Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)
Vintage:
January 10, 1996
Status:
Completed
Summary:
Himura Kenshin is a vagabond with a dark past and sunny disposition. Not a ronin but a rurouni, he was never a samurai, but an assassin of utmost skill in the Meiji restoration, who in the turning point of the war simply walked away. His travels lead him to Tokyo in the 11th year of the Meiji era, where he befriends a female Kendo master, a former thief, a brawler and a doctor all with their own secrets. Together they fight off the enemies surfacing from the dark past that Kenshin cannot escape.
Written by sleepyrounin on August 2, 2012 at 2:06 AM
Overall Rating
Excellent
Story: 4
Dialogue: 4
Animation: 5
Entertainment: 5
pros
+ story looks shallow on the surface but has its complexity (e.g. also plays on social problems of the time period)
+ dialogue retains characters' individuality and is easy to follow yet smart at the same time
+ animation can't stand with newer animes but is excellent for its time
cons
- cliché (abilities are just over-the-top sometimes)
- not definite, have to go to the ovas/manga for conclusion
- gets repetitive and dumb after a while
conclusion: well thought-out story and characters (some are overkill but whatever) with amazing action. understandable for any age (kids shouldn't watch alone due to the amount of action) yet with the necessary complexity to keep everyone in line. backstory is set in one of japan's most important moments of history, which makes it even more interesting. however, the last third (or so) kills the whole thing as it's one massive filler and you have to watch the ovas/read the manga for conclusion. personally, i like the manga better; far less drawn out and far more complete. but the anime is great for what it is.