Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal (1999) User Reviews (55)

An investment

[episode6 · 10/10 · 24 September 2005]

I'm not easily impressed by a movie. Even worse with an animated one. But this one got me drooling. I picked this one up by recommendation, and I'll recommend it to anyone from now on. I was familiar with the story of the TV series, but that didn't excite me in the least. But at least I knew what I was looking at (and I suggest that people considering to watch this should familiarize themselves with the TV series first).

Although the violence is very graphic and the dialog can be a bit of a drag if you lose track, everything else perfectly makes up for it. The animation is fluid, the art is beautiful, the pacing is impeccable and the soundtrack is gorgeous. Now combine all these elements in a single concluding scene, and you've got at least half of its viewers reduced to tears.

This movie is very re-watchable. I've seen it at least 6 times already, and I'm eager to watch it again. Like most people advice; you should avoid the dub like the plague, but even the subs can be a bit misleading. I've had the pleasure to have seen 3 different subtitles on this movie, and the degree of accuracy of any of them is debatable. Although the plot doesn't suffer from this, the story and especially the details and references to factual Japanese history do.

But this shouldn't stop you from watching this movie, instead, it should encourage you to set out and find out as much about this movie as you can.

Not an anime review, but movie review

[chibi1284 · 9/10 · 9 August 2005]

First and foremost my goal is to write a review about a movie, not an anime. Many people consider this one of the greatest anime ever made but it kind of saddens me that people only treat it as an anime and recommend fans of anime to watch it. I see Kenshin OVA Trust/Betrayal as a movie and recommend every movie fan to watch it.

If you are looking for a summary, read somewhere else. If you are trying to find out why this is a great movie, I will try my best to convince you.

Kenshin OVA is a character driven movie with excellent character development. The two main characters, Kenshin and Tomoe, have humane and non exaggerated personalities, they are conflicted with their emotions, and they grow and change. I guess what I am trying to say is that the two main characters are not cliché.

The stories' setting takes place during the late 1800's in Japan, where a civil war is taking place, where the samurai era is coming to an end, and the shogunate is fighting to keep its place. People who don't know Japanese history of that time period probably going to get a bit confused, but the historical setting provided the movie more depth and political intrigue. Like the current trend of war movies, the historic conflicts are not presented in black and white, but rather shades of gray.

The action sequence is something to behold of. It is violent, gruesome, bloody, but does not feel gratuitous, due to the mood and setting the animators have created. The sword fights short, but quick, intense, believable (realistic), and original in presentation. Far better than any live action choreography.

Finally there are many subtle touches that makes the movie feel more like a work of art, rather animated violence. The animators are created a lot of scenes with nature. Whether it is the subtleness of snow flake or sakura leaves falling, or the glistening of the lake from the sun, the animators created a world of beauty. On top of that, the soundtrack just masterfully sets up the mood of the scene. The soundtrack is haunting, kinetic during battle, and subtle and poignant. Most importantly the soundtrack is memorable.

Kenshin OVA Trust/Betrayal is on the top tier of anime, however if the movie had gotten greater exposure, it would belong in the top tier of movies.

One of the best animes I've ever seen.

[winejar5 · 10/10 · 8 February 2005]

I used to tune in Kenshin the TV series on Cartoon Network. I hated it. I hated everything about it because it was so cheesy. I just didn't like it, but I was curious about the storyline. I checked a few anime trailers and I discovered Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal. At first I thought: 'Wow, is that Kenshin? He looks different. Wait, this looks a whole lot more serious than the TV series. I must watch this!' So I borrowed it from my friend and noticed how very well done it was. VERY well done. It gave nobody mercy regardless if they're bad or good. This isn't the type where everybody dies either, but the storyline is also twisted but it fits in at the end. It gets you thinking one thing, but the real story is about something else. I love it. I love it because it's a story about love. That's all it is! A really well done love story. In all, i think I've watched it more than six times and I still cry watching it. Don't get me wrong guys, this isn't a chick flick. It's action/romance/etc etc.. it can fall into a lot of genres. But in all, it's a great anime about love and life.

Even though I gave it a straight out 10, but I have to complain about one thing: characters... Most characters you didn't get a chance to know which you wish you did. But maybe they went into that during the last of it that continues after this. Who knows, anyway, good anime. Definitely recommended to people who aren't very fond of anime.

The most beautiful anime I've ever seen

[muryantina · 5 March 2005]

If you look for an anime who has a romantic, horror, action, drama with a great philosophy and can make you learn about life even more, you should see Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen.

This anime is just too adorable to be missed (but be sure you're over 13, don't fear of blood, and don't have a heart disease). It's so realistic, tragic, but also fantastic. The coolest thing of this anime is the two characters, Himura Kenshin (Hitokiri Battousai) & Yukishiro Tomoe. They are such cool cynical character who really show the characters of Japanese in 19th century time. They are the coolest couple of all time anime history!

I can compare this anime with some great historical drama movies I've seen such as Life is Beautiful, Gone With The Wind, and The Last Emperor. Only one that you can't find in this movie: Laughter. Well, this is not a drama comedy like the TV series after all.

And by the way, the soundtrack is so wonderful too. Really magnificent!

A wonderful miniseries that deserves more exposure

[NestorForjan · 10/10 · 24 November 2002]

Forget the famous Rurouni Kenshin TV series. This has nothing to do with it. Well, yes, it's supposed to be a prequel, but the tone, mood and depth of it makes it a completely different story. It's a lyric and very adult tale about love, death, politics and betrayal that deserved, not only a theatrical release, but also massive exposure.

Production values are extraordinary and it's packed with more expressive resources than all western animation ever. Look specially for one of the best representations of smell in the history of filmmaking.

But the best part is the story. Layer over layer of meaning and symbolism create a tight, dark and deep tale. Nothing is said, nothing is shown that doesn't bear deep significance, be it a cryptic sentence, a shot of a child's toy or a slash through the face.

And then there's the fights. When "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" opened everybody talked about how the fights revealed character. Well, Rurouni Kenshin does the same thing much better, and it doesn't need 10 minutes each time. The fights are short and brutal, swords actually cut the flesh, but there's so much being told each time.

One of the most beautiful things here is what's left off screen. Rurouni Kenshin is a historical epic, but history isn't shown directly to the viewer, it isn't spelled out for you. We focus on the characters. They go through history, sometimes they even change it, but we are not shown the politics and the fights for power. We stay with Kenshin, an assassin, a mere pawn in those fights. We see the killing and then we hear the vague echoes of what it causes. The story is moved forward, but we have to build it back together with the information we receive through Kenshin's eyes. Yes, this is what critics mean when they talk about a `demanding' film.

Rurouni Kenshin is a work of art. Well worth your time and money. It comes in two one-hour volumes (two chapters each), but the best way to experience it is seeing them all back to back, as a two hour feature film. Two thumbs up and go get it.

Gut-wrenching in more ways than one

[bildnad · 10/10 · 9 March 2001]

At this point the only thing better than the original Rurouni Kenshin TV series is this prequel OAV series. People may pass over this because it is a mere 4 episodes long and figure there isn't much to it. Let me stop you from making a major mistake. Pick these videos up, you won't regret it. Despite only 4 episodes, this series packs in a lot of information and I do mean a lot. It traces the events leading up to Kenshin's rise as the most deadly and fearsome samurai in Meiji-era Japan and what ultimately spurs him to renounce his ways and become the peaceful wanderer known to us in the television series. Now to that gut-wrenching part. This series is a far cry from the television series it precedes. There is no comedy here, but there sure is a lot of violence and the blood flows freely for most of the 4 episodes. More shocking than Kenshin's relentless killing though, is the what happens at the end of the 4th episode. Your jaw probably will hit the floor. Other than the amazing plot there is a lot to look forward to. The animation is superb, eclipsing anything I have see recently and sometimes you begin to wonder if you are looking at photos, not drawings. The music also fits the series well and has a tender yet sad feel to it. The last thing is, DON'T miss this!

This is going to be one big spoiler since I don't know how to put Kenshin in any other way

[white-tancho · 10/10 · 22 January 2005]

*contains lots of spoilers* Rurouni Kenshin was the first anime that I ever saw. It's definitely my favorite. There's many people who post here who seem to think that the anime is how the story went. It's not really true. There was the Maiga which the anime was based on. That's why there's this "change of tone" from being happy to serious. I think Kenshin's a great story... it's exactly as it says: Romantic Tales of the Meiji Era. If you read the comic book, Kenshin doesn't die at the end like in the 2nd OAV. However, together, the anime and Maiga make the story great. It's really intended to give a sense of the emotions of this one man. Every character along the way has some sort of tragedy surrounding his or her life. Kenshin's parents and 2 brothers died of cholera when he was young and he was sold by his relatives as a sort of slave. Everyone who cares about him or who he cares for seems to be killed. He tries to help the world through the use of his sword skills learned from the egotistical-but-truly-loving Hiko. Kenshin tried to bring about a more peaceful and democratic era in Japan as a hired assassin. It wasn't that he was mean. It was that he was just so innocent and didn't understand the ways of the world. He was too honest. Kenshin killed to try to save the oppressed. In doing so, he really wasn't pleased. The death of Tomoe's fiancé, Kiyosato was one that Kenshin remembered because the fiancé was so determined to live. It brought back to Kenshin a thought that he had expressed to Hiko before he began his apprenticeship with the sword. Kenshin had said that in the end, there were no bandits or family - they were all people. This was the idea that people all have the same desires to live and love. Though they are your enemies, there are also people who care about them. Kenshin is deeply affected by this idea (depicted by the fact that he is surprised by the scratch, has the constant reminder of the bleeding, and puts a flower on Kiyosato's dead body). According to Japanese culture, Tomoe should have committed suicide being that her love died. This is why she had the knife – it had been given to her by her fiancé's family. Tomoe was too strong-minded and instead, decided to try to seek out and kill the assassin who killed Kiyosato. Tomoe eventually fell in love with Kenshin and the whole conspiracy brewed with the group that she had signed up with. An important point is that, before Tomoe's death, Kiyosato appears (ghost) with the ground cherry flower that he had promised to bring back for her. This was the same type of flower that Kenshin put on Kiyosato's back after he was killed. It becomes like one of those interpretation questions that they ask you in school: did he appear to say that Tomoe should kill herself and be loyal to him, or was he saying that Kenshin was a good man – only confused – and she should save him because the past is the past? While Tomoe is dying, further question arises as she puts the other part of Kenshin's cross scar – was that a symbol of forgiveness? Was she nullifying the curse that Kiyosato placed because of the other question? Or was it that she was to give Kenshin something that would serve as a permanent reminder of her? Did Tomoe still hold a grudge or did she love Kenshin? Her final words were "gomenasai anata." In Japanese, the word "anata" is a word for those who you have much affection for, but is also a term for strangers whose names you don't know. Tomoe's meaning is up to interpretation, but her affect on Kenshin is obvious. Kenshin truly loved Tomoe. He learned how to care about others again. He saw what pain it was for her to have lost Kiyosato and what pain it was for himself to have lost her. Kenshin wanted to redeem himself for all of the people he had killed, but that was not the biggest thing that affected his decision to become a "rurouni" (actually, Nobuhiro Watsuki made that word – it doesn't exist in Japanese language – it's a combination of "rurouni" and "samurai" – at least that's what he said in a comment in his Maiga). The real reason why Kenshin became a rurouni was because he felt great sorrow for those who had cared about the people he had killed. This may have spawned from Kenshin's own tragedy of having lost his whole family. Kenshin knew that what he did affected many people.

Check out my comments on the series and stuff on the page that's: "Rurôni Kenshin: Meiji kenkaku roman tan" (1996) TV-Series 1996-1999

its really heartbreaking!!!

[nmtpaite · 10/10 · 12 July 2006]

What you would call me if i say there is no true love? ...A fake? a fool?

i was watching the ninja scroll OVA before this ...halfway down the line i got bored with all the mechanical gadgets used extensively in the scroll . I felt disappointed , and decided to quit it.

Then, i just thought .."lemme check this so called kenshin as well" (sarcastically). To my amazement i was glued to my seats after experimenting the first few minutes . what a score ! man o man. what a storyline..boy o boy! what a scenic..girl o girl!

Believe me . i was so touched by the movie that i missed my dinner !

i wonder how people make such movies that can take your soul away..

Blue Velvet spiced into Shogun Assassin

[Davidon80 · 8/10 · 4 February 2006]

The movie Kenshin deserves it's place among the best of anime, it stands as a reminder of what animation is capable of. It is rare to find a Samurai/Shogun animation movie that contains such attention to detail. This is apparent in the way the movie takes it's time to build it's characters and develop their respective relationships, in fact very little time is devoted to the actual fights scenes with the numerous battles and duels being over in a blink of an eye. What the movie actually focuses on is the doomed love story that develops between Kenshin and Toroe and the numerous symbols within nature that depict the character's fates.

Kenshin is a true work of art that draws upon Japan's rich artistic history to create an epic tale of love and death. The movie incorporates distinctly Japanese arts within it's narrative, for example in this movie there is a strong emphasis on the depiction of the landscape, the changing of the seasons, the stoicism of the Japanese mentality. Through these artistic devices we see the tale unfold of an assassin who is torn between continuing his life of bloodshed or taking his chance to escape into a more quiet life away from the killings.

With all the emphasis on the artistic achievement of Kenshin it should also be mentioned that the movie also delivers on a purely entertaining level with blood splatter tinged into practically every scene, but what stands out even more is the spiritual aspect of the story that tells the audience -amongst other things- that what we do in life will eventually come to haunt us in our future.

A stunning poetic reflection of an often banal genre.

soundtrack rules as well...

[d4v3cs · 10/10 · 3 December 2002]

I used a method once to determine whether a movie/video worth watching or not; the soundtrack! If it's able to evoke certain mind picture, then I'd check the video. This is one where such would work wonder. Compared to the TV episodes, the OVA use full classical theme instead of pop or electronic (there's a reason why every great/grand movie soundtrack is done in classical). If the soundtrack catched you, be sure to check the entire OVA. Whenever you listen to the soundtrack afterwards, the images will stick with you and the soundtrack will keep its echo

Anime with a truly good story

[FilmOtaku · 6/10 · 8 February 2005]

This review is for the Director's Cut of the Ruroni Kenshin OVA series, which became "Samurai X" when it was released in the United States. I had seen the original four episodes years ago, but there were certainly some differences in the Director's Cut.

Kenshin is a young orphan when he is discovered by a samurai warrior/assassin, who then takes him in and teaches him how to fight. It is the 1860's and the era of Japan's Meiji Restoration, and Kenshin, now in his late teens, is the most skilled and powerful assassins of his group. His reasoning behind his work is that he is doing this in order to build a peaceful Japan; that he is only killing the men who are preventing progress and change. One night, he is sent to kill a man, and in the process, takes care of his bodyguards as well, but one of them manages to slash Kenshin's face. Later, on another assignment, Kenshin kills a man, and then looks up to see a woman standing there. The two end up striking up a cautious friendship, but she has a secret that threatens to destroy him.

If anyone has seen the actual television series "Ruroni Kenshin", it is completely different from these episodes in that while the show was lame, at times goofy, and not drawn very well, "Samurai X" is the complete opposite. The character design is absolutely gorgeous, the story is very full and compelling (my summary doesn't begin to do it justice) and the action scenes, while violent, are actually not gratuitous. The soundtrack is gorgeous, a rich classical score, and, as usual in serious anime, the Japanese voice actors are first class. "Samurai X" is one of the many animes that make me wonder why anyone would want to watch anime dubbed in English when the Japanese voice actors are exponentially superior. If anyone is looking for a comparison between the original release and the Director's cut, it is hard to tell because there were several very small things that were added, plus a little CGI work. Also, the episodes were strung together as if they were a complete film. I'm sure that someone more schooled in the original cut would be able to distinguish more than I can. If you're looking for some good, serious dramatic anime that has a good amount of action and violence in it, check out "Samurai X". Just make sure you don't watch it in English, whatever you do. 6/10 --Shelly

I am a loyal fan to Kenshin and the Samurai x series

[HopeNicholson · 10/10 · 26 May 2005]

Samurai X is my fav. set of anime movies. The movies make you mad, happy, and even sad. I've cried every time I've watched the ending of Samurai X:reflection, i'm afraid to watch it now. Samurai X: trust and betrayal tells the story of how he became the hitokiri and how he fell in love for the first time and felt pain for the first time. Samurai X: reflection, looks upon kenshins now painful life away from kaoru with his disease and it also looks back on his past at some of the major events. this set of movies are very amazing and will not upset.But of course to understand some parts of Reflection (such as the parts in the past) it might be good if you watch the t.v. series, Rurouni Kenshin.but, either way, these movies RULE!

If your a Kenshin fan skip this one.

[netmonster4 · 3/10 · 6 November 2012]

I got about halfway through this and had to stop and switch over to the Japanese version. For me as a Rurouni Kenshin fan it was a huge disappointment. I have for many years been trying to get my hands on a complete series of the original Samurai X Rurouni Kenshin. Being an even bigger fan of that series I was expecting an awful lot. Unfortunately I was expecting a bit too much. Though I found the animation to be as beautiful as I remember Kenshin always being. So very eye pleasing and the music to be magnificent. I was dissatisfied with the English dialog and I think even the voice acting direction. I felt the same way about the series so I wasn't surprised. As much as I love the way Watsuki san tells a story I was disappointed by the fact that this was nothing but the last five episodes of the last season of Rurouni Kenshin with a couple of effects added. If I hadn't switched it over to the Japanese version I may have shut it off out of sheer disappointment and utter boredom. So to sum it up for Kenshin fans skip it go directly to Reflection. For movie fans go for it. It's a wonderful story.

Situated in a pre-tv series timeline, this four part OVA will leave you speechless.

[Vegeta-6 · 10/10 · 8 June 2000]

Although created after the TV series, this four part original video animation takes place in the past of Himura Kenshin, the TV series' main character. First off, the animation of these OVA is different from the TV series. While the TV series is more colorful and characters are drawn with more straight lines, the OVA looks more 'real' in a sense. While the characters look different you will still be able to recognize them from the TV series. Secondly, what I find separates these from the TV series is the change in the presentation of the story. The TV series features often uses comedy and is not extremely violent (sakaba sword). Well there is absolutely no comedy used in these OVA's and to fill the comedy intense scenes of action are added. Before you go jumping at conclusions this is not just pointless violence to attract a specific audience. In the TV series Himura Kenshin was a rurouni(wandering samurai), but before he was a rurouni, he worked for the Meiji revolution as their best hitokiri(assassin). I would like to reiterate these OVA's are not intended for a young audience. What also really fueled my interest was the music playing throughout each thirty minute animation. Deep drums to lightly dancing flutes, the background music casts the feeling for each scene. Put together with the highly serious and dramatical animation there is nothing I can think of to compare.

The first ten minutes of the first OVA will stun you and the last ten minutes of the fourth OVA will leave you in a daze. I highly recommend watching these to anyone who is looking for a strong two hours of viewing intensity. And those of you who have seen the TV series would truly be missing out by skipping over this OVA series, which can almost be called a prequel.

Just in case my review convinced you to watch these, you can find these Rurouni Kenshin OVA's soon(I hope) on DVD by MediaBlasters.

There can be no equal.

[AmonRe · 10/10 · 29 June 2001]

There can be no equal.

Ruroni Kenshin OAVs simply blow everything else away. I still shake my head in amazement at this truly awesome mini-series.

Set in Kenshin's past, the OAVs focus on how he became the Hitokiri Battousai, the best fighter in the world, and his time during the uprising in Kyoto to depose the Shogun.

For all intents and purposes, the Kenshin OAVs are simply one movie that has been split into four 1/2 hr parts. It could easily stand up as a movie if put together, and should be considered as such. Unlike the actual T.V. series, this four part mini series takes a more somber and dramatic approach. There is no joking around in this mini series, not even one "Oro" (not to say that the joking around in the regular series isn't great). The scenery and shadowing of the animation depicts the emotion of the piece perfectly. The music score is absolutely brilliant in its simplicity and the mood that it sets. The story itself simply blew my mind away. All of the characters were extremely well developed, as I have come to expect from any Ruroni Kenshin series.

The Ruroni Kenshin OAVs are simply a masterpiece. It easily competes with any non-anime movie, and I think it deserves to be considered as one of the greatest films of all time. Every time I watch this "movie" I am left in awe.

A very emotional and powerful masterpiece!

[Xanic · 10/10 · 20 March 2008]

Rurouni Kenshin:Trust and Betrayal has to be one of the most interesting and powerful anime films I've seen! I am not very familiar with the plot, but the characters were very complex and were developed excellently. Hardly any movies make me cry, but this film was very close to making me cry (seriously!!); this may be a little over the line, but I think this movie is quite comparable to the greatest Disney classics such as Bambi,Beauty and the Beast, etc. The reason: because it shows a ton of realism and sophistication not found in a lot of animated films today (well, Hayao Miyazaki's films are very impressive, too.) So, overall, this beautifully animated film is highly recommended by me and I too wish it had more exposure like Miyazaki's films do.

This anime deserves an all 10

[Fangor · 10/10 · 1 October 2003]

This anime deserves an all 10, even if you take each category seperatly. The animation and music is just beautiful. The story and the characters feel real and moveing. The visual storytelling is well implied, And the swordfighting is the best Ive seen in an anime, for realism and feel. You cant recreate the first time you saw a film, but still, I will have to watch this again and again... I have high hopes for the secound OVA... Average 10(10)

Greatest Anime Ever.

[Drizzt7_drek · 10/10 · 12 May 2001]

When people think anime, they think Akira. That's a shame. Where Akira was dull and uninspired, this 4 part OAV has a quality and charisma that all movies have tried for ages to achieve.

The story is a complex weave of simple ideas, and the art is nothing short of beautiful. The main characters are charming, believable, and interesting. The soundtrack is just below Nightmare Before Christmas's for the greatest ever. This movie just does no wrong.

Well, maybe a little wrong. Some of the characters aren't in the movie very long, but are referenced through dialog quite a bit. It has a Robert Jordan-level of having to refer back to who is who. However, I didn't really mind this.

Other than that, the only other flaw is that it will never actually make it to American TV or Theatres due to the violence and adult themes. That is a TRUE shame.

this is...different

[d4v3cs · 10/10 · 24 November 2002]

..but in a way, much more suitable. Kenshin the ex-hitokiri bauttosai would definitely has not only a visible scar on his face, but the pain he inherited from Tomoe that is reflected on his sad face.

Definitely bloody, any romance scene is modestly done, and the whole animation is made in the most realistic way possible.

SPOILER: I can't help but to relate what kind of pain it must have been like. To be attached to someone whose fiancee you killed without realizing it, to discover one day that that you're the one who took her happiness, to be willing to die for all the pain you have caused, and in the end to see right in front of you when she sacrificed herself dying from your sword in order for you to keep living...

this is on the list with bebop, ghibi's works, and grave of fireflies

wonder what's the outcome of the duel between bauttosai and Saito, but since they both exist in the tv series, it must have been a draw. If I could relate to any character, that would be Hiko for he's completely aware that a sword as means to protect will always bring pain and the sword user is not excluded. Hence, he chose to stay away from "real life." Definitely there's arrogance, but not ignorance.

when I saw both tv series and the OVA, it's almost like 2 different character/story...the tv is nice for an entertainment and good laugh... the OVA is for die hard movie goers who appreciate taste of depressing, heart breaking, and life reflecting movie. The tv series makes you think/see how cool katana at work is (with all the "magical" stuff), the ova will show you the brutality, madness, and sickness.

Impossible to improve.

[meridio · 1 May 2001]

We find in this masterpiece a fidele recreation of the last days of the feudal order in Japan. We see such a realistic story that we will feel the fear of death and the cutting edge of swords tearing flesh. Thought slightly melodramatic sometimes, we dive into the self-destruction and love-caused reconstruction of an assassin who kills for the only thing he can believe in, the happiness of people, being at the same time innerly tormented by all the deaths he has caused. Please watch it.

Okay adaptation

[sailorchiron-22379 · 6/10 · 24 August 2023]

Maybe I'm the only person who liked the manga better than this. People see this as being separate from Rurouni Kenshin, because the artwork is different and it has no humor. However, if people would read the manga, they'd see how the whole story ties together. Kenshin, the sometimes clumsy, Oroing rurouni, was indeed once a dangerous assassin. He did fall in love with Tomoe., who changed his life. But this OVA changed the general tone, even though the Remembrance arc is indeed the most serious part of the excellent manga. My biggest pet peeve is the beginning. Here we have Shinta (young Kenshin) and a woman (on a horse? What?!) smiling happily. That makes no sense whatsoever especially as the OVA is so dark and gloomy. The part where Kenshin leaves Hiko is dark and gloomy, of course, while in the manga/anime Kenshin smacks Hiko with his sword in a rather silly way. Anyway, I wouldn't really recommend this to fans of the manga Rurouni Kenshin. Watch The Beginning instead. Even though it's live action, it sticks more to the manga than the OVA does.

KICK-@SS

[ulrich_von_liechtenstein · 10/10 · 17 June 2002]

I heard about this OVA two years ago. I have been a long time fan of the series and when I got my copy, I was blown away. It's totally different from the series in terms of art, mood and presentation. This is Kenshin Himura at his best, definitely not for kids as the OVAs' storyline deals with his dark and violent past as a hitokiri. I was even more surprised when I learned that some of the major characters and events in the story actually existed and took place: the Shinsengumi, the Choshu Clan, Katsura, Okita, Saito, the Ikedaya incident. This is a must have for all fans of the series and non-fans alike. Worth every buck and a gem in your video collection.

Epic!

[hlhan · 10/10 · 1 August 2021]

If you found this after watching the latest 2021 movie, I strongly recommend you watching this.

The story in the OVA version is more well told and complete.

I'm still deeply moves by it after 20 years whenever I hear the original soundtrack.

This is the ultimate Japanese style romance amid the tide of new era.

Not a good way to break up

[SoulfulFX · 10/10 · 23 August 2003]

This movie has a somber undercurrent all throughout. From the bloody opening with Seijuro Hiko (Kenshin's master), Kenshin's discovery (as Shinta) in a field of dead murderers and victims, and the relationship between Kenshin and Tomoe (who's original lover was killed by Kenshin)...one gets the sense that this tragedy could not get any more difficult to bear.

As viewers progress through the film, they will share the senseless feeling about Kenshin's bloody deeds and Tomoe's pain at losing one lover while gaining another surrounded by so much death.

Revolutions may frequently be bloody, and Kenshin's acts fit in that respect, but for so much killing to come at the hands of a traumatized boy makes the viewer pity him and hope he finds some semblence of a real life...an opportunity that Tomoe can present him.

I watched the un-broken version that joined Trust with the 2nd part, Betrayal...where we find the old story of Kenshin's past coming back to tear his world asunder, leaving him to start his quest for pennance once again.

Excellent

[ND-7 · 10/10 · 4 March 2000]

This is the best anime OAV I've ever seen! It's an excellent OAV about feudal Japan and the work of the rebels trying to replace the old government. Kenshin Himura is their assassin (and later on bodyguard). During one of his missions he runs into a woman, Tomoe, whose background is kept a secret until the end.