``Rurouni Kenshin'' A hugely popular series that revolutionized live-action manga with its amazing action!

The opening scene that gives the impression of an “authentic historical drama”

There are many clever points in the live-action version of "Rurouni Kenshin," but what is particularly noteworthy are the many elements that "pull it in the direction of reality." This is the case with the aforementioned "cross scar on his cheek," and the art is also created realistically, leaving the impression of a "solid period drama with a sense of authenticity." This is something that is expected of director Otomo, who also directed "Ryomaden."

The deadly battle between the old Shogunate army and the new government army in the falling snow at the beginning of the film (the Battle of Toba-Fushimi) is the ultimate "first punch." Battousai continues to silently slash people amid piles of corpses. The blades of the fighters' swords are chipped, their faces and bodies are covered in blood and mud, and some people run away in the extreme situation. What is depicted here is a real battlefield. The sudden insertion of "authentic period drama" footage here greatly changes the viewer's perception. At the same time, many people will have been impressed by the high quality. There is no sign of opportunistic "cutting corners" in this film.

Furthermore, it is a clever composition that imprints the image of Battousai as scary, in addition to the aforementioned image of Kenshin as cute. When Battousai first appears before the audience, he has a hunched back and an ominous gait. His shoulders move up and down with an eerie breathing pattern that sounds like he is having a seizure, giving off a strange sense of fear. This technique only works because of Sato's incredible performance, but even when the setting is moved to the Meiji era, it leaves enough of an impact to make Battousai constantly haunt Kenshin as his "shadow."

This is something that Sato has said in various interviews, but rather than playing Himura Kenshin, he first created Battousai the assassin, and then added various elements to create the image of Kenshin. In other words, the basis is Battousai the assassin. It is precisely because he approached the role with this methodology that he was able to bring persuasiveness to the role as the past and present of a single person, even though the aura of the character is that of a "different person."

"Rurouni Kenshin: The Final Chapter The Beginning" also contains footage from the first film, but despite the difference in filming dates of several years, it is seamlessly connected and feels natural at all. In fact, the latest film, "Rurouni Kenshin: The Final Chapter The Beginning," which has made great strides technically, will ultimately move towards "Rurouni Kenshin." It's like Star Wars Episodes I to III.

This kind of structure was made possible because the first film clearly showed the path the series should take. Incidentally, it is surprising that the Battle of Toba-Fushimi was filmed on the first day of the entire series (you can see part of it on the YouTube program "Rurouni Kenshin: Road to Kenshin Prologue - Battle of Toba-Fushimi").

Ken Sato's powerful performance as Kenshin's past and present