This review is for the Director's Cut of the Ruroni Kenshin OVA series, which became "Samurai X" when it was released in the United States. I had seen the original four episodes years ago, but there were certainly some differences in the Director's Cut.
Kenshin is a young orphan when he is discovered by a samurai warrior/assassin, who then takes him in and teaches him how to fight. It is the 1860's and the era of Japan's Meiji Restoration, and Kenshin, now in his late teens, is the most skilled and powerful assassins of his group. His reasoning behind his work is that he is doing this in order to build a peaceful Japan; that he is only killing the men who are preventing progress and change. One night, he is sent to kill a man, and in the process, takes care of his bodyguards as well, but one of them manages to slash Kenshin's face. Later, on another assignment, Kenshin kills a man, and then looks up to see a woman standing there. The two end up striking up a cautious friendship, but she has a secret that threatens to destroy him.
If anyone has seen the actual television series "Ruroni Kenshin", it is completely different from these episodes in that while the show was lame, at times goofy, and not drawn very well, "Samurai X" is the complete opposite. The character design is absolutely gorgeous, the story is very full and compelling (my summary doesn't begin to do it justice) and the action scenes, while violent, are actually not gratuitous. The soundtrack is gorgeous, a rich classical score, and, as usual in serious anime, the Japanese voice actors are first class. "Samurai X" is one of the many animes that make me wonder why anyone would want to watch anime dubbed in English when the Japanese voice actors are exponentially superior. If anyone is looking for a comparison between the original release and the Director's cut, it is hard to tell because there were several very small things that were added, plus a little CGI work. Also, the episodes were strung together as if they were a complete film. I'm sure that someone more schooled in the original cut would be able to distinguish more than I can. If you're looking for some good, serious dramatic anime that has a good amount of action and violence in it, check out "Samurai X". Just make sure you don't watch it in English, whatever you do. 6/10 --Shelly
Kenshin is a young orphan when he is discovered by a samurai warrior/assassin, who then takes him in and teaches him how to fight. It is the 1860's and the era of Japan's Meiji Restoration, and Kenshin, now in his late teens, is the most skilled and powerful assassins of his group. His reasoning behind his work is that he is doing this in order to build a peaceful Japan; that he is only killing the men who are preventing progress and change. One night, he is sent to kill a man, and in the process, takes care of his bodyguards as well, but one of them manages to slash Kenshin's face. Later, on another assignment, Kenshin kills a man, and then looks up to see a woman standing there. The two end up striking up a cautious friendship, but she has a secret that threatens to destroy him.
If anyone has seen the actual television series "Ruroni Kenshin", it is completely different from these episodes in that while the show was lame, at times goofy, and not drawn very well, "Samurai X" is the complete opposite. The character design is absolutely gorgeous, the story is very full and compelling (my summary doesn't begin to do it justice) and the action scenes, while violent, are actually not gratuitous. The soundtrack is gorgeous, a rich classical score, and, as usual in serious anime, the Japanese voice actors are first class. "Samurai X" is one of the many animes that make me wonder why anyone would want to watch anime dubbed in English when the Japanese voice actors are exponentially superior. If anyone is looking for a comparison between the original release and the Director's cut, it is hard to tell because there were several very small things that were added, plus a little CGI work. Also, the episodes were strung together as if they were a complete film. I'm sure that someone more schooled in the original cut would be able to distinguish more than I can. If you're looking for some good, serious dramatic anime that has a good amount of action and violence in it, check out "Samurai X". Just make sure you don't watch it in English, whatever you do. 6/10 --Shelly