A conclusion

ampgalore

Before you watch this OVA/movie, you should really watch some parts of the TV series, and the first two OVA's in the Kenshin universe. This will really help you flesh out the background, and make watching this OVA/movie more enjoyable.

This OVA/movie is really a recap of some of the major events in the TV series and the first two OVA's. The animation is completely brand new, so they didn't just reuse the old footage, they redrew everything from scratch. The animation style is distinctly different from what you are used to seeing. Some people like it, some people don't. I still feel ambivalent about it, particularly about the eyes, they are much more exaggerated.

As to the story, well, even after all these years, Kenshin is still laden with the guilt over all those people he killed during the Meiji Restoration era. He married Kaoru, and they had a son. But Kenshin feels compelled to continue to lead the life of the wandering samurai, only returning home to Kaoru intermittently over the years, because he cannot set aside his guilt laden conscience, and feels that by leading the life of a wandering samurai, and helping people along the way, he is in some measure making atonement for his bloody past.

At some point Kenshin contracted leprosy (the OVA/movie never explicitly states this, but sure looks like it) and suffers horribly from it. Kaoru willingly contracts it from Kenshin, because she feels that in contracting the same illness as Kenshin's, she can share Kenshin's pain and suffering, and in some measure be emotionally more connected to Kenshin.

Kenshin then went to China at the behest of the Japanese government. From the time line, it should have been around the time of the first or the second Sino-Japanese war. Then after some time while in China, Kenshin falls gravely ill. Sanosuke then came, and helped Kenshin get on a cargo ship headed back to Japan.

Kenshin and Kaoru finally meet again after so many years of separation. Kenshin then dies while resting in Kaoru's lap. After the credits, we see Kenshin and Kaoru's son, Kenji, all grown up, very much like the young Kenshin we are all familiar with from the TV series, and a his young girl friend, very much like the young Kaoru. They promise each other that they would lead a happy life together, a life which, because of Kenshin's past, so eluded Kenshin and Kaoru.

Overall, it's a OVA/anime. But I do feel that the story is not on par with the first two Kenshin OVA's. I especially have problems with the part about Kaoru willingly contracting leprosy from Kenshin, and that in contracting the disease, Kaoru feels that she is emotionally closer to Kenshin. This whole premise just feels contrite and forced.

Kenshin probably suffers from some serious post traumatic stress disorder. This is probably why he sets out wandering all over Japan and then to China even after his marriage with Kaoru and even after Kaoru gave birth to their son. Once scarred, you are scarred for life. Even in this day and age, there are seldom effective treatments for PTSD's.

It's a sad ending.

score 7/10

ampgalore 23 December 2007

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1785189/