Also I have read some reviews on it and now I MUST see it. This is cool because now I have another new show to watch. ^^ yay! Anyone know where I should start??
Ah ha! Sanosuke drunk from when he has the drinking contest with Kenshin! It's funny you should post a link to this cel, as just a few hours ago I picked up the cel of Kenshin drunk from this scene ^_^x
Oh- and sorry I didn't answer your *real* question.
As far as Kenshin goes- the manga series has pretty much just wrapped up being translated into English and being distributed here ( always wondered why it took them so long to get around to it, since they were distributing the series and movies/ovas here years ago. )
Basically, there is:
TV Series: "Rurouni Kenshin" Ran for 94 episodes
2 OVA Series: The first one being "Tsuiokuhen" and the second series being "Seisouhen". The first OVA series going by the titles "Trust and Betrayal" and/or "Memories" in the USA, and "Seishouen" going by the titles "Reflections" and "Year of Frost" in the USA.
1 Theatrical Film: "Rurouni Kenshin: Ishin Shishi no Requiem", known as "Requiem for Patriots" or just as "Samurai X: The Movie" in the USA.
Kind of confusing can be that the theatrical film and the 2 OVA series go by the titles "Samurai X" rather than "Rurouni Kenshin", because of a distributing rights dispute between AnimeWorks and ADV Films. Animeworks bought the rights to distribute the tv series in US territories, and ADV bought the rights to the movie and the OVAs. Supposedly, ADV Films didn't want their entertainment property confused with AnimeWorks, so they changed the titles to "Samurai X", much to the chargin of fans. Plus, the English vocal casts for the characters are different because of this, because each company hires their own VA. This really is no skin off my nose, as I watch them all subtitled anyway.
The first 30 episodes subtitled were leant to be by a good friend years ago when I was in college. For some reason, I let those VHS tapes collect dust for almost a good year before convincing myself I was interested enough to finally sit down and watch the series. Oh my God- I couldn't believe I had waited so long! I absolutely fell in love. After finishing all the way up to episode 30, I found out that there were OVAs, and was so desperate to get a hold of the first OVA series and watch it that I literally ran out of the house after finishing episode 30. It was honestly, about 11pm at night, and the only place open that carried VHS and DVDs at that hour local to me was a Used Video Clearance center. All they had was the first OVA series on 2 used VHS tapes, dubbed in English no less ( ick ), but I was so desperate that I bought it anyway, drove home, and watched the entire thing. I was so blown away by it, that when it finished, I rewound it and watched it ALL OVER AGAIN IN THE SAME SITTING.
Whether or not you decide to start "Kenshin" with the first OVA series, or the tv series first is really your decision. I do have to say, that by knowing nothing about RK going into it, and seeing the first 30 episodes and THEN seeing the first OVA about his previous life- I felt like I fell upon an amazing discovery. For 30 episodes I wondered about his past, and how he got his scar- so to see the story of his life in earlier times after I had already gotten to know this character and completely fall in love with him in present times was just an incredible experience for me. So right after watching the first OVA series ( and then, the theatrical film ), I finished the tv series.
Anyways- the only bad thing about getting into "Kenshin"...is expensive, competitive cel market! ( Altho most RK cels are looking pretty dang affordable to me lately, considering how my other main series, Inu Yasha, has completely sky-rocketed in price ).
As to the actual question... I watched the first OVA first, a number of years ago, and was confused horribly by the whole thing. Really was. But I hadn't known a single thing about Japanese history until I discovered the TV series and got wholly intrigued by the Bakumatsu.
Went back to the OVA's after seeing the entire TV show and said "Aaaah! That's what that was all about!"
Whether you watch the first OVA first or the TV series first would depend, I would think, on how much you prefer to have a story unravel more or less sequentially. If you like light and funny, start with the TV show and then go back to the first OVA, as it will be more meaningful after having laughed at a million "Oro?"s. (Not that the series is all fun and laughs, by any means).
But DO NOT start with the final OVA. That one re-tells the Kenshin story largely from Kaoru's point of view, and fills in some but not all of the unanimated "Jinchu" arc that is the end of the manga (and which is ... mind-blowing). The very end of the final OVA is purely speculative and very sad. But the movie itself is incredibly moving and gorgeous. Save it till last.
Of course, the last.... how many? episodes of the TV series are nothing more than decent-quality filler material. They beat heck out of the current Bleach debacle, but they aren't REALLY part of Kenshin's story as told by Watsuki. I loved them at the time, but that was before I read the end of the manga!
Ah ha! Sanosuke drunk from when he has the drinking contest with Kenshin! It's funny you should post a link to this cel, as just a few hours ago I picked up the cel of Kenshin drunk from this scene ^_^x
Can't wait to see your Kenshin cel Maiko! I spotted 3 Kenshin cels on YJ last night with BIN, two of which were bought when I checked them again today, by chance was it one of those?
Definately right about cels from the series being expensive!! I'm a Sano lover and cels of this sexy guy don't run very cheap however they are less expensive than cels of Kenshin. They're also getting rarer I've noticed.
I think Baakay secretly has a stash we don't know about. I believe that's where all the good cels have gone, that's why the selection has dried up over the years.
Sugarflower wrote:Can't wait to see your Kenshin cel Maiko! I spotted 3 Kenshin cels on YJ last night with BIN, two of which were bought when I checked them again today, by chance was it one of those?
Definately right about cels from the series being expensive!! I'm a Sano lover and cels of this sexy guy don't run very cheap however they are less expensive than cels of Kenshin. They're also getting rarer I've noticed.
I think Baakay secretly has a stash we don't know about. I believe that's where all the good cels have gone, that's why the selection has dried up over the years.
THREE? and I... MISSED THEM??
weep.
Too distracted by my naked Kenshin-in-training doll here (I'm customizing an Obitsu doll to be Kenshin). I don't think I even looked.
Nope, all my Kenshin are up on the site. Truly. Even my own bad fan cels. (I WISH I had a secret stash...)
*shellie also weeps at the thought of missing 3 BIN Kenshins *
Ahhhh, for a secret Kenshin stash. Wish I had one too. Rurouni Kenshin was the second anime series I ever watched (ran on CN right before G Gundam, which my boys got me to watch... they grew out of it... I never did. ) and I immediately fell for Kenshin and Sano. And now after a few years and many more anime series have passed, they are still right at the top of my list of all-time favorites.
I agree with whomever above me suggested watching the bulk of the tv series before watching the OVAs. I loved the tv series and loved it that there were mysterious parts of Kenshin's past I didn't know about, because that was part of his whole persona. BUT, then when you watch the much darker and more serious OVAs and they start to fill in those gaps and show you why he is who he is, you genuinely appreciate the depth of the story more. I loved having his life unfold slowly and dramatically before my very eyes. MAN, I love that show. And DARN IT, you're making me want to go back and rewatch it, which would make me fall in love with it all over again! I don't WANT to want those expensive cels more than I already do!!
Happy watching. You'll enjoy it whichever way you decide to watch.
Baakay wrote:Expensive, you say? Competitive, you say?
Obssessed, I say?
Ah- but of course!!! ^_^x
Sugarflower wrote:
Can't wait to see your Kenshin cel Maiko! I spotted 3 Kenshin cels on YJ last night with BIN, two of which were bought when I checked them again today, by chance was it one of those?
That must have been it, then, if all 3 were the same thing. When I was logging on this morning, there was 1 on there, with a couple of bids but a BIN which was just too decent so I snatched it. Actually, lately, the majority of my Kenshin cels lately have been accquired by BINs, because normally, I have a rough time at auctions winning Kenshin cels for a good price. I managed to snatch 3 cels of Kaoru drunk and giggly by BIN the other month, and another one of Kenshin's little chibi expression with sweatdrop in reaction to Kaoru getting all drunk and starting to embarass him with things she might potentionally say.
Hmm...I just realized now that the ratio of drunk characters in my Kenshin collection are amazingly high. LOL- actually, it's kind of amusing.
But yeah- the RK market has been pretty much dried up for a long time- but every once in awhile you get lucky and find something really nice, or collectors either lose interest in collecting the series or cels altogether, and start re-selling some of their beauties. And like I said- I used to sparingly purchase Kenshin cels, because they used to be sooooo expensive, and Inu Yasha cels were more affordable and easier to accquire. But lately it's starting to look quite the opposite ^_^x Which is good- it's too bad that I'm getting a little upset over the whole Inu Yasha collecting issue- but enjoying myself hunting down RK cels in the meantime has been quite allieviating ^_^x
Maiko wrote:
Kind of confusing can be that the theatrical film and the 2 OVA series go by the titles "Samurai X" rather than "Rurouni Kenshin", because of a distributing rights dispute between AnimeWorks and ADV Films. Animeworks bought the rights to distribute the tv series in US territories, and ADV bought the rights to the movie and the OVAs. Supposedly, ADV Films didn't want their entertainment property confused with AnimeWorks, so they changed the titles to "Samurai X", much to the chargin of fans.
Oh I'll say!
It's got to be the worst title switch of all time!!!!
First off: Kenshin is NOT a Samurai: That's a hereditary or honorary title similar to Knighthood.
And Secondly (and most important!) His scar is NOT an X! It's a CROSS. For a Japanese cartoon to have used potent Christian imagery exactly correctly (remember the atrocious and often hilariously inaccurate mish-mash that was Evangelion?), as a symbol of the weight of sin as well as the path to redemption; and then to have it casually tossed aside is unconscionable!
I completely concur with those who say: see the TV show first. I also think the movie should come next, as that is where the animators decided that the Bakumatsu palette was all grayish blues and browns. It’s interesting to note that the character designs are more angular in the movie than the TV series, since the first OVA designs that followed are so much more rounded.
I don’t recommend seeing the last OVA without first reading the manga.
irmgaard wrote:
First off: Kenshin is NOT a Samurai: That's a hereditary or honorary title similar to Knighthood.
And Secondly (and most important!) His scar is NOT an X! It's a CROSS.
LOL- and all this time I thought it was "Samurai TEN" ^_~x
But yeah- your first point you brought up is my number one beef with the stupid title change. He is a swordsman, not a samurai. Big difference when it comes down to those 2 words/titles.
I am gonna get me a huge bag of popcorn and watch it til my eyes bleed
>>; ... although unfortunately I have noticed how high kenshin cels are... ... damn me and my broke college ass! .... The art work is gorgeous and it really seems like the story is great. I am really looking forward to it
I want to clarify that I am not suggesting that Kenshin himself is Christian. I think he is depicted as a rather desultory Buddhist. I merely am lauding the proper literary usage of religious symbols (of whatever faith), with their powerful concomitant allusions.
ZombieBunny wrote:The art work is gorgeous
The artwork is of very high caliber. The hands of the characters are particularly well drawn, and the background paintings are almost without peer....but the horses are terrible! I don't know why these wonderfully talented artists couldn't draw horses!
irmgaard wrote:but the horses are terrible! I don't know why these wonderfully talented artists couldn't draw horses!
LOL- actually, horses have pretty much always been the bane of animators- and there are really few examples that stick out in anime at least where horses have been done fairly believably and well. It's really only in big feature productions both in Western and Eastern animation where the studio puts several years effort into one project, and have a small team of animators dedicated directly to the proper animation and research of animals like horses.
I still remember that for the longest time, the entrance exam/audition for Walt Disney Studios was that you had to animate an entire sequence of Prince Charming on his horse- doing everything from turns to jumping over hedges. Twas a real nightmarish experience for the aspiring animator ^_^x
Maiko wrote:
Kind of confusing can be that the theatrical film and the 2 OVA series go by the titles "Samurai X" rather than "Rurouni Kenshin", because of a distributing rights dispute between AnimeWorks and ADV Films. Animeworks bought the rights to distribute the tv series in US territories, and ADV bought the rights to the movie and the OVAs. Supposedly, ADV Films didn't want their entertainment property confused with AnimeWorks, so they changed the titles to "Samurai X", much to the chargin of fans.
Oh I'll say!
It's got to be the worst title switch of all time!!!!
First off: Kenshin is NOT a Samurai: That's a hereditary or honorary title similar to Knighthood.
And Secondly (and most important!) His scar is NOT an X! It's a CROSS. For a Japanese cartoon to have used potent Christian imagery exactly correctly (remember the atrocious and often hilariously inaccurate mish-mash that was Evangelion?), as a symbol of the weight of sin as well as the path to redemption; and then to have it casually tossed aside is unconscionable!
I completel agree with you I saw first time "samurai X" and I thought it was some cheezy samurai movie (I knew Kenshin before so it did not occur to me that it was Kenshin LOL )
How did I miss this thread!!!!
Anyway, I started reading Kenshin first time RK started in Shounen Jump in Japan. And I kept reading it in jump until it ended. So I would recommend to read manga first.
I think there are few translation differences, but overall manga is good.....
Then watch TV and OVA. There are so many wasted episodes in TV series, so I do not recommend watching TV first IMO b/c I lost many anime fans into RK (I am trying to suck everyone to watching RK )
Maiko wrote:
And Secondly (and most important!) His scar is NOT an X! It's a CROSS.
The X in the title is not supposed to be representative of his scar. It's because he's a Mountain Dew-drinking, snowboard-riding, MTV-watching EXTREME SAMURAI.
The Gibberlings Three - Home of quality mods for Infinity Engine games--the Baldur's Gate series and Icewind Dale series.
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