Forum - View topicSamurai X --> Rurouni Kenshin?
|
|
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
kilaria
 Posts: 135 Location: Dallas, TX |
|
|||
|
I just bought the Samurai X box set the other day (trust, betrayal & reflection)
Now, I have never seen the Rurouni Kenshin series, and after watching the first episode of Trust, I began to wonder if I should start here with the OAV's or should I be watching the series first? Obviously the first episode on Trust is the beginning of Kenshin's life and why he became a samurai... but i don't want the other two disks to jump ahead in the story and possibly ruin the series for me (Rurouni Kenshin is on the top of my lists of Anime series to purchase) So, i'd like some opinions on whether or not I should go ahead and watch the rest of Samurai X, or if I should wait until I have watched the TV series first. |
||||
|
||||
|
sk1199
Posts: 162 |
|
|||
|
You may as well watch Betrayal as well since it concludes the events in Trust. I would then recommend watching the TV series at least through the Kyoto Arc. After that it becomes a little muddled. The third season doesn't follow the manga so the anime writers took things into their own hands. Some people like some of the stories some like others and some like none of them. When you're done watching the TV series then you should watch Reflections. There is also a movie called Samurai X: the movie, that comes in after episode 22 (if I recall correctly).
|
||||
|
||||
Nermel
 Posts: 11 Location: Ohio |
|
|||
|
Back in around 2000 I watched Samurai X...it was one of the first animes I (knowingly) watched besides DBZ or Pokemon. The Kenshin TV series was not out on DVD yet and I watched that a couple of years later as those DVDs came out one by one...I gotta say it's a good watch in it's own right...you might enjoy it better if you'd watched the TV series first though...knowing the Kenshin saga beforehand
|
||||
|
||||
egoist
 Posts: 7762 |
|
|||
|
Depends. When you go to a restaurant, do you eat the main dish, or the starter first? Yes, if you think like that, the OVAs are the main dishes and the series is the starter. I wouldn't have liked the OVAs that much was it not for the fact that I watched the TV series first.
|
||||
|
||||
|
kilaria
Posts: 135 Location: Dallas, TX |
|
|||
|
Ok, i'll hold off on Samurai X then... I still have some other anime that I need to finish anyways.
Thanks for the advice! 
|
||||
|
||||
SalarymanJoe
 Posts: 468 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA |
|
|||
|
kilaria, I know you've already made your decision (one I agree with) but there are a couple of different views on what the "proper" order is to watch the Rurouni Kenshin franchise. Some people have recommended that the series be watched in story chronological order (Tsuiokuhen/Trust/Betrayal -> TV Series -> Film -> Seisouhen/Reflections). I don't agree with that so much because I think a lot of the impact of seeing Kenshin/Battousai in Bakumatsu is lost without having been exposed at least to the TV series. So, I'm a big proponent of watching the series in its release order: TV -> Film -> Tsuiokuhen/Trust/Betrayal -> Seisouhen.
The movie is pretty stand-alone but it does have some character cameos, so it may help to have watched through at the very least, the beginning of the Kyoto Arc, but I might say that halfway through probably couldn't hurt too much. |
||||
|
||||
The Naked Beast
 Posts: 1028 Location: A Blue Planet |
|
|||
|
I suggest that you watch the series first up until the end of the Kyoto Arc (episode 62) like sk1199 suggested. From then on, I suggest you read the manga. I do not know which volume continues the story after the Kyoto Arc.
After a few volumes into the new arc, Kenshin begins to reminiscence about his past. This is essentially the material for the OVAs Trust and Betrayal. The manga and the Kyoto Arc (animated and manga) is the way to go. The first part of the anime loosely follows the manga. The Kyoto Arc (anime) is basically the Kyoto Arc in the manga animated which, in my opinion, is the best part of the series. Personally, I did not like Reflection as it ruins the ending in the manga. So, I leave it up to you if you want to watch it. |
||||
|
||||
|
Dune
Posts: 223 |
|
|||
|
I've got a question. Normally I'd rely on Netflix for this but they seem to be out of the Trust/Betrayal material.
So I think I might go out and buy those OVAs some time... Should I get Trust and Betrayal separately, or should I get the director's cut that merges the two? Does it matter much? |
||||
|
||||
Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11506 Location: Frisco, TX |
|
|||
The Director's Cut branches all four episodes together, but I personally prefer to watch it in chunks. The music during the credits of each episode is an absolute piece of beauty for the ears. Not only do you get time for the past thirty minutes to sink in, but the music itself actually makes the plot feel more contemplative and emotionally provoking. And speaking of the soundtrack, they also cut some of the music out in one of the more pivotal moments, which, when you're messing with Iwasaki's masterwork, is a big no-no. Trust me go, with the individual releases. |
||||
|
||||
|
Dune
Posts: 223 |
|
|||
|
Ok. Thanks for the heads-up.
|
||||
|
||||
|
SmutLord
Posts: 4 |
|
|||
|
Ski was dead on for the order. Watch in it that order or you are missing out on why kenshin is now a pussy that won't kill people. The simple fact its not rated still as 1 is sad. Bunch of lame kids just starting to watch anime who cry when they see blood. I prefer the adult anime and samurai x would go into that group. Plus its one of the few animes with a real story, not some random middle to high school bs story line.
|
||||
|
||||
John Casey
 Posts: 1853 Location: In My Angry Center |
|
|||
|
Like everyone else says, it's probably a good idea to watch the TV series first to get a hang on the mythology. But that said, you're gonna have a doozie of a time buying the DVDs, since even the "economy" boxsets are absurdly overpriced.
John's solution? The manga! Screw the anime series, and just dive head-first into the manga. Trust me, it's more complete anyhow. |
||||
|
||||
rainbowcourage
 Posts: 1216 Location: what is commonly known as "hell week" |
|
|||
|
As the (other) resident RuroKen fanatic (I believe TK holds that distinction) allow me to agree with much of what's been said. Watch the TV series first or you'll have a hard time taking it seriously after Trust & Betrayal (I really need to see that again, it jarred me so much after seeing the TV series that we never really gelled...). As for the TV series, if you want to see how the story really plays out get volumes 18-24 of the manga and watch season 3 for fun. Yeah, and watch Reflection like it's a totally different series. Part of me still salivates over the idea of ever having the Enishi arc animated, but haha that's a wild, unlikely dream.
|
||||
|
||||
|
Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6903 Location: Kazune City |
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
|
John Casey
Posts: 1853 Location: In My Angry Center |
|
|||
 I found the entire Season 2 set for $10 at a pawn shop. 
But yes....$80 for 27 episodes IS pretty damn overpriced. Considering the first season box set of Yu Yu Hakusho goes for generally $25...for 28 episodes. But, at the very least Media Blasters is starting to get the hang of balancing out the prices. Hopefully, they might release remastered versions of Kenshin like they did with Berserk for a good price. I mean...I think it's about time anyhow. From what I heard, the even the economy sets of Kenshin are now long out of print - only reason why retailers still have them is cause they're overstocked. |
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group