[JAPAN MOVIE 2012-2014] るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚- / RUROUNI KENSHIN

[Guest Hanjae]

@myphim - @buguz answered it perfectly already, so I don't need to add anything else. I always wish they just left the story alone, with Kenshin and Kaoru happily married with a son, but of course they had to show Kenshin turning into a wanderer again and, even worse:

...leaves Kaoru to help people in the Sino-Japanese war and ends up catching a disease. He does return home to her as he always does, but does so at the end only to die in her arms.

Needless to say I was not a fan of that ending. )

@farstrep - I don't think it was only because of Kenshin's notoriety that he was unable to offer Kaoru stability, but rather that he was always a free-spirited wanderer at heart whose idea of helping people was to travel the country and offer his services. Kaoru could not travel with him, and thus she was always afraid of him leaving, forever waiting for him to come home. It is a dreadfully lonely existence, when you think about it. Choi Young, as one of Gongmin's greatest general and pretty much a shining beacon of leadership, would always attract as many enemies as Kenshin did, but perhaps it is partly because (fighting battles aside) he was largely anchored at the palace where Gongmin is that he did not have the same problem. More importantly, though, Choi Young might also have desired freedom as Kenshin did, but it was his heart that wanted to be free from the immense burden of being not only a warrior but a general in charge of multiple lives. In contrast, that desire for freedom did not translate to wandering in the wilderness.

[Guest buguz]

farstrep said: @buguz: So Megumi does have family? Then why not return to the safety of her family after she makes her escape from Kanryu's clutches?

EDIT: @buguz: What do you mean go to China to begin his world tour? Sorry for the bombardment of questions.

@myphim: Yes, that's Sanosuke.

@sia3: I don't know. Megumi and Sanosuke together just feel odd right now. Since they are not going to be together in the end, it doesn't matter.

[Guest myphim]

@buguz @Hanjae

The ending of catching a disease and dying in her arms, is that from the manga or the anime?
Is there any happy ending at all for Kenshin?

[kappy]

farstrep said:Opps, sorry, @kappy! Your name never showed up earlier, so I thought you've left.  Mianhae!  Actually, I was just calling people out to get them to comment on this thread. I was just kidding.

Oh no @farstrep, you don't need to say sorry.  It's a soupie thing.  I was agreeing that it's weird my name is not there.

[Guest farstrep]

Can someone explain the deal between Kenshin and Goro? Despite the things that Goro has done to Kenshin ie. challenging his ideals and forcing him to take a path he doesn't want to etc, I always feel he has Kenshin's best interests at heart. Though I do not approve of the way he's showing it. Goro seems to have this unspoken respect for Kenshin?

@kappy: You're back! Did you enjoy the movie?

[dr25]

buguz said: Well done @farstrep & @myphim!! I'm clicking to save all the gifs like a maniac over here =))

[Guest Hanjae]

@kappy - It wasn't just you, my name wasn't down the bottom either but I was there refreshing for @farstrep and @myphim's updates every few minutes. ) After a while I started refreshing just to see whether my name would eventually pop back up, LOL.

@myphim - It was the anime ending; not the end of the actual series, but it was in the second OVA, Samurai X: Reflection, that was set after the end of the series. The manga ending was a happy one, but as always with these famous series, it is the anime that is more widely viewed and therefore more widely remembered. The anime ALWAYS spoils things. )

[Guest deeajah]

i'm sorry did anybody has the movie link? i need to watch this movie.. thanks

[Guest buguz]

@sia3 @myphim
Yes, the ending of the anime varies a lot from the manga. And I hated it )
Edit: the manga ended with Kenshin married Kaoru, had a child named Kenji, and became a permanent disciple at the Kamiya dojo. Yahiko inherited the reverse-blade sword from Kenshin.

@Hanjae: spot on comparison! :x

[Guest myphim]

Hanjae said: @kappy - It wasn't just you, my name wasn't down the bottom either but I was there refreshing for @farstrep and @myphim's updates every few minutes. ) After a while I started refreshing just to see whether my name would eventually pop back up, LOL.

@myphim - It was the anime ending; not the end of the actual series, but it was in the second OVA, Samurai X: Reflection, that was set after the end of the series. The manga ending was a happy one, but as always with these famous series, it is the anime that is more widely viewed and therefore more widely remembered. The anime ALWAYS spoils things. )

[dr25]

There are those gifs I found on Tumblr don't know if the owner allows copying..so here is the link. They're awesome! The one with Kenshin in the rain is swoon worthy  :x  :x  :x

[Guest Hanjae]

@farstrep - I think Goro/Saitou Hajime recognized Kenshin as a kindred spirit - they are both former samurai who find themselves struggling to fight for what they each individually believe to be the best course for their people, in the midst of a world that is changing faster than they could possibly keep up with. There was an obvious but unspoken glint of respect in Saitou's eyes when he made eye contact with Kenshin as the Battousai at the end of the opening scene that reflected this, despite the fact that they were on opposing sides. The difference between Goro and Kenshin is that Goro had succeeded in finding a place for himself in the new world by aligning himself with those who are powerful in the government, while Kenshin preferred to help people without becoming involved again with those who would use his strength for their own benefit.

[Guest farstrep]

@buguz and @everyone: What are your thoughts on the "umbrella" scene in the film? And Megumi's relationship with Kaoru?

[Guest Hanjae]

@myphim - It ends very happily in the manga. ) As @buguz put so succinctly, Kenshin and Kaoru are married with a son named Kenji (who prefers his mum over his dad, haha) and Yahiko's talented enough that he gives Kenshin a run for his money in swordfighting. Kenshin passes on his sakabatou to him.

If they're having two movies as sequels though, I'm not sure how much they'll cover and whether they'll do flashbacks to Tomoe (I hope not, but I can see why they might feel the need to). There's also the arc where Kenshin leaves Kaoru to help out in Kyoto, leaving Kaoru bedridden from depression. So you're not necessarily safe from needing tissues yet. =))

Edit;
OMG I keep typoing today, I think I need coffee! ~O)

[vangsweetie637]

here you gals are. hi gals. if can, do talk to me. I feel so tired, yet I am not at ease.

[Guest farstrep]

@vangsweetie637: Have you watched the movie? It might help to ease your mind a bit. What do you want to talk about or you prefer to do it through PM if it's too private?

@Hanjae: I am actually quite interested in the story arc featuring Tomoe. I can't wait to see Kenshin falling in love with her. And go get your coffee. We'll wait for you.

[Guest myphim]

Hanjae said: @myphim - It ends very happily in the manga. ) As @buguz put so succinctly, Kenshin and Kaoru are married with a son named Kenji (who prefers his mum over his dad, haha) and Yahiko's talented enough that he gives Kenshin a run for his money in swordfighting. Kenshin passes on his sakabatou to him.

If they're having two movies as sequels though, I'm not sure how much they'll cover and whether they'll do flashbacks to Tomoe (I hope not, but I can see why they might feel the need to). There's also the arc where Kenshin leaves Kaoru to help out in Kyoto, leaving Kaoru bedridden from depression. So you're not necessarily safe from needing tissues yet. =))

Edit;
OMG I keep typoing today, I think I need coffee! ~O)

[Guest buguz]

Hanjae said:

@farstrep - I think Goro/Saitou Hajime recognized Kenshin as a kindred spirit - they are both former samurai who find themselves struggling to fight for what they each individually believe to be the best course for their people, in the midst of a world that is changing faster than they could possibly keep up with. There was an obvious but unspoken glint of respect in Saitou's eyes when he made eye contact with Kenshin as the Battousai at the end of the opening scene that reflected this, despite the fact that they were on opposing sides. The difference between Goro and Kenshin is that Goro had succeeded in finding a place for himself in the new world by aligning himself with those who are powerful in the government, while Kenshin preferred to help people without becoming involved again with those who would use his strength for their own benefit.

[Guest Hanjae]

@myphim @farstrep - It's nothing personal against Tomoe; I just tend to dislike the ex-girlfriends. ) Completely unreasonable, I know, but I'm not a fan of the cliche where your troubled warrior/stoic hottie with a painful past must always have an ex-gf in the equation - either she dumped him cruelly, died and left him heartbroken or she was one of his major sources of guilt - it's almost always one of the above. For once I'd like to see our spunky female lead be the one who had the meaningful "I will never get over him" first love while the hero is the innocent! )

As for Tomoe, we already know from the film that she had cause to hate Kenshin. She approaches Kenshin to win his confidence under the orders of shogunate spies, but falls in love with him for real - rather than Kaoru, she's the one who's really to be credited for bringing out Kenshin's gentler side. Kenshin accidentally kills her along with his enemies when she tried to protect him by throwing herself in front of his attackers.

@buguz - Well said! =D>

[Guest myphim]

@Hanjae   Oh, I see. It's because Tomoe is the ex-girlfriend. )  So, if she is the main female lead, will you still have problem with her? How is she as a character? Is she similar to Megumi or Kaoru?