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Original Comic Author of Samurai X approves the movie 'Rurouni Kenshin'

By InCinemas / 28 Nov 2012 (Wednesday)

You have seen the Japanese Manga before but you have doubts about it being made into a live action film. If you're worried whether watching the upcoming Rurouni Kenshin would ruin your impression of the legendary samurai, here's a green light from the original author of Samurai X, Nobuhiro Watsuki, who feels that the movie Rurouni Kenshi gives a proper interpretation of the original comic. "I saw the completed film and thought that it had done the comic justice."

Find out about the thoughts and comments of the author after the jump! We've also included Rurouni Kenshin official theme song, 'The Beginning' by One Ok Rock, below!

"Takeru Satoh was perfectly cast as Kenshin. The appeal of Kenshin is that he is a struggling man burdened by a feeling of guilt, and yet still trying to live his life with hope. I think that Mr. Satoh was able to express this through his acting." - Nobuhiro Watsuki

(Read Actor Takeru Satoh's thoughts on Rurouni Kenshin!)

"The scene in which Yosuke Eguchi, who played the role of Hajime Saito, holds his sword in the gatotsu stance was really impressive. I also thought that Munetaka Aoki, who played the role of Sanosuke, fought in a way that really resembled the original Sanosuke. Koji Kikkawa, who played Jin’e, was great as well. The entire cast, especially in the action scenes, portrayed themselves exactly like the original characters through their expressions and movement. That was something that drew me completely into the film."

"The story in the film is a mixture of two episodes from the original series. There is a battle scene with Kenshin and Jin’e, which was a scene in the comic that sums up the theme of the story. I could really see that in this film, they had put a lot of effort into portraying the scene correctly. In fact, there were scenes in the original that I thought lacked explanation, but the film goes further and fills in those details. In one scene, referring to the back-blade, Saito says, “A blade that faces towards you will one day come to hurt you.” I thought this film’s original dialogue was such a great line that I want to use it in the comic."

(Read our review for Rurouni Kenshin - by Wilson Ng)

"Obviously, the film belongs to the director, crew, and the actors, not the original author. In that sense, in the beginning I was worried about the outcome, but when I saw the finished film, I thought that it had done the original comic justice."

(InCinemas Blog: Director Keishi Otomo talks about making 'Rurouni Kenshin'!)

"I visited the Kamiya Dojo during the shooting. It was so elaborately crafted that it surprised even me, the original author, to find out what it would have looked like if it had really existed. In fact, I used it as a reference for my “cinema version” comic that I am currently working on. Unlike animations and video games, a live-action film seems so distant from the comic, which is two-dimensional and in monochrome. But even considering that fact, I think that this film is a proper interpretation of the original. I give my approval, especially on the characters and the action scenes, and I hope that you will watch and enjoy it."

RUROUNI KENSHIN is rated NC16 (Some Violence) and opens exclusively at FilmGarde Cineplexes on 29 November 2012!

Author's Profile
Nobuhiro Watsuki was born on May 26th, 1970 in Tokyo. As a student attending high school in Niigata Prefecture, his comic “Teacher Pon” received an honorable mention in the 33rd Tezuka Awards. After graduation, he moved to Tokyo. In 1994, the serialization of “Ruroni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story” started in the comic magazine Weekly Shonen Jump. It was a huge hit among both male and female teenagers. After the year 2000, he produced other hits such as “GUN BLAZE WEST” and “Buso Renkin.” He is currently working on “Embalming: ANOTHER TALE OF FRANKENSTEIN” in the magazine Jump Square. The eagerly awaited new release of “Ruroni Kenshin: Cinema Version” began in the June issue of Jump Square.

RUROUNI KENSHIN

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Original Comic Author of Samurai X approves the movie 'Rurouni Kenshin'