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Dedicated for those with strong in beliefs that animation is not just for kids... (or for people who just refuse to grow up) ^_^.
Last Update: May 27, 1998
Rurouni Kenshin
10 years into the Meji Era, when a young dojo owner attacks a passing ruronin believing that he was the serial killer who took the name of the "Hitokiri Battousai" (Sword Weilding Assasin) and was staining the name of the Kamiya School. Who was to know that this simple incident of mistaken identity actually marks the beginning of one of the most amazing stories ever to be told in Anime history.
What I thoroughly enjoyed about this series is its loose reference to actual historical events in late 19th Century Japan. The Meji period (late 1800's) marked the "westernization" of Nippon and the slow death of the life of the samurai.
In this story, Himura Kenshin was one of the primary characters that played a role in the awakening of the Meji era. His fighting skills earned him the title of the Legendary Hitokiri Battousai, while he fought beside the revolutionaries who toppled the rulers of the earlier Edo Dynasty. But at the wake of the Meji Era, Himura Kenshin "retired" as a Hitokiri and disappeared... as he wandered all over Japan as a "non-killing" Ruronin with his Sakaba sword (a katana where the blade is in the "wrong side") for the next 10 years. As a form of attonement for all the lives he has taken during the revolution, he made a vow never to kill again and use his sword only "to protect".
His peaceful existence, however, is challenged as people from his past, both friend and foe, appeared as if to pull him back to the life that he had so left behind... Kenshin's past is still a big mystery. In fact, there is this annoying point of view wherein the more events from his past is revealed, the more one realizes how mysterious this character is.
Aside from Kenshin's fascinating characterization and amazing storylines, the series (both anime and manga) boasts a strong cast of characters that blends touches of action, drama, comedy, and romance very nicely. In fact, though there are hinted romantic interludes laced within the storylines, the scenes are never "mushy". Though the logic behind some of the fighting techniques or medical conditions are questionable, it doesn't fail to impress. And though the storylines are very LOOSELY based on actual historical events, it didn't shy away from the social and political issues Japan faced during this period. It dealt with simple issues like the superstition and distrust of the common folk against the steam engine technology of the West to the more serious problems such as the Yakusa and opium addiction.
It doesn't take a genius how much I LOVE this series. I highly recommend it. Very fascinating piece that has a LOT of reference to the local 19th Century culture. Though it would require some basic Japanese culture knowledge to get some of the in-jokes as in the play with words within the dialects... Though I have limited knowledge regarding Japanese culture and history, I strongly DO NOT support the push to release "Ruroni Kenshin" in North America as "Samurai X" as in the material will be butchered and westernized like poor "Sailor Moon". Just translate and subtitle it please, and put some nice little side note references in the beginning or the end.
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