Sean Akizuki's East Asian Drama and Movie Blog

I remembered watching the Rurouni Kenshin Trilogy which broke quite a record in Philippine cinema. Unfortunately, the two films that served to wrap things up with the finale  then we had the origins of Battousai - all before Kenshin decided to get a reverse-edged sword when he swore never to kill again. The whole movie is a condensed version of the Trust and Betrayal OVA series. The finale deals with the late Tomoe's younger brother Enishi. This one explains why the final movie went that way (and why it NEVER became the Anime finale is really confusing IMHO).  The whole era here was the Tokugawa Shogunate. I could remember a bit of my Japanese history in high school now! Okay, Rurouni Kenshin is just a story but you can learn some Japanese history. The Tokugawa era created an isolationist policy against Western influence. Much persecution of western ideas happened during the Tokugawa era. Much of the grudge that Shogo Amakusa (Muto, actually) was because of the loss of his Cat...

Eiga  I remembered being a fan of the Rurouni Kenshin anime or others remember it as Samurai X . I remembered Netflix temporarily had the series but I didn't feel so excited about rewatching the Anime as much as watching the movie trilogy which the first was the origins while the next two featured Shishio Makoto's origins. Shishio's probably the most popular villain in the franchise as to have two movies devoted to him. Now, I thought about how the Anime series had its end with what I call the substandard Feng Shui Arc. I felt that Shogo Amakusa's arc was totally adding depths with a sympathetic villain who only wanted to save his people but was doing it the wrong way. After that, I remembered a Questor issue that talked about the final arc involving Enishi Yukishiro (acted by Mackenkyu, son of Sonny Chiba) of the Jinchu Arc. Yes, we NEVER got to see that in the Anime.  The story of Kenshin is a complicated guy - a bloodthirsty killer who swore to never kill again. The ...

From the ever-reliable Orends Range, now I'd like to share these few thoughts.  I'm not so familiar with everyone so I can't really react on everything.  Now here they are... some glimpses that make me gusta to see the movie! Well the Shishio Makoto here looks PRETTY impressive.  I just had my thought that he is one of my favorite Rurouni Kenshin villaisn considering he is one cunning, calculating evil mastermind who really knows how to get things done.  In fact, what made the Shishio arc really great was because of the villains having their aim to take over Japan and knowing how to deal with their enemies. Ryosuke Miura who was previously in Kamen Rider OOO as Ankh/Hinata's brother now will play as Cho Sawagejo.  Hmmm... I'd like to see how he'll do.  We have Takeru Sato as Kenshin, we all know him also as Kamen Rdier Den-O. Maryjun Takahashi well is Yu Takahashi's older sister.  Just my thought, I need to see how shell act as Yumi.  Now...

I do like the Rurouni Kenshin film but I wished the following were cast instead: Tori Matsuzaka as Kenshin- Reasons are too obvious because of the shout outs he had in Shinkenger.  Duh.  Well not only that, I think he's a better actor than Takeru Sato but he was probably too busy with other projects so he may have refused the part.  I thought he's even closer to Kenshin than Takeru Sato will ever be. Rin Takanashi as Kaoru- Well I thought that Emi Takei was probably better off playing Misao or Megumi, but better Misao.  Now why I choose Rin Takanashi is that aside from her features that resemble Kaoru Kamiya (having those large eyes and long hair) in Rurouni Kenshin, he does carry on the bad cook gag rather well which I think I'd rather see Emi Takei throwing shurikens or cooking good food to please everyone.  That stare of hers during her bad cooking moment can really drive some degree of laughter for me.  Plus, she and Tori Matsuzaka do have some ch...

So I'm not the first one, Orends Range had gone ahead of me but I'll now share my expanded thoughts on the movie.  First, since it's an adaptation and NOT from the original source, don't expect a frame-by-frame adaptation but all I can say is, despite that fact the movie was executed pretty well.  I'm a fan of Kenshin, yes I am and he's my favorite in the whole show so I went to watch this movie though I'm not really similar to him in personality.  Behind the scenes, I'd like to thank Nobohiru Watsuki for supporting the film and to Keishi Otomo for the job well done.  And of course, to Takeru Sato for going from henshin to Kenshin. Everything starts where Kenshin as Battousai.  After his bloody history, he pretty much gives up his title as Battousai the slasher after killing many people even to the point of making the absurd reverse-edged sword.  As a teenager, I always got WTFed at the philosophy of the reverse edged sword, so no reason that Takeru ...