MovieChat Forums > Rurôni Kenshin: Kyôto taika-hen (2014) Discussion > Where the first live action movie comitt...

Where the first live action movie comitted the biggest mistake

posted 11 years ago by JohnBonDon
20 replies | jump to latest

While I thought the first movie was decent with the fight scenes easily being the standout there was one mistake the movie had that was so huge I am surprised more have not mentioned it.

It's not the fact that the movie stupidly tried to cram in several different storylines from the original in one movie.

It's the fact that the movie reveals the origin of Kenshin's scar. And not only does it reveal it, it does so in such a matter of fact way.

Having seen the anime, I am familiar with how the story is supposed to go and the fact is you are not supposed to know how Kenshin got his scar until much later in the saga. In fact, it is towards the end. Up to that point, not only are you never told how he got his scar but Kenshin purposely never talks about it. It is supposed to build up to a big reveal when that whole part of his life is told eventually. This is why the Trust/Betrayal OVA animes (which adapt that part of the manga) were made after the anime TV series and not before.

This bothered me so much that I wonder if the director/writer actually got Rurouni Kenshin at all. This clumsy but big mistake really makes me not want them involved for the eventual movies based on that part of the manga.

I wish I could cut out that one part of the movie before showing it to anyone who hasn't seen the anime series or read the manga yet.

[–] Sfondi 10 years ago

I don't see how it's a big deal really. Seeing how the main audience is obviously fans of the anime, they already know this. And people who see it just as a movie viewer, I don't see how it affects them really.
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This board I post on, it has trolls in it

[–] JohnBonDon 10 years ago

I don't see how it's a big deal really

I clearly explain why in the OP.

Seeing how the main audience is obviously fans of the anime, they already know this

The majority of people watching this movie have not read the manga nor have seen the anime. It ruins it for them.

[–] fastdontlie 10 years ago

The majority of people watching this movie have not read the manga nor have seen the anime. It ruins it for them.

That is just you own opinion, All of my relatives who don't know what samurai x and the manga/T.V. Series, don't have a problem at all and they like the movie very much & very excited for the 2nd & 3rd movie.
"Let them Hate as long as they Fear"

[–] JohnBonDon 7 years ago

That is just you own opinion,

No, it's a fact. The series was specifically designed so that you don't know the origin of Kenshin's scar until a specific time late in the series.

All of my relatives who don't know what samurai x and the manga/T.V. Series, don't have a problem at all

Of course, they don't have a problem because they don't know they are getting it ruined. If someone who never saw Star Wars was told by someone that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father they would think nothing of it because they don't know it's a big deal but in reality they just got Star Wars ruined for them.

[–] TheAwesomeness89 10 years ago

The biggest problem was the main villain with the powers (forget his name) didn't even fit into the story. WTF is with that scene how he wakes up on the battlefield and finds Kenshin's sword? They should have just had Aeoshi and his group in this one.

[–] lisztwong 10 years ago

My guess it was showing Kenshin's blood-lust in the sword and that it was the legendary killer's tool. Of course, I know this, because I've read the manga.

Agreed, Aoshi should have been present in the first film. Now suddenly he appears in the second?

I mean that whole idea that he was going to focus his energies on avenging his comrades by defeating Kenshin is completely lost. So, I wonder what drives him in the second one?

[–] TheAwesomeness89 10 years ago

They could just as easily have Aoshi found Kenshin's sword after the battle.

Anyway, it was a stupid scene that the guy just woke up on a battlefield after everyone else had left and found the sword. They could have at least shown him trying to kill Kenshin prior to that so his appearance wasn't so random.

Pointless character.

[–] gaignun_1986 10 years ago

Well, I suppose they didn't use Aoshi in the first because it was the first in the series and the producers didn't know how successful the first would be?

If Aoshi had been in the first, it would have been built up such that there would be a sequel, which I don't think was planned in the beginning? So they just had some random guy substitute for him. I may be wrong though.

[–] lisztwong 10 years ago

I think they gave the origin of Kenshin's scar so soon is because they aren't going to do the Jinchuu/Revenge arc at all.

I don't remember them revealing too much about Tomoe in the first one, just her image. Probably they will talk a little about her in the following movies.

Give the lengthiness of the series and the reduced time they have on screen, I think they did pretty well. Character development was lacking, that's for sure. I think they had too much going on too soon, like you mentioned.

One thing I think they did amazing, was the casting of Kenshin. He's perfect. He acts so well and really embraces Kenshin. So glad they didn't omit "oro" and made his hair red, without being bad-cosplay-wig red.

I think the good, outnumbers the bad.

[–] JohnBonDon 10 years ago

I think they gave the origin of Kenshin's scar so soon is because they aren't going to do the Jinchuu/Revenge arc at all.

That isn't convincing. Even if they were not planning to adapt the Trust/Betrayal storyline (which doesn't make much sense if so) that isn't a good enough excuse to just drop that revelation in the movie as if it was nothing more than a piece of curiosity. It is literally what the entire storyline is building towards. The way it's revealed in this movie destroys the story of Trust/Betrayal. It would be as if Obi Wan Kenobi just told Luke Skywalker in the first Star Wars movie that Darth Vader was his father as if it was nothing. That would've obviously have spoiled the big moment in Empire Strikes Back.

[–] kevin_li00 10 years ago

It would be as if Obi Wan Kenobi just told Luke Skywalker in the first Star Wars movie that Darth Vader was his father as if it was nothing.

*Spoiler for those who never read the Revenge arc nor watched Trust/Betrayal*

I don't buy that comparison simply because the same way Obi-Wan didn't inform that "he is your father" to Luke, Kenshin didn't say "Tomoe was my wife, and I killed her." Just like Obi-Wan providing a lie of omission about Vader's true identity, Kenshin said he was cut by a samurai and his fiancee all the while skipped explaining his relationship with the fiancee.

Contrary to spoiling the story, this movie used Kenshin's conversation with Megumi to plant some curiosity in the general audience's mind, which was genius. I assure you, Megumi and the ones that only watched the anime or knew little to nothing about Kenshin will still be shocked as shocked as us when we first read the Revenge arc or watched Betrayal when future movie(s) eventually explain the history of his scars in its entirety. The general audience haven't seen anything, yet.

[–] JohnBonDon 10 years ago

I don't buy that comparison simply because the same way Obi-Wan didn't inform that "he is your father" to Luke, Kenshin didn't say "Tomoe was my wife, and I killed her."

You confused what the actual secret is. The secret is not that Tomoe was his wife. It's how he got that X shaped scar on his face. He tells Megumi bluntly how he got his scar on his face which is that each scar was done by the husband and the one who was supposed to be his wife. That is the equivalent of Obi-Wan telling Luke in the first Star Wars "Darth Vader is your father".

Contrary to spoiling the story, this movie used Kenshin's conversation with Megumi to plant some curiosity in the general audience's mind

The curiosity already exists as is because you see a person walking around with a big X shaped scar on his face. Everyone will be curious when they seem him on how he got that scar. This is what always happened in the manga and anime that people wondered about that scar and you as an audience also wonder about it. However, the manga and anime tease you constantly until the appropriate time.

There is nothing to left to the imagination. The entire secret in the original story is the origin of the scar. The origin isn't even hinted at in the original story. This was on purpose. In the movie he just flat out says how he gets it which is flat out stupid and destroys the original intent of the story.

The general audience haven't seen anything, yet.

Yes, they have. They are spoiled how he got that scar which is the whole point. They now know the identity of the people who gave him the scar.

This even betrays the character of Kenshin. When Kenshin in the manga and anime is asked about his past he purposely avoids the topic altogether. In the movie he just says it the first time someone asks about it which doesn't make any sense and showed that the writer and director didn't really understand the original story.

It's a damn shame that this big flaw exists in the movie. It should've been cut out.

[–] tiago-gp-pythium 9 years ago

that's a complete misinterpretation of what kenshin's secret is. No one cares if some guy and his fiance did that. It's the rest of it that eventually would lead to the jinchuu arch.

[–] JohnBonDon 9 years ago

You're the one that demonstrated that you have a complete misinterpretation of this series with that comment of yours.

[–] land-on-the-moon 9 years ago

Actually, what tiago-gp-pythium is saying fits well the movie trilogy - how exactly he got his scar is not important, it is his struggle with regrets, the murderous past and defending his new ethos, not to kill anymore... The scar is a sign of the past,and a sign by which he is constantly identified, that's all.

[–] JohnBonDon 9 years ago

No, it doesn't fit well. Read my reply here where I explain why: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3029558/board/thread/219526562?p=2&d=233662215#233662215

[–] raymongracie 9 years ago

Considering that the anime arc took something like 30+ episodes to build up to this point I'm not surprised that they had to cram all of that in and I think they did a good job considering. Sure I'm disappointed but only because I need to wait another year or so to see the rest.

As for whether the director/write "got Rurouni Kenshin at all", I think that most of the main characters were embodied really well. Probably part in due to the actors and part to the directing. The guy who plays Kenshin is awesome as is Saito, Aoshi, and Shishio.

I was skeptical that they'd be able to get Sojiro to work. I initially thought that this type of character would only work in the anime but the guy who acts him nails it whether fighting or talking, really showing the personal issues and how they've fractured him and are now manifesting in his personality.

I was little disappointed in Sanosuke, Kaoru and Yahiko (though I always saw Yahiko as kind of comic relief anyway). Sanosuke and Kaoru are acted well enough I guess but contrasted with Kenshin, Saito, Aoshi, Shishio and Sojino they don't stand out very well. All things considered it was easy for me to overlook and enjoy the whole movie.

[–] radicalein 9 years ago

You butthurt because they don't make the movies shot-by-shot exactly like the manga ?
If it is any condolence, the movies actually do a better job than the anime...

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Bonasera, bonasera... why so serious ?

[–] JohnBonDon 9 years ago

Instead of writing those two sentence you could've saved a lot of time and just had written, "I didn't read what you wrote" cause essentially that is the equivalent of your response here.

[–] land-on-the-moon 7 years ago

Well...guys... so long!
Thanks for all the good ideas that you've shared here.

It seems these Message Boards will be forever deleted by his majesty IMDb, without any regard to its mere users.
Nice to be talking to you here, the most constructive part of a film page...
(the Review part was the worst, with all the too many ego-filled, pretentious "reviews")