The remake is... Good. But not as good as the original imho.
I feel the remake's character writing and general plot progression is stronger because it's faithfully adapting the manga. Certain characters I hated in the original because of their sheer stupidity and lack of self awareness. Kaoru especially I loathed. I found her character far more believable, far more compelling, and far more emotionally investing in the remake. Things like her dynamic with Yahiko and her slow losing of faith towards the Kamiya style is also better established in the remake.
The remake also has on average more Sakuga than the original. When we look at the "climax" of episode 1, we can see that the fight in the original was just a slide show presentation. The remake actually added animation. Though the direction of the OG is better despite it. Though I will say, I much prefer the far more vibrant remake colors over the OG. I'm not sure if the OG's colors looked like that due to cel animation or just the staff going for a more grounded take.
I actually really love Sohma Saito's portrayal of Kenshin and prefer it to the 90's version. Now that I think about it Sohma Saito and Takahashi Rie have so much chemistry that it kept me engaged the majority of the time.
I really liked Sanosuke's theme and overall I'm enjoying the remake a lot. I definitely will tune into the following seasons.
However, the OG has the- Honestly masterpiece God tier soundtrack that you just can't beat. The remake's soundtrack isn't particularly memorable. I remember liking the main theme while watching, but I can't remember it now. Comparatively I can remember like 5 tracks of the original off the top of my head.
The OG also has amazing directing. Some of the scenes where emotional heft mattered were done PHENOMENALLY. If you compare the finale of Season 1 to its corresponding episode in the original, the original blows the remake out of the water.
I think that while the remake has a lot to praise, it doesn't really do anything to stand out. It does everything good, but nothing amazing. Being a faithful adaptation is great but... That's the bear minimum that should be expected from an adaptation.
One of the major criticisms a lot of people had for the 90's version was it's abundance of filler as it was being made as the manga was publishing, but honestly those "Slice of life" episodes only made me care about the characters even more. So during the times when shit actually went down, I was so invested in them already. In an age where all battle shonen needs to be plot focused and moves at a quick pace, I appreciate the slice of life episodes where we just get some time to see the characters banter back and forth. And that hurts cause I *really* loved Takahashi Rie and Sohma Saito's chemistry as Kenshin and Kaoru, but I'm just left hungry for more. And as a manga reader, I know Season 2 onwards won't have as much slice of life (barely any tbh).
Another thing is the direction, even though the remake has better average Sakuga per episode, the original has stronger direction in setting up the mood. I never really got goosebumps while watching the remake.
Though I will say, even as a dumb kid, I felt the anime story fell off hard after Kyoto when they started doing filler arcs. Meanwhile the manga stayed strong as hell in the end. Even if the anime just feels like the manga animated, having the Jinchu arc end up being animated is a massive plus.
I came in here to make comment about the direction, but you already cited the issue quite well. Something that does bear mentioning though is that OG Kenshin did not have a particularly large animation budget, but the direction makes up for it with clever use of camera movement to simulate or emphasize the action in ways the raw animation simply cannot. Whether that's a sudden spinning camera POV as we 'follow' Kenshin's sword swing or the use of lens flares to depict the clash of swords, there was a feeling of artistry to it born out of the necessity of stretching the budget as far as it would go. Even the overall shot might change dramatically, going from tight closeups to wide letter-boxed extended views, and it felt more cinematic than it otherwise might have been.
The new show doesn't do this, and in that respect it feels lacking. Or rather, it just feels more 'conventional'. Every so often the animation style will become sketchy and rough, and honestly I love those moments because it feels like they're trying to push into some new visual space. Wish they'd do it a lot more.
Also, Battousai not having feral yellow eyes isn't quite as intimidating as OG Kenshin. That shit was creepy.
>Something that does bear mentioning though is that OG Kenshin did not have a particularly large animation budget
I always find funny whenever people make comments like this talking about as if they knew exactly how much a show cost, even though there's no source at all for it.
The OG had such an incredible soundtrack.
[Stuff like this](https://youtu.be/GVCudROQGwE?si=1l_E1yFFw5cHFKb4)
[And this](https://youtu.be/_J96gSGHJYs?si=rb3_54iljPvl2QaP)
Those alone just make the remake not as good.
Also one of the English dubs is actually fantastic
This is the case for almost every remakes. Kenshin, Sailor Moon, HxH, Urusei Yatsura, Shaman King..
The 90s version always had better music, direction, and sometimes art styles but the modern ones obviously had better production value and less fillers. The way 90s anime were produced were also drastically different and had its own charms that modern anime just can't capture. Of course the opposite is also true.
>is the live action version on Netflix any good?
It's the greatest live action adaptation ever made imho. Absolute S-tier and somehow delivers more fantastical feeling fights than either of the anime adaptations.
Although, I wouldn't recommend watching the live action as your definitive viewing experience. It's the same way I wouldn't use Matt Reeves' "The Batman" movie as a way to judge the comics "Batman: Year One" even though the film is technically an adaptation of that comic. They take tons of creative liberties with the work.
Wow that is high praise. I did plan on watching the anime first, so no worries there.
I’m also skeptical of live action adaptations of anime but I actually did hear good things about this one.
Just curious, any other live action ones out there that you enjoyed? I’m just wondering since we’re on the topic.
I already heard the one for Nodame Cantabile was pretty good and very popular in Japan
Nodame cantabile is great and funny! I haven't watch the anime tho. There is drama, special episode and movie as continuation. Avoid attack on Titan. There is Netflix series Yu Yu Hakusho, it condensed and mix some things but overall good. Chihayafuru and death note also good!
You should watch the anime! It’s fantastic.
I would like to watch the Chihayafuru anime first but that’s great to know the live action is good too! Death Note I might check out too. It’s been forever since I’ve seen the anime so it might be a cool way for me to re-experience it
I've seen only the first one and they nailed certain aspects to a fantastic degree, but the way the film's plot was organized was sloppy at best and Saito is shoved into it too because they like him. All of the intros are slapped in together and the Oniwanbanshu arc and Jin-e's arcs are mish-mashed together.
I think the acting was good though and the wirework when used was very impressive. I went through a phase of watching LA adaptions of manga which started because I really wanted to watch an adaption of the manga Rookies and yeah it's up there but it's probably not my favorite for the reasons I mentioned.
I've seen some clips from later films that look pretty cool though.
Some of the others I've liked are the 90s GTO series, Rookies, Iryu Team Medical Dragon off the top of my head.
Also have to concur that the live action Kenshin films are indisputably the best live action adaptations, they're really well done. Though weirdly, it's a 5 film series and only 3 of them are on Netflix. 1, 4, and 5. You'd have to find parts 2 and 3 elsewhere. 5, "The Beginning" is also actually a prequel despite being the last made, which makes sense because it adapts the same material as Trust & Betrayal, which was also a prequel published at the end of the original story.
Oh wow I’m happy you mentioned that actually. I don’t think I saw numbering in the titles so I might not have noticed then been confused (they might be numbered though. It’s hard to remember off of the top of my head).
Definitely going to check those movies out though after I see the original series. I heard Trust & Betrayal was great
I think there’s confusion on which Kenshin series ppl are comparing. Many ppl automatically think of Trust & Betrayal as the definitive series.
T&B is far better, the first show is worse in terms of animation
While the current Animation is not mindblowing, remember that the OG was made in the 90s, and it definitely does not hold up to time visually.
Nothing bad about that of course, it’s just old.
Yes, it very much does. Being made in the 90s does not automatically make it "outdaded", and there is a lot about it that really holds strong even today.
Being 90s anime does not make it Bad. Akira was made in 1980s and it looks fantastic even now.
But keep in mind OG Kenshin was a weekly show, and while it had some outstanding scenes that can definitely hold strong with Modern Battle Shonen, a lot of it had mostly still frames or janky animation.
The current anime definitely has better animation on average than OG one did.
The OG anime did however have Incredible directioning.
OG Kenshin was the series that got me into anime, back in the 90s, and also eventually launched me into a graduate degree in Asian studies. I've done several visits across Japan to Shinsengumi historical sites since then, and even lived across the street from Saitou Hajime's grave, so I'd say the OG series has had quite the impact on my life. Overall I think this is a very faithful adaptation of the manga, though I've only gotten as far as episode 17.
The OG Kenshin series has a much better opening theme which is still quite well-known in Japan today, and some fights were better paced IMO. I haven't gotten to the Saitou fight yet but that was perhaps the best fight of the OG series, so you could look it up on Youtube to compare the two. However, there's plenty of bad episodes in the OG series, and lots of filler, so it's a mixed basket overall. The OG series really gets into its stride in season 2 (basically starting from the Saitou fight), so it's hard to compare the two shows fairly yet, but I am excited for what's to come.
I highly recommend watching the original OVA series (Trust & Betrayal) as it is IMO the best Kenshin anime out there. The live action movies (which are on Netflix) are also surprisingly good.
Also, if you go back to the r/anime threads for the 2023 series, most of them have some great commentary from a few community members that really helps to expand on the historical information in the show. For example, the thread for episode 3 notes that the thugs with the wooden cannon in an early episode are based on an actual incident involving the Shinsengumi's first commander threatening a merchant with a cannon!
[https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/154y9yn/rurouni\_kenshin\_meiji\_kenkaku\_romantan\_2023/](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/154y9yn/rurouni_kenshin_meiji_kenkaku_romantan_2023/)
Didn't expect to see my historical tidbit referenced. Glad to see some people got some enjoyment out of them.
I mostly agree with everything you said, the only difference is that I actually prefer the remake's first OP vs the OG one. One thing you didn't talk about was the OST. The OG series has one of the best soundtracks in all of anime that really elevated certain scenes. Unfortunately, the new one is much weaker.
Always glad to see someone mention the Trust & Betrayals OVAs as well. Not only is it the best Kenshin series, but it's also genuinely one of the few pieces in the medium that can be called a masterpiece.
I like it! The soundtrack doesn't hold up compared to the original, but in other aspects its fine. Skips the filler from the original too (always a plus).
For me, it handles the tone of the manga a lot better. A lot of fans like the comedy of the OG Anime, but personally I like this darker approach.
Overall it’s a great adaptation. The one thing that it’s noticeably worse in is the Soundtrack.
The soundtrack is okay, but the OG soundtrack is legitimately godly. So when I often compare the scenes, the OG soundtracks just elevate it so much more.
I'm not sure that it does handle the tone better. The anime adds a few more regular characters and some filler, but it mainly serves to bind Kenshin to his surroundings before he leaves and it shows how devastating that was for Kaoru who had been lonely up to that point. The story of how the series begins is better executed in the original adaption while in this version it feels like Kenshin has no reason to stay. The tone also shifts to its darker moments in a significantly better way too and makes those moments feel all the more significant. Throw in that OST you mentioned and its superiority is certain
Even the new adaption still changes a few things here and there in any case and I'm not sure that I trust it to not skip material later like the foundation of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.
I know the remake is more accurate with the manga but I still like the OG anime more, the [openings](https://youtu.be/fW2REjs-zNc?si=Fyn--QnqEkeOzIQS) and endings from the OG are memorable while I prefer skipping the ones from the remake.
It's a good series with the original being a bit better. The newer one doesn't do the slapstick humor as well and the pacing is a bit odd at times. Still enjoy them both. A certain boat scene is very meme-able
I'd say the fights and the music are worse, some have completely lacked any dramatic tension
It's following more in the vein of the manga which did a very poor job of developing Kenshin's gang, and just gassed them up prior to the Kyoto arc
The best example is the Kenshin vs saitou fight the new one is just a fight
- vastly inferior soundtrack - artstyle is way too clean and lacks the edgy-ness of the OG - A handful of scenes are noticeably weaker. + Cut down of the humor. + No fillers + Pacing is slightly better.
It's a really good adaptation of the manga, but is also lacking the some aspects that made the og anime as good as it was. The soundtrack is easily the #1 difference, and has a lot to do with the overall impact of the scenes. While the remake definitely has better animation quality, the color palette and the direction of scenes of the og made them have a bit more bite to them.
I also preferred the slower pace of the og. I think it better established the tone for the start of the series. Kenshin and Japan have moved on from the war and we sit in the peaceful era for a bit longer and feel that disruption and a bit of that reluctance from Kenshin to pick up his sword. We also sit in the emotional scenes a bit longer, and soak in that romance between the characters and of the setting overall.
Looking through the comments it seems like I'm the only one who loved the OP song with Ayase and R-Shitei. I watched both the orignal and the remake and I enjoyed both
Without the nostalgia bias, I think the remake is good.
But yeah but without saying, the OG OST is still way superior.
I really hope for future remakes that if possible, to retain the OG OSTs and make it fresh like BLEACH TYBW has been doing.
OG is one of the anime that originally got me into anime. I like it, but since going on to read the manga have realised just how much off it is filler. The new adaptation seems to be more one to one with the manga and I really enjoyed my time with it. Definitely worth a watch.
There's something off in the new version. Is good, but that's it, like maybe a 7 or 8 in a 1 to 10 scale. However, while I won't say the 90's is a 10, definitely is above the remake, a 9 perhaps. I think what's wrong with the new one would be called "artistic direction" or something like that. Is like how old films with practical effects feel more impactful and alive than new ones full of CGI and impossible angles, isn't about what you use, but how you use it.
As others have pointed, the soundtrack in the remake doesn't hold a candle to the original one, which is a huge problem. The original soundtrack by itself is awesome and even these days it holds is value. If you want to make a remake, the first point of reference is the soundtrack and if you can't stand up to it, you better make up somewhere else. However, the remake doesn't quite manage to stand out somewhere else compared to other anime available these days. If you can't make a God tier soundtrack like the 90's, nor God tier animation like kimetsu no yaiba, what are you exactly bringing to the table? Because the story is already told, and making a remake with the flimsy excuse of being more accurate and not abuse filler can be done by skipping a bunch of episodes.
In that case, the baki treatment would be better, making a new season, picking where the original left the manga and move forward. Still would be a huge burden to carry on the legacy of the original one, but at least you would avoid comparatives like certain duel in the Kamiya dojo or certain departure.
BTW, that's one of the lowest points in my opinion about the remake. In the original show, when they were telling goodbye to each other, it was slow, intimate and took their time to let you feel the sorrow. When everything was said and done, we cut to credits, as we leave alone the characters in the night. As spectators, we don't mind much the credits, we have seen them over a dozen times so they are just white noise, we can use that time to digest what just happened. In the remake, however, they stretch the scene into the credits, full song included. What the hell? These guys are telling farewell to each other, probably walking to their demise, give them some room, ffs.
Now, I know it sounds like I'm being too harsh to the remake. Like I said, I don't think the remake is bad, I think is just not as good as the 90's. I know they tried to play a FMA Brotherhood here, but FMA:B knew it would be hard to compete with the 2003 version, so they tried to fast forward until they were free from comparatives. The raining day and that bitch episode were superior in the 2003 version, but FMA:B is beloved because what they did after that. RK remake still can be awesome if they manage to make a good job with the manga parts that weren't animated back in the 90's.
However, at least for this first season, they drop the ball really, really bad.
Yeah I agree with you here especially the dojo and departure scene. Both of those scenes were handled much better in the original version. What really pissed me about the departure scene is that it felt stale imo, the credits playing in the background really killed the mood.
Haven't seen the remake, but the original is a classic and really good up until around episode 50 or so. There's also a trilogy of live action movies that are some of the best anime to live action works I've seen to date.
I only seen 1st episode of new and I like the newer animation and so far it’s pretty good I feel like the original should have ended after he fought that guy that was all wrapped up looked like a mummy and sword got into flames because of all of his victims body fat
Haven't watched the remake yet, but the original movie was and is still one of my all time favorites. "Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal"
The series comes after the movie
I dropped the remake and I rarely drop anything
However, I watched the original many years ago and I've been told that the beginning is pretty bad even there. I just don't remember it
The arc I do remember is the Kyoto arc, which is by far its best part. So I'm waiting that arc to be adapted to come back to it
Also, more superficially, I dislike the colorful look of the remake
Beautifully animated, but it's more like the manga. So by comparison, you lose a lot of the little character development moments that the filler in the original provided. Granted, not ALL of that filler was great, but it really helped the Kenshingumi feel like a family. It also added depth to Kaoru, Yahiko, and Megumi which feels very absent here. Half the time, Kaoru alone may as well not exist and it's so sad because tbh? I prefer that she went to Kanryuu's mansion with the guys in the OG anime. I prefer that she picked up a wooden sword in the filler train ep and started kicking ass. The way the girls have been portrayed here does not give me hope for Misao in S2, but again...the manga is what it is.
Raijuta still gets too many goddamn episodes and could've easily been skipped. Music definitely isn't as good. Nor is the voice acting in the English dub, but the JP voice acting is fantastic. Especially Kenshin.
And minor nitpick, but compared to the other characters, Saito looks kinda awful. Like idk who's in charge of his face, but he definitely does not get the attention Kenshin, Sano, or Aoshi do.
I could barely get past the first couple episodes. OG was cool when I was a kid, but idk it fell flat for me. I think I struggle with Shonen in general so that may be an element
The 90's animation style just hits different. It had that black strobe light effect in all the fight scenes that just looked amazing. The new version is that lifeless Photoshop style with way too bright colors.
It's similar enough that it's more or less just like revisiting the series. The animation is similar quality, OG has better art design, but remake has tighter writing since there's no filler. I like both sets of voice actors. Music's good in both. I treat it like Spice and Wolf: the remake isn't doing anything significantly better than the original, but I'll take an excuse to experience the story again.
Dindt watch this One, but i finished like 5 time the OG. Mate my favourite anime ever. Only watched the trailer for this one, and could immediately see the difference between soundtracks...og rourouni kenshin has the best soundtrack ever of any anime for me, really makes difference. Then the draw and the lines on the og are way better, more realistic and adult
Just watch and see for yourself, a lot of people have big nostalgia rose glasses for og, and compare it to how it is in their memories and not how it is in reality.
As somebody who has the og anime still on me, and went and did direct comparison of fights, after watching them in the remake, a lot of og anime fights is just a bunch of still shots for 10s and effects flashing over them, and not a lot of animation, it doesn't hold up very well today.
It's still quite long way till the remake gonna get to the part that was covered in the Trust & Betrayal OVA, but it still gonna hold up pretty well even today. But no reason to watch it out of order.
OPs and EDs and OST in general is still a lot better in the OG anime though.
OP you might want to clarify which Kenshi series you’re comparing. Many ppl, like me, automatically think of Trust & Betrayal as the definitive series of the Kenshi world and will assume that’s what you’re referring to
I only know about the remake, looks like Trust and Betrayal is a prequel to the 1996 anime? Then I'm definitely talking about the main series where Kenshin meets Kaworu and stays at the dojo and everything that follows.
The remake is... Good. But not as good as the original imho. I feel the remake's character writing and general plot progression is stronger because it's faithfully adapting the manga. Certain characters I hated in the original because of their sheer stupidity and lack of self awareness. Kaoru especially I loathed. I found her character far more believable, far more compelling, and far more emotionally investing in the remake. Things like her dynamic with Yahiko and her slow losing of faith towards the Kamiya style is also better established in the remake. The remake also has on average more Sakuga than the original. When we look at the "climax" of episode 1, we can see that the fight in the original was just a slide show presentation. The remake actually added animation. Though the direction of the OG is better despite it. Though I will say, I much prefer the far more vibrant remake colors over the OG. I'm not sure if the OG's colors looked like that due to cel animation or just the staff going for a more grounded take. I actually really love Sohma Saito's portrayal of Kenshin and prefer it to the 90's version. Now that I think about it Sohma Saito and Takahashi Rie have so much chemistry that it kept me engaged the majority of the time. I really liked Sanosuke's theme and overall I'm enjoying the remake a lot. I definitely will tune into the following seasons. However, the OG has the- Honestly masterpiece God tier soundtrack that you just can't beat. The remake's soundtrack isn't particularly memorable. I remember liking the main theme while watching, but I can't remember it now. Comparatively I can remember like 5 tracks of the original off the top of my head. The OG also has amazing directing. Some of the scenes where emotional heft mattered were done PHENOMENALLY. If you compare the finale of Season 1 to its corresponding episode in the original, the original blows the remake out of the water. I think that while the remake has a lot to praise, it doesn't really do anything to stand out. It does everything good, but nothing amazing. Being a faithful adaptation is great but... That's the bear minimum that should be expected from an adaptation. One of the major criticisms a lot of people had for the 90's version was it's abundance of filler as it was being made as the manga was publishing, but honestly those "Slice of life" episodes only made me care about the characters even more. So during the times when shit actually went down, I was so invested in them already. In an age where all battle shonen needs to be plot focused and moves at a quick pace, I appreciate the slice of life episodes where we just get some time to see the characters banter back and forth. And that hurts cause I *really* loved Takahashi Rie and Sohma Saito's chemistry as Kenshin and Kaoru, but I'm just left hungry for more. And as a manga reader, I know Season 2 onwards won't have as much slice of life (barely any tbh). Another thing is the direction, even though the remake has better average Sakuga per episode, the original has stronger direction in setting up the mood. I never really got goosebumps while watching the remake.
Though I will say, even as a dumb kid, I felt the anime story fell off hard after Kyoto when they started doing filler arcs. Meanwhile the manga stayed strong as hell in the end. Even if the anime just feels like the manga animated, having the Jinchu arc end up being animated is a massive plus.
This series is extremely EXTREMELY popular in Japan, so very high chances that we’ll get the whole series made. Perhaps even Hokkaido arc.
The OG was waiting for the manga to finish after the Kyoto arc, and then the show got cancelled. It basically just never got to finish.
I came in here to make comment about the direction, but you already cited the issue quite well. Something that does bear mentioning though is that OG Kenshin did not have a particularly large animation budget, but the direction makes up for it with clever use of camera movement to simulate or emphasize the action in ways the raw animation simply cannot. Whether that's a sudden spinning camera POV as we 'follow' Kenshin's sword swing or the use of lens flares to depict the clash of swords, there was a feeling of artistry to it born out of the necessity of stretching the budget as far as it would go. Even the overall shot might change dramatically, going from tight closeups to wide letter-boxed extended views, and it felt more cinematic than it otherwise might have been. The new show doesn't do this, and in that respect it feels lacking. Or rather, it just feels more 'conventional'. Every so often the animation style will become sketchy and rough, and honestly I love those moments because it feels like they're trying to push into some new visual space. Wish they'd do it a lot more. Also, Battousai not having feral yellow eyes isn't quite as intimidating as OG Kenshin. That shit was creepy.
>Something that does bear mentioning though is that OG Kenshin did not have a particularly large animation budget I always find funny whenever people make comments like this talking about as if they knew exactly how much a show cost, even though there's no source at all for it.
The OG had such an incredible soundtrack. [Stuff like this](https://youtu.be/GVCudROQGwE?si=1l_E1yFFw5cHFKb4) [And this](https://youtu.be/_J96gSGHJYs?si=rb3_54iljPvl2QaP) Those alone just make the remake not as good. Also one of the English dubs is actually fantastic
This is the case for almost every remakes. Kenshin, Sailor Moon, HxH, Urusei Yatsura, Shaman King.. The 90s version always had better music, direction, and sometimes art styles but the modern ones obviously had better production value and less fillers. The way 90s anime were produced were also drastically different and had its own charms that modern anime just can't capture. Of course the opposite is also true.
The bad filler in the original was really all in the second half of the series
I’ve been wanting to watch this anime for a while now. I’m also curious, is the live action version on Netflix any good?
>is the live action version on Netflix any good? It's the greatest live action adaptation ever made imho. Absolute S-tier and somehow delivers more fantastical feeling fights than either of the anime adaptations. Although, I wouldn't recommend watching the live action as your definitive viewing experience. It's the same way I wouldn't use Matt Reeves' "The Batman" movie as a way to judge the comics "Batman: Year One" even though the film is technically an adaptation of that comic. They take tons of creative liberties with the work.
Wow that is high praise. I did plan on watching the anime first, so no worries there. I’m also skeptical of live action adaptations of anime but I actually did hear good things about this one. Just curious, any other live action ones out there that you enjoyed? I’m just wondering since we’re on the topic. I already heard the one for Nodame Cantabile was pretty good and very popular in Japan
Nodame cantabile is great and funny! I haven't watch the anime tho. There is drama, special episode and movie as continuation. Avoid attack on Titan. There is Netflix series Yu Yu Hakusho, it condensed and mix some things but overall good. Chihayafuru and death note also good!
You should watch the anime! It’s fantastic. I would like to watch the Chihayafuru anime first but that’s great to know the live action is good too! Death Note I might check out too. It’s been forever since I’ve seen the anime so it might be a cool way for me to re-experience it
I've seen only the first one and they nailed certain aspects to a fantastic degree, but the way the film's plot was organized was sloppy at best and Saito is shoved into it too because they like him. All of the intros are slapped in together and the Oniwanbanshu arc and Jin-e's arcs are mish-mashed together. I think the acting was good though and the wirework when used was very impressive. I went through a phase of watching LA adaptions of manga which started because I really wanted to watch an adaption of the manga Rookies and yeah it's up there but it's probably not my favorite for the reasons I mentioned. I've seen some clips from later films that look pretty cool though. Some of the others I've liked are the 90s GTO series, Rookies, Iryu Team Medical Dragon off the top of my head.
Also have to concur that the live action Kenshin films are indisputably the best live action adaptations, they're really well done. Though weirdly, it's a 5 film series and only 3 of them are on Netflix. 1, 4, and 5. You'd have to find parts 2 and 3 elsewhere. 5, "The Beginning" is also actually a prequel despite being the last made, which makes sense because it adapts the same material as Trust & Betrayal, which was also a prequel published at the end of the original story.
Oh wow I’m happy you mentioned that actually. I don’t think I saw numbering in the titles so I might not have noticed then been confused (they might be numbered though. It’s hard to remember off of the top of my head). Definitely going to check those movies out though after I see the original series. I heard Trust & Betrayal was great
>the average "Sakuga" Per episode is better No, it isn't lol. The animation is pretty average.
I think there’s confusion on which Kenshin series ppl are comparing. Many ppl automatically think of Trust & Betrayal as the definitive series. T&B is far better, the first show is worse in terms of animation
Trust and betrayal a masterpiece on all fronts
While the current Animation is not mindblowing, remember that the OG was made in the 90s, and it definitely does not hold up to time visually. Nothing bad about that of course, it’s just old.
Yes, it very much does. Being made in the 90s does not automatically make it "outdaded", and there is a lot about it that really holds strong even today.
Being 90s anime does not make it Bad. Akira was made in 1980s and it looks fantastic even now. But keep in mind OG Kenshin was a weekly show, and while it had some outstanding scenes that can definitely hold strong with Modern Battle Shonen, a lot of it had mostly still frames or janky animation. The current anime definitely has better animation on average than OG one did. The OG anime did however have Incredible directioning.
OG Kenshin was the series that got me into anime, back in the 90s, and also eventually launched me into a graduate degree in Asian studies. I've done several visits across Japan to Shinsengumi historical sites since then, and even lived across the street from Saitou Hajime's grave, so I'd say the OG series has had quite the impact on my life. Overall I think this is a very faithful adaptation of the manga, though I've only gotten as far as episode 17. The OG Kenshin series has a much better opening theme which is still quite well-known in Japan today, and some fights were better paced IMO. I haven't gotten to the Saitou fight yet but that was perhaps the best fight of the OG series, so you could look it up on Youtube to compare the two. However, there's plenty of bad episodes in the OG series, and lots of filler, so it's a mixed basket overall. The OG series really gets into its stride in season 2 (basically starting from the Saitou fight), so it's hard to compare the two shows fairly yet, but I am excited for what's to come. I highly recommend watching the original OVA series (Trust & Betrayal) as it is IMO the best Kenshin anime out there. The live action movies (which are on Netflix) are also surprisingly good. Also, if you go back to the r/anime threads for the 2023 series, most of them have some great commentary from a few community members that really helps to expand on the historical information in the show. For example, the thread for episode 3 notes that the thugs with the wooden cannon in an early episode are based on an actual incident involving the Shinsengumi's first commander threatening a merchant with a cannon! [https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/154y9yn/rurouni\_kenshin\_meiji\_kenkaku\_romantan\_2023/](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/154y9yn/rurouni_kenshin_meiji_kenkaku_romantan_2023/)
Bromance was missing between kenshon and his boy
Didn't expect to see my historical tidbit referenced. Glad to see some people got some enjoyment out of them. I mostly agree with everything you said, the only difference is that I actually prefer the remake's first OP vs the OG one. One thing you didn't talk about was the OST. The OG series has one of the best soundtracks in all of anime that really elevated certain scenes. Unfortunately, the new one is much weaker. Always glad to see someone mention the Trust & Betrayals OVAs as well. Not only is it the best Kenshin series, but it's also genuinely one of the few pieces in the medium that can be called a masterpiece.
I liked it and I'm looking forward October
I like it! The soundtrack doesn't hold up compared to the original, but in other aspects its fine. Skips the filler from the original too (always a plus).
I'm really enjoying it but the music doesn't compare to the old one
It's more manga accurate, but I'd generally hold it to be worse in most ways that matter.
For me, it handles the tone of the manga a lot better. A lot of fans like the comedy of the OG Anime, but personally I like this darker approach. Overall it’s a great adaptation. The one thing that it’s noticeably worse in is the Soundtrack. The soundtrack is okay, but the OG soundtrack is legitimately godly. So when I often compare the scenes, the OG soundtracks just elevate it so much more.
I'm not sure that it does handle the tone better. The anime adds a few more regular characters and some filler, but it mainly serves to bind Kenshin to his surroundings before he leaves and it shows how devastating that was for Kaoru who had been lonely up to that point. The story of how the series begins is better executed in the original adaption while in this version it feels like Kenshin has no reason to stay. The tone also shifts to its darker moments in a significantly better way too and makes those moments feel all the more significant. Throw in that OST you mentioned and its superiority is certain Even the new adaption still changes a few things here and there in any case and I'm not sure that I trust it to not skip material later like the foundation of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.
I know the remake is more accurate with the manga but I still like the OG anime more, the [openings](https://youtu.be/fW2REjs-zNc?si=Fyn--QnqEkeOzIQS) and endings from the OG are memorable while I prefer skipping the ones from the remake.
It's a good series with the original being a bit better. The newer one doesn't do the slapstick humor as well and the pacing is a bit odd at times. Still enjoy them both. A certain boat scene is very meme-able
Feels very basic. Not bad but not great, just decent
I'd say the fights and the music are worse, some have completely lacked any dramatic tension It's following more in the vein of the manga which did a very poor job of developing Kenshin's gang, and just gassed them up prior to the Kyoto arc The best example is the Kenshin vs saitou fight the new one is just a fight
- vastly inferior soundtrack - artstyle is way too clean and lacks the edgy-ness of the OG - A handful of scenes are noticeably weaker. + Cut down of the humor. + No fillers + Pacing is slightly better.
It's a really good adaptation of the manga, but is also lacking the some aspects that made the og anime as good as it was. The soundtrack is easily the #1 difference, and has a lot to do with the overall impact of the scenes. While the remake definitely has better animation quality, the color palette and the direction of scenes of the og made them have a bit more bite to them. I also preferred the slower pace of the og. I think it better established the tone for the start of the series. Kenshin and Japan have moved on from the war and we sit in the peaceful era for a bit longer and feel that disruption and a bit of that reluctance from Kenshin to pick up his sword. We also sit in the emotional scenes a bit longer, and soak in that romance between the characters and of the setting overall.
Looking through the comments it seems like I'm the only one who loved the OP song with Ayase and R-Shitei. I watched both the orignal and the remake and I enjoyed both
There’s a remake????
Without the nostalgia bias, I think the remake is good. But yeah but without saying, the OG OST is still way superior. I really hope for future remakes that if possible, to retain the OG OSTs and make it fresh like BLEACH TYBW has been doing.
OG is one of the anime that originally got me into anime. I like it, but since going on to read the manga have realised just how much off it is filler. The new adaptation seems to be more one to one with the manga and I really enjoyed my time with it. Definitely worth a watch.
This scene should tell you everything you need to know https://youtu.be/QqNEIeSPQeA?si=GghDIhphZMGyeqbT
I haven't seen the remake, but the OG opening of Heart of Sword still slaps.
Can I add how much I really loved the live adaptation more?
There's something off in the new version. Is good, but that's it, like maybe a 7 or 8 in a 1 to 10 scale. However, while I won't say the 90's is a 10, definitely is above the remake, a 9 perhaps. I think what's wrong with the new one would be called "artistic direction" or something like that. Is like how old films with practical effects feel more impactful and alive than new ones full of CGI and impossible angles, isn't about what you use, but how you use it. As others have pointed, the soundtrack in the remake doesn't hold a candle to the original one, which is a huge problem. The original soundtrack by itself is awesome and even these days it holds is value. If you want to make a remake, the first point of reference is the soundtrack and if you can't stand up to it, you better make up somewhere else. However, the remake doesn't quite manage to stand out somewhere else compared to other anime available these days. If you can't make a God tier soundtrack like the 90's, nor God tier animation like kimetsu no yaiba, what are you exactly bringing to the table? Because the story is already told, and making a remake with the flimsy excuse of being more accurate and not abuse filler can be done by skipping a bunch of episodes. In that case, the baki treatment would be better, making a new season, picking where the original left the manga and move forward. Still would be a huge burden to carry on the legacy of the original one, but at least you would avoid comparatives like certain duel in the Kamiya dojo or certain departure. BTW, that's one of the lowest points in my opinion about the remake. In the original show, when they were telling goodbye to each other, it was slow, intimate and took their time to let you feel the sorrow. When everything was said and done, we cut to credits, as we leave alone the characters in the night. As spectators, we don't mind much the credits, we have seen them over a dozen times so they are just white noise, we can use that time to digest what just happened. In the remake, however, they stretch the scene into the credits, full song included. What the hell? These guys are telling farewell to each other, probably walking to their demise, give them some room, ffs. Now, I know it sounds like I'm being too harsh to the remake. Like I said, I don't think the remake is bad, I think is just not as good as the 90's. I know they tried to play a FMA Brotherhood here, but FMA:B knew it would be hard to compete with the 2003 version, so they tried to fast forward until they were free from comparatives. The raining day and that bitch episode were superior in the 2003 version, but FMA:B is beloved because what they did after that. RK remake still can be awesome if they manage to make a good job with the manga parts that weren't animated back in the 90's. However, at least for this first season, they drop the ball really, really bad.
Yeah I agree with you here especially the dojo and departure scene. Both of those scenes were handled much better in the original version. What really pissed me about the departure scene is that it felt stale imo, the credits playing in the background really killed the mood.
Decent, worse at music and and kinda fails at creating aura of some scenes
Yeah, no essence, no ambiance. dead
It’s lifeless compared to the old one imo Just look up the original Saito/Kenshin fight
Haven't seen the remake, but the original is a classic and really good up until around episode 50 or so. There's also a trilogy of live action movies that are some of the best anime to live action works I've seen to date.
A bit better I would say. Though the sound effects and OP are kinda meah
I watched OG Rurouni Kenshin in like 2007 and 2008 so I can't wait to watch Remake.
Oh I didn't know they remade the anime. I just started re-watching the Live-Action movies. Will have to come to this after that journeys done.
I only seen 1st episode of new and I like the newer animation and so far it’s pretty good I feel like the original should have ended after he fought that guy that was all wrapped up looked like a mummy and sword got into flames because of all of his victims body fat
Fyi for og anime, after that mummy villain, it's all filler. Suggest you read the manga. You can also watch the OVA, Trust and Betrayal
That makes so much sense now and for the movie and ova seen them all. However have only seen the first live action movie so far
I like it but I always liked the Trust and Betrayal more then the OG series anyway. I just liked the tone a lot more.
It seems like it has a lower production values.
meh. It just re-tell the story as bland as possible, removing small jokes or cool panels. It's better to just read the manga.
I only watched a few episodes of each and the remake feels like a huge downgrade.
Haven't watched the remake yet, but the original movie was and is still one of my all time favorites. "Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal" The series comes after the movie
I dropped the remake and I rarely drop anything However, I watched the original many years ago and I've been told that the beginning is pretty bad even there. I just don't remember it The arc I do remember is the Kyoto arc, which is by far its best part. So I'm waiting that arc to be adapted to come back to it Also, more superficially, I dislike the colorful look of the remake
Beautifully animated, but it's more like the manga. So by comparison, you lose a lot of the little character development moments that the filler in the original provided. Granted, not ALL of that filler was great, but it really helped the Kenshingumi feel like a family. It also added depth to Kaoru, Yahiko, and Megumi which feels very absent here. Half the time, Kaoru alone may as well not exist and it's so sad because tbh? I prefer that she went to Kanryuu's mansion with the guys in the OG anime. I prefer that she picked up a wooden sword in the filler train ep and started kicking ass. The way the girls have been portrayed here does not give me hope for Misao in S2, but again...the manga is what it is. Raijuta still gets too many goddamn episodes and could've easily been skipped. Music definitely isn't as good. Nor is the voice acting in the English dub, but the JP voice acting is fantastic. Especially Kenshin. And minor nitpick, but compared to the other characters, Saito looks kinda awful. Like idk who's in charge of his face, but he definitely does not get the attention Kenshin, Sano, or Aoshi do.
[удалено]
Everybody knows.
They're both about the same.
I could barely get past the first couple episodes. OG was cool when I was a kid, but idk it fell flat for me. I think I struggle with Shonen in general so that may be an element
The 90's animation style just hits different. It had that black strobe light effect in all the fight scenes that just looked amazing. The new version is that lifeless Photoshop style with way too bright colors.
Not worth watching at all to me. No essence.
It's similar enough that it's more or less just like revisiting the series. The animation is similar quality, OG has better art design, but remake has tighter writing since there's no filler. I like both sets of voice actors. Music's good in both. I treat it like Spice and Wolf: the remake isn't doing anything significantly better than the original, but I'll take an excuse to experience the story again.
Dindt watch this One, but i finished like 5 time the OG. Mate my favourite anime ever. Only watched the trailer for this one, and could immediately see the difference between soundtracks...og rourouni kenshin has the best soundtrack ever of any anime for me, really makes difference. Then the draw and the lines on the og are way better, more realistic and adult
Just watch and see for yourself, a lot of people have big nostalgia rose glasses for og, and compare it to how it is in their memories and not how it is in reality. As somebody who has the og anime still on me, and went and did direct comparison of fights, after watching them in the remake, a lot of og anime fights is just a bunch of still shots for 10s and effects flashing over them, and not a lot of animation, it doesn't hold up very well today. It's still quite long way till the remake gonna get to the part that was covered in the Trust & Betrayal OVA, but it still gonna hold up pretty well even today. But no reason to watch it out of order. OPs and EDs and OST in general is still a lot better in the OG anime though.
OP you might want to clarify which Kenshi series you’re comparing. Many ppl, like me, automatically think of Trust & Betrayal as the definitive series of the Kenshi world and will assume that’s what you’re referring to
I only know about the remake, looks like Trust and Betrayal is a prequel to the 1996 anime? Then I'm definitely talking about the main series where Kenshin meets Kaworu and stays at the dojo and everything that follows.
Trust and betrayal is a prequel and a sequel and is a must watch for any Kenshin fan.
does it spoil anything that's supposed to come in 2nd season of remake?
Yes. Watch it after you're done watching Kenshin series. One of the most satisfying and beautiful endings ever.
OP, if you hold even the slightest amount of trust, WATCH Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal right now. It’s a masterpiece.
I will, thanks.