The same anime, yet two worlds?

[Enishi-san]

Ok, I am here asking people....a question. It is a simple question and that is....

"Do people really think Samurai X and R. Kenshin are two differnt animes?"

I was looking through the anime forums the other day and I ran across a hand full of people that REALLY thought this. Why can't the younger anime fans look past the "stupid" name that the US gave it, and look to the truth. crying

And IN truth....in the first four OAV's...Kenshin didn't have a X the whole time other then the last five minutes.  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

To me, Samurai X is the OVAs and RuroKen is the anime. The OVAs are a dark, angst-ridden version of Watsuki's story with all the humor and hopeful spirit stripped out.  

[samuraichikX]

Shinobi 1977

To me, Samurai X is the OVAs and RuroKen is the anime. The OVAs are a dark, angst-ridden version of Watsuki's story with all the humor and hopeful spirit stripped out.

yeah and that they're in two different worlds, it makes sense, i mean samurai x is during the Bakumatsu where kenshin is all cool and killing people. and rurouni kenshin is during the peaceful funnier kenshin era, and they're both cool titles, i'm enough of a kensin nerd to know the difference between the 2 Xd  

[Enishi-san]

Question: Do you find them darker just because he KILLS people or is it a love story? idea Does that make you think? Sure he kills people, but so did Han Solo in Star Wars. He fell in love with Leia and we don't look at it like a darker side of Star Wars. mrgreen  

[NewtypeS3]

I personally found 'Samurai X' the OVA to be a rather depressing and dark look at the era... but it lacked all of the flavor of Watsuki's characterizations.

The only thing of the 'Samurai X' label that I like is the movie they dubbed a while ago - Requiem for the Patriots, I think the original name was.
They did a good job at it, too... though removing Kenshin's 'this one/that I am' way of speaking was jarring - as was the translation of every single move name in existance.  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

Enishi-san

Question: Do you find them darker just because he KILLS people or is it a love story?

To answer your question, I find the OVA darker because there's no hope for Kenshin in it. The message of both Tusiokuhen and Seisouhen is that Kenshin can't satisfy some supernatural grudge held against him except by dying. That's why, unlike in the manga, his cruciform scar doesn't fade till he dies. In the OVA, Tomoe carved the second line of the scar into his cheek on purpose, thus marking him as a man with a grudge against him. In the manga, it was merely an accident and it was quite clear that Tomoe bore him no grudge at that point and even wanted him to put all this behind him and find happiness.

The message of the OVAs is the polar opposite of that of the manga and the anime. Redemption only through death.  

[Enishi-san]

Ohhh, that was deep. razz  

[Sky~Samurai]

Redemption through death?
Though I can understand where your coming from with this. I dont agree with it. Because of the type of person Kenshin is and because of what he learned through Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki I think that Kenshin found his redemption was not in dying but in something in living. If he had thought his redemption through death he wouldnt have fought as hard as he did in any of the battles he faced. Not only that but a man who thinks like that wouldnt fall in love with Kaoru. And on that, he wouldnt have used all his last sick and dying strength to get to her.
thats just what I think wink  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

In Seisouhen, Kenshin was seeking atonement (which he found in the manga, thus ending his need to wander) by "suffering as the people suffer". This led to him getting a disease, infecting Kaoru with it and them both dying. In order for this scenario to be plausible, Kenshin would either have to forget or forsake everything he learned when he completed the succession technique and went through the Jinchuu (Rakuninmura and all that).

But wait, in the OVA, there is no true Jinchuu. It's just Enishi, swooping in, kidnapping Kaoru and Kenshin going to the island and giving Enishi permission to kill him to satisfy his thirst for revenge. Kenshin in the manga never once offered to die like that. In the manga he valued his own life and in the OVAs he obviously didn't.  

[LustrousJade]

Enishi-san

"Do people really think Samurai X and R. Kenshin are two differnt animes?"

Yes. Other people actually think that Samurai X and RK are two different animes. Even in forums and AFF, there's a different section for RK and Samurai X.

Also, some friendsof mine who are not much of an anime addict think the two are different.

 

[Enishi-san]

LustrousJade

Enishi-san

"Do people really think Samurai X and R. Kenshin are two differnt animes?"

Yes. Other people actually think that Samurai X and RK are two different animes. Even in forums and AFF, there's a different section for RK and Samurai X.

Also, some friendsof mine who are not much of an anime addict think the two are different.

Much saddness this brings to my heart. crying Damn american people.  

[Enishi-san]

No more on this topic? cry  

[Rise-OTD]

Ok, here listen to my extreemly stupid question... what's an OVA?... yes I know I sound like an idiot but I seriously don't know.

As for as the 2... I always thought they were the same.  

[Bellgrape]

Rise.Of.The.Dead

Ok, here listen to my extreemly stupid question... what's an OVA?... yes I know I sound like an idiot but I seriously don't know.

As for as the 2... I always thought they were the same.

Is ok to ask, that's the way you are going to learn 3nodding

Anyway here the definition of OVA

wikipedia

Original Video Animation (オリジナルビデオアニメ, Orijinaru Bideo Anime?) or OVA is an acronym used in Japan for anime titles that are released directly to retail sale, without prior showings on TV or in theaters. OVA is sometimes used, perhaps inappropriately, to refer to any extremely short anime series or special regardless of its release format.

And i also always thought that the ovas and the anime were the same thing, even if they are in diferent tones.