Customer Reviews

Rurouni Kenshin - TV Series Season Two

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I finally got around to purchasing and watching Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend of Kyoto. I was expecting it to be as good as the first set (Wandering Samurai) but I got a whole lot more than I bargined for. The "Legend of Kyoto" set is superb! The english voice cast was wonderful! The voice actors that were particularly impressive include Richard Hayworth as Kenshin (Fantastic job! This man has talent!), David Lucas as Mokoto Shishio (Beautifully performed! He really makes you want to hate him by the end of the series.), Sparky Thornton as Hajime Saito (Very well done! The "Wolf of Mibu" indeed!) and of course, one of the best known english voice actors in anime, Wendee Lee as Yumi (She's a seasoned pro. Nothing short of excellence in her performance.)

In these episodes much is revealed about Kenshin's past, as well as that of many of the other central characters that will appear in this series. The character development is excellent. There is no useless information, and it never becomes dull or confusing. The animation is beautiful, and the swordfight scenes are executed magnificently. There are no repeating frames or sloppy drawings in any of the battles. The music is wonderful and helps to emphasize many of the intense moments in the "Kyoto" series. I especially adore the opening theme "Half" by Makoto Kawamoto, and I love the closing themes, "Heart of the Sword - Before Daybreak" performed by L'Arc-en-Ciel, and "Let it Rain" by Bonnie Pink. And finally there is the story.

Kenshin Himura, commonly known as "Battousai: The Manslayer," was the strongest fighter in the Revolution 10 years ago. But since then he has opened his eyes to the sins of his past and decided to become a wanderer, never to kill again. He is now a kind, gentle, wise, and sometimes goofy, young man who always captures the hearts of the people he aids. Instead, he uses his unique reverse-blade sword to protect his loved ones and anyone who is in need of protection.

In the "Legend of Kyoto" series Kenshin is asked by one of the top men in the Meiji government to go to Kyoto and stop Makoto Shishio from trying to take over Japan. This is no simple task because Shishio, like Kenshin, was also a Manslayer. In fact, Shishio inherited the title from Kenshin after he became a wanderer. Kenshin makes the most painful decision of his life and leaves his friends and his new home to go back to Kyoto, the place where he became a manslayer. Kenshin joins forces with ultra-cool, and equally dangerous Hajime Saito, who now works for the police force, but was once a manslayer of skill equal to that of Kenshin. However, Kenshin's friends are not about to sit idly by and watch their beloved friend go to Kyoto and fight alone. Kaoru, Sanosuke and Yahiko will all travel to Kyoto to help Kenshin.

Aoshi Shinamori, an old rival and leader of the Oniwaban group returns with a vengence seeking a rematch with Kenshin, and the remaining members of the Oniwaban group are met by Kenshin and his friends in Kyoto. Also, Shishio has a lethal group of warriors known as the Juppongatana who each have their own reasons for working with Shishio. And finally, we get to see the man responsible for training Kenshin in the Hitten Mitsurugi Ryu, Seijuro Hiko the 13th (My favourite character. I love this guy!). Hiko is a tall, handsome, menacing-looking man with unmatched skill and knowledge in the Hitten Mitsurugi Ryu. He is very wise, intelligent, and incredibly arrogant (Or he has extremely high self-confidence, depending on how you look at it), and he has a relentless love for saki. Kenshin visits his master and asks him to teach him the ultimate technique of the Hitten Mitsurugi Ryu. He goes from wanderer to pupil once more for the sake of defeating Shishio. How Hiko and Kenshin met is revealed along with some funny and touching flashbacks from when Kenshin was under Seijuro's training when he was younger.

The "Legend of Kyoto" set is, without a doubt, the most powerful set of episodes in the entire Rurouni Kenshin series. Here, it is emphasized that a fighting style cannot rely on mere strength alone, but requires a strong spirit and extensive skill that can only be acheived by years of intense training. In other words, it's not mindless fighting that holds no meaning. The mood of the series becomes much darker and more serious than in the first set. But it also contains several genuinly funny moments. Kenshin continues to teach others that killing is never the answer to anything, and that living your life peacefully may be difficult, but is what will ultimately bring peace to your heart. The "Legend of Kyoto" episodes of the Rurouni Kenshin series have become the best set of anime episodes I have ever watched. Nothing is sacrificed here. This series is beautiful, touching and, in my opinion, a masterpiece onto itself. Buy this box set and see for yourself why this series is one of the greatest ever made!

Few anime shows can ever be masterpiece level. Season 1 of Rurouni Kenshin was a great introductory season but with its share of problems. There wasn't a central plot as it seemed most of the episodes were more "mishaps" then anything. Not so with Season 2. Season 2 has everything going for it and anything you would ask for.

At the end of Season 1, a man named Saito Hajime came looking for Kenshin. Sanosuke got involved and as a result, became seriously injured when Saito attacked him. So Kenshin fights Saito(in the first of 3 awesome battles). The fight ends in a draw, and Kenshin is informed a former hitokiri(man-slayer/assassin) who was Kenshin's successor as hitokiri is planning on overthrowing the government and controlling Japan. So as usual, it's up to Kenshin and his friends including some new ones to take down Shishio and his Juppon Gatana clan.

First of all, you know a series is great when you actually care for villains or former villains. Soujiro Seta, Saito Hajime and Aoshi Shinomori have all fought Kenshin but turned things around and you still care about each rather than disposable right hand runts. The animation is far better, and a more serious tone with it's share of laughs and 3 of the greatest fights: the aforementioned Saito fight, Kenshin's rematch against Aoshi and the final fight against Shishio. I won't spoil anything but I'll say this: Kenshin does the coolest move on him.

New characters are introduced including the Juppon Gatana, and Misao, the next commander of the Onibwa Banshu and one with a big crush on Aoshi. By the way word of advice: watch season 3 at your own risk. Season 2 ended the best way it could but then season 3 was tacked on at the end and while it does have its moments, it feels like the series sputtered to a bland close rather than it's perfect ending in this season.

Great fights, music, characters, storylines, this season has it all and most likely more.

After watching the first season of the popular anime 'Rurouni Kenshin,' I thought it wouldn't get much better. I discovered I was wrong: season two consists of the most powerful episodes in the anime. The deep characterization and intense battles of the series are intensified as undiscovered characters are met and parts of Kenshin's mysterious past are unveiled gradually. Season 2 is considerably darker, and a central plot and main conflict are present in the anime for the first time. It all begins with the visit of Saitou Hajime to the dojo, which leads to, by far, the best battle in the entire series. Kenshin discovers that the dangers he thought had died with the revolution have returned to threaten the fate of Japan.

Addressing the extras included, outtakes are rather amusing, as are the character messages. The liner notes and attack list can be rather helpful in times of question. Fans of the music of the series will be pleased with all the new opening/closing themes. (Contrary to one reviewer's statement, these DVDs DO include Bonnie Pink's closing theme "It's Gonna Rain" AND L'arc~en~Ciel's ending theme "4th Avenue Cafe," as well as T.M. Revolution's "Heart of Sword" and Kawamoto Makoto's opening "1/2.")

I highly recommend this treasure to hardcore fans of Kenshin who are willing to spend the money. (Actually, you save anyway by buying this wonderful compilation. If you buy the DVDs separately, you may find yourself wanting to collect them all. It is better to do so by purchasing this set.) Lastly, if you are short on cash and would like a sampling of what Rurouni Kenshin is about, the best of it is included in Volume 7, "Shadow of the Wolf."

Kenshin is a classic. While the later episodes were not great, almost any anime fan will agree that season 1 (also available in a box set - The Wandering Samurai) and season 2, the Kyoto saga, are absolute must-sees. Kenshin also seems to transcend age and gender borders, appealing to both boys and girls, from 9 or 10 years old (although the series is not recommended for children, I know of some parents who have chosen to allow their children to view it anyway, citing the good moral truths of an assasin who has sworn to never kill again and to fight only to defend the innocent in atonement for his terrible past) to senior citizenship. Old fans have been waiting for this box set for years. If you've never seen Kenshin and are just looking for something new to try out, I would definitely recommend both the season 1 box set and this one.

The second arc of Kenshin is breath-taking at its finest, nail-biting at its fiercest, and heart-warming at its best. The story has always been about redemption. The underlying tone of the series has been of hope, no matter how small, and the ability to realize as long as you are alive, you have a chance.

The first arc allowed the characters to develop and gave the audience a reason to care. The second, made you realize how much you cared. Kenshin goes through trials that test his principles and forces him to find a way to strengthen his mettle without giving up his vow to never take another human life. What draws me to this character is how the story and theme puts such importance on the little things in life that people generally don't notice. Such as, shopping for tofu can be a joy when you don't have to worry about war or famine. The new regime of the Meiji government is not perfect. Everyone knows this and Kenshin helped to create an imperfect system. Originally, the ideals of this new government was to help create peace and equality. Wonderful logic, but eventually, the winning side became corrupt and villianous. It also didn't help that the remaining forces of the Shogunate were not allowed to be what they had been all their lives: Samurai. Riddled with guilt, Kenshin decides to do only what one man can do; he does all that he can. He goes from battle to battle to show that you can live without losing your ideals and as long as you're alive, you can fight to make things better.

The Kyoto arc is amazing. The government still has dirty little secrets that they want covered up. Namely, the assassin, named Shi-shi-o, that they used when Kenshin decided to leave. The battle of principles lies on the fact that the government wants him dead and they want Kenshin to dispatch him. Kenshin won't kill him, but Shi-shi-o will dismantle the present peace that Japan is enjoying. That is where the journey begins. Along the way, Kenshin will leave his friends behind and try to battle alone against a foe he's not sure he can beat. But, Kenshin will gain strength because of his friends, not in spite of them. They will not leave him to face anything alone. When he realizes this, it becomes one of the most memorable scenes in the whole series. Essentially, the second arc becomes the catalyst for Kenshin to realize that even though he struggles to find redemption, he is allowed to have happiness. I hope that anyone who watches this show gets as much enjoyment and delight that I have. Happy viewing!

The only way to describe this anime is "WOW!" A perfect blend of action, comedy, romance, and sadness. This anime is a perfect choice for anyone who likes action or samuai epics. From the first episode with the blood soaked streets of Kyoto to the last with the cherry blossom leaf filled air of tokyo this is a FANTASTIC anime. The animation in the fight seens are unbelievable(especialy between Kenshin and Saito). The origional Japanese dialoge is great and the english dub is pretty good too. The very ,VERY few flaws with this anime are easly overlooked by how great this anime is, once again if you like action anime or samurai epics GET THIS SERIES.

((This is not a summary of the season... you can read other reviews for that))

The sad thing about some people is, they fail to see Rurouni Kenshin's plus points, namely the characters and character development (which are both top-notch), and start criticizing it's stiff action scenes and it's tendency to be over-dramatic at times.Granted, the action is somewhat average compared to other anime of the same kind, and Kenshin's droning on about peace and justice might get on your nerves after awhile, but if that's all RK-haters notice, they must be really blind and ignorant! This is one of the best series to ever grace the anime world! Like I said above, the characters are excellent (our lovable hero Kenshin; the quick-tempered yet kind Kaoru; the slightly goofy but charming Sanosuke; the arrogant lil' samurai-in training Yahiko and the sarcasm-spouting Saitou; not forgetting cold,broody Aoshi and the adorable tomboy Misao).You grow to feel for (and fall in love with) these people, and that, I believe, is RK's strongest point. I also strongly believe that character development is crucial for any anime series to really work, and this one definitely has it. A special mention goes out to the humour, which is typical anime slapstick, and one that will have you in splits! However, if you are not into that kind of thing,you might want to look elsewhere, because this series is sprinkled (or should I say 'dosed') with slapstick.

All in all, if you are looking for something with just the right balance of comedy, action and plot, then this one is for you. And if you are a beginner with anime and would like to experience its 'magic', then look no further, because this is the best place to get started. The english dubbing ain't bad, but I suggest watching it with japanese audio and english subtitles, as some of the humour doesn't quite work in the dub. By the way, the second season is the best (duh! I'm reviewing it, right?), so if you are going to judge RK, by all means do it solely by watching this season; the other two pale in comparison.

Note: To certain (RK-hating) people who think that animes with blood-thirsty protagonists are the only ones worth the time and money, I have only this to say- you are in serious need of psychiatric help, because it's obvious that you're fanatical about violence.Hating a series just because of it's pacifism is really pathetic! Rurouni Kenshin shows us that 'violence only begets violence', and in a time like ours, this message should be heeded more than ever.

Give this one a try, and rest assured, you WILL BE hooked!
Trust me. ^_^

I'd actually give it 4.5 stars, but since I can't do that here, I'll just round it off to 5... it deserves it, anyway!

It has been said that Kenshin is a series with many highs and lows, this story arc is most certainly the high point and one of the best stories in all of anime. I first discovered Kenshin in the dark and very well done ova, however I found it very hard to watch the of the tv series. It was very lighthearted compared to the ova, but once I discovered this part of the series I liked it, loved it, and adored it, even more now than ova. Although it's not as dark or violent it has a truly brilliant narrative. Not only has the tone changed from the wandering samurai arc but it seems that the direction has changed significantly, but it has a whole new musical score that fits the tale like a glove. Not only that but there is so much more to the characters, in the first arc Kenshin only has to rely on his skills as a wanderer but now with the fate of Japan on his shoulders and enemies greater than himself he has only two choices: once again become the Battousai or complete the training he gave up to fight in the revolution. As for his enemies this is what really makes this story shine. Shishio Makoto is perhaps the greatest villain in all of anime, his right hand Sojiro is sure as hell no push over either. I must say I've been waiting for this collection for some time, and believe me it's worth the cash. This series is must for any and all anime fans.

This season is the hands down best season in all of the Rurouni Kenshin series. Anything cool or stylish or dramatic that you really want to happen, keeps your shoulders tense for a while, even if you know wether it will happen or not. This season also has the most memorable moments, such as Kenshin's final test, the battles, and even the love stories.

There are already a number of reviews here praising the Kyoto arc of Rurouni Kenshin, so I'm not going to dwell on how great this arc is. It is visually stunning, emotional, and supplies some of the greatest antagonists of any anime. It should serve as an example to compare all other swordsman titles to. That said, the dvd set itself could have been better.

The Extras in this set are pretty lackluster. You get translation notes for some of the historical Japanese terminology, creditless OP/ED, and a blooper reel. The blooper reel isn't nearly as fun as the ones that ADV typically puts out. It's just a lot of scenes where the dub cast flubbed their lines. Not that entertaining, though hearing "Jigen" stumble all over while trying to say "Ama-Kakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki" is pretty entertaining.

Speaking of the dub voice cast. Eh, I'm not incredibly impressed with the dub of this series. It feels pretty phoned in at times. The Japanese cast really conveyed great emotion through their voices that the English cast just didn't replicate all that well.

Another thing to note is that the "Sobakasu" opening is used and not the translated "Freckles" song.

Video is crisp and clear. The translation is pretty decent. They definitely tamed the profane language a bit. Chou's swearing doesn't come across in the subtitles at all, for instance. I personally dislike "de gozaru" being translated into "that I know." There just isn't a logical way to take a manner of speaking ("de gozaimasu" being a masculine phrase commonly used by samurai) like that and translate it into something in English, so just leave well enough alone. It's like taking someone who refers to themselves with "Ore" and saying "I, punk so and so...." It just does not translate period.

But I digress, this is just a small complaint. I suggest that everyone picks up this series on dvd. It's worth it just to see the animation with such crisp quality.