Rurouni Kenshin

[DL offline]

It just plain rocks...and my fav episode has to be KenshinvsAioshi(from the shishio arc) but the fight against Shishio was cool too

[Saphire-089 offline]

I liked the fight with Shishio. In case anyone doesn't know, The guy in bandages is called Mokoto Shishio.

[Little Vili offline]

I have the boxsets for Kenshin as well. I like Kenshin, even though he used to be a manslayer. Yahiko's a good character. It's kind of funny to see him and Sano argue sometimes. Soujiro is alot like Ulrich.

I feel pathetic that I call myself an anime fan and I have no knowlege of RK. Well, I did only get to see about 10 episodes before they took it off the air. And that was a while back too.

[vertig73 offline]

its worse here in the uk because i dont think we ever have rk and has anyone heard outlawstar

[Enki offline]

Ive seen Outlaw Star. Good show. Too bad Toonami cut out episode 23 out of the run due to "nudity issues".

[Mewberries151]

Soujiro is alot like Ulrich.

YES!! So I'm not crazy then!

I like Rurouni Kenshin. I saw a lot of the series in Spanish on weekend mornings a couple of years ago. Recently, I bought the motion picture, the Trust & Betrayal and Reflection OAVs. These were released into the US under the title "Samurai X".

Samurai X: The Movie was pretty good. I didn't like that they changed voice actors for it (particularly Sano's and Yahiko's), but the plot wasn't bad at all. Of course my other favorite character died in it (spoiler alert). *cries* Musashino!!!! Why do my favorite characters have a tendency to die about half way through a movie? ^^;

Anyway, "Trust & Betrayal" is a good two-parter. It tells the story of Tomoe, since the anime sort of skipped over that, and the music is really nice. But I have a personal vendetta against "Reflection". It totally departs from the manga, and they made Kenji look like a brat (he's a sweet little kid in the manga). That was not a very kind way to end the RuroKen anime at all.

But the Movie is good. What did you think of it?

[Ransomed_Heart offline]

Now that I've read your reasoning, Mew I agree that Soujiro is a lot like Ulrich.

I have the same problems with them changing the voice actors for the movie though. Yahiko-chan's was too deep!

[vertig73 offline]

i wanted to watch the rest of outlaw star

[Enki offline]

I liked Samurai X The Movie. What I didnt like is how they killed off the "villain" and left the poor girl alone (the one who lived with him). Bad Japs. *gives Japanese staff a good beating* I really liked Trust & Betrayal cause it told of Kenshin's first love before Kaoru: Tomoe. She was a nice character whos been through a lot and ironically falls in love with her former lover's killer. And I love how she gives him the final touches on his trademark scar. As for Reflection, while the ending is not a happy one, I was glad that Kenshin and Kaoru were married and had a boy named Kenji and were so in love together. And I love that they gave Kenji a girlfriend too (look after the credits).

[Mewberries151]

I liked Samurai X The Movie. What I didnt like is how they killed off the "villain" and left the poor girl alone (the one who lived with him). Bad Japs. *gives Japanese staff a good beating* I really liked Trust & Betrayal cause it told of Kenshin's first love before Kaoru: Tomoe. She was a nice character whos been through a lot and ironically falls in love with her former lover's killer. And I love how she gives him the final touches on his trademark scar. As for Reflection, while the ending is not a happy one, I was glad that Kenshin and Kaoru were married and had a boy named Kenji and were so in love together. And I love that they gave Kenji a girlfriend too (look after the credits).

Yeah, that was poor form killing off the "villain". Toki didn't deserve that and niether did her husband (he wasn't even really a "villain"). Actually, no one who died in that movie really deserved to (especially not Musashino). The only exception being that double-crosser Saito takes care of towards the end. Him we didn't really care so much, since he stabbed everyone in the back and then ran. *shrugs* But it is a good movie...they could have done without the mulitiple flash backs of the same "assassination" scene though. ^^;

I agree with you whole-heartedly on "Trust & Betrayal". "Reflection" though, I still have to nitpick about. They did redeem themselves with giving Kenji a girlfriend at the end, but the sad ending is kind of inexcuseable. (SPOILER ALERT) Kenshin and Kaoru marry and have Kenji at the end of the manga too, and it ends there, on the happiest note possible. "Reflections" on the other hand takes a happy ending and turns it totally around by making Kenji a bit of a brat, Kenshin way too distant, and Kaoru much too sad and no fiery temper. Granted you can say they've grown older, but still...and plus, their end is pretty unfair and way too tragic. Watsuki (RuroKen's) creator always intended his story to have a happy ending. "Reflections" does not "reflect" that wish at all, which is why I go by the manga ending. It's happier, and is the ending the creator of RuroKen intended.

[Enki offline]

On the minus side, I wasnt very thrilled with Sanosuke's new look in "Reflection". On the plus side, I love how Yahiko grew up from little brat to mature young man. Some suprise absences include Misao and Aoshi. Always liked Aoshi but never really did like Misao due to her childlike crush on Aoshi. Kaoru's crush on Kenshin is tolerable compared to Misao's crush on Aoshi.

[vertig73 offline]

do you people know what samuria jack is

[Mewberries151]

Yeah. Samurai Jack is cool. He's almost Kenshin's caliber of samurai too. I'd love to see a crossover between those two shows. ^_^

On the minus side, I wasnt very thrilled with Sanosuke's new look in "Reflection". On the plus side, I love how Yahiko grew up from little brat to mature young man. Some suprise absences include Misao and Aoshi. Always liked Aoshi but never really did like Misao due to her childlike crush on Aoshi. Kaoru's crush on Kenshin is tolerable compared to Misao's crush on Aoshi.

Sano's look was another pet peeve I have about "Reflections". Yahiko was okay...but he'd already technically lost a lot of his brattiness after the Shishio arc, so it wasn't that huge a change, at least IMO.

Aoshi and Misao wouldn't have really fit into "Reflections". Actually, on second thought, Aoshi might have but certainly not Misao. She's comic relief and she's the genki of RuroKen so she really would not have fit in since "Reflections" was going for an overall tragedy. She'd have ruined that whole atmosphere...which is probably why I wish they'd put her in anyway. RuroKen wasn't supposed to have a sad ending, according to Watsuki. *shrugs*

Misao's okay by me. She's not my favorite character but I don't mind her. The same kind of goes for Aoshi, only I think I like him a little more for all the help he gave Kenshin especially in the Shishio arc and the Jinchuu arc. I semi-support A/M just since Misao's such an interesting foil for Aoshi (hyper/subdued; out-going/reserved; etc.) But I got to admit there's a serious age difference between them...although not so much as there is between Kenshin and Kaoru. Kaoru's 17 in the beginning, and Kenshin's rounding 30. Then again, whoever said age should matter in a case of true love. ^_^

I also semi-support Megumi/Sanosuke and Yahiko/Tsubame. What do you think of those couples?

[vertig73 offline]

yer that would be cool

[Enki offline]

I support Yahiko/Tsubame. I even thought they were still together in "Reflection". As for Sanosuke/Megumi, there were hints but it never really went anywhere since Sano had fallen in love with Sayo (the Meiji arc, if you count that). Felt so bad when she died. Wouldve been nice to see Sano/Megumi together.

[Mewberries151]

I support Yahiko/Tsubame. I even thought they were still together in "Reflection". As for Sanosuke/Megumi, there were hints but it never really went anywhere since Sano had fallen in love with Sayo (the Meiji arc, if you count that). Felt so bad when she died. Wouldve been nice to see Sano/Megumi together.

Yeah, Sayo brought out an interesting side of him. It's true though that alot of fans hardly look at the Meiji arc since it was entirely studio created. Also it kind of went against the laws of RuroKen in which all things seemingly "magic" are actually clever slights of hand. Watsuki was really careful never to make anything not have a logical explanation, and the Meiji arc kind of went against that (with the whole fortune-telling thing towards the end). ^^

But anyway, yeah, Sano/Megumi is a neat pairing...especially if you consider the animals people identify them with rooster/kitsune (fox).

Speaking, of which, that was another hilarious thing about RuroKen. Alot of them had animal IDs. Kaoru was a tanuki (racoon). Megumi was a kitsune (fox). Sano, a rooster. Saitou, a wolf. Kenshin, a dragon. Enishi's was usually a tiger. Misao was the "Weasel Girl". And Swordhunter Cho was a broom.

Okay, maybe that last one doesn't count, but all those animal IDs made for some hilarious scenes. My favorite is the one in the Shishio arc when Saitou compares Kaoru, Megumi, and Misao to a tanuki, kitsune, and weasel, respectively.

[Enki offline]

Sano/Megumi is interesting cause when you look at how she inadvertenly killed one of his friends and how she almost commits suicide but Sano stops her, that just shows he cares and he wants her to live and be use her powers for good, not evil. More suprise absences in "Reflection" include Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume. Dr. Gensai is understandable since he was old and he was probably dead by that time. But the little girls Ayame and Suzume are nowhere to be seen there. Wouldve been nice to see how they turned out. Also we get to see Tae (the Akabeko woman) but in a nonspeaking cameo at Kenshin and Kaoru's wedding. Wouldve been nice to have her say something. One moment that moved me was that despite Kenshin's illness, Kaoru wants him to make love to her. And after they do, he wants her to call him Shinta (his real name) when he returns. That sets the stage for the beautiful yet sad ending between Shinta and Kaoru.

[Mewberries151]

Yeah. Ayame and Suzume were left out of "Reflections" for likely the same reasons Misao was. They're too cute and funny and would have spoiled the overall tragic atmosphere of reflections. That's also likely why Tae was present but had no lines. She's too cheerful a character. *shrug*

Interestingly enough...Ayame and Suzume weren't originally characters in the RuroKen manga. They're only present in the anime, but are undoubtedly a welcome addition (they bring out Kenshin's fun side). ^_^ Dr. Gensai was an original character in the manga...but he was a bit of a drunkard and had a pretty minimal part. ^^;

[Enki offline]

I liked the fight with Shishio. In case anyone doesn't know, The guy in bandages is called Mokoto Shishio.

I believe the correct way to say his name is Makoto Shishio.

[Saphire-089 offline]

Oh, well. A simple mistake. They shouldn't have changed Yahiko's (or Sano's) VA. I have the Anime version of reflections. So do me a favor and don't give away the ending please!

[Enki offline]

Why single me out? Mew gave away spoilers too!

[Saphire-089 offline]

Sorry Eniki! I'm pretty much bashing my head against the wall. If you give spoilers, ok, I just won't look.

[MY85 offline]

Why single me out? Mew gave away spoilers too!

I don't mind... go for it!

[Enki offline]

I didnt like Enishi's look in "Trust" & "Betrayal" since he looked to me too much like a Yahiko lookalike. But in "Reflection" I liked his outfit, his shades, and his hair (I want blue hair ).

[Mewberries151]

Enishi is much more awesome looking in the manga. He's not really a preferred character of mine (and he has serious "letting go" issues)...but he does have a certain finesse. ^_^

Sorry about the spoilers, ~UlrichAndYumi4Ever~. ^^; I did put a warning on most of the big spoiler posts I made. Others I forgot and just inferred about certain things. So I hope I haven't given anything away for you.