Rurouni Kenshin OVA: Trust & Betrayal

I’ve watched this DVD for the first time some years ago, but now that my roommate decided to give it a try, I took the opportunity to re-watch it (again! Oh yeah, I’m a nerd when it comes to Animes, Mangas and other Doujins.). If you are familiar with the TV show “Samurai X” that was aired in Portugal by the end of the 90’s, then you probably will recognize this name right away. Rurouni Kenshin, or Samurai X, as the Americans and Europeans like to call it, was one of the most popular Mangas in Japan in the mid 90’s. Later, an Anime version was produced, which made Kenshin Himura one of the most famous characters ever in Japanese animation.

The “Trust and Betrayal” OVA (Original Video Animation) was released after the TV series were over in Japan, and it tells the story of Kenshin during the Meiji Revolution, back when he was still a manslayer. In other words, this OVA is a prequel that answers many of the unanswered questions left by the TV series. Consisting of 4 episodes, this OVA takes the world of Rurouni Kenshin to a whole different level. Forget about all the comical moments that we were used to watch on TV. Here we have some serious animation, with very deep and well developed characters. Japanese culture at the time is portrayed in a superb way, with several details that give the story a complete different depth.

However, if you’re just expecting to see brutal and violent scenes, which this OVA also has, than you will be disappointed. The main focus of “Trust and Betrayal” is not the bloodbaths brought by the Battousai. Instead, these 4 episodes evolve around a beautiful and tragic romance in an epoch of blood and chaos.
The art and animation are way better than those of the TV series, sometimes with even excessive detail in the brutality of the fighting scenes. You can also expect a high quality soundtrack, which taken together with the animation, offers an amazing cinematographic experience.

If you were a fan of the Samurai X TV series, or if you are into Japanese animation, than I can guarantee that you will love this. In my opinion, it still is one of the best OVAs out there.