless, of course, you speak Japanese but I found this film, like the first, so engrossing they hardly felt like any effort at all.

Nine of of ten from me.