Samurai X: Director's Cut Collection [DVD]

Four years ago in 1999, I saw a bootlegged, fan-subtitled copy of Rurouni Kenshin OAV (direct to video) and was completely amazed. This became the standard that I judged other animated features by in years to come. All the other reviewers will agree that this is an excellent animated feature bleeding (literally) with high production values and quality animation. The questionable computer/live work and a few freeze frame shortcut animation sequences are my only, negligable gripes.What's best about the plot is that there really is no good guy or bad guy, no cops or robbers, no cowboys and indians. An ambiguous sense of good and evil that is very human leaves the viewers to make their own conclusions. This is art. It encourages thought and interaction. "Cops and robbers" is propaganda, which tells you what to think, that the cops are always the goodguys and they always have to win (Hollywood movies).The "director's cut," so to speak, must be the 1 inch CUT at the top and bottom of the screen (letterboxing). There are about 10 seconds of extra footage, with the music switched and even removed in some portions. Overall, I liked trust/betrayal better, but buy this DVD as a package/cheaper deal. It combines 2 dvd's in 1 and edits them together to run continuously for it's 4 segments. As you have been told from other reviews, don't buy if you already have trust/betrayal.And as always, watch with original language dialogue (Japanese)and subtitles. Horrific English dubbing ruins even the best of movies, like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Anime that doesn't focus on action packed futuristic melo-drama is rare. The Samurai X OVAs bring to screen true period depictions of life as a wandering swordsman caught between the hero versus anti-hero manner of the waning Tokugawa Shogunate and the emerging neo-colonialistic Meiji Era. Packed with soul-renching scenes and dialog, Trust & Betrayal, embodies master story-crafting and animation. Fight scenes, blood and gore are matter of fact and skillfully woven into the story line without being obtusely "required" to add spice to an already rich tale. Although this Director's cut draws from the origins of the widely popular Rouroni Kenshin TV series, it does not depict the typical slapsticized misadventures with which many are familiar. Trust & Betrayal portrays a serious meta-play of circumstance, chance, discipline, endurance, forgiveness, and love. It isn't without flaw, however. English dubbing, though masterfully done, doesn't give justice to the emotion that can be detected within the original Japanese script. Setting an English dialog with English subtitles betrays the differences of translation loss, and in a few frames, the re-mastering of subtitles actually fails (some lines of original subtitles can be seen on film). These are minor imperfections, though, and forgivable given the breadth and scope of the story and art. Trust & Betrayal is best watched in its original Japanese dub with English subtitles. The story flows without distraction, and the souls of a wandering swordmaster and of those around him are given center stage. This is a masterful tale told with excellent artistic rendition that leaves a longing for more. Highly recommended for audiences 13 above with parental guidance for swordplay and violence. An excellent buy.

First off, I must warn you that this movie is extremely violent. The television show, Rurouni Kenshin (especially the edited version) can be watched by children. It is at times violent, but not graphically so and includes much comedy. This movie is NOT for children. It tries to be as realistic as possible, so when they do things like cut a man in two, you see (and hear) basically what it would be like if a man were cut in two. It's extremely violent and graphically so. If you wish to avoid graphic violence, don't come near this film. It's easily rated R in that respect, if not NC-17.However, that aside, this film is nie on perfect. I have only seen the director's cut, so I don't know what the differences are from the original version, but this production is basically flawless. The animation is beautiful. The music is great and fits wonderfully. The dubbing is fantastic (I only watched the English dub, so I can't say much about the Japanese acting). Even the sound effects are awesome.The title is "Samurai X" because ADV Films couldn't legally use the Rurouni Kenshin name since Anime Works had the rights to Rurouni Kenshin, the show. This also means that the voice actors are not those of the show, but there aren't very many characters here from the show so that doesn't change much and the actors that they have do a fantastic job.As I said, the story is extremely violent, but just the same, that's not the focus of the story. Instead it focuses on Kenshin and on his choices in the time of the Revolution that lead to his becoming a Manslayer and then later to swearing never to kill again. The story mainly takes place during the time that Kenshin is the "Manslayer in the Shadows" and shows the events up to the point that he comes out of the shadows and into the open. The term "manslayer" is never actually used in this film. The Japanese term is "hitokiri" and at the end of the film it speaks of "Hitokiri Battousai" (i.e. Battousai the Manslayer). But throughout the film, Kenshin is referred to as "The Assassin." This greatly helped me to understand what being a manslayer means - or at least what one in the shadows is and does. I never saw a manslayer that killed lots of people as being particularly bad. It's war, that happens. That's what the manslayer in the open is, but the manslayer in the shadows is indeed an assassin (and thus arguably a murderer) and that helped me to understand why Kenshin was so unhappy about what he had done. The story does a wonderful job of showing why Kenshin did what he did and how it affected him. The extreme violence just serves to show how nasty it really was to be a manslayer. We are left with no doubt as to who and what Kenshin was and why he did what he did.While the movie doesn't focus on the fighting, we get to see quite a bit of it and the Kenshin here pratically makes the one in the show look like a wuss. He's absolutely fantastic. About the only time in the show that he comes close to fighting at this level is when he's fighting Saito towards the beginning of the Kyoto Arc. The fight scenes are absolutely fantastic. After watching this, you'll just about have to agree with Saito that Kenshin the Wanderer is pathetic in comparison to the Battousai.And of course this film shows the events that lead him to choose to throw away his sword - or at least choose a reverse blade one - and become that Wanderer. The events at the climax of the film form the most heart-wrenching scene that I have ever seen. It is pivotal point in Kenshin's life and an event that is absolutely crucial to understanding exactly why Kenshin became the Wanderer. That scene makes it totally and utterly clear as to why Kenshin changes. The film also shows how Kenshin got his famous cross-shaped scar and it actually forms a crucial role in the story.As an interesting side note, this move really gets me interested in the history of Japan - particularly around the time of the Revolution. While the story is easily understood without understanding Japanese history, it's easy to see how crucial a role the politics of the time play on the story and how some of the events around the story would be easier to understand with a better understanding of Japanese society of the era. But as I said, the story focuses on Kenshin and understanding of the political and historical situation aren't really necessary.However, I would advise that you have read or watched through the Kyoto Arc (second season) of Rurouni Kenshin before watching this movie. I'm sure that you could enjoy it without having done so, but there are a number of small things that wouldn't make quite make as much sense and much of it would have less meaning to you. For example, seeing Saito and what he's doing means a lot more to someone who knows who and what he is from having seen are read the appropriate part of Rurouni Kenshin.If you are a true Rurouni Kenshin fan and don't mind the violence, this is a must see. As another reviewer said, you will never look at Kenshin quite the same again. This film really helps you to understand why he is the way he is.

if you like samurai X this is a must own