Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
Before he was a protector, Kenshin was a fearsome assassin known as Battosai. But when he meets gentle Tomoe Yukishiro, a beautiful young woman who carries a huge burden in her heart, his life will change forever.
Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning is a beautifully crafted prequel that dives into Kenshin's tragic origins during the Bakumatsu era. The plot is compelling and emotionally dense, weaving political intrigue with a deeply melancholic romance that gives Kenshin's iconic scar its devastating meaning — earning a strong 4. Cinematography is genuinely exceptional, with director Otomo Kenji delivering hauntingly atmospheric visuals: muted palettes, snow-drenched landscapes, and intimate close-ups that contrast sharply with the brutal sword choreography. The ending is among the most gut-wrenching in the franchise and in live-action manga adaptations generally — the tragic payoff of Tomoe's arc lands with rare emotional weight. Novelty is above average but not exceptional; while the film perfects the tragic samurai romance within a well-trodden genre, it doesn't reinvent the form so much as execute it with great care. Acting is solid with Takeru Satoh fully inhabiting the younger, more haunted Kenshin, though some supporting performances are serviceable rather than outstanding, keeping it at a 3.