"Rurouni Kenshin" (2000) TV series

User Rating:

8.8/10   

Director:

Kazuhiro Furuhashi

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

The story of the Samurai!

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Anime | Male Female Relationship | Revenge | Katana Sword

Cast

Richard Cansino	...	Kenshin Himura (voice) (as Richard Hayworth)
Dorothy Elias-Fahn	...	Kaoru Kamiya / Kuro (voice) (as Dorothy Melendrez)
Lex Lang	...	Sanosuke Sagara (voice)
Wendee Lee	...	Yahiko Myojin / Yumi Komagata (voice) (as Elyse Floyd)
Jane Alan	...	Megumi Takani (voice)
Michelle Ruff	...	Tae / Tsubame (voice) (as Georgette Rose)
Steve Kramer	...	Dr. Gensai / Jirokichi Ebisu / Shibumi / Sugimoto (voice)
Mona Marshall	...	Suzame / Soshi Okita (voice)
Steve Bloch	...	Ayame (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Axelrod	...	Sakata / Additional Voices (voice)
Richard Barnes	...	Yohei Senbonya (voice: English version)
Beau Billingslea	...	Gohei / Senaku (voice) (as John Billingslea)
Steve Blum	...	Makoto Shishio / Toma Sakaki (voice) (as David Lucas)
Bob Bobson	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Ivan Buckley	...	Kanryu Takeda (voice)
Francis Cherry	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Peter Doyle	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Dean Elliott	...	Shikijo (voice: English version) (as Dean Elliot)
Richard Epcar	...	Raijuta Isurugi / Hiko Seijuro XIII (voice) (as Richard George)
Jonathan Fahn	...	Ryuji (voice: English version) (as Jonathan Charles)
Lynn Fischer	...	Sojiro Seta (#2) (voice)
Rebecca Forstadt	...	Marima Ebisu (voice) (as Reba West)
Crispin Freeman	...	(voice)
David W. Goldstein	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Barbara Goodson	...	Hana (voice)
Bridget Hoffman	...	Iori (voice) (as Ruby Marlowe)
Tara Jayne	...	Sojiro Seta (voice)
Melvin Katt	...	Iwazo (voice: English version)
Peter Lee	...	Tekkan Kisaki / Additional Voices (voice)
Michael Lindsay	...	Yutaro Tsukayama (voice)
Monique Lindsley	...	Kasumi (voice: English version)
Lee Loopers	...	Villagers (voice: English version)
Dan Lorge	...	Shiro (voice)
Joey Lotsko	...	Kawaji (voice)
Peter Lurie	...	Sobei Sumidaya (voice) (as Chuck Farley)
Dave Mallow	...	Jinei Udo / Hoji Satojima / Additional Voices (voice)
Christina Martini	...	Mitsu (voice: English version)
Jake Martin	...	Henya, Shirojo, Leader, Chief Officer, Chief Soldier, Hannya, Soldier, Gonzo (voice: English version) (as Jake Daniels)
Michael McConnohie	...	Soushi Okina (voice)
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn	...	Shura / Soba Waitress (voice) (as Melissa Williamson)
Matt K. Miller	...	Shuji, Sailor (voice: English version) (as Kermit Beachwood)
Tony Oliver	...	Toramaru / Additional Voices (voice)
Bob Papenbrook	...	Head of Police / Additional Voices (voice) (as John Smallberries)
Jeremy Patter	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Tony Pope	...	Additional Voices (voice) (as Anthony Mozdy)
Jerry Potter	...	Hishimanji Gang, Jinpuu Squad Soldiers (voice: English version) (as Jeremy Potter)
Simon Prescott	...	Aritomo Yamagata (voice) (as Simon Isaacson)
Jamieson Price	...	Usui (voice: English version) (as James Lyon)
Derek Stephen Prince	...	Beshimi / Gekki / Cho Sawahimojo (voice) (as David Umansky)
Mike Reynolds	...	Takuma Hashizume (voice) (as Ray Michaels)
Joe Romersa	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Philece Sampler	...	Misao Makimachi (voice) (as Debra Cunningham)
Joshua Seth	...	Eiji Mishima (voice)
Herman E. Sherman	...	Eichiro Mishima (voice: English version)
Brianne Siddall	...	Young Sanosuke Sagura (voice: English version) (as Ian Hawk)
Peter Spellos	...	Senryotama / Additional Voices (voice) (as G. Gordon Baer)
Melodee Spevack	...	Kamatari (voice)
Jeffrey Stackhouse	...	Big Guy (voice)
Steve Staley	...	Captain Sozo Sagara / Additional Voices (voice) (as Steve Cannon)
Barry Stigler	...	Cop (voice: English version) (as Gil Starberry)
Doug Stone	...	Toshimichi Okubo (voice) (as David Orozco)
Terrance Stone	...	Aoshi Shinomori
Terrence Stone	...	Aoshi Shinomori / Thug (voice) (also as Terry Roberts)
Paul St. Peter	...	Tsukio (voice)
Kim Strauss	...	Fake Conductor, Tsunan Tsukioka, Captain (voice: English version)
Michael Switters	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Jim Taggert	...	Yohei, Policeman, Soldier, Yanosuke (voice: English version)
Junko Takeuchi	...	Kamatari (voice)
Julie Ann Taylor	...	Tsubaki (voice: English version) (as Julie Pickering)
Kirk Thornton	...	Hajime Saito / Sakuramaru / Additional Voices (voice) (as Sparky Thornton)
Ezra Weisz	...	Passenger / Seiku Arai / Traveler (voice) (as Ethan Murray)
Dan Woren	...	Gengo Kisaki (voice) (as Jackson Daniels)
Tom Wyner	...	Arundo Akamatsu / Additional Voices (voice) (as Abe Lasser)

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-Y7 (cut) | Japan:U | USA:TV-14 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M (DVD rating)

Company:

Aniplex

Trivia:

Megumi and Kaoru have the nicknames Kitsune (Fox) and Tanuki (Racoon Dog). In Japanese folklore, the Kitsune and Tanuki are thought of as "dangerous spirits". The Kitsune is said to often take on the form of a bewitching woman who seduces and tricks unworthy men, whilst protecting and rewarding deserving people. These are the two very different attitudes Megumi holds towards Sanosuke and Kenshin. The Tanuki, on the other hand, is said to also take on the form of a woman, but is regarded as much more playful and mischievous than the judgmental Kitsune.

Quotes:

Megumi Takani: I think it's you who shouldn't take me so lightly! Listen to me, Kaoru. I became a doctor to help as many people as possible to atone for the sins I've committed. This is the path I chose to live and Sir Ken was the person who showed me this path I've chosen to follow...

Soundtrack:

Freckles

Legends of the Wanderer

This is a truly fantastic series... dramatic characters, a hero that is capable of huge mood swings (from goofy, to romantic, to blood thirsty), and female characters that you would swear your life to protect or swear..well... I must be civil.

Great sword-fighting actions scenes, a drop of history (it takes place in the 1870s), and some philosophizing about living a life of violence versus peace make this series cover the gamut of emotions a viewer wants from any series, not just anime.

I hope everyone can take notice of this story, it is not for everyone, but it hits so many points relevant to our current world order: from terrorism (bad guys attacking the fragile government), to being able to look at the world as something other than a battlefield (Kenshin vowing not to kill after so many years as an assassin).