In the exciting world of manga and anime, movie adaptation is something to look forwards to, especially if the producers made all the important scenes true to form. Manga purists are aware of all the details and there is no way that the movie production can get away with anything that borders on blasphemous without the fans noticing any of it.
It is, therefore, refreshing to note that most of the important events in the original material of Nobuhiro Watsuki were retained and even improved by producers of the movie "Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno".
If you have not yet watch the movie, then better stop reading now because this review will contain several spoilers and reveal the plot leading to the epic conclusion, "Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends".
For over two hours, fans will realize that the movie used the massive amount of material from the Kyoto Arc of "Rurouni Kenshin". This means that those who have watched the manga series will realize that there are some changes made in the movie which made it more enjoyable and entertaining. All the back story that goes along with the series could have made the movie extend for half a day if the producers stayed true to form anyway.
The primary function of this first part was to lay the foundation for the epic conclusion in "Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends", which will hit the theaters on September 24. Nevertheless, director Keishi Otomo made sure that the film itself can stand on its own merits.
In Kyoto Arc, the entry of Hajime Saito – and his subsequent battle with Kenshin Himura – marks the start of the story. This was not done in "Kyoto Inferno," which is understandable because Saito was already introduced to Himura and the gang in the first "Rurouni Kenshin" movie.
Seeing Himura and Saito fight to the death – with the latter turning into Battousai the manslayer for a few moments – would have been epic in a live action movie. Despite this, Otomo gave both characters more screen time battling their respective opponents.
There were also no emotional goodbyes between Himura and his lady love, Kaoru Kamiya, before heading to Kyoto to fight Shishio. The talked about it in the movie, but it was not as dramatic as in the original material with all those fireflies.
Himura and his gang should have encountered Aoshi Shinomori and his henchmen from the Oniwabanshu during the first “Rurouni Kenshin” movie, if the original material were to be followed. Shinomori and his gang used to be the bodyguards of former opium dealer Kanryu Takeda, one of the antagonists in the series.
However, because characters from another arc (the manga-only Jinchuu arc, to be exact) were placed in the first movie, Shinomori had to be included somewhere in "Kyoto Inferno" and fans would easily notice how his introduction felt a bit rushed. This affected the development of other characters connected to him, from Misao Makimachi to Nenji Kashiwazaki or Okina.
Himura does not get to fight the giant Senkaku in "Kyoto Inferno," probably to maintain the realistic feel of the movie. Instead, our hero faces a group of samurai warriors who have taken over Shingetsu village upon Shishio’s orders.
And of course, the succeeding battle against Shishio’s right-hand man, Sojiro Seta, is also something to look forward to. This scene will showcase how fast the two warriors are and will set the stage for an exciting and epic conclusion of their duel in the sequel.
Overall, the movie exceeded the expectation of both the manga purists and new fans of Kenshin. The uncensored high-level live-action adaptation is definitely more superior than what the anime version featured before.
Hardcore fans will have a field day raving while Himura and his gang, Saito and the rest of the Oniwabanshu defend Kyoto from Shishio’s nameless henchmen, the last battle aboard the steel plated battleship called Rengoku and the possible extended appearance of Himura’s master, Seijuro Hiko.
The movie is still screened in cinemas nationwide. Japanese actor Takeru Satoh player the manslayer-turned-wanderer Kenshin Himura; Emi Takei is the dojo-owner Kaoru Kamiya; Tatsuya Fujiwara played the heavily bandaged Makoto Shishio; Munetaka Aoki as the street fighter Sagara Sanosuke and Yusuke Iseya played the leader of Oniwabanshu agents Aoshi Shinomori .
The movie also featured Tai Tsuchiya as Misao Makimachi; Min Tanaka as Okina/Nenji Kashiwazaki and half-Filipino, half-Japanese Maryjun Takahashi as Yumi Komagata.
Rating: A+
It is, therefore, refreshing to note that most of the important events in the original material of Nobuhiro Watsuki were retained and even improved by producers of the movie "Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno".
If you have not yet watch the movie, then better stop reading now because this review will contain several spoilers and reveal the plot leading to the epic conclusion, "Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends".
For over two hours, fans will realize that the movie used the massive amount of material from the Kyoto Arc of "Rurouni Kenshin". This means that those who have watched the manga series will realize that there are some changes made in the movie which made it more enjoyable and entertaining. All the back story that goes along with the series could have made the movie extend for half a day if the producers stayed true to form anyway.
The primary function of this first part was to lay the foundation for the epic conclusion in "Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends", which will hit the theaters on September 24. Nevertheless, director Keishi Otomo made sure that the film itself can stand on its own merits.
In Kyoto Arc, the entry of Hajime Saito – and his subsequent battle with Kenshin Himura – marks the start of the story. This was not done in "Kyoto Inferno," which is understandable because Saito was already introduced to Himura and the gang in the first "Rurouni Kenshin" movie.
Seeing Himura and Saito fight to the death – with the latter turning into Battousai the manslayer for a few moments – would have been epic in a live action movie. Despite this, Otomo gave both characters more screen time battling their respective opponents.
There were also no emotional goodbyes between Himura and his lady love, Kaoru Kamiya, before heading to Kyoto to fight Shishio. The talked about it in the movie, but it was not as dramatic as in the original material with all those fireflies.
Himura and his gang should have encountered Aoshi Shinomori and his henchmen from the Oniwabanshu during the first “Rurouni Kenshin” movie, if the original material were to be followed. Shinomori and his gang used to be the bodyguards of former opium dealer Kanryu Takeda, one of the antagonists in the series.
However, because characters from another arc (the manga-only Jinchuu arc, to be exact) were placed in the first movie, Shinomori had to be included somewhere in "Kyoto Inferno" and fans would easily notice how his introduction felt a bit rushed. This affected the development of other characters connected to him, from Misao Makimachi to Nenji Kashiwazaki or Okina.
Himura does not get to fight the giant Senkaku in "Kyoto Inferno," probably to maintain the realistic feel of the movie. Instead, our hero faces a group of samurai warriors who have taken over Shingetsu village upon Shishio’s orders.
And of course, the succeeding battle against Shishio’s right-hand man, Sojiro Seta, is also something to look forward to. This scene will showcase how fast the two warriors are and will set the stage for an exciting and epic conclusion of their duel in the sequel.
Overall, the movie exceeded the expectation of both the manga purists and new fans of Kenshin. The uncensored high-level live-action adaptation is definitely more superior than what the anime version featured before.
Hardcore fans will have a field day raving while Himura and his gang, Saito and the rest of the Oniwabanshu defend Kyoto from Shishio’s nameless henchmen, the last battle aboard the steel plated battleship called Rengoku and the possible extended appearance of Himura’s master, Seijuro Hiko.
The movie is still screened in cinemas nationwide. Japanese actor Takeru Satoh player the manslayer-turned-wanderer Kenshin Himura; Emi Takei is the dojo-owner Kaoru Kamiya; Tatsuya Fujiwara played the heavily bandaged Makoto Shishio; Munetaka Aoki as the street fighter Sagara Sanosuke and Yusuke Iseya played the leader of Oniwabanshu agents Aoshi Shinomori .
The movie also featured Tai Tsuchiya as Misao Makimachi; Min Tanaka as Okina/Nenji Kashiwazaki and half-Filipino, half-Japanese Maryjun Takahashi as Yumi Komagata.
Rating: A+
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