Rurouni Kenshin

Written by Little_Wolf-18 on November 15, 2012 at 4:41 AM

We’re back to “Who doesn’t know this show?!”

“Rurouni Kenshin”, also known as “Samurai X”, is not only one of the longer, but also one of the best-known series available on this site. Old, yet timeless in the effect it has on its viewership, this can without a doubt count as one of the true classics.

Especially if you know the manga, the “Rurouni Kenshin” anime falls short of a masterpiece; but it is without a doubt well-done. The concept might not be new, but with adventure, drama, comedy, action, romance, and suspense, it displays the right mix of genres to draw in a broad audience; and the fact that it is based on history makes it all the more interesting. “Rurouni Kenshin”, or in short Ruroken, is set in the Meiji Era, a time full of political and social tensions, and perhaps one of the most turbulent times in Japanese history. And the time is portrayed quite well; the ruthlessness and cruelty of the changing era contrasts heavily with the vibrancy of Japanese culture that shines through, and where the whole anime can be gruelling and poignantly honest at times, it mostly retains a lighthearted feel, even as we watch the characters react to and undergo changes during the chaos of the time period.

That’s not to say this anime will necessarily make you think. The above makes for an intriguing look into both the time and human hearts; yet the superficial story is far less complex. Where it may at points seem clichéd to overkill, it is pleasantly paced, easy enough to follow that probably a kid could understand it, and with enough detail to retain its entertainment value even if you don’t look at the deeper messages. In short, the setup alone makes it something for everyone -- those just looking to be entertained, even if the story may be a little over the top, and those looking for a deeper insight into history and human minds.

The plot in itself can be neatly divided into three parts, each of about 30 eps. The first arc is mostly a kind of warm-up, meant for getting to know the setting, the characters with their individual personalities, motives, and backgrounds, and the main problems the superficial plots are hung up on. It’s great where it gets to development and character display, yet never gets quite extreme on the action or adventure feel. The second arc marks the highest point of the TV series; it’s where the greatest and most important part of the action takes place. The third arc deviates from the manga, not animating that one’s utter climax, but instead becoming rather a bit random and filler-ish, with both character and plot development being reduced a lot and the end falling short, leaving questions open. Even though the third arc, in contrast to fillers in most anime, retains its entertainment value for the most part, the very end leaves to be desired. Till then, however, plot setup and development are neatly done, and the first two arcs stick to the manga extremely well. For those not only looking for how to kill time, I’d recommend watching the OVAs or even better pick up the manga after the anime to complete the experience. (I kept my hopes up they’d animate the Jinchuu arc -- the manga’s third arc, that is -- as well, but seeing how long it’s been and what has been released since the original anime, I doubt that’s ever going to be a dream come true.)

That aside, even though the anime isn’t definite, drama and action are intense throughout, making for generally good atmosphere, and the overall storyline, both obvious and in-depth, is well thought-out.

Putting aside that more than half the cast is pretty overpowered, the characters are individuals and quite likeable, with good psychological design and fitting backgrounds. Characterisation is well-done, and certain themes -- such as the main character’s past coming back to haunt him -- are quite intriguing. Interaction is both interesting and amusing, doesn’t get too old during the series, and character development is decently done till the last arc.

In fact, it’s the characters who add true depth to the storyline -- the characters in all their colourfulness, with their crazy antics, different backgrounds, clashing opinions, et cetera. Take Kenshin, the protagonist, as the most obvious example: As his past continues to haunt him, and he tries to stick to his vow not to kill anyone ever again, not only does an obvious but unusual moral message come to the surface (look, the usual shounen anime goes on and on about friendship and loyalty, but never about the life/death question; and the usual samurai anime, if anything, mentions how killing may be necessary to maintain justice etc.), but during a journey of self-discovery, love, and justice, his actions gain symbolic value for the storyline and his own character. E. g. Kenshin’s clash with the series’ main antagonist might well be seen as a clash with his inner darkness see the torments of his past; and that’s only one example. In any case, characters and character interaction once more are entertaining enough and easy enough to follow that just about anyone would probably be able to appreciate this, yet both having symbolic value again adds so much more to the series in terms of depth.

The dialogue is easy enough to follow, with good flow so it doesn’t feel out of place, yet smart enough never to get monotonous. Aptly written to convey atmosphere and characters, supported by very good voice acting and even a decent dub, it simply helps raise the entertainment level. Unique speaking patterns can get rather funny (oro?! o.o). Another plus is that even when explaining fight techniques, the dialogue doesn’t get in the way of the action.

The animation is almost excellent for its time, with as smooth flow as an anime this old can have. Still, it doesn’t look like much anymore compared to newer anime. What’s to say… this show is more than ten years old. It might give credit to the historical feel, but

Even with the animation not being amazing anymore, the fights are if you can ignore the outdated animation style. The sword techniques are in their own class, well-explained no less, and at least at first, most battles are comparably unpredictable. It has to be said though that the action can get quite a little rough, so even if the story is easy enough for kids, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under the age of 12… at least not without parental supervision. Sigh.

The artwork, if not today’s quality, is solid enough, with nice attention to detail and certainly eye-catching use of colour. Even during the battles, colour and artistic value are retained. Scenery artwork is comparably beautiful for the time this anime was produced, if perhaps a little clean compared to how historical towns are assumed to have looked.

Character design is original and distinguishing, and the show’s trademark SD turns during comedic scenes are worth a laugh (and fanart). It’s also remarkable how there is absolutely no ecchi -- a refreshing change from most modern anime.

The music doesn’t always fit that well (that first opening! THAT FIRST OPENING), but it is still decent. I have to mention though that most of the small-size MP4s cut not only opening and ending, but the entire audio. (There’s ofc subs, but I really wasn’t able to hear the entire audio during the entire anime. ;_;)

Overall, “Rurouni Kenshin” is certainly interesting, if a little over-the-top here or there. Entertaining, educational in its moral values, philosophic in its symbolism and how it dwells on the thin line between right and wrong, even if it may be old, it can be called a true classic. Fit for many ages, amazing for samurai or history lovers, and great as a starter anime as well -- easy to follow yet well thought-through, and not much more violent than any average movie for teens or older. There’s drama, there’s suspense, there’s lots of action, there’s romance, and there’s some funny comedy strewn in between. Due to the end being a filler, though, I’d advise skipping the last thirty-or-so eps and going straight to the OVAs or the manga.

Personally, I like the “Rurouni Kenshin” manga better than the anime, if only for the fact that the manga’s climax (its third act) was never animated, which does leave a few plot holes, and for the fact that no old-looking animation gets in the way of the art style. But at least for two thirds of the plot, if you can get over the animation issue, this follows the manga closely and is as amazing, if not more amazing where it comes to the action. Even the filler arc is still comparably entertaining and at least retains the charas’ core personalities. The very last episode may be a failure, but the overall plot till then is well enough done. It would have deserved its closure IMO, but it still has enough depth to satisfy also the more sophisticated of viewers; not speaking of thoroughly satisfying, if at times a little bloody, action scenes, an appealing mix of genres, and great characterisation throughout. A true classic, great for a classic, and worth the watch if you ask me. Don’t forget the OVAs... or the manga. Those certainly raise the entertainment to another level.