*WARNING* Spoiler Questions on Kenshin OVA's

[Entwadumela]

Hiya All-

I just finished watching "Samurai X, Director's Cut" and all I have is one word . . . INTENSE. It is nothing like the TV series, where the OVA's is alot darker, totally serious and humor is almost non existant (almost like the new James Bond movie) and I LOVED it!!!!

But I have a couple of questions: 1. what disease or illness did Kenshin/Shinta die of , 2. How old was he when he passed away, and 3. How old (name escapes me at the moment) was Kenshins Masterswordsman teacher at the time of his death (cause he still looked pretty good at the end)?

Finally, like ZombieBunny. Where can I find some nice (but unfortunately pricey) cels from this intense, but beautiful movie (c'mon people, the movie is several years old, you owners got to be getting tired scarred face buttousai and you know you wanna sell it for cheap )

Domo Arigato,
E

[irmgaard]

Well, although no name is given, the depicted symptoms are those of tertiary syphilis. I hardly believe that they were implying philandering on Kenshin’s part, so I suppose they assumed Tomoe was not "untouched” when she married him (a not unlikely scenario considering the group of men she was working with to trap him). This disease progresses at vastly different rates, depending on the individual; lying dormant for decades, or for only a few years; so it could kill both Kenshin and Kaoru in the manner shown. It was also common, but stigmatized, explaining Megumi’s familiarity with it (and its lethality), as well as her reluctance to name it.

As an interesting historical footnote, the famous Meiji Era Japanese physician, Sahachiro Hata (1873 –1938), worked with Nobel Prize winning chemist, Dr Paul Ehrlich (1854 – 1915) developing the first efficacious cure for syphilis.

Since his death occurs after the end of the first Sino-Japanese war (1895), I think Kenshin would have been 46 or 47 (his birth year is given as 1849).
The Hiden lists Hiko's birth year as 1836, so he is 13 years Kenshin's senior (though he says he's 43 when Kenshin is 28, so maybe it's 15 years ).

Nobuhiro Watsuki did not kill Kenshin, nor was he asked about it.....

[ZombieBunny]

Hiya All-

I just finished watching "Samurai X, Director's Cut" and all I have is one word . . . INTENSE. It is nothing like the TV series, where the OVA's is alot darker, totally serious and humor is almost non existant (almost like the new James Bond movie) and I LOVED it!!!!

But I have a couple of questions: 1. what disease or illness did Kenshin/Shinta die of , 2. How old was he when he passed away, and 3. How old (name escapes me at the moment) was Kenshins Masterswordsman teacher at the time of his death (cause he still looked pretty good at the end)?

Finally, like ZombieBunny. Where can I find some nice (but unfortunately pricey) cels from this intense, but beautiful movie (c'mon people, the movie is several years old, you owners got to be getting tired scarred face buttousai and you know you wanna sell it for cheap )

Domo Arigato,
E

OMG welcome to the dark side LOL

I have found some very awesome cels but the price is ouch lol Although it is totally worth it. I am in the process of trying to get some at the moment. Talk to Remi. She is accepting offers on her gallery that has some wonderful Kenshin cels. I have asked about a few so there still some that might be left.

Kenshin has become my favorite anime ever. It is beautiful and perfect to me. I hope you can find some things to your liking.

Rock on!

[Cloud]

They didn't tell me their age.

[kittens]

In the OVA or anywhere they never said what he had..... But Baakay and I think that since after he gave sakabattou he helped sick people. So we think that he got sickness from them (like decapcy, spelling right????).
I think the timing and everything makes sense if we think this way..... (or when he treated sick people he got some blood related sickness?).

When he died, I think he was somewhere 43 or 45 (I can take a look at my settei.... In settei it says specifically how old he was ).

I think Hiko is around 60. (Also I can look at settei). I am at VT right now so I cannot look at settei but I will take a look when I got back

Finding Kenshin cels...... Remi is taking offers right now (I saw some Kenshin cels )

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY for more Kenshin fans

[jcaliff]

Nobuhiro Watsuki did not kill Kenshin, nor was he asked about it.....

Which is why I completely ignore the end of the OVA and pretend they don't exist.

[kittens]

never mind I should be careful......

[RoboFlonne]

Kenshin's still alive in all of us!

[Cloud]

Oh, you are a poet.

[kittens]

I just cannot be quiet

IMO I think that was the best ending. (it was supposed to be in maiji era so he would not be alive in present time )

[Cloud]

Only just? Why not?

[Entwadumela]

Hiya All-

Thanks to all the replies

I figured Kenshin contracted something when he went out to the world to help others. But I felt angry at him when he shared it with Kaoru. Even though she wanted to share his pain and suffering, I would've pushed her away at that moment of the movie.

Can someone elaborate more on Nobuhiro Watsuki not killing Kenshin? Does that mean he lives on in the Manga (forgive my ignorance, I don't follow the Manga)? Was Watsuki-san PO'd to what they did to his character/story . . . this is interesting.

Yes, I have contacted Remi regarding some of his Kenshin cels. Thanks for the info.

ZombieBunny-

Good luck with your Kenshin cel purchases and I hope we never get into a bidding war

Domo Arigato,
E

[kizu]

I was always under the impression that he did contract the disease while he was out helping others during his time of atonement after he left kaoru and kenji. It's the first time I've heard the theory on tomoe having given Kenshin the disease or Kenshin philandering. In my opinion that is very unlikely as even if kenshin is rated for teens, it was rated more for some violence and alcohol use. As for the OVA, since they are more serious in tone I always kind of thought it's greatest stregth was it's heavy drama. I think without great losses and/or sacrifices the OVA would not be as impressive. This is probably the main difference (aside from production value) that separates it from the TV series which was really a romantic comedy adventure. For me I like both equally but for very different reasons.

As for cels... Good luck everyone in finding them. For me I started late last year and I really had to be careful in buying as for such a long running series there are also a lot of drunken animator artwork out there and the prices are all over the place. However good quality cels for RK tend to hold their prices and thus is almost always expensive when collectors let them go. The easiest cels to find seems to be the Kenshingumi. luckily couples are available but even if they are more available just the fact that it's a couple cel makes the prices seem to shoot upwards. Goodluck. Most of the artwork I got were from private individuals, rather than auctions or dealers. i would suggest spending a good time looking at animanga forums just to see who was who and also check the links of other kenshin collectors. Leave no stone unturned!

[irmgaard]

Hmm…
The OVA goes out of its way to indicate that this is a sexually transmitted disease, as Kaoru insists on intimacy with Kenshin, even after his lesions are apparent, and he is concerned about harming her. The irony is that she would have already been infected, as carriers are infectious even during the long asymptomatic period between the second and third stages.
Symptoms occurring 10 to up to 50 years after initial infection:

Gummatious, trophic lesions of the skin resulting in ulcerous scars.

Periostitis or osteitis with lesions

Cough from aneurysms causing pressure on the trachea and/or esophagus

Charcot’s joints and loss of proprioception.

Neurosyphilis: personality changes, shooting pain, and most tellingly…the peculiar shuffling gait of tabes dorsalis.

Meningovascular neurosyphilis…loss of concentration, memory…blurred vision, dizziness, confusion, lassisitude...


Watsuki’s last Kenshin comic was in the Kaden…very sweet!
He also did a short work featuring an older Yahiko with a cameo by Kenshin at the beginning and end: Yahiko no Sakabatô

When Seisouhen first came out I read an interview where Watsuki was challenged as to why he chose to kill off Kenshin in that way, and he stated that he had nothing to do with it, and had not even been consulted with about it. Such is the fate of the mangaka….

[kizu]

Hi Irmgaard,

First I want to say I love your RK cel collection. Second since I am not familiar with the disease nor any other STDs (thankgoodness I guess?), is sexual relations the only way it's transmitted? Just wondering forgive my being clueless. Although I'm still not convinced that it would be Tomoe that would pass it on to Kenshin... I didn't get the impression that she was taken advantage of in that way even if they were quite ruthless. As for Kenshin, the OVA didn't really give me the impression of him going out for personal pleasure like the other Choshuu men (I got this impression that the others in Kenshin's group took to doing this because of that inn keeper - can't remember her name). Now I am wondering if this was just pulled out from the hat without much thought? So to be honest, I still don't understand why they'd use that instead. Was Watsuki not consulted in it too? I guess I do not understand, I thought mangaka still hold property rights to like characters even if the series is sold... Or does that only apply to the manga?

Yeah I saw those. Hehehe purely for Saito of course... XD
Yahiko no Sakabatou I think came out in english also in an issue of Shounen-jump last year I think Sept 2006... can't remember well. XD

Lastly, what saddens me of course is since the Kanzeban is at it's end... The english version is done... Ah well it saddens me to think, no more will be done. I really would've liked to see Watsuki do what he said in an interview about the Hokkaido arc with more Shinsengumi and Soujirou in it... but that's probably not ever going to happen.