Watch Rurouni Kenshin: Requiem for the Ishin Patriots For Free

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

This movie was well executed. This, since it is really a puzzle piece that fills in the gaps left in the animated series Rurouni Kenshin, will be viewed by some as a bit weak, and only for fans. However, as a stand alone movie it is also quite good. The artwork follows more of the style of the series. The movie has its own storyline, but some see it as a lot of flashback. It is certainly an action oriented movie, and the ending is a bit of a twist. Also, the movie follows the shonen theme of the manga with the shojo undertones that makes Kenshin what it is. The movie is definitely worth seeing at least once, even for those who are not fans of foreign animation. This shows just how well a movie can pull all the elements together from a series and blend them with (at the time) high quality animation and quality voice acting.

A brief summary of Kenshin for those of you who are coming into this without any background. During the days before Meiji era, Himura Kenshin was the leading assassin for the Ishin Shishi and was known as the Hitokiri Battousai. Using the god like speed of his Hiten Mitsurugi, he hacked his way through countless victims so that a new era could be established. After the new government had been moved into the seat of the power, and the shogun put behind bars, Kenshin retired from a life of killing and took up a Sakabatou (a reverse blade sword, where the blade is on the back and not the front) and decided to try and repent for all his murderous deeds.As any veteran of Rurouni Kenshin will tell you, Kenshin's past has a way of coming back to bite him. This movie is no exception. Playing out like an extra long filler episode, this movie tells the story of how back in Kenshin's Hitokiri days Kenshin killed another Hitokiri named Gatotsu. Now, in the peaceful days of the Meiji government, Gatotsu's two brothers in arms (not biological brothers, just friends really) are planning on overthrowing the government through violent revolution, and naturally Kenshin is the only one who can stop them.This movie had every reason to be good. First off the story isn't that bad, sure it's a little boring, but it allows for plenty of dramatic moments where Kenshin finds his past coming back to haunt him, and plenty of innocents are killed for peoples dying dreams (a reoccurring theme in Kenshin). The film manages to include most of the major characters, Yahiko, Sanosuke, Kaoru and even the doctors two grand children make appearances, and the soundtrack is pretty damn good.Unfortunately, the plot line never quite realizes its full potential, and aside from a decent (but still disappointing) action scene in the middle the movie, the entire film is incredibly poorly animated (which doesn't make sense as this was actually made after the series ended...so shouldn't the animation have been better?)While Shigure is a mildly tragic figure, i found his two cohorts far more interesting in their evil ways, and found myself wondering how this man had inspired an entire rebellion. Many people will complain about the reoccurring flashbacks to Kenshin's battle with Gatotsu. I myself, didn't mind these at all, in fact I rather enjoyed them.Perhaps my real biggest gripe with this movie is just the animation. It's not really bad, but for fans who have seen the Kyoto arc, or seen any of the ova's, they will find these fights barely watchable. I really don't understand why the animation was so bad in this movie, and i don't think I'll ever get over it. I mean how cool would it have been to see TV Kenshin (you know, the one who says 'Oro')fight in fluid animation? To end with I'd like to note some interesting facts about this movie. First off, Nobuhiro Watsuki didn't write this story, I think he was busy on the Manga or on GUN BLAZE WEST! but this was based on an idea he had...that's all (which explains why the movie just doesn't seem to flow as well as Watsuki's other ideas).Secondly, there has also been a lot of speculation as to when this movie takes place. Saito's in it, and the two adversaries are cordial to each other so it must take place after episode 28 of the anime, but right after that episode Kenshin leaves for Kyoto, and while in Kyoto he seals away the Hitokiri inside himself forever (and he doesn't use either of his two new techniques, Amakeki Ryu Sho Sein and Amekeki Ryu Ryu something - i honestly can't even remember their names) but at the end of this movie he goes back into Hitokiri mode. Honestly, would it have killed them to make the anime fit into series? In a perfect world, this movie would have been written entirely by Watsuki and told an untold chapter of Kenshin's life that we never knew about. Sure it probably would have been Kenshin's past coming back for him, but it would have probably had an all new twist...instead of the same old same old.If your a Kenshin fan, you'll have to see this. But if you like Kenshin for it's well animated fights, keep moving. (It's a 6/10 if you love Kenshin, and a 4/10 if you watch it by itself, yeah it's that disappointing)

This story is as amazing as the other OVA's and the Kenshin series. True, plenty of fans have had their differences over the two. But I disagree with any disrespect given to this movie.This movie, compared to the first parts of the OVA (Trust and Betrayal for us pro-English/Japanese-handicapped folk) is closer in style and story to the Kenshin series. The animation is identical to the series though the voice acting cast is different since this movie predates the series by a few years.From the flashbacks to Kenshin's assassin days to the fact that he's fighting the same battles a decade later, we see that Kenshin's determination to kill with his sword in his former days will never allow his more peaceful side a chance to really be at ease. As in the series... Kenshin's victims, or rather their friends and family, dog Kenshin's every step with either ideas of revenge, making him feel guilty about his deeds, or forcing him to confront impetuous adversaries in order to make things right.Kenshin uses his reverse-blade sword to try to save himself and his opponents from deadly mistakes. But he finds out how hard it is to atone for such unspeakable bloodshed.This movie is a little easier on Kenshin's personal life than Trust/Betrayal, but attentive viewers will share in Kenshin's deep frustration when so many subverse elements ruin his chances to make amends.

When I saw this film I had no idea that it was a series, in fact I had never even heard of the film, I just caught it at a friends house. I was utterly shocked at the shear quality of it, the action is superb, and while the actual story isn't great (nor is it bad by any means) the messages and thoughts it provokes are very impressive (i wont go into them here). As I said I had never heard of this before, I knew nothing about the film, but unlike many anime the story doesn't get confusing and you get a good feel for the history of the characters. The only bad thing that I can say about the film is the quality of the animation isn't as good as I've seen, but this doesn't really detract from the enjoyment, especially when you get dragged into the story. Top stuff.(8/10).