Reviews

The light-hearted tone of Rurouni Kenshin (the original Shounen series) is jettisoned for a solemn samurai OVA, with no shortage of emotional anguish, or macabre-ladened combat. The juxtaposition can be a bit jarring, but the elimination of tired tropes, and the depiction of realism is a breath of fresh air. While the plot, at times, progress’s in a gradual fashion, no scene feels unneeded, nor superfluous to the essence of the overall story. Every moment builds constructively from the last, forming a beautiful narrative about the harshness of war, love, and friendship.

Kenshin Himura, also known as The Battousai (The Manslayer), decides to disregard his master’s advice to fight the Tokugawa Shogunate, and “save” as many innocent people as humanly possible. But in his efforts to “save” people, he must slaughter other samurai who his superiors command him to kill. As a result of living this contradictory lifestyle, a moral dilemma erupts in Kenshin’s heart, as he learns the consequences of his “blind” actions. The OVA does a fairly nice job of obscuring the line between good and evil; however, the ending, much to my dismay, became formula-driven in its approach, using a proxy tournament with a “final boss” waiting at the end.

Be that as it may, it is a visceral story with entertaining fight scenes, and a foreboding atmosphere mixed with colorful symbolism. Those who are apprehensive about the anime medium, need not worry, this story abstains from the faux pas’s that plague the medium, creating a splendid experience for anyone of age to enjoy.