Forum - View topicREVIEW: Rurouni Kenshin
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Gyt Kaliba
 Posts: 712 Location: Arkansas |
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I'm really looking forward to seeing this movie, but I have to admit, some of the stuff that just came to light for me via this review has me quirking an eyebrow. What is Inui Banjin, from the last arc of the manga (that STILL needs properly animated, gah!), doing in the first film of (hopefully) a series? And...since...when was he devoutly Christian?
Not complaining really, because it sounds like they made it work pretty well, and I'm not 100% opposed to changes or anything...but that part particularly struck me as kind of odd. |
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vashfanatic
 Posts: 3495 Location: Back stateside |
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I did a full, long review of this movie on my real-life blog, but since I try to keep that separate from my vashfanatic name, I'll just give some summary points here:
- Yes, it shuffles around some events from the manga. For the most part, it's a good thing that allows them to merge the mini-arcs of the early portions into a single narrative. Fair warning, though - they did cut Shinomori Aoshi. They didn't have time for him in this one; hopefully he can appear in the proposed sequels. - I like the action scenes a lot more than this reviewer, but I actually enjoy comic book-style action myself. - I love the music, own the soundtrack, but yes, that end-credits pop song doesn't really fit with the rest of the OST. Of course, I also hate end credit pop songs in general. - I disagree that it fails to be emotionally compelling. Yes, sometimes it's goofy (though considerably toned-down from the manga), but it manages to get several scenes that really worked for me, particularly the flashback and the final battle. - All that said, I probably liked this in part because I really like Rurouni Kenshin. Would a non-fan be as excited to see this movie? Or is it just the thrill of seeing something I love get brought to life in a faithful, solid adaptation? Objectively, I too might give it a "B" if you mean "very good" by "B". It's not a masterpiece, but like a lot of comic book movies that come out in America (Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man) it doesn't need to be more than "very good" to be a really enjoyable film. I strongly recommend seeing it if you're a fan. |
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Gyt Kaliba
Posts: 712 Location: Arkansas |
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I'm guessing this is probably a 'DUH' moment, but just to be 100% sure - if they cut Shinomori Aoshi, I'm guessing they also cut the rest of the Oniwabanshu based characters? If they did, that would explain the inclusion of Inui Banjin for me a bit more. The needed an opponent for Sanosuke I'd guess. |
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vashfanatic
Posts: 3495 Location: Back stateside |
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Yup. Megumi's story forms the center of the narrative, but they replace the Oniwabanshuu with three bodyguards for Kanryuu taken from other parts of the series, the final one being Udo Jin-e (he appears early and is on all the posters, so this is not a surprise). Somewhat spoiler-y, but if you're curious, spoiler[Kanryuu doesn't kill his bodyguards in this one, meaning Inui Banjin and the other guy could come back for later movies.] |
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sainta
 Posts: 989 |
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Wait I missed something. Who are the antagonists? Inui, Saito, Kurogasa and Takeda? I thought there would be an original villain
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Gyt Kaliba
Posts: 712 Location: Arkansas |
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Ohh, so that's how they work in Jin-e. That's actually pretty creative there though, I'm fine with that inclusion.
And the spoiler-texted part is definitely food for thought too...depending on how they do it if we do get future sequels, roughly doing the story arcs from the manga even more, it might be fun to have returning characters in the Jinchu arc, since that movie would probably need a lot of space for story set up, so using at least a few characters we've since met would free up some time for that. |
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Megiddo
 Posts: 8360 Location: IL |
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Well, I'm glad that the movie is doing well in Japan (currently at around 30 million USD after 4 weeks in theatres). I may be foolish, but I hope the successes of the various reboots lead to finally adapting the Jinchuu Arc from the original manga.
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Gyt Kaliba
Posts: 712 Location: Arkansas |
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That's the main thing I'm wanting out of of this Kenshin revival, is a new anime series. A 'Kenshin Brotherhood' if you will. The new manga from Watsuki, this movie, the new games, and that last OVA are all awesome to see come out, but I would literally need new pants if we were to get a new adaptation that actually followed the manga's story all the way through.
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Spotlesseden
Posts: 3514 Location: earth |
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The publisher doesn't consider that's doing well. They were hoping for more. Wolf children's 50 millions Gross. Kenshin has a higher budget, Just saying. |
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Megiddo
Posts: 8360 Location: IL |
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Not sure where you get your data from, but that is incorrect. Wolf Children reached 50 million in week 9. After 4 weeks at the box office it was at 28 million USD. And that is with Wolf Children playing on 60-70 more screens than Kenshin did. Source |
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Spotlesseden
Posts: 3514 Location: earth |
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how many more screen doesn't matter. All about total money that you can make. Kenshin doesn't have as much screen because is not as popular? I don't think Kenshin will get 50 millions after 9 weeks. Lets see if Kenshin can make 20millions in 5 more weeks. that's around 4 millions a week. If it can't. they should make more Thermae Romae instead of Kenshin. |
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Anti_Nadalista
Posts: 89 |
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Rurouni Kenshin is the highest grossing movie for Warner Bros this year in Japan. I don't believe that the budget was that high as many people here are saying. |
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vashfanatic
Posts: 3495 Location: Back stateside |
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The antagonist is Kanryuu Takeda, the leader of the drug ring from the arc that introduces Megumi, but his hired guard, Udo Jin-e, proves to be the bigger threat. Saitou Hajime is brought in not as an antagonist but as a foil for Kenshin. His inclusion was the part that made me most hesitant to see this movie (I was lured in by the life-size posters all over the local movie theater, but I was dreading disappointment as the movie started). As it turned out, while it's a radical departure from the way the manga orders events, Saitou Hajime being there really did help the story as it's told in the movie. I'm not sure how they'll work the change into later movies, but it was effective enough here. Don't want to say any more than that...
I saw that movie too, and they don't need to make more Thermae Romae, they just need to make more movies where Hiroshi Abe is naked. That's what got the (almost entirely female) audience into the theater, not the franchise itself. Which is not to knock the movie - I was one of those women packing the theater opening night, after all. It's a funny movie, though the "white face" had the downside of not making the dramatic moments click with me the way the comedic parts did. Also, TR ended with a pretty firm "it's over," what with announcing the ultimate fates of all its characters, whereas RK was definitely adapted with an eye for building a franchise. That's perhaps where one of its weakest points is: there are characters who are included primarily because they'll be needed more in sequels. ... Also, fun fact? This movie is general admittance in Japan. For those who have seen it, which do you think it would get in America: PG-13 or R? Given the amount of blood on screen, I have a feeling it would get an R, which is absurd when it's so otherwise teen-friendly. Last edited by vashfanatic on Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:28 am; edited 2 times in total |
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enurtsol
 Posts: 14889 |
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So changing from the manga does not make it bad..................
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vashfanatic
Posts: 3495 Location: Back stateside |
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Not as long as the characters are themselves, the main story points are still there, and the movie remains true to the source material's spirit, no. 
I'm not a purist. The first arc of Rurouni Kenshin is incredibly episodic, which does not work well in a movie where you need some sort of rise of action and a climax. Turning it into a movie was inevitably going to involve reworking the episodes into a single storyline. And, in my opinion, they did it about as well as anyone could. This is recognizably the same series, the same characters, and even the same stories, they're just shifted around in places. I know not everyone will agree with me on this evaluation, but as a fan I personally found it to be a very satisfying adaptation, and I hope they make more. (Also, I don't want to seem like I'm hijacking the thread or anything by posting a lot, it's just that I've actually seen the movie, and I'm guessing not many people here are in that position. If you've got questions, I can answer them here or via PM.) |
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