Rurouni Kenshin: Origins is based on the manga of the same name which is written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The film is directed by Keishi Otomo and co-written by him and Kiyomi Fujii. It's a very stylish samurai film that's well shot and has some great cinematography, Takuro Ishizaka did a fantastic job. There's so many beautiful set pieces and Takuro has such a nice way of shooting things. The fight choreography is raw, bloody and seriously incredible. Naoki Sato's musical score is also a nice addition to the film. I have never read the manga or watched the anime so I can't judge on that level but as a live action adaption I'm sure it worked well and that seems to be okey regarding both viewers and critics. It spawned five films after all.
Rurouni Kenshin focuses on fictional events that take place during the early Meiji period in Japan, telling the story of a wanderer named Himura Kenshin, formerly known as the assassin Hitokiri Battosai. After participating in the Bakumatsu war, Kenshin wanders the countryside of Japan offering protection and aid to those in need as atonement for the murders he once committed.
Takeru Satoh is a brilliant actor, both in the dramatic side and the action side. He was totally the right choice for the character of Himura Kenshin, nailing the performance and probably doing justice for the manga and anime version. Emi Takei portrays Kamiya Kaoru, she's one of the main characters and it's a great performance and a great character. The supporting cast is also quite good, some characters are brilliant but some are not as good.
What I found interesting with Himura Kenshin is that as a pacifist his fight style is to not kill anyone, it makes for some really interesting and incredible stunt work and of course the choreography that goes into the stunts. I really like the character and can't wait for the second film and the rest. For a samurai film, Rurouni Kenshin was indeed great. At times quite unrealistic but I wasn't bothered about that, it's similar to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Stunts are kind of magical and I like that, most stunts are realistic though. Having it in Japanese and English subtitles was perfect. The first installment was a must watch, a film I probably want to watch again and I think it will be better on the second viewing as you already know the characters and the action set pieces alone is a reason.
Rurouni Kenshin focuses on fictional events that take place during the early Meiji period in Japan, telling the story of a wanderer named Himura Kenshin, formerly known as the assassin Hitokiri Battosai. After participating in the Bakumatsu war, Kenshin wanders the countryside of Japan offering protection and aid to those in need as atonement for the murders he once committed.
Takeru Satoh is a brilliant actor, both in the dramatic side and the action side. He was totally the right choice for the character of Himura Kenshin, nailing the performance and probably doing justice for the manga and anime version. Emi Takei portrays Kamiya Kaoru, she's one of the main characters and it's a great performance and a great character. The supporting cast is also quite good, some characters are brilliant but some are not as good.
What I found interesting with Himura Kenshin is that as a pacifist his fight style is to not kill anyone, it makes for some really interesting and incredible stunt work and of course the choreography that goes into the stunts. I really like the character and can't wait for the second film and the rest. For a samurai film, Rurouni Kenshin was indeed great. At times quite unrealistic but I wasn't bothered about that, it's similar to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Stunts are kind of magical and I like that, most stunts are realistic though. Having it in Japanese and English subtitles was perfect. The first installment was a must watch, a film I probably want to watch again and I think it will be better on the second viewing as you already know the characters and the action set pieces alone is a reason.