Samurai X - Betrayal (Rurouni Kenshin)

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The peace that reigns over the remote mountain village of Otsu contrasts sharply with the rapid-fire violence of the previous episodes (Samurai X: Trust) set in Kyoto. Working as a farmer, growing crops and savoring the passage of the seasons, Kenshin comes to terms with the discontent festering in his soul. He regrets the death and suffering he has caused, and hopes to find a better life--with the mysterious Tomoe. A conventional story would end on this note of self-discovery and moral growth. But Samurai Xunfolds like a Kabuki tragedy: the desire for revenge remains strong, especially among the agents of the last Tokugawa Shogun, who are anxious to crush the nascent rebellion led by the Choshu clan. Kenshin was an important agent for the Choshu; Tomoe is just a pawn, but the outcome of a game may hinge on a strategically positioned pawn. Kenshin finally grasps the lessons his master, Hiko, attempted to teach him: the need for inner peace and the possibility of defending the weak without resorting to violence. The exquisitely detailed artwork evokes 19th century Japan, and director Kazuhiro Furuhashi depicts these understated inner conflicts as skillfully as the epic sword fights in the first episodes. Samurai X demonstrates the power of animation to present stories of great emotional depth, earning it a rightful place among the top anime series. Unrated; suitable for ages 18 and up for explicit violence. --Charles Solomon
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Samurai X - Trust & Betrayal (Director's Cut)
Starring: Mayo Suzukaze , Junko Iwao , Nozomu Sasaki , Masami Suzuki , and Shûichi Ikeda Director: Kazuhiro Furuhashi Manufacturer: Adv Films ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00008G8PP Release Date: 2003-05-20 |
Amazon.com
Director Kazuhiro Furuhashi has recut the four-episode Samurai X OVA into a seamless feature that serves as a prequel to both Samurai X: The Movie and the light-hearted TV series. The action unfolds in 1864, at the beginning of the revolution against the Tokugawa Shogunate that culiminated in the Meiji Restoration. The orphan Shinta is transformed by master swordsman Hiko into Kenshin, an assassin who believes he is using his sword to bring about a better world. When he and the mysterious Tomoe hide from the intrigues of Kyoto in a remote mountain village, Kenshin finds peace, raising crops and savoring the passage of the seasons, but this tranquility cannot endure. Furuhashi choreographs the characters' inner conflicts as skillfully as the epic sword fights, infusing them with an elegant sensuality. In either format, Samurai X OVAs capture the violence and poetry of samurai culture in a story of exceptional emotional depth. (Rated 17 and older: violence, alcohol use, mature themes) --Charles SolomonDescription
Nineteenth century Japan: a land torn by rebellion and civil warfare; small bands of soldiers roam the land, seeking to overthrow the tyrannical Tokugawa Shogunate. Enter the young orphan Kenshin, trained as a fighter by the master swordsman Hiko. Kenshin's desire for peace is at odds with his brutal life, and the tension seems unreconcilable until he meets a mysterious woman named Tomoe. The enigmatic Tomoe's actions may show Kenshin that another life can exist for him, or may instead conceal a destructive secret. Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal Director's Cut follows the progress of the rebellion against the Shogunate and the complex evolution of Kenshin's and Tomoe's involvement, and reveals how Kenshin received the distinctive cross-shaped facial scar that gives the film its name.
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Samurai X - Betrayal (Rurouni Kenshin)
Starring: Mayo Suzukaze , Miki Fujitani , Yûji Ueda , Mîna Tominaga , and Mika Doi Director: Kazuhiro Furuhashi , and Kaeko Sakamoto Manufacturer: Adv Films ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000050GC8 Release Date: 2000-11-14 |
Amazon.com
The peace that reigns over the remote mountain village of Otsu contrasts sharply with the rapid-fire violence of the previous episodes (Samurai X: Trust) set in Kyoto. Working as a farmer, growing crops and savoring the passage of the seasons, Kenshin comes to terms with the discontent festering in his soul. He regrets the death and suffering he has caused, and hopes to find a better life--with the mysterious Tomoe. A conventional story would end on this note of self-discovery and moral growth. But Samurai Xunfolds like a Kabuki tragedy: the desire for revenge remains strong, especially among the agents of the last Tokugawa Shogun, who are anxious to crush the nascent rebellion led by the Choshu clan. Kenshin was an important agent for the Choshu; Tomoe is just a pawn, but the outcome of a game may hinge on a strategically positioned pawn. Kenshin finally grasps the lessons his master, Hiko, attempted to teach him: the need for inner peace and the possibility of defending the weak without resorting to violence. The exquisitely detailed artwork evokes 19th century Japan, and director Kazuhiro Furuhashi depicts these understated inner conflicts as skillfully as the epic sword fights in the first episodes. Samurai X demonstrates the power of animation to present stories of great emotional depth, earning it a rightful place among the top anime series. Unrated; suitable for ages 18 and up for explicit violence. --Charles SolomonDVD:
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