Review by Lawrance M. Bernabo for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95) Rating:
“Rurouni Kenshin: End Song” presents the final five episodes of the Japanese anime about the masterless, roving samurai named Himura Kenshin. The first four episodes cover the rest of the Feng Shui story arc that began in the previous episode and then we have the final episode where the question of whether the wandering samurai is going to start wandering again or what:Episode 91, “The Magic of Feng Shui: Kamiya Dojo is Targeted,” involves a lot of exposition to explain what is going on with all those pentegrams on the map of Tokyo. It seems that at the start of the Tokugawa Shogunate a series of shrines were built by Ieyasu Tokugawa (circa 1603) that helped to define triangles in which evil spirits would be sealed. The triangles were joined to make penegrams which make them even more powerful and provide a clean chi for the great city. The “Circle of Eternity,” defined by Mt. Fuji, the gulf of Edo, and the two great rivers, has been built and maintained by the Wind Clan. But the Water Clan wants their own circles and has returned to try and destroy the Circle of Eternity so that what happened to China with the Opium War will happen to Japan as well. So basically the fate of the nation is once again at stake for Kenshin and the gang, this time from the threat of a form of Chinese astrology.Episode 92, “Tokyo Under Martial Law: The Deadly Ryu Myaku” is about the effort to defeat the giant “dragon” of the Wind Clan, while Episode 93, “The Enemy Awaits in Senjo Gahara: In Search of the Jade Crest” actually has a key personal element as Kenshim finally resolves to live with his past, which has key consequences for the Hitokiri Battousai and his reverse blade sword. The battle climaxes in Episode 94, “The Elegey of Wind and Water: A Last Desperate Effort.” The Feng Shui story arc is a bit over the top, but this is what happens when you keep trying to up the ante with each story line. By fans of “Rurouni Kenshin” have already agreed that the Kyoto story arc was the highlight of the series.Then we come to the end of the road with Episode 95, “End of Wanderings: The Bond of Scarlet and Azure is in the Sound of the Sea.” As the title indicates, this is a rather poetic ending to the series in an episode that uses film for some interesting effects (including having characters animated into the film). The episode has two functions, the first being to resolve the situation between Kenshin and Kaoru, and the second to be a curtain call for the cast of characters. The latter takes away from the former a bit as we get flashbacks on series highlights, but the episode does achieve a sense of the lyrical on how it resolves the situation. I was afraid they were going to use some comic bit again to do this, as with Sanosuke and Megumi, but they actually come up with a small series of moments to play out the end song, and the final line spoken in the series is both appropriately simple and important. I was rather surprised to find out that these 95 episodes all took place within half a year, but they beyond the specific period of the Meiji Restoration I was not paying attention to the dates. So when we find out at the end that it is late summer in the 11th year of the Meiji (1878), there was no special significance to me. There is an impressive set of liner notes for this final DVD edition along with the usual sprinkling of outtakes and some trailers.Originally published in “Weekly Shonen Jump Japan” in 1994, “Rurouni Kenshin” was created in manga form by Nobuhiro Watsuki and ended up being told in 28 manga volume, these 95 episodes, and two OVA specials. The problem was that Watsuki was still working on completing the Jinchuu story arc when the Kyoto arc animation was done and anime original episodes were created as filler, which is why the ratings for the show plummeted in Japan and why we see such a noticeable drop off in quality in the Tales of the Meiji episodes. Still, overall this is one of the better anime series out there, despite its problem with coming up with really good story arcs after the Kyoto high point. The characters, the attention to strategic details in the sword fights, and the backdrop of Japanese history (not to mention the comic elements) make it stand out apart from its competition. As much as I was happy to see a resolution to the romantic subplot of the series I was more impressed that the reverse sword idea came to an appropriate conclusion as well.
Review by Nathan for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95) Rating:
While I didnt like the whole Feng shui … or whatever its called episodes i believe that the RK series ended very nicely. I had to buy this dvd just for episode 95, because the boxsets i bought only went to episode 94… That really made me angry, but i belive that it was worth dishing out 15 dollars to see Kenshin and Karou finally start sharing their feelings. However i do have to say something that is bothering me. All the people who gave this dvd a bad review because it was so different from the manga. If you dont like the way the anime is, then stick to your manga. Dont compare the two. Either you read or you watch. Also i think everyone should go see samurai x reflection. Because for fans of the ANIME that is the ultimate depressing ending.
Review by for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95) Rating:
Well, whatever company did the animated series of RK finally stopped making profit. Thank god, because these filler episodes are terrible compared to the real Rurouni Kenshin created by Watsuki.However, the real reason I bothered to write this review was to prevent people from going off and watching the second OVA (US Title: ‘Reflection’, ‘Seisouhen’ in Japanese) based on Mr. Nakamura’s review thinking that they’re watching the “true” ending of Rurouni Kenshin.The only format the “true” ending of Rurouni Kenshin is currently in, is Manga (Japanese comic). It was never animated, probably will never be animated, and ‘Reflection’ is just as much a butchery of the series as the filler episodes were. (“True” being defined as written by the origional creator of Rurouni Kenshin, Watsuki Nobuhiro).To give you an idea of how much of the original Rurouni Kenshin was unanimated, there are 255 chapters in the original manga version of RK (not including an extra chapters, or bonuses) of which, about 150 were adapted into anime. About 100 have yet to be animated, and probably never will be, despite being arguably the best part of the Rurouni Kenshin saga. For those who can acquire the mangas and have watched the series, you’ll want to read from chapters 152 onward to get the rest of the story, also known as the “Jinchuu Arc”.Contrary to popular belief, Seisouhen is not an animation of the “Jinchuu Arc”, though it does show some brief scenes from it. Nor was it written by Watsuki or based on any story-line that he wrote. I assume it comes from the same monkies that wrote the plot-lines to the filler episodes.
Review by for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95) Rating:
It truly pains me to give this DVD such a rating as I am a diehard fan of Ruroken. However, this arc hardly follows the rest of the Rurouni Kenshin theme. Most of the time when a particular enemy used something like “magic” to attack, he was quickly proven to only have been using some sort of illusion or trickery. In this arc they go against that and the enemies now seem to have real “magic” which they use with some sort of ruler looking devices that they hold up. The cast of Ruroken end up having to fight a person who is capable of making lakes boil, and trees to change season’s instantly and go from green to autumn leaves. That and Kaoru and Yahiko hardly show up, as Kaoru becomes sick and Yahiko looks after her. I almost thought that I was looking at another anime when I watched this.However, if you are a big Ruroken fan, I suggest you watch it anyway. There is a small Kenshin & Kaoru bit (Kaoru gets hurt, and Kenshin has to find some sort of special water that will cure her from the “magical attack” she suffered)However, episode 95 should be the absolute ending episode. Kenshin and Kaoru go visit a grave on an island somewhere for a day. (no, not Tomoe’s grave) While I found the ending a slight let down because there was no significant romantic part, there is slight romance and it truly is a happing ending without the feeling of finality (if this makes sense). If you get this DVD at all, get if for episode 95, in Japan it was never even aired on TV, people had to buy the VHS tape seperately.Again, if you like Ruroken I suggest you buy it anyway because it’s the last arc, just don’t expect too much from it, afterall, this arc wasn’t at all part of the original manga/comic by Watsuki.
Review by M. F. Stanish for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95) Rating:
I had gone for years unsure on how the series ended. The final story arc of the series is very different from other story arcs in the series. Rurouni Kenshin is a very good animated series and the animation is still excellent in this volume. The content however is a bit too far fetched even for this series.
The Feng Shui arc seems a bit too supernatural compared to rest of the series. Most of the “magic” sword techniques felt fitting to the series whereas this moving of chi did not.
I had bought the DVD for the very last episode but it was not as fulfilling as promised. It wanders a bit randomly with no set destination in mind and then just ends on an open-ended note. It was as if to say “And they continued living.” But what I was looking for was a relief of the long-standing romantic tension between characters.
If you want to complete a collection or see the last episode, consider buying this. However, I feel that the OAVs or original manga provide a more satisfying ending than the TV series.
(out of 16 reviews)
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Review by Lawrance M. Bernabo for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95)
Rating:
“Rurouni Kenshin: End Song” presents the final five episodes of the Japanese anime about the masterless, roving samurai named Himura Kenshin. The first four episodes cover the rest of the Feng Shui story arc that began in the previous episode and then we have the final episode where the question of whether the wandering samurai is going to start wandering again or what:Episode 91, “The Magic of Feng Shui: Kamiya Dojo is Targeted,” involves a lot of exposition to explain what is going on with all those pentegrams on the map of Tokyo. It seems that at the start of the Tokugawa Shogunate a series of shrines were built by Ieyasu Tokugawa (circa 1603) that helped to define triangles in which evil spirits would be sealed. The triangles were joined to make penegrams which make them even more powerful and provide a clean chi for the great city. The “Circle of Eternity,” defined by Mt. Fuji, the gulf of Edo, and the two great rivers, has been built and maintained by the Wind Clan. But the Water Clan wants their own circles and has returned to try and destroy the Circle of Eternity so that what happened to China with the Opium War will happen to Japan as well. So basically the fate of the nation is once again at stake for Kenshin and the gang, this time from the threat of a form of Chinese astrology.Episode 92, “Tokyo Under Martial Law: The Deadly Ryu Myaku” is about the effort to defeat the giant “dragon” of the Wind Clan, while Episode 93, “The Enemy Awaits in Senjo Gahara: In Search of the Jade Crest” actually has a key personal element as Kenshim finally resolves to live with his past, which has key consequences for the Hitokiri Battousai and his reverse blade sword. The battle climaxes in Episode 94, “The Elegey of Wind and Water: A Last Desperate Effort.” The Feng Shui story arc is a bit over the top, but this is what happens when you keep trying to up the ante with each story line. By fans of “Rurouni Kenshin” have already agreed that the Kyoto story arc was the highlight of the series.Then we come to the end of the road with Episode 95, “End of Wanderings: The Bond of Scarlet and Azure is in the Sound of the Sea.” As the title indicates, this is a rather poetic ending to the series in an episode that uses film for some interesting effects (including having characters animated into the film). The episode has two functions, the first being to resolve the situation between Kenshin and Kaoru, and the second to be a curtain call for the cast of characters. The latter takes away from the former a bit as we get flashbacks on series highlights, but the episode does achieve a sense of the lyrical on how it resolves the situation. I was afraid they were going to use some comic bit again to do this, as with Sanosuke and Megumi, but they actually come up with a small series of moments to play out the end song, and the final line spoken in the series is both appropriately simple and important. I was rather surprised to find out that these 95 episodes all took place within half a year, but they beyond the specific period of the Meiji Restoration I was not paying attention to the dates. So when we find out at the end that it is late summer in the 11th year of the Meiji (1878), there was no special significance to me. There is an impressive set of liner notes for this final DVD edition along with the usual sprinkling of outtakes and some trailers.Originally published in “Weekly Shonen Jump Japan” in 1994, “Rurouni Kenshin” was created in manga form by Nobuhiro Watsuki and ended up being told in 28 manga volume, these 95 episodes, and two OVA specials. The problem was that Watsuki was still working on completing the Jinchuu story arc when the Kyoto arc animation was done and anime original episodes were created as filler, which is why the ratings for the show plummeted in Japan and why we see such a noticeable drop off in quality in the Tales of the Meiji episodes. Still, overall this is one of the better anime series out there, despite its problem with coming up with really good story arcs after the Kyoto high point. The characters, the attention to strategic details in the sword fights, and the backdrop of Japanese history (not to mention the comic elements) make it stand out apart from its competition. As much as I was happy to see a resolution to the romantic subplot of the series I was more impressed that the reverse sword idea came to an appropriate conclusion as well.
Review by Nathan for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95)
Rating:
While I didnt like the whole Feng shui … or whatever its called episodes i believe that the RK series ended very nicely. I had to buy this dvd just for episode 95, because the boxsets i bought only went to episode 94… That really made me angry, but i belive that it was worth dishing out 15 dollars to see Kenshin and Karou finally start sharing their feelings. However i do have to say something that is bothering me. All the people who gave this dvd a bad review because it was so different from the manga. If you dont like the way the anime is, then stick to your manga. Dont compare the two. Either you read or you watch. Also i think everyone should go see samurai x reflection. Because for fans of the ANIME that is the ultimate depressing ending.
Review by for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95)
Rating:
Well, whatever company did the animated series of RK finally stopped making profit. Thank god, because these filler episodes are terrible compared to the real Rurouni Kenshin created by Watsuki.However, the real reason I bothered to write this review was to prevent people from going off and watching the second OVA (US Title: ‘Reflection’, ‘Seisouhen’ in Japanese) based on Mr. Nakamura’s review thinking that they’re watching the “true” ending of Rurouni Kenshin.The only format the “true” ending of Rurouni Kenshin is currently in, is Manga (Japanese comic). It was never animated, probably will never be animated, and ‘Reflection’ is just as much a butchery of the series as the filler episodes were. (“True” being defined as written by the origional creator of Rurouni Kenshin, Watsuki Nobuhiro).To give you an idea of how much of the original Rurouni Kenshin was unanimated, there are 255 chapters in the original manga version of RK (not including an extra chapters, or bonuses) of which, about 150 were adapted into anime. About 100 have yet to be animated, and probably never will be, despite being arguably the best part of the Rurouni Kenshin saga. For those who can acquire the mangas and have watched the series, you’ll want to read from chapters 152 onward to get the rest of the story, also known as the “Jinchuu Arc”.Contrary to popular belief, Seisouhen is not an animation of the “Jinchuu Arc”, though it does show some brief scenes from it. Nor was it written by Watsuki or based on any story-line that he wrote. I assume it comes from the same monkies that wrote the plot-lines to the filler episodes.
Review by for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95)
Rating:
It truly pains me to give this DVD such a rating as I am a diehard fan of Ruroken. However, this arc hardly follows the rest of the Rurouni Kenshin theme. Most of the time when a particular enemy used something like “magic” to attack, he was quickly proven to only have been using some sort of illusion or trickery. In this arc they go against that and the enemies now seem to have real “magic” which they use with some sort of ruler looking devices that they hold up. The cast of Ruroken end up having to fight a person who is capable of making lakes boil, and trees to change season’s instantly and go from green to autumn leaves. That and Kaoru and Yahiko hardly show up, as Kaoru becomes sick and Yahiko looks after her. I almost thought that I was looking at another anime when I watched this.However, if you are a big Ruroken fan, I suggest you watch it anyway. There is a small Kenshin & Kaoru bit (Kaoru gets hurt, and Kenshin has to find some sort of special water that will cure her from the “magical attack” she suffered)However, episode 95 should be the absolute ending episode. Kenshin and Kaoru go visit a grave on an island somewhere for a day. (no, not Tomoe’s grave) While I found the ending a slight let down because there was no significant romantic part, there is slight romance and it truly is a happing ending without the feeling of finality (if this makes sense). If you get this DVD at all, get if for episode 95, in Japan it was never even aired on TV, people had to buy the VHS tape seperately.Again, if you like Ruroken I suggest you buy it anyway because it’s the last arc, just don’t expect too much from it, afterall, this arc wasn’t at all part of the original manga/comic by Watsuki.
Review by M. F. Stanish for Rurouni Kenshin – End Song (Episodes 91-95)
Rating:
I had gone for years unsure on how the series ended. The final story arc of the series is very different from other story arcs in the series. Rurouni Kenshin is a very good animated series and the animation is still excellent in this volume. The content however is a bit too far fetched even for this series.
The Feng Shui arc seems a bit too supernatural compared to rest of the series. Most of the “magic” sword techniques felt fitting to the series whereas this moving of chi did not.
I had bought the DVD for the very last episode but it was not as fulfilling as promised. It wanders a bit randomly with no set destination in mind and then just ends on an open-ended note. It was as if to say “And they continued living.” But what I was looking for was a relief of the long-standing romantic tension between characters.
If you want to complete a collection or see the last episode, consider buying this. However, I feel that the OAVs or original manga provide a more satisfying ending than the TV series.
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