Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Tsuioku-hen

When mankind's savagery surpasses his fear of death, there is little hope for those who wish to live honest lives. Beneath a full moon, a young boy witnesses the murder of the bandits who had enslaved him, and is then christened with a new name by the man who rescued him. This boy is Shinta, now known as Kenshin Himura, and he is destined to become a swordsman. The softness of his heart does not befit the occupation, but his desire to protect the innocent is absolute.

Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Tsuioku-hen details the origins of the man who would bear the name of Hitokiri Battousai long before he swore his oath not to kill and before he earned his reputation as an assassin. The young man's heart is divided between justice and corruption, while the fate of a nation rests on his actions.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Himura, Kenshin Main

Suzukaze, Mayo Japanese

Saitou, Hajime Supporting

Suzuoki, Hirotaka Japanese

Shishio, Makoto Supporting

Hiko, Seijuurou Supporting

Ikeda, Shuuichi Japanese

Yukishiro, Tomoe Supporting

Iwao, Junko Japanese

Yukishiro, Enishi Supporting

Sasaki, Nozomu Japanese

Okita, Souji Supporting

Hibino, Akari Japanese

Tatsumi Supporting

Uchida, Minoru Japanese

Katsura, Kogoro Supporting

Seki, Tomokazu Japanese

Takasugi, Shinsaku Supporting

Takagi, Wataru Japanese

Campbell, Charles Producer, ADR Director, Recording Engineer

Naruke, Yoshinori Producer

Furuhashi, Kazuhiro Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Hata, Shouji Sound Director

Reviews

Mar 25, 2024

nurBeL_xelA

Recommended

I don’t really have much to say except that it makes the original show look like pussy shit in comparison to this. In fact it might be better than the entirety of the original show. Yeah, I’m not kidding. This is violent, tragic, and beautiful. I was literally in silence watching this because if I started taking notes on what I liked and didn't like, I feel like I would be ruining the experience. So I gave this OVA my undivided attention the entire way through.

Really the only issue I have is I wish I saw this first before I watched the original show. ... And based on the title, you kinda know what’s going to happen. But it also has something that the original show didn’t really have a lot of-subtly. And the thing is, I love the original Rurouni Kenshin. I'm just so nostalgic for it. It’s not a perfect show and I have my issues with it, but it holds a special place in my heart. But this is just so emotionally gripping and adds more context to Kenshin’s backstory. Like the OVA does a great job making you feel bad for him in a short amount of time. Like, damn. This has to be one of the greatest OVA’s ever made. And I hope that’s not a hot take.

ORIGINALLY REVIEWED ON 01/25/2023

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Dec 6, 2023

adrianwhy

Recommended

Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuioku-hen stands as an undisputed masterpiece in the anime world, offering a spellbinding narrative that transcends the boundaries of the samurai genre. This four-episode OVA, also known as "Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal," is a stunning testament to the power of storytelling, character depth, and visual excellence, making it a must-watch for anime enthusiasts and fans of Rurouni Kenshin alike.

At the heart of Tsuioku-hen's brilliance is its masterful storytelling. The narrative unfolds with a poetic elegance, expertly tracing the origins of Kenshin Himura and the events that shaped him into the iconic and enigmatic swordsman fans know and love. The storytelling is not ... merely an exploration of Kenshin's past but a profound examination of the societal upheavals and personal tragedies that defined the turbulent Meiji era.

The character development in Tsuioku-hen is nothing short of exceptional. Kenshin's evolution from the idealistic young Hitokiri Battosai to the tormented and introspective rurouni is portrayed with a depth that resonates on a visceral level. The introduction of new characters, particularly the pivotal role of Tomoe, adds layers of complexity to the narrative, elevating the emotional stakes and providing a nuanced perspective on love, loyalty, and the consequences of one's actions.

Visually, Tsuioku-hen is a work of art. Studio DEEN's animation prowess brings the Meiji era to life with breathtaking detail, capturing the beauty of cherry blossoms, the fluidity of intense sword fights, and the atmospheric nuances of historical Japan. The visual aesthetics not only enhance the storytelling but also contribute to the overall immersive experience, making every frame a feast for the eyes.

The musical score, composed by Taku Iwasaki, is a sublime complement to the narrative. The haunting melodies and evocative themes heighten the emotional impact of key moments, effectively transporting the audience into the emotional core of the characters' journeys. The synergy between music and visuals is a testament to the careful craftsmanship that went into creating Tsuioku-hen.

In just four episodes, Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuioku-hen manages to encapsulate the essence of the entire series, delivering a poignant and unforgettable experience. Its ability to weave together historical drama, romance, and intense action with such finesse is a testament to its status as a masterpiece. For those seeking a profound and emotionally resonant anime, Tsuioku-hen is not just a recommended watch; it is an essential masterpiece that stands as a crowning achievement in the world of animated storytelling.

Ratings: Masterpiece (10/10)

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Aug 4, 2020

A7MD224

Mixed Feelings

Funny

Pre-review:
I’m currently reading the manga and reached ch.163 (prior to the events which this OVA covers from the manga). Words can’t express how disappointed I was as I watched this. I wanted to experience Kenshin’s past in anime format w/out spoiling myself from the manga because I generally prefer anime over manga as it is more immersive and engaging. Most of my criticism will be due to the short length of this flashback. (I know it’s like 15 ch.in the manga, which is short also, so the manga isn’t excluded from this critique)
Before going any further I will SPOIL some of the chapters featured in ... the manga and the ENTIRETY of this OVA:

Characters and their motivation:

Every character featured in this OVA –aside from Kenshin- are bland and uninteresting. Now, let’s talk about the main cast (will be further explained in the writing section). Himura Kenshin is first presented as a child who went through a tragedy at a young age when seeing all of the three women, who bought him as a slave and took care of him after his parents died, get slaughtered by a group of bandits and got saved by Hiko that’s when he develops an ambition of saving the weak from the oppressive thugs by learning swordsmanship.
Tomoe, this bland character has no interesting quality in her at all. Her only existence is to act as a foil one for kenshin’s main story of atonement, and has two purposes to achieve which is to act as a love interest for Kenhin and to get revenge from Kenshin who killed her future husband.
Now the supporting cast, Enishi is Tomoe’s brother who hates the battousai because he ruined the future life of his sister so he wants to get him killed. Honestly, Tomoe’s death ruined Enishi’s character for me because Kenshin didn’t kill her deliberately or something of that sort, he wanted to kill an old man and she jumped in so she got sliced meaning Enishi’s reasoning now to kill Himura is non-sense and even if it is justified why didn’t he kill him when they were in the same place and (how) didn’t Enishi saw Kenshin’s remorse due to Tomoe’s death. Katsura Kogorō has nothing going for him nor the spy and I don’t even know why he betrayed them. Hiko, Saitou and the others play their role perfectly (JK) -a master and a formidable opponent against Kenshin- nothing more and nothing less.

Writing:

Beginning:

It starts out as I said in the character of Kenshin and it sets the tone for what this OVA will go through and it achieved it perfectly.

Story arcs:

There is only one which is the love relationship between Tomoe and Kenshin and that’s a problem, first there is no more than that and second it’s not executed as well as many people claim it to be. First point: It was a wasted potential that there was no training arc b/w Hiko and Kenshin, which doesn’t add any depth to the relationship b/w the master and his pupil nor do we learn anything that happened to Hiko in the past to what led him to be a swordsmanship to let us care about him nor does he have anything interesting in his personality which makes stand out so he appears as a plot device just to make Himura strong, whether it is in the Bakumatsu or the Kyoto arc. Another story missed out is that of Saitou’s group we never spent time to learn their motivations and ideologies other than being police which serve as opponents to the Ishin shishi. Now the main focus story of this OVA, the Love relationship between the main characters. What makes it so weak is that there is no redeeming factor for any of the two for each other, for example what makes Tomoe love Kenshin? IDK, it’s not like he saved her in any shape or form, it’s quite the opposite he killed her childhood friend who would later on become her future husband the next month of his assassination. The only thing she finds good about him is that he is good at heart but because he has been as an assassin tool for a cult to achieve their goals, that’s why he became like this…. you know Tomoe just because you sympathize w/him doesn’t means he is excused for what he did against your childhood friend. As for Kenshin, this boggles me even more, why did he love herr? We got 2 eps of them barely talking to each other and she didn’t offer anything useful to Kenshin like giving advices or anything and the point where he mentions that she helped him to get a new way life and become less of a hitokiri and more of a normal man. No you (Himura) dummy, you only got to see that life because of the downfall of the Choshu clan that made the leader ask of you to go away from Kyoto, and the businesses you made as earning money was an advice from the spy and he persuaded you to sell those medicines and not Tome. Farming plants as a way to live your new life, is a thing you suggested to Tomoe and she agreed on doing it. Kenshin you already were thinking of not killing people even before you knew Tomoe so that change of you that you claim it is thanks to Tomoe is a lie.

Characters dialogues/interaction:

It is a mid one honestly. You had those big words when those military swordmen talked to each other and kenshin’s interaction with Tomoe which was hella boring since you don’t feel the chemistry b/w those two, they have the same dull faces when they hated/didn’t care for each other and when they loved each other. In addition, there was kenshin’s monologues which honestly are the saving grace of this category.
Character development:
Kenshin’s development is extremely well-done. We always see him have a psychological conflict within himself, he always wanted to save the weak from oppressive people so he got into the Ishin Shishi (after he got proposed by Katsura Kogorō )to create a new age of peace but the way he do things is contradictory to his beliefs since he kills a lot of people he is assigned to assassinate, and he always had this feeling of not fulfilling what he wanted to achieve actually and at the end he realizes that what he had done was wrong and he is in the path to atone for what harm did he cause to a lot people’s lives.
Tomoe…. Has no character development aside from hating to loving Kenshin. And I already discussed that she is uninteresting

Ending:

The ending was good on its own but the pay off was not good for me. As Kenshin finishes his last mission, he goes off in his path of atonement.
World building:
During my read in the whole manga we never actually see the actual relationship between the shinsengumi and Ishin Shishi aside from being enemies or anything related to this setting, so I thought we would get-at some point- a good flashback about that and it would be this. Granted it’s a historical setting so if you don’t know about the Bakumatsu history -like me- then you are screwed. You are expected to go into this knowing that, so I can’t discuss it since IDK much about it, but that doesn’t excuse the OVA to go half-assesd about it. You don’t ever understand why the Ishin Shishi do what they do and why against the government.

Production/Presentation:

This is one of the best production of Anime I’ve seen. The musics were fire and hits at the right places, the animation is superb. No complaints

Enjoyability:

I didn’t really enjoy it too much. Since the relationship between the MCs aren’t compelling and their interactions are borderline boring and it is the only thing we had (as a story arc), everything else was kept at a minimum.

My Final thoughts:

I was really disappointed with this OVA seeing a lot of tens and a lot of people praising the love relationship between the MCs and I think it is a mediocre one. If you ask me what anime has a good love relationship, I would say Okabe and Makise (from Steins; Gate) is one of them.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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