Issabella Ver, Year 13
Title: Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno
Director: Keishi Otomo
Starring: Takeru Sato, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Emi Takei
Rating: 4/5
The second movie of the epic trilogy based on the beloved manga Rurouni Kenshin or Samurai X sets the silver screen on fire. The first of the two-part finale starts with Kenshin Himura, a skilled but emotionally torn swordsman, basking in his newly found peace only to be disturbed by the threat of an enemy, Makoto Shishio, who threatens to conquer Japan through brutal methods. Suddenly, with the threat of Shihio looming close, his obligation to protect those he cares for challenges his dilemma and fear of reverting back to his assassin way of living. With its adrenaline filled sword-fight scenes, a villain to be reckoned with and the compelling journey of the titular hero, Keishi Otomo’s adaptation of Nobushiro Watsuki’s opus consistently puts the viewers at the edge of their seats and does it justice.
It’s a rare occurrence that a sequel outdoes the first movie. With Kyoto Inferno, however, this is exactly the case. The question now is: what exactly makes it a success in filmmaking and storytelling?
The new characters
Makoto Shishio (immortalised by Tatsuya Fujiwara) encapsulates the fundamentals of a true villain – you just love to hate him. But behind the chill-inducing, bandaged appearance lies a highly talented yet broken man who is betrayed and burned alive by his own country after he risks his life in war. This tragic background story makes one feel almost bad for him. While there’s not much complexity in the reasons for why he seeks revenge, the brilliance of his machinations in burning down a Japanese town (hence, the name of the movie) and the sheer cruelty makes him a worthy competitor of Kenshin and bona fide attention grabber.
His right hand man, Seta Soujiro, doesn’t fail to impress, too. His uniquely cheerful demeanor belies his nonchalance in killing an official and his capabilities with the katana*. Reminiscent of a psychopath, Soujiro (as played by the wonderful Ryunosuke Kamiki), is one of the characters that helps to carry the plot line of the story.
Sword-fight choreography
The fight scenes are truly nail biting and do not disappoint. It truly has the ability to quicken the viewers’ heart-beat. Not only do the fight scenes show some cookie-cutter action and violence, but they also reveal the skillful techniques of the characters. One of the best swordplay scenes was that which involved Soujiro and Kenshin. It consisted of a riveting mélange of speed, defense and precision. As the villain Shishio puts it, Kenshin and himself are equals when it comes to ability – it’s just a question of who’s willing to make the kill.
The wandering samurai himself
Takeru Sato as Kenshin Himura is sheer casting genius. There are so many layers to the character of Kenshin that it would be challenging, even for a veteran actor, to pull it off without being bashed by the public (just imagine the ardent fans of the manga and anime). Sato manages to incorporate the iconic character’s emotional fragility with a light-hearted and at times comical tone. Without a doubt, Takeru Sato IS Kenshin Himura.
However, the film is not without its flaws – some elements could definitely be developed.
The character of Kaoru Kamiya seems to not have been developed from the first film. It’s somewhat irritating how an owner of a dojo* is now reduced to a mere damsel in distress. The spunk from the manga seems to have been greatly diminished. However, her stubbornness does persist as she consistently reminds Kenshin to refrain from killing lest he goes back to being a ruthless manslayer. Her fighting skills are subpar and she always seems to put herself into more trouble, forcing Kenshin to come after her and abandon his pacifist views for to save her from danger’s way whilst she illogically yells “no killing!” non stop. Although her character seems two-dimensional, the scene where Kenshin bids her goodbye to accept the challenge of putting Shishio to justice is wonderfully done. The emotions are subtle yet blatant in putting forward the “will they or will they not” relationship between the hero and his love interest. For that, I must commend the actress, Emi Takei.
Two more female characters, one of them being a new addition, initially had the fierceness I craved for. Megumi Takani (played by Yu Aoi), the bold, opinionated and prodigious doctor had minimal screen time, but even in the short scenes she appeared in, the attention was focused mainly on Kenshin. The new character, Misao Makimachi (Tao Tsuchiya) was more promising. Her training as a kunoichi* serves her well as she can hold herself with her kunai skills. But all that goes down the drain, as her character is centered on pining for Shinomori Aoishi, another ninja.
Too long
Overall, the movie is a thrilling ride that makes you more anxious for the next film to come out (especially with the vicious cliffhanger at the end). It balances the emotions well; the actors know how to captivate and the film has more action than the first one without making it jarring but leaves you wanting more. Hopefully, the finale will deliver like this one did.
*katana: a type of sword used by Japanese samurais
*dojo: a place where martial arts is practiced
*kunoichi: usually pertains to a female ninja
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