As a big fan of RK, I was elated to see Himura Kenshin come to life and I thought Takeru Sato did a near perfect job of rendering Kenshin in the flesh. What I liked about his portrayal was that he was somewhat stoic when reflective over his past as the Battousai but cheerful as the Rurouni when around the rest of the cast. Takeru-san also has that soft effeminate air to him that Kenshin does so he had the look and mannerisms down. He also shows the power and agility of the Battosai very well. I thought the balance was believable. The only scene I had some trouble understanding was the scene in which Kenshin (as the hitokiri battousai) murders Kiyosato (Tomoe's fiancee) and seems to be shivering afterwards. I take it that it wasn't the cold or the wound from the scar, but in the context of the film perhaps this was Kenshin's first assignment (and hence first assassination) and that's what made him feel sick. He could have also had a premonition that some bad omen was about to take place soon. In the OVA [Trust & Betrayal/Tsuiokuhen] he is shown more cold-blooded and unmoved. Anyways, I thought that was a subtle but interesting difference. All-in-all, I thought Kenshin was very well portrayed and I was happy with Takeru-san's rendition.
My next concern was Saito Hajime, who was played by Yosuke Eguchi and I must say, I was happy with his portrayal. It showed his dedication to justice, order, and his pride in the bushido code that is a big part of Saito's character (along with some spunk,) and is faithfully shown demeaning Kenshin's softer approach to defeating his enemies. It's hard to get Saito's look down perfectly but he actually did a very good job (I was happy enough with it to overlook the absence of the spider leg bangs.) The rest of the cast I thought was a very good fit - Kaoru (Emi Takei), Megumi (Yu Aoi) and Yahiko (who had a minor role.) Perhaps the only exception I'd say is the guy who played Sanosuke (Munetaka Aoki) as I thought they could've found someone better, but Sano is a brawler and to that end this guy portrays that aspect of him well. Lastly, I thought Koji Kikkawa's portrayal of Udo Jin-e was great.
As far as the plot goes, I actually thought it was nice how they condensed some sub-plots from the manga/TV series & used character substitutions that made sense in the framework of the film. For example, there was no Hiruma Gohei (fake battousai) but instead Takeda Kanryu was using Udo-Jin-e and the Oniwabanshu as hired bodyguards to protect his drug-ring. Another example was how Saito joins Kenshin in Kanryu's mansion instead of Hannya (because Hannya was Kenshin's opponent earlier on) which leads me to the most interesting amalgamation - the masked character of the Oniwabanshu (who we can presume was Hannya) had the look of Enishi but the fighting style of Aoshi (kodachi.) Hopefully in a future sequel they can bring the real Aoshi and Enishi as separate characters. Overall, the plot made sense and showed the difficulty that the characters of the old world had in adjusting to a new world.
The coolest aspect of the film was that nearly all the fighting scenes had actual swordplay as opposed to special effects, CGI or heavy-use of wires. That was impressive. Not only does it look fantastic, but it looks authentic. It gives you a sense of the true sword skill used by some of these characters. It's hard to pick which fight scene was the best because they were all enjoyable. The musical score was OK, not great but not bad either. There were some scenes where certain tracks were a little off-sounding or some scenes that maybe could have used some music, etc. But overall nothing that takes away from the film. The film's setting was nicely done, I felt like I was taken back to Meiji-era Japan, all the sets and costume designs were spot on.
What I enjoyed most about the film was just to see these loveable characters come to life for the first time in a believable way, in a story that works and was well-acted and well-made. I did not mind what little liberties they took in their efforts because I appreciated the overall effort and dedication to stay true to RK's roots- on that note, I think it did a fantastic job. It also sets up the possibility for a likely sequel(s) which is even more awesome and exciting. I'm really happy to see my favorite fictional hero finally brought to life on-screen in a way that did not disappoint me. I think every RK fan needs to see this film but especially to support its release - buy it and share it (I certainly intend to.) Even to those who are unfamiliar with RK, there is something there to offer as the film has a great deal of action and a fun, coherent story with likeable characters. I was really happy to see positive reviews and great reception and I hope this only lends to more support for future RK works. This is a great time to be an RK fan, that it is. ^_^
Presentation/Story: 8.5/10
Characters: 9.5/10
Setting: 10/10
Music: 6/10
Value: 10/10
Quirks: 2/10 (+8)
THE GOOD: A refreshing & delightful surprise! Great casting, good story, and set-up for future sequels - what more can an RK fan ask for!? Also a lot of fan service in this film. Finally we get to see these guys make it to the big screen! :D :D :D
THE BAD: What happens if they don't make a film based on the Kyoto-arc. (grrr...)
THE UGLY: What happens if they don't make a film based on the Jinchuu-arc. (grrrrrrrrrrrr....)
Review: 8.7/10
