Browsing Tag

Takeru Sato

Movie Review

Review: Rurouni Kenshin The Legend Ends

Posted on October 15, 2014

All good things come to an end, they say. The prompt answer to this is “BUT WHY??”, but somehow, director Keishi Otomo, the legend Takeru Satoh and crew were able to give good, reassuring reasons as Battousai says goodbye.

From the very title of the film, Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends had distinct words of finality, no matter how much fans wanted to deny it. As the movies from the franchise kept coming out better and stronger than the last, it was hard to accept an end to such deliciously addictive samurai live action/full on manga geek franchise. But separation anxiety aside, Otomo and Satoh’s dream team delivered a worthy denoument. Let’s break it down.

Movie Review

Review: Rurouni Kenshin Kyoto Inferno

Posted on August 23, 2014

Kenshin Himura sets the silver screen ablaze again.

Forgive the pun. Can’t help it. That statement was one of the many things scrambling about inside my head after 2+ hours of glorious samurai legend story telling. The second installment of this much-awaited three-part saga, Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno delivered exactly what its predecessor promised, plus more tricks and twists care of director Keishi Otomo‘s artistic madness.

Let’s break it down. Continue Reading

Previews

Rurouni Kenshin is Coming Back, Twice!!

Posted on July 8, 2013

Himura Kenshin returns in two sequels set for release in Japan in 2014.

Yeah that was intended to be grammatically confusing. I guess I cannot be witty or original with titles right now as I am still cartwheeling with joy from the announcement that my favorite scarred samurai is coming back for not one, but TWO confirmed sequels!!

(short pause for fan boy and fan girl high fives)

As reported by ANC News last July 3, Japanese magazine Jump Square announced that director Keishi Otomo will return to helm two upcoming movies– Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen (Rurouni Kenshin: The Great Kyoto Fire Arc) and Rurouni Kenshin: Densetsu no Saigo-hen (Rurouni Kenshin: The End of a Legend Arc). Takeru Sato will be reprising the titular role of Kenshin Himura, with Tatsuya Fujiwara (popular as Light Yagami to fans of the Death Note live action films) and Shuya Nanahara of Battle Royale fame playing the role of Kenshin’s greatest nemesis ever, Shishio Makoto.

I’m going to take a calculated guess that fans of the manga and the series could only hope for nothing else than the Shishio arc to come alive in a movie. The first film has quieted our qualms of a shaky, corny rendition of the cult hit. So by now I think we are all just on the edge of our seats to see the Kyoto plot played out (very much condensed!) on the silver screen. As for the third sequel, I am crossing my fingers this is the Shinichi arc. If yes, then 2014 is going to be one epic year.

Photo credits to owner.

Movie Review Music Dance and Lyrics

Review: BECK Movie. Rockeoke with Koyuki

Posted on December 22, 2012

BECK Live Action Movie 2010

It’s perfectly normal to be curious about an actor who played one of your favorite characters of all time. When you hit his name on Google and it comes out that he stars as another awesome anime hero–well, that’s when you hit play again.

I had nothing but praise to the heavens for Takeru Sato‘s transformation as wandering samurai Kenshin Himura in this year’s live action adaptation of the Samurai X manga. In hindsight, it is better for relatively unknown actors (at least to me) to put on these well-loved manga shoes. It gives viewers a blank slate. Now I no longer hold this advantage when I sat back to watch Sato turn into BECK‘s awkward guitar hero Koyuki. But once again, both the movie and the young thespian did not disappoint.

Movie Review

Review: Samurai X Marks the Spot

Posted on December 16, 2012

Rurouni Kenshin Live Action

If after more than 10 years and your heart still spikes at news of a favorite story coming to life in the big screen, you know it is love. The strategically scarred samurai was part of a childhood marked by the first Asian wave—together with Ghost Fighter, Hana Yori Dango, Oguri Shun and Arashi. Kenshin’s shojo-shonen mix story though was a special kind of personal obsession, so it was with a special kind of anxiety too that I held my breath for the film.

Showing exclusively in SM Cinemas for a limited run, the Rurouni Kenshin live action movie brings to the big screen one of the most beloved stories in all of manga-dom. Warner Brothers Japan gives comic book geeks a movie they have forgotten they wanted, and I see no good gained in stalling the announcement that it was a virtually perfect transition.