‘Rurouni Kenshin’ Arrives on DVD and VCD
Locally distributed by C-Interactive Digital Entertainment. This film has massive awareness through its popularity as an anime and manga, being a live-action adaptation of the anime that founded a huge fanbase in the Philippines since its 22 volume release in 2002 and the more recent manga release in 2010.
“Rurouni Kenshin” premiered in Japanese theaters on August 25 peaking at number one at the box office ahead of “The Avengers”, “Prometheus” and “Madagascar 3 “, with one input stronger year. Turned on by fans of the anime and manga franchise’ most successful and internationally followed, this live-action adaptation is one of the most anticipated Japanese film of the year worldwide after having confirmed the distribution from 66 countries.
“Rurouni Kenshin” grossed over $25 million in Japan, beating “Prometheus” in the same week of release. It was also selected for the 2012 Japanese Film Festival in Melbourne and Sydney. The first movie to sell out its screenings in both cities, “Rurouni Kenshin” was given bonus screenings which also sold out.
Synopsis:
January, 1868. The shogun’s forces are defeated by a samurai uprising under a lone swordsman known as “Battousai the Killer”, signalling the birth of a new era. Once legendary for his killing prowess, Battousai becomes a wanderer under the name of Kenshin Himura and vows never to kill again. But things are not so simple: faced with those who wish to return Japan to times of darkness, Kenshin is forced to grapple with what renouncing violence could mean.
Initially published in Weekly Shonen Jump, the manga Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story (るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚-, Rurouni Kenshin Meiji Kenkaku Roomantan) made waves as a series like no other, even going on to gain a large female reader base. The manga was originally serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from 1994-1999. Collected in 28 volumes, Rurouni Kenshin has sold over 54 million copies and been published in 23 countries (including a US release from Viz Media). A new manga series,Rurouni Kenshin Restoration (るろうに剣心 -キネマ版-, Rurouni Kenshin -Kinema-ban-), debuted in Shueisha’s Jump Square magazine this past June, with the English translated version currently running in Viz’s digital manga Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha.
To complete this dream project, a wide variety of talented actors and staff have come together to create a super high quality 134 minute film that even the original creator can be proud of.
The man in charge of making a faithful big screen adaptation of the original manga is the director of the hit drama RYOMADEN (龍馬伝, 2010), Keishi Ohtomo. Ohtomo quickly cast RYOMADEN actor Takeru Satoh (MASKED RIDER DEN-O, ROOKIES, GOEMON) in the lead role as Himura Kenshin, with the blessing of the original comic writer/artist Nobuhiro Watsuki. Director Ohtomo proclaimed that, “If we’re making a live action version, the only man fit for the job is him.”
Rounding out the cast are Emi Takei (“For Love’s Sake”), Koji Kikkawa (“Kamen Rider 000”), Yu Aoi (“Hula Girls,” “Honey and Clover”), Munetaka Aoki (“Oppai Volleyball,” “Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”), Gou Ayano (“Gantz,” “Helter Skelter”), Genki Sudo (“Kamen Rider Double Forever”), Eiji Okuda (“Milocrorze: A Love Story”), Yosuke Eguchi (“Samurai Commando Mission 1549”), and Teruyuki Kagawa (“20th Century Boys Trilogy,” “Kaiji 2”).
Watch the trailer here:
Kyaaaaaaaa!!!! Takeru Satoh’s like no other! He’s the only one who can be Kenshin for me. Like, there are some actors that you can associate easily with his or her character, and you cannot imagine any other actor to do the job, like Wolverine will always be Hugh Jackman, Maria/Mary Poppins will always be Julie Andrews, Storm will always be Halle Berry, and Yamaguchi Kumiko of “Gokusen” series will always be Nakama Yukie. And for Himura Kenshin, it will always be Takeru Satoh, and I cannot imagine any other actor to play Battousai.