Although history records a legendary swordsman whose blade killed long before it was drawn, Samurai X does a great job of taking artistic liberty and providing a worth while OAV. Samurai X is based on traces of the legendary manslayer of ancient Japanese tales. And, while Rurouni Kenshin may have been a humorous series based loosely around the concept of the batousai (man slayer), Samurai X is a much more entertaining telling of the story.

The story begins with a small child who’s been traded into slavery. When a gang of bandits attacks and slaughter the slavers and the slaves alike, only young Shinta is left. Because of his inability to hold a sword, he is unable to defeat the bandits. Lucky for him, a wandering master overheard the commotion. Shinta watched in amazement as Hiko (master of Hiten-Misturugi style) easily dispatches the bandits in a blur of strikes. Hiko then leaves Shinta with the words that his survival should be a tribute to his family. Little does Hiko know that Shinta Himura will later become Kenshin, the world’s greatest assassin. Fast forward a few years and Kenshin had sided with one of the feuding factions. He kills to bring peace to Japan. During the killing, Kenshin if observed by a drunk woman. Despite the fact that she seems little better than a prostitute, her dress and perfume suggests that she’s something more (perhaps a noble). Either way, Kenshin takes pity on her and brings her to an inn. While these events are progressing, sinister hands are pulling strings that will ultimately change Kenshin’s life for ever.

Now, this is only the first two episodes of a 4 part OAV. What’s interesting is that history recalls Tomoe Yukishiro, but there is less recorded on her than the batousai. As such, the historic references used in this help it to rise above the standard feeling of super powered men in anime. What’s interesting is to learn how Shinta became Kenshin and the amazement of others as they start to realize just how strong he really is. But in the second part (episode 2 on this DVD), you see a softer side to Kenshin. It seemed odd to me that he would take pity on a drunken prostitute, but as the story progresses, he seems to care for her more and more. This highly contrasts the first part (entitled: The Slashing Man), where Kenshin spends a good amount of time killing without remorse.

Unlike the comedic Rurouni Kenshin, Samurai X uses a much darker art style. Perhaps this is simply to set the mood, but it really works well. The animation does exaggerate the blood from Kenshin’s kills, but I just let this go, since it is (after all) an anime. What’s interesting is how they draw Kenshin. His eyes are given a strong sense strength, but his features still seem delicate. As for Tomoe, she is drawn bright in contrast to the rest. Even in darker scenes, she clashes against the rest of the world. It’s almost like she’s an angelic being to Kenshin. The contrast is very well used.

The voice acting is superb. Although there are minor mistranslations, both English and Japanese cast add a melancholic tone to the sad tale. Even the lines that may sound cheesy are very well presented. In the scene where Hiko kills the bandits, one asks who he is. Now, the translation is presented differently, but they both carry the same weight. In English, he says,” Names have no use to the dead.” If presented in any other anime, I’m sure this would’ve seemed very cheesy. It wouldn’t have the same weight, but here, it’s delivered in a monotonous tone and so void of feeling, you know that Hiko isn’t just another wild swordsman.

The DVD has some very useless extras. It’s nice to have the option of viewing clips that introduce each character, but I can’t say it’s really that much of a benefit. Despite this, they do have a nice explanation on who the characters are and where they fit into the history behind the tale. But, I’ve honestly only read this once. They also have a very long telling of the history of the era in which that batousai lived. I’ve only read this once. Mainly because they scroll the text so fast that it’s very difficult to read. Although this history lesson is very interesting, I can’t see reading it more than once. Ultimately, your special features just end up overlooked in the grand scheme of things.

The problem with this DVD is that it’s only the first two episodes of a four part OAV. As such, you’re only getting half the story. Since most anime run about $20, you’re paying $10 an episode (since it’s another $20 for Betrayal, the second half). The cost is a little high for something like this, but I enjoyed the OAV enough to not regret paying for it.

Bottom line, if you can find a dual pack or buy one get one free, this is a great DVD to own. Otherwise, look for the Trust & Betrayal Director’s Cut. This way you’ll get both in one package. This is a really great story. The writing really helps give a sense of feeling to the characters that you don’t see in many samurai anime. I RECOMMEND this product, but only if you can’t get the Director’s Cut which has both Trust and Betrayal.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older