Rurouni Kenshin OAV 1: Seisouhen (Reflection)


Reviewer:	Iryl
Email:		Private.
Website:	http://www.hugglebunny.com

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The Anime OAV


Episodes:	2
Seasons:	n/a
Movies:		1
OVA:		2

Price:		$25.00 DVD (amazon.com)

Rated:		PG13

Catagories:	Action
		Romance
		Drama
		Tragedy

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Review


Synopsis:	A sort of Kenshin/Kaoru special which takes place
		fifteen years after the anime.  Kenshin and Kaoru
		are married and have a son, but the OAV is primarily
		flashbacks to all of the defining points in Kenshin
		and Kaoru's relationship.  After the flashbacks, it 
		continues with a "where are they now" varient, charting
		how the couple turned out and the tolls that Kenshin's 
		personal atonement for his days as an assassin have
		taken on him, mentally, physically, and karma-wise.

Age Rating:	I do NOT recommend this for young children at all.
		This is not because of any of the usual reasons but
		rather because it is a very artsy piece with no comic
		relief and very serious, extremely depressing themes.
		If you don't want your kids to bawl for three hours,
		don't let them watch this.

Adult Content:	Kaoru, Kenshin's wife, persuades Kenshin in the 
		bedroom.  There is minor kissing, then a zoom-in of
		their hands clasping before the scene changes.
		It is supposed to indicate sexual activity without
		actually showing anything.

Magic:		None.  The closest thing would be in a flashback
		where an assassin uses his swordsman's spirit to
		stop Kaoru's breathing.  However, this is in no
		way considered magic by the characters or creators.

Overall -- What You Really Want to Know:
		My husband generally likes sad stories, but this
		broke his heart.  He and I are both so emotionally
		invested in Kenshin's character that this was
		devestating.  As I write this, I am in denial.

		Kenshin, after putting away his sword, continues to
		leave his family to help people.  Kaoru supports
		him in this, understanding that he is battling the
		evil karma he gathered when he used to murder, but
		at the expense of herself -- she is selfless unto the
		range of stupidity.  She always waits for Kenshin to
		return -- and seeing the loneliness that his father
		has inflicted on his mother, their son Kenji becomes
		bitter and runs away to learn swordsmanship from
		Kenshin's master.  When a friend goes to Kenji to
		ask him to go home, Kenji replies, "I'm not the one
		my mother is waiting for."

		Therefore, the Himuras are rather dysfunctional, and
		Kenshin is NOT a model husband or father.  Neither
		is the ending comforting or hopeful.*

		There is no comedy relief in this OAV.  It's 
		serious, sad, and artistic.  But since I've griped about 
		the plot so much, I will now tell you what I loved.

		The animation is above and beyond anything I've
		ever seen.  It is realistic and refined.  The
		flashbacks are fun and the fights are beautiful.
		Kaoru's dedication is kind of sweet, even though
		Kenshin is presented as an unhappy person who can
		never quite repent enough.  She tries to make his
		guilt easier for him by giving him someone to lean
		on; however, that doesn't make Kenshin's actions
		easier for the watcher to bear.  He continues to
		leave her to do good and his guilt is never
		ameliorated as long as he lives.

		My suggestion: watch this, but not until you've 
		finished the manga (NOT the anime -- it doesn't
		cover one of the flashbacks).  You will need a
		background of the original story to understand
		most of the flashbacks on a more-than-surface
		level.  (They don't come with explanations.)

		Also, I've heard that the manga has a happier 
		ending, so it will be easier to enjoy this if you
		have a more cheerful canonical base to put it
		against.

		The themes in this are INTENSE.  It's almost pure
		angst.  For that reason, I don't recommend young
		watchers.  It will overwhelm them and possibly
		give them nightmares.  It made my HUSBAND cry.
		He rarely cries.  It really depressed both of
		us -- if you are a cheerful, optimistic, romantic
		sort of sentimentalist, watch with caution.  If
		you're cynical and depressed, make someone lock up
		all the knives.  (I'm serious -- this is potent 
		stuff.)

		It's worth watching for the time and artistry put
		into it, as well as the beautiful representations
		of the shared past of Kenshin and Kaoru.  Just
		don't expect light fluff or happy endings.









		*
		S
		P
		O
		I
		L
		E
		R


		Do not continue

		if you do not want

		to know the ending!


















		* Kenshin never overcomes the evil karma plaguing him.
		He struggles home only to die in Kaoru's arms of the
		disease she begged him to give her (so she could "share
		the pain").  Only then is he at peace.  But he's also
		dead.  So it kind of sucks.
		


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