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Rurouni Kenshin (TV 2023) (w/ index).


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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2023 2:04 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 08: Beauty on the Run
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Summary:

Sanosuke, along with Kenshin, go to a local hangout where he (Sano) likes to occasionally gamble with friends and acquaintances, but finds out that one of those friends had recently died after becoming an opium addict. Amidst his grieving, a beautiful woman named Takani Megumi is being chased, then barges into the room seeking help. The duo subdue the pursuers and discover that they work for a notoriously dangerous entrepreneur, Takeda Kanryuu, who also employs members of the famed Oniwabanshuu, an elite team of onmitsu (spies), including their okashira (leader), Shinomori Aoshi.
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Comments:

Fun fact: when I was a kid, I religiously watched many a ninja movie starring the great Shou Kosugi, specifically Revenge of the Ninja (1983), Ninja III: The Domination (1984), and the occasional viewing of American Ninja (1985) starring Michael Dudikoff. I also watched and immersed myself in anything and everything that involved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And when pre-school had me write down what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wrote: ninja. Back then, and still to this day, I hold a special place in my heart for all things ninja-related. But the main topics for this episode are: Megumi, Opium, Kanryuu, and the Oniwabanshuu.

In the next few episodes, we'll eventually get more of Megumi's backstory. For this one, though, she's the mysterious damsel and inadvertent source of some comedy relief. Her design in the manga and RK96 actually made her look a little older and more refined. Here, however, her design and new voice make her feel much younger, which I'm liking, so far, since she's supposed to be a little older than Sano (in her early 20s, I think). I do like that her VA can phase between sounding serious and foxy. It's not her main trait, but it adds a little extra character.

Opium, of course, is a pretty major drug. It actually doesn't play much of a role in the story past this arc, but I guess you could say it was the catalyst to some of the major events and drama that'll unfold in the next few episodes. For those that might not understand the full magnitude and destructive power behind opium, it was basically one of the most prevalent illicit drugs from about the 12th to 19th century. Think of it as smoking very potent morphine, was about as easy to get as weed is today, but more people do it. That's bad. It created a lot of addicts and ruined a lot of lives. And now Kanryuu is trafficking that stuff.

Speaking of Kanryuu, while they may call him an "entrepreneur," he's pretty much a mob boss. He rules with money and power, and that power comes in the form of the Oniwabnshuu. You can probably guess just by looking and listening to him, that he's the brains, while they're the brawn. The Oniwabanshuu will be the more important antagonists to focus on for this arc, as they represent more remnants of the revolution and will, thus, have some ideals to battle against. You'll get more backstory and some pretty cool fights as a result.

As for the pacing, I was a little apprehensive in thinking they could do this arc in five episodes (RK96 did it in four) to reach the halfway point of the season. But I feel the production crew did a smart thing by recapping part of the previous episode at the beginning of this one, then just barely introducing the Oniwabanshuu at the end. Maybe they can do a little more stretching with a few history blurbs or combat explanations, here and there. But these next four episodes should be great.
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Harleyquin



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2023 10:51 pm Reply with quote
#9

The episode starts off where last week left off, and for viewers new to the franchise it might be surprising just how quickly it finished given the build up. Not to worry, there's more airtime to come and there's plenty more action to be had. Personally I'm pleased with the decision to change the original episode and make the part with Kenshin's much more realistic. Those who watched the original episode will know exactly what I'm referring to, since it was much shorter and highly unrealistic the way he dealt with Hyottoko's fire breath back then. This time round it's much better animated, longer and more believable. Sanosuke's part with Hyottoko is more or less the same, so not much to say on that front.

As for Takane Megumi's past, did non-acquainted viewers really have time to figure out why she was so good at preparing opium concoctions? If they didn't, the explanation given in this episode should leave no doubt as to her level of medical expertise. A note about 脱藩, I don't know how it was approached by the in-house translators but going "lordless" makes light of just how serious the offence was in the Bakumatsu era. As far back as the Tokugawa Shogunate, breaking all ties with the liege lord and leaving the fief a clan was originally stationed in without the proper documentation would leave a clan liable to disenfranchisement and execution if the offenders were caught by the pursuing authorities.

The Takane clan were fortunate they obtained an exemption from the Aizu Daimyo allowing them back after their studies were completed; had they not been such skilled doctors the exemption would not have applied. Fate on the other hand had the final say as the Aizu War explained by the narrator this week put paid to the clan's fortunes, with Megumi the only known survivor. Kenshin would know a thing or two about years of guilt, so he's not wrong in telling her about redemption.

Hannya is the next matchup, and that's one I'm looking forward to as it was one of the highlights of the original run and I'm looking forward to seeing how the animators approach this. Primarily a spy, he's also strong and a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. Obviously he's not fighting Kenshin with just bare fists, as the reaction to the sword strike showed.

The post-credits scene with Kanryuu actually closes one of the most glaring plot holes from the original airing (and most likely the source material). As to what Kanryuu is going bananas over in the scene (exaggerated broken English and all), that's a surprise for later on in the adaptation. Back then viewers could only have guessed where Kanryuu obtained it, but now it's made clear he paid for it from his opium money and commissioned the British to ship it to him (the insignia on the crate indicates as much, if it was American I would have expected something else for the crate's markings).
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smurky turkey



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PostPosted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 11:49 am Reply with quote
Huh, fire breathing is a rather common thing in many anime, but the way it was achieved in this episode was with a method that you do not see all that often. I can not imagine that having a bag that size in your stomach would be all that pleasant. I like that fire breath user and poison weapon man were more tricksters than pure warriors, though the gentleman with the mask was plenty capable without any tricks.

The background for Megumi makes sense, it also makes her far too valuable a target. It is hard to imagine her not being chased by someone ever again.
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 1:46 am Reply with quote
Original discussion started here.

Special note: there is a post-credits scene. This wasn't in any previous iterations, and I, personally, felt it was a little cheesy. But whatever works for making this arc stretch out to Episode 12.
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Episode 09: The Oniwabanshuu Strike
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Summary:

Kamiya Dojo is attacked by members of the Oniwabanshuu. Hyottoko, a man who can breathe fire, is subdued by Sanosuke. Meanwhile, in a desperate effort to not fail his okashira, again, Beshimi shoots a spiral dart at Megumi. Yahiko manages to throw his arm in the way to block her, but is afflicted with its poison. And just as Kenshin subdues Beshimi, a masked man, Han'nya, appears to retrieve his fallen comrades.
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Comments:

A decent showing off of the Oniwabanshuu roster. But do know that Hyottoko and Beshimi are actually the bottom tier of the group. The next two guys will be much tougher to deal with. And the gap between bottom and middle tier is a pretty big gap. I also noticed the subtitles mentioned that the former's name is a hybrid of hi (火) and otoko (男), but they didn't actually translate them. They unironically mean "fire" and "man," in case anybody was wondering.

The rest of the episode focuses on Megumi's development and backstory. We finally learn why she's being chased, as well as the unfortunate circumstances that brought her to this point. Re-reading the manga with each episode, I think I totally forgot to mention in earlier reviews that all the in-anime narration they keep doing is actually a part of the manga itself for a lot of parts. I think it's great they've integrated the extra explanations and descriptions. There's something about 'em that gives the pacing a nice flow of "informational action" that I feel slightly enhances the scene.

We're also introduced to Dr. Gensai (the old man), who actually played a more marginal role in RK96's first season, with his two (filler) granddaughters. He didn't play much of a role in the manga, but for some reason I'm just glad to finally see him. There's something about old doctors being around in stories that I always like. I guess it's because they feel like sage-type characters, even if they don't really do much, other than talk.

The post-credits scene wouldn't have been so cheesy, had they hired people with actual Western accents to speak the English parts. I don't mind Engrish, but when an obviously Western-looking guy starts speaking with a really thick Japanese accent, that's tacky. Granted, I've heard much worse, and his English is not bad at all. But the acting kinda' cheapened the strong production value in the show, up to that point. Again, though, whatever works to stretch this arc out an extra episode. I'm very eager to see the next three. That should be plenty of time allotment for the fights and conclusion.
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Harleyquin



Joined: 29 May 2014
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:58 pm Reply with quote
#10

I'd forgotten there was an episode to set up the big assault on the Takeda mansion, and this is it. Takeda Kanryuu gets his character study in this episode, so seeing what lengths he will go to pursue profit is the main focus for this episode in my opinion. Not much subtlety to it, he will make his profit and will do anything to secure it. A stereotypical black and white contrast to Kenshin, who as Shinomori Aoshi rightly pointed out earned the right to assume high command in the new administration for his exploits but refused and wandered Japan for over a decade.

The first part isn't very interesting for action junkies, so it's when the assault begins proper that the audience sits up again. The trio against a big defence squad means the set-piece is handled quickly, as this is not what the series is about. Once that's over with, the negotiation scene between Takeda and Himura is something I DO remember from the previous airing, obviously this adaptation does it much better with the lamp actually hitting the main building this time round.

With the setup taken care of, the first of the remaining highlights of this arc will begin immediately next week.
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Gina Szanboti



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PostPosted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 2:19 am Reply with quote
I have been waiting for this episode, to see if they kept in the scene where Sano lobs Yahiko into the formation of soldiers. And they did! It wasn't nearly as funny as it was in the original series, but it still got a laugh out of me (Yahiko's bug-eyed shock in the old series was priceless, and I think I preferred his dumbfounded look at finding the gun in his hand rather than having him deliberately swipe it - that explanation makes more sense, but undercuts the hilarious absurdity of the whole scene).
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:56 pm Reply with quote
Original discussion started here.
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Episode 10: A Reason to Act
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Summary:

Megumi begins living at Kamiya Dojo, but Sanosuke remains resentful towards her for creating the opium that killed his friend. A disguised Han'nya infiltrates the grounds informing Megumi that if she doesn't willingly return, Kanryuu will surround the dojo and burn it down with everyone inside. After she leaves, Kenshin decides to go on a rescue mission to Kanryuu's compound, with Sanosuke and Yahiko accompanying him.
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Comments:

A little bit of action, but of low quality, since most of the hired goons didn't stand much of a chance. We do, however, get some decent character progression for Megumi and Aoshi, and also get to see how Kanryuu in his natural state of "money-grubbing villain who thinks he can buy anything."

Megumi seems to have reached the end of her rope, losing all hope, and just wanting to do one good thing before her self-inflicted demise. And she definitely could've killed Kanryuu, had Aoshi not stepped in. The ironic thing about it, though, is he didn't do it because he particularly likes Kanryuu (nobody does). He did it because of his pride and principle, since he was hired for protection.

And this is what separates Aoshi from Jin-e: a sense of honor. The next couple of episodes will delve a little more into it. But so far, this second big baddie doesn't seem like such a bad guy. He even gave Megumi the chance of an honorable death by her own hand. Because assuming Aoshi wins, Kanryuu will definitely torture the opium recipe out of her, then kill her. Kenshin and company have to go through Han'nya and one yet-to-be-revealed member of the Oniwabanshuu, first. The next episode should have some pretty good fights to make up for the cannon fodder goons in this one.
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Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Sep 13, 2023 11:19 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Gina Szanboti



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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2023 12:31 am Reply with quote
Tony K. wrote:

This is the view from the original series:


Looks like I'm not the only one enamored of that scene. I just prefer the semi-crossed eyes, I guess, and the "I have no mouth and I must scream" face. Very Happy
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2023 11:35 am Reply with quote
Yeah, RK96 definitely does the comedy bits better. It's not completely goofy, but adds just enough little nuances like that. Like this past episode, when the group was eating Megumi's ohagi and she teases Kaoru about making a move on Kenshin, both the manga and RK96 had her do a little side laugh with fox ears, while this one didn't. But for what RK23 lacks in the comedy department, I think it'll make up for in the drama.
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Harleyquin



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PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2023 10:58 pm Reply with quote
#11

The build-up from last week was for the Hannya fight, but I forgot there was one other Oniwabanshu in Aoshi's group who is introduced this episode. I remember him more for what he does later rather than the fight in this episode, but the animators did both of the duels justice.

The Hannya duel this time round was in a well-lit spacious area, which I think was different from the narrower corridor in the original airing. Also, the second part seems slightly longer than the original airing, but otherwise the result and deciding moves are exactly the same. Hannya sacrificed so much to be the ultimate spy, which says a lot about the leader he, Shikijo and the others serve under. His showdown with Kenshin begins next week, and there's one factor in particular I'm interested in seeing if any changes are going to be made.

The Shikijo battle I honestly forgot about as he's only introduced in this episode and is then defeated shortly afterwards. This time round they certainly upped the impact from those headbutts and wrestling moves (I thought the VA sounded familiar, and he's well known for his numerous voice roles elsewhere as well as his pro-wrestling career in real life. Most recent credit for a show I watched was in Jigokuraku as Kamiya Gantetsusai. Very appropriate casting choice). Although a lot of the fight is Sanosuke highlighting the differences between Kenshin and the current lot of the Oniwabanshu while he's getting over his concussion, it doesn't tell the full story. Even Sanosuke has to admit the Oniwabanshu leader must have something which compels his followers to fight for him so devotedly.

The next big story arc after this quarter ends has already been announced, so all that remains is seeing how the animators finish up. They've prepared action spectacles of a certain standard so far, so expectations are definitely higher than they were at the very start of the adaptation. Can they pull them off and keep casual viewers interested to keep going for more?
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2023 2:38 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 11: Savage Han'nya・Honorable Shikijou
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Summary:

Kenshin battles Han'nya and is victorious, but does not win unscathed. Afterwards, they encounter the large and brawny Shikijou, who Sanosuke volunteers to battle one-on-one, allowing Kenshin to make his way up to Aoshi.
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Comments:

I love how tight and succinct the battles are in this. RK96, while it didn't necessarily draw the fights out, was a little more flashy, but also not as over-the-top as some of its superpowered brethren titles. I'm curious how they'll handle some of the later fights and character abilities that get much more intense than this.

Contrary to the bottom-tier Oniwabanshuu that didn't get any backstories, we actually get some for middle-tier members Han'nya and Shikijou. Han'nya's is fairly tragic, as he and his village were victims of poverty. But even amidst his squalid upbringing, he was found by Aoshi who instilled him with a sense of purpose. And because of that, Han'nya was willing self-inflict all of those things on himself to get the job done.

Shikijou's is a bit ironic, considering he's an ex-Imperialist. Muscles aren't the only thing he's bound by. He's also got a thick sense of duty, and the parallels between him and Sanosuke are unironically striking. The main difference lies in the beliefs of their leadership. Kenshin is one who fights to protect, while Aoshi seemingly fights out of pride. More on that, later.

The little scene with Kanryuu and Megumi is a new addition. None of that was in past iterations. We get some more funny Engrish from him. But I have to say, his VA (Mitsuaki Madono) does a really great job playing the role. He's mostly done support characters, but I've always found each of them to be very efficient portrayals for the parts they play in their respective stories. This is the second Watsuki-based anime he's done, with the first being the main villain, Papillon, in Busou Renkin.

Other fun facts: you'll notice Han'nya has claws very similar to a certain Marvel character. That's because when writing the manga, Watsuki was obsessed with two franchises: X-Men and Samurai Spirits (Shodown). The claws are an obvious reference to Wolverine, and Aoshi's coat is a reference to Gambit. I actually cosplayed as Aoshi, once upon a time, and a goer at the convention thought I was cosplaying the former.
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Harleyquin



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PostPosted: Thu Sep 21, 2023 10:50 pm Reply with quote
#12

The duel is the last hand-to-hand combat to be had in this adaptation, since the second half makes it clear that the final challenge is something completely different to what Kenshin's faced to date. Unfortunately they couldn't change the deciding factor which decided the duel in Kenshin's favour, and that's always been one of the most contentious points in the series. No matter how blunt the blade is at the bottom, and even with the edge reversed the pressure of holding the blade when it clashes with another would still have cut his fingers or palm clean off. But there wasn't any other choice after he'd correctly diagnosed what the issue was, so viewers have to accept what is given.

One of the biggest differences is with Aoshi's ultimate move. I remember the old way it was animated, with multiple Aoshi afterimages on screen. This approach is arguably better as it doesn't feel like a copy and paste of the same frame, but the final result might leave a bit to be desired as the odd background when his dance is active can be too jarring a contrast. Kaiten Kenbu is more or less the same as I remember it, right up to the slash marks on Kenshin's chest. I think the delayed cut for his sheath is new to this adaptation though.

A bit of a history lesson this week for those not in the know. It also answers the questions of why his subordinates are so slavishly devoted to him, as he stayed with them through the long years after his organization was effectively disbanded. The contrast between the last Tokugawa Shogun and Shinomori Aoshi is made clear, even more so when Aoshi himself acknowledges why Yoshinobu opted to surrender without further bloodshed. Looking out for his subordinates is something Shinomori Aoshi places great attention on in his position as leader, which overrides more or less all other considerations. He and Kenshin have that much in common, although Kenshin was never a leader in his own right and realises he cannot criticise Aoshi for his decision to stay with his remaining subordinates.

Now to see how the animators finish off this arc. The Gatling gun is indeed a powerful weapon as it decided battles on Japanese soil during the Bakumatsu Wars, so Kenshin has his work cut out for him since Aoshi has bullets shot through his legs and cannot run. Shikijou has bought time for Aoshi at the cost of his own life, but they'll need more than that to stop Kanryuu. I'm interested to see how it's animated as well, as the scenes with the Gun so far are much higher quality than what I remember from the original airing.
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2023 1:49 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 12: Okashira・Shinomori Aoshi
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Summary:

Kenshin battles Aoshi, with the latter stating his true intentions on why he started working for Kanryuu in the first place. After an intense fight, Kenshin manages to defeat Aoshi, but won't deliver the finishing blow. Kanryuu then appears with his devastating new toy, an American-made Gatling Gun.
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Comments:

We get the real reason for Aoshi joining Kanryuu: pride. In particular, pride over the strength of the Oniwabanshuu. This touches back a little on the whole "soldier psychology" theme with Jin-e about people, who in the case of Aoshi, even goes all the way back to his childhood. As a child prodigy adept at combat and all that other Oniwabanshuu jazz, he becomes militarized at a very early age, so that's basically all he knows in life. And as human nature would have it, pride can be a pretty strong driving force that would, otherwise, make people go well beyond "normal" boundaries to win, prove a point, etc. But because the Oniwabanshuu never got to see the battlefield during Bakumatsu, that feeling of fulfillment was bottled-up for years, and this was a chance for Aoshi to display that pride.

I guess a good analogy would be when you're really good at something, and then you put years of work into honing that skill, and when you finally put something together with that skill, you never get a chance to show it off, despite all the hard work. It's pride, pure and simple. And who doesn't like to show off, every now and then? Well, how about not getting to show off your shiny thing for 10+ years? That's gotta' be torture. But then after those 10+ years, and finally getting to show off, you lose? Of course, you're gonna' want redemption. You thought you were the strongest, and you wanna' prove it!

And that's where hubris comes in. You may have been confident in your ability, but maybe a little too confident. And when you get full of yourself, you end up becoming blinded by something so simple and can't spot the even simpler things, which might end up costing you the match. That was Aoshi's downfall.

We have Kanyruu claiming money is the ultimate power. Although money can, indeed, solve a lot of problems, like any item, weapon, or idea that's wielded, it really depends on the wielder and their intent, which continues to tie into the battle of ideals. We've seen Kenshin fight to protect, Jin-e fight for bloody satisfaction, Aoshi fight for his pride, and now Kanyruu fighting for his ego.

I honestly thought the arc would end by this episode, but it looks like they drew it out for one more to (thankfully) give the second cour more breathing room. Should be interesting to see how they conclude the next episode, as there was some graphic material in the manga they didn't include in RK96.
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Harleyquin



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PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2023 10:39 pm Reply with quote
#13

This ends the Oniwabanshuu arc, and it looks like it's going into next quarter so they can adapt a bit more material before the next major story arc. I didn't think this would get two consecutive seasons, so might as well enjoy what's in store.

Again, they've changed things a bit since the original airing. Biggest one being Hyottoko and Beshimi, as the former actually got closer than he did in the original while the latter's contribution is more limited compared to the original airing. The latter's change in particular is controversial, as some will see it as downplaying his contribution while others will acknowledge how unrealistic it was for Kenshin to outrun Gatling bursts head-on. Although the outcome is the same, I prefer realism over romance in this case. Other minor changes include Hannya's end, as I preferred his parting farewell in the original which was omitted here. As compensation, there's a short flashback revealing his training with Aoshi, whilst casually dropping the fact he was surprisingly the most junior of the four remaining subordinates who stayed with Aoshi after the Boshin War. I don't remember if Shikijo spoke to Kenshin in the original before he was struck down, but his end is effectively the same as the original.

Aoshi survives, but viewers will have to see just how badly his subordinates' sacrifice has affected his competitive spirit. They kept the grave scene from the original, which I agree with.

Moving on to the next arc, it looks like they need to close a few continuity holes as some of the filler from the original adaptation isn't easily omitted because of the characters which feature later in the storyline. If they're doing Yahiko's side-story, then Sanosuke's mate is almost certainly going to be in because of his importance later on. Do both of those arcs, and they'll probably split the next big story arc between quarters assuming this adaptation goes to a third block of 12-13 episodes.
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 04, 2023 11:02 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 13: Battle's End
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Summary:

Kanryuu reveals his newly acquired Gatling Gun and attempts to eradicate the Oniwabashuu and Kenshin. All the Oniwabanshuu officers sacrifice themselves to save their okashira, allowing Kenshin to subdue Kanryuu. After finding Megumi and thwarting her attempt at suicide, Aoshi escapes with the severed heads of his comrades vowing he will, one day, defeat Kenshin for the flower of the title "strongest."
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Comments:

Kanryuu's defeat is what it is. But the main takeaways from this are: Megumi's chance at atonement and Aoshi's lost comrades being a catalyst for a certain eventuality.

For me, the most important underlying themes of the franchise are redemption and atonement. As Hitokiri Battousai, Kenshin had killed or inadvertently harmed people with his past actions, and thus spends his days as a rurouni trying to right his wrongs. Megumi is in the same boat for the making of opium, and probably caused even more harm, since it's such an addictive drug.

But Megumi felt the answer to that was to take her own life, which Sano and Kenshin totally convinced her was not. For whatever wrongs one has committed, they surely can't make things right if they're dead. And so one can make up for the bad by trying do as much good as they can. It's a pretty simple concept, but that's how redemption works, and a big reason why the story resonates with me so much.

As for Aoshi, his pride blinded him and it resulted in working for a crap-bag like Kanryuu, which incidentally got his comrades killed. Before, he was fighting for the pride of the Oniwabanshuu. But now that they're gone, he's got no one to fight for, except himself. And when you have no one to help be your moral conscience, that can be a bad thing. Consider this a seed planted for later.

Some slight differences between this and previous iterations: in RK96, Beshimi's dart was changed to jam the magazine of the Gatling Gun, instead of it just running out of ammo. You could say it made their sacrifices look a little more heroic (Hyottoko being a shield and allowing Beshimi to try and disable the gun or hit Kanryuu). And in the manga, Megumi tried to slit her left wrist, instead of stabbing herself in the throat. Also, RK96 did not feature the decapitated corpses. I feel having that in this new iteration illustrates just how extreme Aoshi can be, and will also be a part of that aforementioned seed.
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Last edited by Tony K. on Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:50 am; edited 2 times in total
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