Kazuhiro Furuhashi Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal -Directors Cut- (OVA)

Plot

Well, this will be a treat for all of the Rurouni Kenshin fans. The story starts off with the tragic childhood of Kenshin Himura, as he witnesses the massacre of the people he was traveling with. This is how he finds his master, who teaches him the art of the Hiten Mitsurugi sword style. As a young teen, Kenshin wants to help the people from tyranny and decides to become an assassin to fight against the Tokugawa shogunate. That is how the title "Battousai the Manslayer" was given to him. This anime also incorporates Kenshin's first love with his first wife, Tomoe.

Audio and Visuals

I would say the characters and visuals in the OVA are pretty good. There were plenty of moments that looked beautiful, especially during the fight scenes.

The audio in the anime series was average at best. I found the depressing music to help set the mood for Kenshin's life. There weren't any amazing songs, but the voiceovers were well done. I did find them to be a little monotone sometimes, but it didn't bother me much.

Story / Mood

This is pretty much a depressing OVA with great action. There is plenty of blood thanks to Kenshin, but the mood was mostly dark and depressing. Don't expect comedy here like there was in the Rurouni Kenshin series.

Final Thoughts

If you always wanted to know about Kenshin's past, then this OVA won't disappoint you, especially if you always wanted to see the legendary manslayer actually kill someone.

It is for serious and mature fans only. A little romance is thrown in to show how Kenshin is just a human after all. I loved it because the story was good, action was great, and it finally answered my questions about his past.

The only problem I really had with it was that they rushed the romance between Kenshin and Tomoe. It went too fast. Other than that, the story was great.

I bought the director's cut version, which had all 4 episodes in one long OVA. It was definitely worth the $20 I spent for it.

If you like samurai based anime, and you liked the Rurouni Kenshin series, then you will love this OVA. Be prepared to sacrifice the comedy though, because there is none in this.