Samurai X: Reflection
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| Samurai X: Reflection | |
|---|---|
| 星霜編 (Rurouni Kenshin: Seisōhen) |
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| Genre | Action, Historical Drama, Romance |
| OVA | |
| Director | Kazuhiro Furuhashi |
| Studio | Studio Deen |
| Episodes | 2 |
| Released |  December 12, 2001 |
Samurai X: Reflection, known as Rurouni Kenshin: Seisōhen (星霜編 Time?) in Japan, is the second OVA series of the anime show Rurouni Kenshin. It is set both during and after the TV series and manga.
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[edit] Summary
The OVA starts out as a montage of singular events surrounding the life of Kenshin, told from the point of view of Kaoru. Then the remainder of it involves Kenshin, who becomes tortured anew by the guilt of leading a happy life after such a destructive past. He makes the decision to wander again, and Kaoru strongly supports him, promising to welcome him home with a smile and their child. For fifteen years, he wanders, returning every once in a while.
However, this leads his son, Kenji Himura to hold resentment towards Kenshin for leaving them. Now in his adolescence, he leaves for Kyoto hoping to learn Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu from Seijuro Hiko, hoping to be as strong as his father, and create his own legend. Soon however, Yahiko Myojin tracks him down at the request of Kaoru. Yahiko duels him to show him the delusions of his father's greatness. Yahiko admits he's a genius and has natural talent as a swordsman. However, he knew that neither passion, discipline, nor skill would make Kenji superior to his father. So, in a one final strike, Yahiko lets Kenji experience the full blunt of Kenshin's Sakabatou; allowing Kenji to 'experience' the 'strength' of his father's philosophy firsthand. Falling to his knee, Yahiko presented Kenji with the Sakabatō as a late genpuku gift, hoping that now he'd realize that Kenshin's strength lay not in his ability to kill, but in his appreciation of life, his devotion and self-sacrifice to those in need.
Meanwhile, Kenshin eventually becomes ravaged by an unknown disease that is much like leprosy (the writers have admitted there is no medical explanation for his condition). To share his pain, Kaoru convinces Kenshin to infect her with the disease through sexual intercourse. Kenshin then leaves to go assist in the First Sino-Japanese War (primarily over control of Korea) as he had promised the Meiji Government, not fighting and killing, but instead helping people.
After the war's end, Sanosuke discovers a very ill Kenshin sometime after he had fallen overboard on a ship. Sanosuke arranges Kenshin's return to Tokyo by boat. Upon arriving, a bed ridden Kaoru, almost on instinct, gets up to walk outside the dojo on the cherry blossom path, seeing her husband struggling with each step to meet her.
The two finally meet, and Kenshin collapses into her arms as he clutches her to him. They end up beneath a cherry blossom tree, where Kaoru tells him that they will invite the others for a cherry blossom viewing, and continue to gather in the years to come. With the silence growing stronger, Kaoru realizes that Kenshin has died quietly in her arms. Upon brushing his hair off his left cheek, Kaoru notices Kenshin's scar has faded away, signifying an end to his life of pain and bloodshed and commencement to a life of peace. In the final scene before the credits, she holds his head in her arms and weeps.
After the credits finish rolling, there is a scene which shows Kenshin and Kaoru's son, Kenji, walking with a young girl beneath the cherry blossoms, saying that they will live happily together.
[edit] Characters
- Kenshin Himura also known as Hitokiri Battōsai.
- Kamiya Kaoru
- Enishi Yukishiro via a Flashback Fight
- Kurogasa (Jin-e) via a flashback fight
- Kenji Himura - Son of Kenshin and Kaoru, angry at Kenshin's neglect
- Yahiko Myojin
- Sagara Sanosuke
[edit] Differences
Nobuhiro Watsuki, the mangaka of Rurouni Kenshin, intended for there to be a happy ending to the series. While Watsuki ended the manga storyline after the Jinchu arc, another short series of OVAs came out continuing the story. Set both during and after the TV series and telling of Kenshin and Kaoru's later years, differs from the manga on many key plot points, such as the details in regard of the Jin-e and Enishi fights.
[edit] Reception
Although Rurouni Kenshin: Seisouhen was not written by Watsuki, Watsuki said that he "checked in on the script"[1]; he said that "Kenshin went through so much crap and deserved a happy ending."[1]
Anime News Network, a popular anime and manga website, has given different opinions critics about the OVA series. In one hand, they mention the OVA series are some of the best animation to ever come out of Japan, rivals the American masters in terms of motion; musical score to match. On the other hand they mention that fans of the original story will be disappointed as there are not many fights scenes and that the character Himura Kenshin is too much different from his original version as he never uses the quote "oro?" and that it is thought he never gives a "true" smile.[2] They also comment about a "tedious and depressing melodrama".[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Watsuki interview at AnimeOnDVD. Retrieved on 2007-06-02.
- ^ Anime News Newtwork
- ^ Second OVA critic
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