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samurai x?




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bolex17



Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 13
PostPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:26 am Reply with quote
I have a question.
I heard about kenshin, and there are heaps of episodes (yet to watch it though)
Today i was in a video store came across this dvd called Samurai X.. the video store had all four samurai X dvd. At the back it mention the character name kenshin.
I know samurai X is related to kenshin but in what way?
and is the full series of samurai X, 4 dvds?

Samurai X #1: Trust
Samurai X #2: Betrayal
Samurai X #3: The Motion Picture
Samurai X #4: Reflection

are they in any particular order?
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Nagisa
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Joined: 19 Aug 2003
Posts: 6128
Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh
PostPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:52 am Reply with quote
"Samurai-X" is the alternative title Sony offered ADV for use when they bought the distribution rights to part of the Rurouni Kenshin franchise. It's actually horrifically misleading, considering how Kenshin himself is not a samurai (for that matter, the number of legitimate samurai presented through the entire Kenshin series could probably be counted on one hand...), but ADV went with it because it was an easier name to market.

Anyway, the Trust & Betrayal OVA (collectively titled Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuioku-Hen) is a prequel to the Kenshin TV series, which explains the origins of his wandering nature. It differs greatly from the TV series visually, and is much darker in tone (based on how these events are laid out in the manga, and for greater dramatic effect, you're best off waiting until after watching through the Kyoto Arc of the TV series before watching this). The Kenshin movie is set roughly after the TV series' Kyoto Arc, and is really nothing more than an extended filler episode. Nothing dramatically different in tone or visual style. The Reflection OVA (alternatively titled Rurouni Kenshin: Seishouhen) is...crap. Well, it's supposed to be an "epilogue" of sorts chronicling Kenshin's last days, but it's so awkwardly written (yay, plot holes ahoy) and warps the characters' personalities to the point that even Kenshin's original creator openly denounced it.

Personally, I'd suggest reading the manga over the anime, though. Much less filler, plus the TV series & manga diverge after the Kyoto Arc, with the anime plummeting into poor writing and crappy non-stop misadventuires while the manga whips out the best story arc in the franchise and gives everything a solid, legitimate conclusion. If you ask me, the only animated Rurouni Kenshin that even compares to the manga's quality is the Trust & Betrayal OVA. But then again, considering how it's rather widely regarded as one of the best anime OVAs of all time, that shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Laughing
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bolex17



Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 13
PostPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 6:07 am Reply with quote
thnx for the info mate
im gonna order the manga.

*cheers* Cool
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