Product Details

• Actors: Yûji Ueda, Miki Fujitani, Tetsuo Komura, Noriko Namiki, Ikuya Sawaki
• Directors: Kaeko Sakamoto
• Writers: Nobuhiro Watsuki
• Producers: Kaeko Sakamoto, Eric P. Sherman, John M. Cusimano
• Format: Animated, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Unknown), Japanese (Unknown)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Anime Works
• DVD Release Date: August 22, 2000
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004TLMP
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,442 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Rurouni Kenshin - Battle in the Moonlight, Vol. 2" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing anime series - this probably contains episodes 5-8, June 13, 2000

By A Customer

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This review is from: Rurouni Kenshin - Battle in the Moonlight, Vol. 2 (DVD)

Himura Kenshin - otherwise know as the "hitokiri batousai" was a professional assassin during the war that brought forth the Meiji era in Japan. Near the end of the war he disappeared. Kenshin became a "rurouni" (wanderer), using a "sakaba tou" (reverse-edged blade) to protect people. The series starts 11 years after the start of the Meiji period in Japan and traces Kenshin's adventures from there.

The series is historically correct in many aspects :). I absolutely fell in love with this series - a wonderful plot that ties episode to episode together. You can not get better plots than this. I don't wish to give it away but it is certainly not a series aimed at children; it contains much politics concerning the building of the new government and much evil done during the war to establish the new government, amazing fights (descriptions of certain moves & weapons in fights are real and accurate :)) and wonderful characters. There are many lighthearted & funny moments but in a way that fits in with the story and the characters. Again, plot is incredible in this story.

The characters are extremely well developed and the background music is absolutely amazing. The artwork is also incredible.

Specific to episodes 5 - 8. At this point some of the main characters are still being introduced but by no means boring introductions. The middle two episodes is a great little story with incredible fight scenes which makes a very important point.

That said. I do hope you try it out. I do not think you can be disappointed :).

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent start for a series which later becomes spectacular., August 11, 2000

By 

Irina Greenman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ruroni Kenshin - Battle in the Moonlight (Vol. 2) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is a long anime series, and at first it may seem to drag somewhat. The early episodes are intended to introduce and establish the main cast of characters, to show them at their best, to allow the viewer to come to know them well. The stories told in episodes 1-27 (the first season) of the series are fairly simple, though fairly well-written. It is clear at all times that Kenshin and his friends are the "good guys," and that the people they're up against (bandits, pirates, terrorists, the like) are the bad guys, in almost all of these episodes. There are a few exceptions, but only a very few. It is with the second season that the story really becomes interesting, even riveting, as the series becomes more concerned with historical Japan. The stories become much more complex, with the lines between good and evil blurring and becoming nonexistent. This saga, the Kyoto Saga, is the best of Rurouni Kenshin, and the story which makes the series worthwhile. The main reason to watch these early episodes is for knowledge of the characters, their backgrounds, their stories, and their motivations, by the time the Kyoto Saga comes around. If you've already started the series, and are wondering what all the fuss is about, because the story isn't as interesting as you've heard, you've probably heard about the Kyoto Saga. Hang in there, it'll be worth it. In other words, the early episodes are worth buying as a part of the series, even though they're nothing spectacular on their own. The reason I give this 4 stars instead of 3 is simple: this is an excellent example of good translation work. If you're considering not bothering with the pro translations, and sticking with the fansubs, let me tell you, as someone who's watched the entire series fansubbed, you're making a mistake. This translation gives new quality to this series. Thank you to all those involved with the translation; you have preserved the beauty of the language used in the series, no easy task.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "It looks like I have made another weird friend...", June 20, 2003

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Rurouni Kenshin - Battle in the Moonlight, Vol. 2 (DVD)

Of course since Himura Kenshin is staying with Karou Kamiya at her dojo, the title of "Rurouni Kenshin: Wandering Samurai" is rather ironic. Volume 2, "Battle in the Moonlight," continues the creation of the core group for the popular anime series and sets the tone for things becoming much more serious. In Episode 5, "The Reverse-blade Sword vs. The Zambatou," Kenshin and Sanosuke Sagara have their big dual. The episode title refers to their respective swords, a non-killing blade and the largest sword in Japan (a.k.a. "the horse killer"). We finally learn why Sanosuke hates the Imperialists and he ends up becoming the fourth member of the group. Episode 6 "The Appearance of Kurogas" and Episode 7 "Deathmatch Under the Moon" offers a two-part confrontation between Kenshin and a shadowy samurai who is able to cloud the minds of his opponent. Kurogas's goal is to enrage Kenshin so that he fights like the mankiller he once was and towards that goal he kidnaps Karou, who had been trying to get Kenshin to notice what is right under his nose.

Episode 8, "A New Battle," is the opening chapter of a larger storyline, introducing Megumi Takani. Descended from a long line of doctors she is now involved in an opium ring and seeks the protection of Kenshin. We also meet Aoshi Shinomori, the former master spy and assassin, who is now the chief enforcer for the opium ring. This ups the ante for "Rurouni Kenshin" in a couple of ways, not only because the subject matter is more serious, but also because Megumi seems intent on coming between Kenshin and Karou. What makes this rather interesting is that the "cutesy" anime sequences, usually provoked by any notion of romance between our hero and young Karou, are really starting to seem out of place. The strengths of this anime is that it is intent on developing a series of characters with some depth involved in stories set against the historical period of the Meiji Restoration. Young viewers are being brought up to the next level of anime story telling and the more serious the subject matter becomes in these episodes the less appropriate we find the kiddie stuff to be. Still, the ambitious nature of "Rurouni Kenshin" is clear at this point, which makes it a notch above most of its competitors.

In terms of the Extras this time around the Liner Notes continue our education on Japanese language and culture as to the meaning of "sessha," who the Shougital were, what constitutes a Battojutsu, and the correct usage of ore; however, be aware that these vocabulary terms are not in alphabetical order and that the writing is pretty small. The character provided on Volume 2 are of Megumi Takani and Aoshi Shinomori, as our little group continues to expand. There are even some faux "Outtakes" which show that these extras are limited by fan friendly.