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Synopsis: Rurouni Kenshin takes place in the 1860's in Japan(of course). This is the story of a guy who looked like a girl but was actually a great swordsman (arguably the best in Japan) known as Hitokiri Battousai. He fought for the Ishin Shishi and killed a lot of people during the Bakumatsu no Doran, helping to start a new era, Meiji. In order to atone for all the people he had killed he abandoned the killer's sword and became a "korosazu no rurouni," a wanderer sworn never to kill again. He traveled around Japan with no other aim than to protect the innocent and helpless with his sakabatou (reverse blade), a katana with the blunt and sharp edges reversed. Pretty soon Himura Kenshin (remember last names are first) meets up with Kamiya Kaoru, Sagara Sanosuke, and Myojin Yahiko who together form a group/family. This group goes around defeating evil. About Rurouni Kenshin: Originally serialized in Japan's Shonen Jump magazine in 1994, Nobuhiro Watsuki's immensely popular manga became a 95-episode television program, with its first episode airing in 1996. Along with the 95-episode television series there are four ovas, one movie, and I think 3 specials. The ovas are fairly recent being released in 1999. The specials were aired on television and are just collections of Kenshin clips and reviews of the series. The manga contains 255 acts, not including specials, and has been published in 28 tankoubans. The television episode 95 was never aired on televison. The television episodes cover up to manga act 151 or volume 18 tankouban. The ovas cover, roughly, manga acts 165-179(tankouban volumes 19-20). Rurouni Kenshin is scheduled to be released in the US in the year 2000. ADV is doing the movies and ovas; Media Blaster is doing the TV series. Both will start being released July of 2000. If Kenshin is aired on television, it will done by Sony, but no news has been heard on that. Media Blasters is releasing the TV series dubbed and subtitled on VHS and DVD under the title Rurouni Kenshin. ADV is releasing the subbed version on VHS under the name Rurouni Kenshin. The dubbed version on VHS is under the name Samurai X. The DVD version might come later. If Sony ever broadcasts Rurouni Kenshin I am sure it will be under the name Samurai X. The dubbed version and the broadcasted version will both be highly edited. It is rumored that more Rurouni Kenshin TV episodes are being produced in Japan. These episodes would finish the second part of the manga (ie the Enshi "Revenge" Arc which is tankouban volumes 18-28). US Release by: OVAs: ADV Films Movie: ADV Films TV series: Media Blaster Broadcast: Pending Sony Manga: None Voice Actors: Cast: Himura Kenshin ........................................... Suzukaze Mayo Kamiya Kaoru ............................................. Fujitani Miki Sagara Sanosuke ......................................... Ueda Yuuji Myoujin Yahiko ........................................... Tominaga Miina Tsubame ...................................................... Shiratori Yuri Suzume ........................................................ Namiki Noriko Ayame ......................................................... Yuasa Kaori Makimachi Misao ........................................ Sakurai Tomo Seta Soujirou ............................................... Hidaka Noriko Hiko Seijuurou ............................................. Ikeda Shuuichi Megumi ........................................................ Doi Mika Saitou Hajime ............................................... Suzuoki Hirotaka Kurogasa ...................................................... Ohtsuka Akio Tsukayama Yutarou ...................................... Tanaka Mayumi Ebisu Marimo ............................................... Suzuki Masami Mikan .......................................................... Nishihara Kumiko Goro ............................................................ Kawata Taeko Taisuke ........................................................ Akado Mayumi Tsubaki ........................................................ Hiramatsu Akiko Magdalia Sayo ............................................. Kasahara Hiroko Tokiji ........................................................... Ohtani Ikue Sakura ......................................................... Koorogi Satomi Yuki ............................................................ Kawata Taeko Chris ........................................................... Kanemaru Junichi Ohkuma Daigorou ....................................... Hiyama Nobuyuki Yukishiro Tomoe ......................................... Iwao Junko Jinpuu .......................................................... Koyasu Takehito Reisui .......................................................... Miki Shinichirou Ishinshishi he no Requiem: Shigure Takimi ............................................. Inoue Kazuhiko Takatsuki Toki ............................................. Miyamura Yuko Takatsuki Gentatsu ....................................... Sasaki Nozumu Kajiki Sadashiro ........................................... Koyasu Takehito Tamono Eibin ............................................... Kosugi Juurouta Musashino Yasuharu .................................... Yamaguchi Kappei Rating: WOW!!! That is all I have to say about this series. Out of five stars this series is definately a five. The tv series has a serious theme about it, but I don't think I have ever seen an episode where I did not laugh. This has got to be my personal favorite. It has violence in it, and some episodes are more violent then others. The ovas are the best. If you are not already hooked on the tv series, watch the ovas and you will be. They are beautifully drawn and the story is just sooo sad. My only complaint about the ovas is that some of the story was left out. I think it would have been better if they released 5 episodes rather then just 4. That way the last episode would have made more sense. [For those of you that have seen the ova's and are saying "what are you talking about, it made perfect sense to me?" I refer you to the manga.] The movie is not quite as good as the ovas and isn't as pretty, but it is definately good. It is also very sad. :( I don't know why the ovas and movies are so sad when the TV series tends to have humor in it. |