Forum - View topicRurouni Kenshin (TV 2023) (w/ index).
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11305 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 18: Sanosuke & Nishiki Paintings ---------------------------------- Summary: Pending ---------------------------------- Comments: Pending ---------------------------------- Screen Caps: Pending |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2874 |
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#19
Well this is interesting. If my memory hasn't failed me, this is the first episode which is a complete branch off from the original airing. Not only that, the animators have somehow tied it to the main story arc which this season was supposed to feature but has delayed. If I'm not wrong, then the next episodes coming up won't be what those who watched the original airing will expect. Kenshin vs. Tsunan went as much as I expected, outside of his favoured bombs and without a firearm Tsunan can't really fight Kenshin. It's what happened after that which surprised me. Instead of Sanosuke taking over, he knocked out his old friend and ended the fight quickly. Everything after that appears to be original, but it's a good change as it elaborates the "lost decade" of the two Sekiho survivors much better than what the original material had. The outcome is the same (Tsunan giving up his trade and turning his skills over to investigative journalism) but the process by which he got there was completely different. Not only that, the post-credits scene gives me an indication of how this quarter is going to go. The next 2-3 episodes are going to be about the past, with the climax of this season most likely being the dojo duel between the two old adversaries. After all, he's featured in the ED and there's no way he's not showing up this season otherwise. Now that all of the secondary cast members have made their bow, the adaptation can finally return to the main story which has already been mentioned elsewhere in this thread. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11305 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 19: Tsunan & Nishiki Paintings ---------------------------------- Summary: Pending ---------------------------------- Comments: Pending ---------------------------------- Screen Caps: Pending |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2874 |
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#20
I didn't think the adaptation had time to squeeze in an anime-only original standalone arc, but here we are. Unless I'm missing something which was released in print outside of the original franchise, this looks like something this adaptation has come up with based on the time period. So far it's good, if only for the novelty value of being equally mysterious to all viewers. There was a steam train arc back in the original airing, but it had a completely different storyline to this one. Also, Yokohama was never visited at all in the print franchise, so a few vignettes on the foreigner's quarter during the Bakumatsu and Meiji eras is a nice touch. Although the VA for Dr Eldar is female, it wasn't difficult to guess Eldar was a she rather than a he. The mask is deliberate since Japanese doctors in this period are all male (even Megumi is seconded to Kaoru's usual doctor and cannot practice in her own right despite her skills being equal if not superior, there's the explanation in her arc about the family being unusual in letting the ladies all learn the family trade) and anyone female trying to practice would be immediately shunned and possibly reported to the authorities. We'll have to find out next week why Eldar is wandering around Yokohama doing what Kenshin does, albeit in a medical capacity. As for the mafia doctor whose turf she's encroaching on, that's the villain Kenshin thought about when he was asked for a story. He'll need to take out the fencer with Asian features next week as part of the deal, but the adaptations in the past did pit Kenshin against non-Japanese opponents so this isn't a radical development. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11305 Location: Frisco, TX |
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ep. 20 [pending]
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11406 |
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21
Very weird ending to that. Basically, she got rid of apparently the only other doctor that Yokohama had (at least for those who could afford him), and then...left town. So great, now what do they do? Doctoring isn't like vigilante policing - people need medical care a lot more often than they need protection from thugs - so I don't get the point of what she's doing. It's not like what Kenshin does at all. At least the post credits bit was fun. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2874 |
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#21
For an anime-only story arc, it does try its best to connect a few dots between the source material and the adaptation we now see. Putting aside how impractical the Spanish swordsman's style is, it's interesting to see the animators have not forgotten one of the original airing's episode where Kenshin uses a very similar technique to this week to end a battle. I wonder how many viewers will remember this episode when that one finally gets an airing, which will be a while yet. Elder gave up on her acting voice when the swordsman woke up (if anything she was using her regular voice to warn the others about the smallpox vial), so it wasn't too much of a stretch for her to simply give up her assumed identity having attained more self confidence after surviving the ambush. Not sure what the subtitles were saying when Deian made his entrance last week, but the original text is given below: 困るんじゃよ、わしの膝元で勝手に医療を施せるのは。 I don't know why viewers are extrapolating his turf to mean all of Yokohama, when he doesn't say anything about being the ONLY doctor in all of Yokohama. Dankichi says he only treats the rich and non-Japanese, thus Elder was stepping in as the woman who collapsed wasn't going to be treated by Deian anyway. Later on in the episode, Deian says the following line to the middleman: うん。ここはわしの縄張り、妨げになる輩は無残な屍にして、後続を出ないように見せしめたい。 Unless viewers are extrapolating "his turf" to mean ALL of Yokohama, driving him out of business after he's getting arrested isn't going to deprive the residents of medical care. Strictly speaking, since Deian is only serving the rich and foreigners he would have been operating in the historic Kannai district, with his "turf" at most extending up to parts of the Yamate bluff overlooking the harbour occupied by rich Japanese. That's not ALL of Yokohama, so local Japanese (those who couldn't afford his services anyway) had other alternatives if they needed medical care, just as Tokyo has clinics like the one Kaoru uses for injuries although Yokohama wouldn't have had it to the same density. Foreigners would simply have gone to medical facilities manned by non-Japanese, of which Yokohama certainly had its fair share when it was opened up. The part with the tea is very understated, and viewers interested to know more are recommended to watch the old prequel OVAs when Kenshin was still active as an assassin. No more side stories, as the next episode title confirms what everyone has been waiting for since the 2nd season ED premiered. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11305 Location: Frisco, TX |
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ep. 21 [pending]
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2874 |
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#22
Back to the main story, and finally he makes his debut. One of the few actual historical figures in this fictional franchise; his name, service record after the civil war and his longevity are easily looked up. Everything else including his current moveset is fiction though, but it's fun to see him again after all these years. The new VA isn't quite as distinctive as the previous adaptation, but he does the job with menace. His signature move doesn't look half bad either this week, so depending on how the animators go about it they might have a chance of doing better than the original airing (that one was done by Madhouse if I remember, and was one of the higher quality episodes in an adaptation then prepared by multiple studios). The first and second Captains mentioned by Kenshin this week refer to Okita Souji (referred to as the Corps' strongest by Shibumi) and Nagakura Shinpachi. These names will be somewhat familiar to those who watched the Gintama series, which also had its own retelling of the Shinsengumi. Unfortunately for Kenshin, Okita is long dead while Nagakura is not in government service when he has his dream, leaving Saito as the only survivor and the only one who could settle their civil war scores. Kenshin first needs to deal with the surprise attack from Akamatsu, and his lack of killer instinct really hurts him here as he cannot really waste time and energy on someone Saito and himself have already dismissed as small fry. As for Sanosuke, he's in worse shape than previous bouts probably because he bled out from midday to evening without being attended to. Most of his other major injuries have seen him receive treatment much earlier, so it allows him to recover faster. He won't be much help whatever happens as he's been bedridden for at least three days. If my guess is correct after looking at the remaining airtime, the finishing point should be where I'd expect and if there are future adaptations they can continue where they stop this adaptation without too much disruption. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11305 Location: Frisco, TX |
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ep. 22 [pending]
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11406 |
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23
Well, I am disappoint. The long awaited Kenshin v Saito duel wasn't awful or anything - actually pretty good, standing alone without comparing - but it just couldn't measure up to the OG series. The dialog and beats were pretty much the same, but c'mon, speed lines? Black screens and white flashes instead of hits? Wtf was that? Also, I kept anticipating the moment of Battousai('s hair) Unleashed (and Saito spitting out his tooth), and it never came. 
Just to be sure I wasn't being unfair due to nostalgia goggles, I went back to watch the original fight in Ep 30, and yeah, winner and still all-time champion. I can't even think of a series that has a fight that matches its ferocious intensity, no matter how well animated. Saito should thank his lucky stars Kenshin was wielding a sakabatou, or he really would've lost his head. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2874 |
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#23
The first big test for the animators, and it looks like they haven't passed it. Unfortunately for them the episode for the original airing was too memorable, and not just for the visuals. There are a few differences in this episode compared to back then, but the overall product compares unfavourably with the experience back then. Anyone interested can and should watch the original episode; even after decades it's still hard to beat by even a modern adaptation with better technology. On the plus side for this adaptation, the VA they've selected for Saitou Hajime does a really good job. The right amount of menace when his eyes are open, and enough silk when his eyes are closed and he's playing the neighbourhood inspector or medicine man. Nothing much more that can be said since the entire episode is centred around the Saitou-Kenshin duel. The Akumatsu one followed the same pattern as the original airing, and there wasn't much different bar a few cosmetic changes with regards to timing and lighting. Kaoru's role is emphasised slightly more in this retelling, but nothing too drastic. With that milestone reached, remaining airtime should follow expectations and finish at the point most viewers and readers expect. A shame about this week, but the animators are not going to be judged on this episode alone and there will be more opportunities to redeem themselves if they're going ahead with the rest of the material in future adaptations. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11305 Location: Frisco, TX |
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ep. 23 [pending]
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2874 |
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#24
It's no surprise this is where the animators are stopping the second quarter. With the decision to continue adaptations, this won't be the end we see of Kenshin and the others. Whether or not casual viewers will return is an open question; the adaptation has been decent but not spectacular and last week's episode went down badly with both the established fans and even the creator himself. Production team have their work cut out for them with the next story arc, there should be plenty of opportunities for redemption regardless. The only historical event in those episode is the assassination, which just about every Japanese national who went through the education system knows about. The other two names mentioned together with Okubo are easily looked up; those who watched Gintama and similar series will recognise the names. For the teaser lines of dialogue as well as Okubo's assassin, there's press releases on the new cast on this website. The episode is much as I remembered, with a few minor differences. Big highlight would be Saitou's VA strutting his stuff since some of his most memorable lines are in this episode. I don't expect much time to be wasted on a recap when the franchise resumed broadcast, although I'm hoping they don't dwell too long in Tokyo and switch focus to the travelling Kenshin sharpish. Not expecting the continuation in 2024 to be honest, if I'm wrong they'll need a minimum quarter to work before resuming in April. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2008 |
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Well, @Tony K. while I was not left drooling and starving for more after the final episode (for now) I did enjoy my time as a whole with the series and will be tuning back in whenever it returns. Some of the arcs were very interesting and while I would have liked a bit more downtime, the group has grown on me. I also believe that I went into this with a tad too much hype, some made it out to be the return of one of the best anime in history and that makes for some unfair expectations.
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