Rurouni Kenshin - OVA/Series

[Galant]

I'm just getting in to RK, and I mean 'just'. I have seen the first four of the series, and hope to see more soon. I have a couple of questions though. There are also, of course, the OAV's and the manga.

What I want to know is, would you guys recommend my watching the OAV's (all, some?) before I've seen the series, or will it ruin it? Ditto for reading the manga. ???

Thanks.

[ChristianKitsune]

YAAAAAY! RK ROCKSSSSS!!!

I am a huge avid kenshin fan...so you have asked at the right place!! ^_^ there are others here who would say the same..

OK! OVA'S!

you can watch these two before anything else: Trust and Betrayal *SP) That just tells about Kenshin's past....GOOOOOOD OVA!

Stay away from: REflections...until you have seen the series... (up until the kyoto arc..) but you would be waiting a while to see it if you waited for the manga to end...although you can.. but the manga is 28 vol long...^_^;

The Reflections OVA is a basic recap of the Series told through Kaoru's memories...it is still VERY good...but I would wait...

hope that helps ya! RK IS AWESHOME good choice to get into!!^_^

[MasterDias]

*shrugs*

It's up to you.

The TV series is set up into three story arcs: The Tokyo arc, The Kyoto arc, and a third season of anime-original filler stories.

Manga-wise, you have the Tokyo arc(Volumes 1-6), the Kyoto arc(Volumes 7-18), and the Revenge arc(Volumes 18-28).

The OVAs Trust & Betrayal is an animated adaptation of what is covered in manga Volumes 19-21, which detail Kenshin's past.

The OVA Reflections is a recap and it shows what happens after the TV series and manga are complete.

[Galant]

Not having read manga before, only seen anime, I was wondering if it was the same kind of thing as reading a book and then seeing the movie. Better to watch it first and then read or the other way round (which tends to be a bit more disappointing)?

[Jeikobu]

See the anime this way:
-Rurouni Kenshin (a.k.a. Samurai X) Trust and Betrayal
-Rurouni Kenshin TV Series
-Rurouni Kenshin (a.k.a. Samurai X) Reflection

Make sure to see Reflection LAST or you are in for some MAJOR spoilers.

It's up to you if you read the manga before the anime, but I'd recommend the anime first. But then, I haven't read the manga yet. But I hear it's great.

[R. Zion]

And, besides the spoilers for Reflections, it's gonna make a WHOLE lot more sense after you watch the TV series, because it goes through a whole lot of different snapshots from various points in the series without explaining them. If you don't do that, you may be QUITE confused....as I was. ^_^

And make sure to get the Director's Cut of Reflections. There's like an hours worth of new animation or something to that effect.

[avidrkfan]

I saw the anime series first and I'm now reading through the manga as they get released in English. There are some subtle changes between the two, but knowing the story ahead of time isn't keeping me from thoroughly enjoying the manga.

One thing though, I've been warned by several people NOT to watch the OVA 'Reflection' because it's really depressing and it's not the ending that Watsuki (the creator of Rurouni Kenshin) envisioned for Kenshin. The other OVA 'Samurai X Trust and Betrayal' is one of my favorites, even though it's gory and you'll want a box of kleenax handy when you watch it. There was another movie too, but it was more like watching a couple of lost RK episodes than the OVAs were. The artwork/animation in that movie was far more similar to the anime series. In the OVAs Kenshin has darker red hair and he wears his pony tail high on the crown of his head.
I can't seem to remember the name of the other movie, does anyone else remember it?

[R. Zion]

The movie here was just Samurai X: the Motion Picture, but the translation from japanese was like Rurouni Kenshin: Requiem for (Ishin Shishi) Meiji Restoration Patriots

[Lyren]

The movie is called Samurai X: The Motion Picture. It is really, really inconsistent with the TV series and, although a good movie, is very detached from the rest of the series.

I also don't like Reflection that much. It was good on its own merits, but it entirely ruins the story. Rurouni Kenshin is supposed to be a story of redemption, about a man who overcomes his past and lives peacefully. Reflection ruins that and portrays Kenshin being overrun by his guilt rather than conquering it. The message it gives is that one cannot gain freedom from past mistakes. This is obviously not what Watsuki intended. Actually I felt like the movie, the third season of the TV series, and the Reflection OVA don't really fit in very nicely. That's just my opinion after watching them, though.

[Kkun]

I really enjoyed Reflection, as opposed to a few people in this thread, but that's just me.

Anyway, I'd recommend watching the series at least to the Kyoto arc, and then watch the OVA because it will be nice and shocking. I watched the OVA after seeing Kenshin be kind-hearted and refusing to kill and so, the impression the OVA left on me was quite powerful. I'd say watch the series, then read the manga since the manga is so much better and watch the OVA sometime in there, then, finish it all up with Reflections. Reflections is still good despite being sad. Trust and Betrayal were quite sad, as well, but they were brilliant. Anyway, happy watching.

[Joshua Christopher]

My opinion on the Kenshin OVAs? Eye candy. A few cool parts to the story, but mostly just eye candy.

[eva-boy7985]

OVAs come first, then series, motion picture somewhere in the middle of the series, and finally reflection. I'd recommend the reflection director's cut cuz it has 38 minutes of extra footage in it! The OVAs are emotional, beautiful, powerful, and profound (Trust, Betrayal, and Reflection). The series is good as well, sometimes slow at points but good; I've only seen the first season however, so I cannot make a full judgment. I also agree, Reflection is wonderful. The power of uncondtional love and the overpowering impact of love is its greatest theme I believe, and giving of yourself for those you love is also key. Watch them all for sure!

[termyt]

In my opinion, the TV show's the best part of Kenshin. Chronological order is not the only thing to consider when deciding what to watch when.

I recommend watching the TV series first. It develops the Kenshin character the most and gives you more to work off of then the OVA's. In my opinion, the OVA's don't stand up by themselves very well. I was glad I had the back ground of the TV series or I wouldn't have been as attached to the characters as I was.

At the very least, I'd watch the first season of the TV show before watching the first two OVA's. (Obviously, since Reflections is a sequel to the TV series, it should be watched last in any case).

I'm not sure if that makes sense at all, but I hope so.

[Joshua Christopher]

The TV show...eh, The Kyoto Arc was really good, but I found the rest of it mediocre. Though, I really loved the Kyoto Arc.

[Jeikobu]

I loved all the arcs, but Kyoto is also my favorite. While long, the whole Shishio part was great, and that includes the other battles that happened shortly before.
The OVAs will always be my favorite part of the Kenshin saga though. They are some of my favorite all time anime for certain. The animation is incredible. Very detailed and beautiful, and my favorite all time style. The characters look real (I love the eyes), yet anime-like. The music is also outstanding. But the best is the story. The drama and action are as good as any anime. I also, obviously, love the romance. I very highly recommend them to anyone old enough to watch them (there's a lot of bloodspray and ruthless violence, especially in Trust and Betrayal).

[avidrkfan]

Thanks R Zion and Lyren for remembering the name of the other movie!
Impact Alberto - just out of curiosity, which parts of 'Trust and Betrayal' did you think were especially cool? I really liked the part of the ending where they showed all those scenes from the end of the bakumatsu - but it's probably what you meant when you said the OAV was 'eyecandy'!

[rusty789]

Yah, Kenshin is cool. Sano is the best. lol. Anyway, the mangas have more info obviously, at least I think so. I think samuri x you could watch, but I'm not sure, isn't that kenshin before, although it is really violent, in a battle kind of way. I read the mangas, since the show is off the air agian........