Rurouni Kenshin Anime and Manga Differences + Opinion - Kyoto Arc

I've heard that the Kyoto arc is very faithfully adapted from the manga so this post might be useless but I'll note down anything I see anyway haha. (EDIT: There's more than I thought LOL, it's actually tiring! I'm probably just picky lol)

Meeting Makimachi Misao

Besides the bits and pieces of extra detail the anime decided to add such as Yahiko saying goodbye to Tsubame and stuff like that, the anime seems quite faithful to the manga. They also added that little bit of fighting when Misao meets Kenshin for the first time and tries to attack him but he keeps dodging. It was all done in jest though since they went all chibi and so I actually appreciated that addition in the anime since it made their first meeting really cute. Oh and when they were jumping up to a rooftop(?) to return the money Misao stole, in the anime, she slipped a bit but in the manga, she landed successfully with no trouble indicating that she is quite capable. The anime probably wanted to make it a bit funny but I honestly would prefer the manga in this since this directly refers to Misao's abilities and I think she deserved that little badge of capability for this one.

When Misao is chasing Kenshin in the forest and Kenshin thinks about Kaoru who he had left because he didn't want her to be in danger (he believes that Aoshi left Misao for the same reason), the anime flashbacks to a moment when Kenshin grabbed Kaoru's hand as they were taking cover from rain and Kaoru blushed. In the manga, Kenshin just flashbacks to her face. I'll admit that the touching hand scene is soo cute and squeal-worthy that I really liked it but then that would mean Kenshin had practically confirmed his feelings for Kaoru before that farewell scene and thus makes it not as groundbreaking as it really should be. Personally, I don't mind, I enjoy both versions. Btw this is also the moment I fell in love with Misao, because her sincere feelings for wanting to find Aoshi because she can't forget about him was one that really touched me.



Mishima Eiji

Besides some things being shown in a different order (which is totally fine since manga and anime are different and so storytelling wise they would change things up to make it flow nicely as a show), one thing I noticed is with Misao again loll. They added that little comedic part of her being scared of spiders and that's why Shishio's underlings found her and Eiji hiding in the bushes but really, she just appeared before them and smacked them, which I honestly prefer since Misao seems to rush head on into things more.

I still love how she says, "I, Makimachi Misao has no name to give to villains!" lmaoo. Oh and there was no taunting from the underling to Eiji on whether he's killed anyone before etc and then him trying to stab him but Misao stops him. I guess that addition in the anime exemplifies his hatred more. And the big brother that died doesn't get a flashback and Eiji's case is solved quite simply but concisely. The addition of the flashback was nice though because a brother's love is always something wonderful to see. There's other random little differences but they're not important enough to care about hahaha.



Training with Anji

Anji didn't tell Sano that the training would be really tough and advise against it for him, Sano also didn't show any of his skills as a fighter to Anji either. In the manga, he simply asked him what he thought about the Meiji government and that was all. I don't mind both but with the manga's simple clear-cut way, you could tell much more easily that what Anji valued above all else was Sano's feelings towards the Meiji government, whether he could succeed in the training or not is his own problem.

Also, in the anime Anji states that Sano must die if he can't learn the Futae no Kiwami since he never intended to pass this technique on to future generations and because Sano said he was willing to risk his life, but in the manga Anji just says that he must die if he can't learn it within the allocated time. It may not seem to be a big difference but I prefer the manga because it shows that shounen-esque resolve where if you want to learn something powerful, you have to risk your life for it. Not because you think it's a secret technique so you don't want them blabbing about it etc but because if you can't even learn it, then that means you're not worthy of your resolve and of this technique.

The part where Captain Sagara appears though still hurts my heart T_T the anime does it so well because of the soundtrack T_T and I really love Sano's VA as well so that helps a lot. This is one part I'd recommend over the manga just because the soundtrack is so beautiful T_T



Kenshin vs. Chou

It's pretty much the same as the manga I'd say with minor enough differences that I'd say whichever is fine. If you prefer your battles in motion, then the anime will be the winner though of course. The only thing I'll be nitpicky about is that in the manga Kenshin himself realised that the katana in his hand was a sakabatou afterwards alongside everyone else, unlike the anime where Arai Seikuu tells Kenshin to look at the katana and see that it was actually a sakabatou. I just feel like Kenshin should be the first one to be able to feel if it was a sakabatou or not from the impact he made even if he was convinced that it was a normal katana.



Leaving the Aoiya

I'm not sure why the anime changed this but when Kenshin decided to leave the Aoiya, he informed Misao and Okina properly as they were sitting down discussing it. Whereas, in the anime, he leaves after Okina tells him the whereabouts of Hiko Seijuurou and it is only when Kenshin is at the door that Misao realises that he's leaving the Aoiya. Because of this, we also miss out on the joke where Okina tells Kenshin to pay the bill for ten days worth of staying there and Kenshin turns to stone hearing it hahahaha.

In the manga, Kenshin's reason for leaving is much more pronounced where he explicitly states that he doesn't want to drag them into this, especially since Seikuu's family got dragged into it this time. I knew Kenshin felt that way but this wasn't explicitly show in the anime. Misao retorts stating that she knows kempo etc and that she's not like Iori (Seikuu's kid that was caught by Chou) but Kenshin says that in Shishio's eyes, they are the same and Okina accepts his reason for leaving.

Also, in the manga, they had not found Hiko Seijuurou's whereabouts yet so really, it enforces Kenshin's conviction to not remain here and have them get hurt because of him, whereas in the anime, it doesn't feel as strong since he needed to leave to meet Hiko anyway. As Kenshin leaves, Misao also shouts that Kenshin should take the advice that he gave to Eiji, 'to be happy' since if he only carries these burdens himself, he'll be miserable by trying to do everything himself. In the manga, Misao does not chase after Kenshin either.

Instead of Kaoru and Yahiko noticing Aoshi and then bumping into Misao on the streets as they watched people walk by trying to find Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko were actually working at the Shirobeko and had put up a notice looking for Kenshin. Personally, I prefer this because I thought it was pretty stupid and useless to be sitting on steps watching people pass by to see if you see Kenshin, like c'mon even if he does pass by, what are the chances you'll actually see him with the sea of people there? Misao goes to the Shirobeko to cheer herself up (3 days after Kenshin left) since Kenshin's an idiot (hahaha) and sees the missing person notice for Kenshin (which is so cute btw LOL, so sad they didn't animate this). As Misao sees the notice, she shouts "Himura!" and Kaoru headbutts her because of how excited she is that someone knows Kenshin.

In the background, Okina fires a signal flare to the sky for Kenshin to indicate he has found Hiko and it is shown that Hiko sees this and finds it unusual that people still use these flares, not that it concerns him. Later on, Kenshin visits Okina to know the whereabouts of Hiko, and Okina apologises that he wanted to help Kenshin until the end but his priorities are with protecting the Aoiya and Misao. Then we go back to Kaoru and Misao's awkward exchange because Kaoru doesn't know where to start, in which eventually incites some funny remarks from Misao where they misunderstand the idea of Kenshin travelling alone with her and having lived with her for a while hahaha. It was adorable. Kaoru is back to her usual self again and reacts madly to the idea that Kenshin has been playing with Misao all this time when Megumi and her were crying over his farewell so she decides that she's going to find Kenshin no matter what and shakes Misao hoping to get an answer LOL. It was only because customers of the Shirobeko noticed the signal flare as well that Misao was able to direct Kaoru and Yahiko to where Kenshin is. Basically, the anime kept the most important bits and omitted or changed the other stuff to make it shorter but still retaining the gist of everything.

Personally, I prefer the manga because the funny scene in the Shirobeko was a nicer first meeting between Misao and Kaoru and I feel like Kenshin's reason for leaving was much more developed in the manga rather than his usual simple excuse of not wanting to drag people into his troubles, since it is quite relevant that it was true this time in that Arai Seikuu did become involved mainly because Kenshin went to look for him and omitting that made Kenshin's reason for leaving less convincing, as he should have never involved himself with the Aoiya in the first place if he thought like that. Him stating the circumstance with Seikuu shows that things are different now because someone did actually get involved this time, so he must leave (even if it's probably too late now lol).

I also liked how Okina asked Kaoru the same question as Misao, where superficial feelings towards Kenshin would only hinder him etc and it was shown rather comically since Misao had already asked Kaoru. But I really liked Kaoru's simple response of a bow and saying something like "please" (since they want to know the exact location of where Kenshin went) with her hands gripping her kimono tightly showing her conviction and devotion to finding him. It was simple but important and I think I would have enjoyed seeing this in the anime since I always felt like Kaoru going to Kyoto was a serious decision but I always felt that they didn't show enough of it and so I always thought of her as more of a burden tbh. This simple gesture alongside her previous answer to Misao was very important to me.


Hiko Seijuurou

When Kaoru and Yahiko realise that Misao is part of the Oniwaban, before Kaoru tells Misao about what happened to Aoshi, she reiterates that she probably doesn't know the full details since she was not there. It was only in the anime that Kaoru was at Kanryuu's mansion.

When Aoshi sends a letter to the Aoiya for Okina, the middleperson who gives it to him in the manga are three little girls instead of one. I like that scene though, it was pretty funny hahaha. Not sure why they bothered changing it but it was funny. Also, when Okina and Aoshi meet, Okina actually orders some food so it's really like a little restaurant instead of him just sitting on the bench talking, so really, the anime just decided to omit that part which in my view was important in the sense that it created a proper setting. I always thought it was a weird scene imo because it was obvious that they were talking to each other and they made no effort to conceal it. They also shortened the conversation, since Okina did tell Aoshi that Kenshin was at the Aoiya but now he doesn't know where he is and Aoshi remarked that he was right under his nose and yet missed him.

I guess they wanted to make it more solemn and serious in the anime but when Kenshin kneeled down and asked Hiko to teach him what was left of the Hiten Mitsurugi style, I really liked how in the manga, he immediately refused and Kenshin had his stupid face hahaha. But I guess this is a matter of preference. I just enjoy Hiko's antics quite a bit and thought was funny. I also feel like they missed out on one of Hiko's important lines which was "You ishin shishi believed in justice and supported it. You certainly built the Meiji government out of the violence. But at the same time, to hide your wrongdoings, you buried in darkness whatever wasn't convenient" which completely words the exact problem of the Meiji government and all the problems that are occurring now. So I was rather sad that the anime cut this out and focused on Hiko stating that Kenshin had a role in creating Shishio Makoto and the vengeance he seeks now.

Also, reading the manga again, they most definitely shortened the conversation in the anime, it has the gist of it but the anime tries to create an impact through its animation effects etc whereas the manga keeps its' impact through what Hiko says. Hiko relents that what Kenshin thought as the 14 y/o that left was right in that the Hiten Mitsurugi Style is used to protect those suffering from the ages but its strength was meant to be based on the ideals of freedom and not choosing a side and becoming dogs of the government. It really showed that Kenshin never really understood the impact of his sword as a teenager and he is now reaping the consequences of it.

I also really don't like how in the anime they made Misao and Yahiko ask Kaoru what is she doing when Kenshin's just inside at Hiko's place since in the manga all she did was grip her kimono but no, the anime had to emphasise Kaoru's hesitance to entering making it really misleading! In the manga, you can feel that she is hesitant because he's just behind that door but in the anime, it seems more like her conviction is weak and everything she said before was just half-assed and it made me very annoyed at Kaoru in the anime. These little actions of hers in the anime  was so overdone that it made me think that she really should just go home because she isn't firm towards her decision of meeting Kenshin at all. I'm very disappointed that the anime makes this impression by adding all this crap. It doesn't help that I think the manga has the right balance of this and so when they follow the manga and add their own stuff like this, it just becomes over the top and annoying that Kaoru is so hesitant when she's really not that hesitant at all. They also cut out some little antics (again) that made it more cute and stuff.

Since they changed how Misao and Kaoru met as well, they couldn't add in the fact that Kaoru also said that at the Shirobeko, she felt like hitting him but when she saw him, she wasn't able to. I feel like they either didn't have the time or took these lines really lightly when they're actually really important because by Kaoru saying this, I could understand her feelings much more than her simple "I wanted to see Kenshin", that's the crux of it but these details on the side are very important. This is why communication fails these days! They leave out important details!

I feel like I'm complaining now but I guess I have a lot of problems with this LOL. Also, when Hiko decides to teach Kenshin the secret techniques, I could never really see why in the anime because he seemed so unimpressed with what Kenshin said by merely stating that Kenshin is still saying the same thing he said years ago when he left. Whereas, in the manga, he calls Kenshin stupid but understands that despite the years that have passed, Kenshin's conviction towards saving people has not changed and it shows through his expression and smirk that this is what he acknowledges about Kenshin's principles and why he is worth teaching the secrets. I know it's essentially the same, but details, details! Hiko carries a gentle expression along with the smirk as well so really.. I guess this is a drawing problem LOL. But nah, it's probably just the overall feel of everything.

I am also very sad that they cut out Hiko making jokes about how he's doing this because he's too lazy to look for another disciple and he's too lazy to deal with Shishio himself despite it being the easiest way for him hahahah. They also cut out the little bit where after Hiko says that if he learns the secret technique, Kenshim should be as strong as him and then he thinks nah, he's not that good and should only be able to touch his level of strength LOL. To which, I personally agree because I thought it was rather weird that the anime said he'd be on the same level as Hiko if he learnt it and that's all, because I honestly didn't think so. But that might be me being bias towards Hiko. However, Hiko is definitely stronger emotionally and that's a crucial part to fighting, so I still stand to my words.

Basically, I'd say I wasn't too impressed with how Hiko Seijuurou's part was done. However it isn't because it was bad, it's only because it could have been much better, especially since his master is such a great and cool character.


Shishio Makoto's Homura Dama

They definitely censored the part where Shishio sliced some random guy that tried to steal a sword too loll! I was actually really confused about this part because I wasn't sure if he was slicing thin air or not and it really made Shishio's ruthlessness and power lose some impact. The lack of Houji's reactions to the body catching on fire from his sword and not being able to see the sword leave the scabbard in the anime also made this cool scene seem rather mundane and useless as well. I also don't like how when Aoshi comes along with Soujiro to meet Shishio for info on Kenshin and Shishio says he's a strange guest, I'm not sure if it's a lost in translation thing but I always thought it was weird because it sounded stupid, as if he wasn't expecting Aoshi or something when he fully was and knew he would come. Honestly, I prefer the manga where he just says that Aoshi is the first outsider to come here.


Late night attack on the Aoiya

Danngg! The manga was so cool for this part, well not exactly cool but LOL the anime totally censored the part where the Oniwaban got some candles and nails to impale one of the guy's (under Shishio) hands and then sent him to report on the failure of their mission.. The guy also has a knife carved message (from Okina) on his back to Shishio's base stating where Aoshi and he should meet alone. Okina so ruthless! I would've liked to see  this in the anime but I can see why they cut it out considering the other violent stuff they cut out hahaha. I've always thought the Oniwaban at the Aoiya were rather weak physically and also weak-willed in terms of their strength and ability to engage in combat or anything so seeing this gives you an understanding that although they are living rather peaceful lives now, they still retain a bit of their skills and ruthlessness from the past.



Aoshi vs. Okina

Here and there are additions and minor changes but not enough to complain about haha. Although it was much more bloody when Aoshi slashed Okina, it was like dangg, all that blood splatter. But it's fine, in the end, the effect is mostly the same because of Misao's reaction to it.

However, I am very disappointed that the anime decided the cut the part where Aoshi actually did go to the Aoiya to ask where Kenshin was. In the anime, he tells Misao (after he nearly killed Okina) to tell Kenshin that he'll be waiting at Shishio's hideout. But, in the manga, he actually goes to the Aoiya and whilst the rest of the Oniwaban are flustered since even Okina could not stop him, Yahiko steps out to say that he thought Aoshi was better than this. It was quite terrible to have to see Aoshi actually say he'd kill them if they won't tell, but in the anime, I always wondered why he never bothered to go to the Aoiya when he said he would LOL. Yahiko tells him that even without Aoshi going to look for him, Kenshin will fight him anyway, to which Kaoru steps in telling Aoshi to not wield that bloodstained sword that only brings misery to himself anymore. Kaoru was really cool when she said that so I'm sad that the anime didn't let her have her cool lines haha.

I think the manga does a better job with this scene to show how determined Aoshi is in killing Kenshin and how much he's lost himself to it. It also makes more sense (obviously) haha.


Misao as the new Okashira

I also thought when Misao changed to her shinobi uniform (?) and her declaration in her mind that the Oniwaban is where all her happiness lies and thus she can't possibly go live as a normal girl made her decision to proclaim herself as the okashira flow much better. Also, her resolve was seen plainly with the fact that she says that even if the enemy is Aoshi, she will not hold back because she and Kenshin will stop Shishio. I really enjoyed her show of determination and was sad the anime cut these few lines out.

I was rather surprised that in the manga, Misao herself tells Kenshin that they must destroy Aoshi but in the anime, Misao is evidently distressed over the idea and does not want him to be killed. Maybe the anime people decided that it didn't make sense for Misao to tell Kenshin to destroy him and then be so shocked when Okina tells Kenshin to kill Aoshi. To be fair, I think Misao saying that was quite important because it shows the conflict between her feelings as Misao (herself) and her feelings as the new Okashira that is burdened with the Oniwaban now. When she said that Aoshi needs to be destroyed, she knew of it as the correct choice because of what Aoshi had done and become, but when Okina so definitively asked Kenshin to do this as a favour for him, I think it finally hit her that they really plan on ending his life and that made her realise that despite what has happened and what she thinks, she really doesn't want Aoshi to die. After all, Misao is only 16 y/o and immature, but despite that, I think any other person would be quite conflicted about such a thing and so I think having her say that in the manga portrayed the confusion in her heart well, whereas in the anime, it is instead perceived that despite what Aoshi had done to Okina, she had forgiven him. But, I guess it doesn't matter THAT much..



Houji's resolve

Omgg when Houji tore out his nails to show his loyalty and allegiance to Shishio, I was like danggg, it would have made such a great impact in the anime! But I guess you can't go too crazy in the anime LOL, but I still felt his undying loyalty (in a censored way) towards Shishio so I guess that doesn't matter.

Usui's entrance was cooler in the manga too hahaha!


Sanosuke vs. Yuukyuuzan Anji

Personally, I preferred the anime for Anji's story with the extra details they added to his back story and stuff making it easier to empathise with Anji's feelings. It showed the children's suffering and hope very well and how much Anji wished to protect those simple wishes and how much he devoted himself to Buddha and yet these children could not be spared.

I'm not sure if I like the idea where the anime made it that Sano was so injured that he had to stay there for a bit to heal his wounds before joining with Kenshin later, since in the manga he rubbed some of Megumi's medicine on him and walked pretty fine after the fight with Anji haha. I mean, I do like the idea of them making Sano to have more endurance than the anime shows since that's Sano's strongest factor haha. So I guess there were good and bad things for both haha, the soundtrack always makes things cool too!

Saitou Hajime vs. Uonuma Usui

I'd recommend the anime since it's moving + soundtrack but I do really love the manga as well <3 Either is good, I just really love Saito's VA so dangg hahaha. Splitting Usui's body in half in the manga is something I'm not too sure about either, seems a bit exaggerated but still cool since it makes Saito Hajime even cooler hahahah. Basically, both mediums are good.
 

Kenshin vs. Shinomori Aoshi

Pretty much the same I believe. But as usual, who can resist seeing Aoshi in action? <3 Personally, Aoshi's fighting style in the beginning and at this point are my favourites of the series so you can't blame me for wanting to see Aoshi animated hahaha. Needless to say, it was beautiful and I enjoyed the resolution to Aoshi's wounded heart in the manga and the anime. But dangg, Aoshi is the best looking guy too imo <3 and his soundtrack just makes the mood so solemn and heart wrenching T_T



Kenshin vs. Seta Soujirou

Minor differences such as the input of Senkaku and Soujirou talking together in the anime. Both versions were really good but I actually quite like the seizure-inducing (LOL) shukuchi (pretty much) that was constantly flashing in the anime hahaha. It also displayed how fearsome Soujirou was very well. But I do have to maintain that although the anime showed Soujirou's deep sadness very well (I cried T_T), the manga echoes a very strong heart wrenching pain towards Soujirou's experiences and his existence. They both made me cry so they're both good T_T



Kenshin vs. Shishio Makoto

Pretty much faithfully adapted in the anime. I'd recommend the anime for the soundtrack and to be able to see the movements of the battle/techniques better but otherwise, both were very enjoyable.


Overall, the Kyoto arc was mostly beautifully adapted in terms of the fights but lacked some emotions that could have been rendered better. Nevertheless, I love both and would watch and read Kenshin again and again. I think I love it just as much as Hunter x Hunter. That's a really big deal btw because I've rewatched/read HxH many times since I fell in love with it in primary school so that's nearing 20 years! Hahaha, but yeah, these are just future reference for me if I'm ever curious about the differences again XD And I'll be back to my normal reviews soon~~

Rurouni Kenshin Anime and Manga Differences + Opinion - Tokyo Arc

Sooo.. let's do something a little different this month! Since I've been watching and reading Rurouni Kenshin, I thought I might as well note down the differences that I noticed and thought were important to me. It would be useful for the future me and maybe some others if they want to know what these differences may be so here they are~

P.S There are differences I skipped because there's just quite a bit that the anime added as well so I skipped some hahaha since I didn't think they were important enough to warrant a note of it.

Ayame and Suzume

I was actually surprised that Ayame and Suzume didn't appear in the manga because I actually thought they were quite cute albeit random in the anime haha. Gensai exists as a doctor that takes care of Megumi but doesn't appear all that much in contrast to the anime where he is like a part of the everyday life in Tokyo.


Hiruma Gohei/Fake Battousai

The removal of Hiruma Kihei in the anime isn't a very big difference I guess but nevertheless a difference. He is after all Gohei's older brother and more of the mastermind since Gohei was mostly just a brute in the manga that pretended to be the battousai. He was also Kaoru's housekeeper(?) after her father died and thus someone she trusted in for a period of time when all he really wanted was to sell her dojo's land. But basically, most of the things Gohei did in the anime (besides the fighting part since Kihei can't fight) was actually done by Kihei, such as hiring Sanosuke and attempting to shoot Kenshin with a gun after the fight with Sanosuke.

Yahiko

Rather brief but in the anime, Kaoru first goes to save Yahiko from the yakuza that he owed money to and tries to gamble and win his freedom (and fights a bit) but is outnumbered and then Kenshin appears like the hero he is. Whereas, in the manga, Kaoru didn't go at all and Kenshin was the one who went to save him.

Sagara Souzo

Sagara Souzo's death was also quite different in that, in the manga all Sanosuke experienced was the Captain telling him that he'd go talk to the officials and that he'd definitely be back. However, what awaited Sanosuke was the severed head of Captain Sagara denounced as a liar and running a fake group that pretended to be listening to the government. In the anime, Captain Sagara protected Sanosuke in the forest and died in front of his eyes, so really, they're both very saddening. I'd say the anime might be a bit more saddening just because of the soundtrack that plays and the much more thorough exploration of what Captain Sagara desired through the Sekihoutai; which was the dream of a new peaceful era whereas the manga was more compact and straightforward so it didn't tug at my heartstrings as much even though it still did.


Jin-e

I don't remember too many differences between the anime and manga so they're probably mostly the same. Jin-e is very memorable though, I've never been able to forget him ever since I first encountered his character as a kid. His existence reflects the present and past conflicts with Kenshin himself and this era very well. The only difference I know would be that Sanosuke and Yahiko didn't appear to try and save Kaoru and Kenshin from Jin-e and instead were implicitly told what happened the next day. The extra humour in the anime is rather enjoyable though.


Oniwaban

In terms of the Oniwaban group's entrance, a difference would be that Kaoru didn't actually go with Kenshin and them to save Megumi and was actually at home cooking and waiting for them to come back.

Aoshi's legs didn't get hurt by the gatling gun because he pushed Hannya out of the way but because he got caught off guard and was injured. Guess the anime wanted it to be more dramatic. Also, when the Oniwaban sacrificed their lives to protect Aoshi, in the anime Kanryuu couldn't fire his gatling gun anymore because Beshimi's poison dart was stuck between the bullets, whereas in the manga Kanryuu stopped because he ran out of bullets. They're both rather saddening but I guess I do like the anime version because it makes their deaths seem more "worth it" but really, all they wanted was to keep Aoshi safe anyway so really, the two accomplish that feeling of loyalty quite well. But I do like the manga version a bit more just because it shows that Kanryuu's an idiot lol.

Another difference would be that instead of Aoshi deciding by himself after the deaths of the members of the Oniwabanshu to defeat Kenshin and highlight their graves with the name of the strongest, in the manga Kenshin himself tells Aoshi to come back again and fight him for this title because he understands that no words of sympathy or comfort would be able to soothe Aoshi's heart and so he instead gives Aoshi a reason to live. I don't mind both but I do enjoy Kenshin telling Aoshi this because it's nice to know that Kenshin understood Aoshi's pain enough that he didn't mind motivating Aoshi to kill him as a reason to live.

P.S I forgot about Megumi! LOL It's okay, I probably didn't mention anything because it was mostly the same and didn't have enough differences for me to notice hahaha.


Tsubame

Yahiko didn't have any romantic tying shoe thing with Tsubame as their first meeting and Yahiko falling in love but they met because Yahiko went to work at the Akabeko and she then came along and worked there too. Not very important but I don't remember much of Yahiko going to work at the Akabeko in the anime. In the manga, Yahiko worked there to train himself before Tsubame came along and even after that little arc he is seen to be still working at the Akabeko carrying their supplies etc.

Episodes 13-18 + 22 + 25-27 and 63+ episodes are anime fillers

I won't say much besides that the Tokyo arc fillers are OK but can be a bit draggy. However, it does set the foundation of the characters' personalities and the world that they live in quite nicely.


Rajiuuta

Personally, I prefer Raijuuta's motives in the manga a lot more, in the anime it felt like he was just an utter villain who wanted to destroy the Meiji government itself and thus banded with other swordsmen who could not adapt to this era to create a kingdom where he is the king that controls everything. Whereas, I think the manga version of him goes along with the inherent idea of the Tokyo arc much more where he is dissatisfied with how kenjutsu is 'evolving' in the Meiji era; which is that the shinai (bamboo sword) is predominantly taught and that it is viewed as a weak weapon in comparison to a real sword. Basically, Rajiuuta in the anime felt like just another guy who couldn't adapt and thus gathered more of them to fight against the Meiji government, whereas in the manga, Rajiuuta went around crushing dojos that taught this weak kenjutsu with a shinai because he rejected the idea of kenjutsu becoming something weak.

Kenshin's words in the manga also really bring out why kenjustu developing in such a way has to occur despite the sadness of having to have the old style kenjutsu slowly dissipate; since teaching kenjutsu as a sword to kill is exactly what the future doesn't need and shouldn't need for peace to be brought about and I think that highlights the theme of Kenshin much more. Although rebelling swordsmen forming a kingdom also works too I guess hahaha.

However, his character remains despicable towards Yutarou. Kinda sad they removed the dad in the anime since really, the dad reflected an important idea which was that after the Meiji era came in, samurai had to find a different means to secure money in order to live and Yutarou's dad flourished in selling swords and bowing to others like a supposed weakling. He succeeded but he lost his pride and way of life to the security he wanted to bring for his family and thus wanted his son Yutarou to at least grow up strong and fight for his beliefs, something the dad could not do. I really admired the dad tbh.

 Another difference was that in the manga, the police never became involved with this Rajiuuta incident and you barely see anyone else besides Rajiuuta, so really, he was the only one Kenshin actually fought against in this arc instead of those random lackeys he and Sano fought against at the mansion in the anime.


Tsukioka Tsunan/Katsuhiro

The Shindou part framing the Sekihoutai (by leaving behind Sagara Souzo's portrait at the scenes) for murder to advance his position in the government was not in the manga but nevertheless a part in the anime that made my anger boil because tarnishing Captain Sagara even after his death was just absolutely despicable!

When Sanosuke was having that last party before he goes with Tsunan/Katsu to attack the government building, Megumi wasn't there but instead Katsu participated and it was actually a reunion party.

At the government building when Katsu and Sano were going to invade, Kenshin and Sano didn't have any dramatic fight like they did in the anime, instead, when Kenshin appeared and stopped Katsu's bombs, Sano punched Katsu's gut causing him to fall unconscious. When Katsu woke up, Sano's words explaining Kenshin's thoughts and stating that they shouldn't sink to the government's level of doing things felt more powerful and heart resonating than in the anime where everything is more essentially solved by Kenshin. I mean, this is Sano's time to shine so don't steal it Kenshin! Nevertheless, both versions are fine since in the anime you can't help but admire Sano's idiotic camaraderie, whereas in the manga Sano is seen to be much more logical and understanding of what needs to be done to stop Katsu and to change this era for the better instead.


Saito Hajime

I can't think of anything drastically different tbh besides the use of flashbacks again and again and before Kenshin started to fight Saito, Kaoru didn't have the chance to grab Kenshin's clothes to express her worries as she did in the anime. She only had a bad feeling about it and wanted to grab him but couldn't. Oh and Kenshin's hair tie never broke making him look like a wild animal LOL. But I guess they just wanted it to be a bit more dramatic which I'm totally OK with b/c the fight was still as cool as ever. They didn't show Tsubame getting hit on her side by the carriage (that Okubo was in) to show how much of a hurry he was in as well but that's not important hahaha.

When Saito killed Akamatsu and the other guy though, I think the manga portrayed it better but that might be a problem with the translations/subs rather than the anime itself since translations back in the day were iffy here and there. Oh and the lopping of Akamatsu's head was soo much cooler in the manga, censorship problems I guess loll.


Kenshin's farewell to Kaoru

Oh and where Kenshin said farewell to Kaoru, it wasn't anywhere romantic with fireflies, it was just the front door of the dojo lmao. He still hugged her though of course <3 I know it's less romantic but I personally enjoyed the manga version where it was just the front door because essentially, that's where they both belong and so him saying goodbye there made a bigger effect on me there since their home and reasons to exist are there. But I guess the anime wanted something more romantic which I didn't mind since this is probably the decisive moment when we can finally confirm that Kenshin likes Kaoru the same way she does for him so it warranted the dramatic scene.

But I have to admit that hearing their voices and having such a good soundtrack makes everything so worth it to watch instead of read sometimes. I always feel so sad for Megumi that she never got to go to Kyoto but I really admired the fact that she stayed because she's right that saving her patients and atoning for her sins is what her job is and what Kenshin taught her to live her life for and so it's meaningless for her to go along despite her feelings for Kenshin. It was very emotional when Kaoru and her displayed their different perspectives, it's really hard to say what's worse since having someone so definitively say goodbye to you is hard but so is not even receiving that goodbye.

Yayy donee! I might have missed some stuff in Jin-e's arc, I'm not really sure but I cbb going back to check hahaha! I guess it doesn't matter that much though, because I know that I'll watch Rurouni Kenshin again and again anyway! XD

January Manga of the Month (MOTM)

 

Wanko/Inugamihime ni Kuchizuke by Miyata Kouji

Genre: Action, Comedy, Ecchi, Romance, Seinen, Supernatural

Status: Complete, 24 Chapters scanlated

 Just a heads up, although it's considered ecchi, it's nothing crazy like those panty flashing in the regular shounen but instead this tag is mainly because of the sensual kisses that our main couple share. I gotta say, I totally dig it and I absolutely loved it because it was sweet and sensual but cute at the same time. Nothing OTT. As someone had commented before, it is steamy without being lewd and that's the best way to describe the romantic scenes.

Anyway, the story revolves around Kazura (girl above) who essentially changes places with the dog spirit that resides within her whenever she kisses her boss (guy above) in order to exorcise evil spirits and demons creating havoc in this world. Since it takes more of a comedic take, there's nothing too serious about the capturing of demons (besides the ending) but they are all quite emotional.

It's always fun to see how the main couple interact especially when the dog spirit takes over and then she wakes up and realises that she's licking her boss' face lmao. The side characters are also very enjoyable since although their personalities are cliche, they are fun and helpful to advancing our couple's expression of love to each other. The pacing of the story and the conflicts that led up to the ultimate one they needed to solve was done really well. It's a very short manga but a very enjoyable one nevertheless.

Since it involves exorcism, there is some good action here and there and I love how well the mangaka balances the action, romance and comedy because a little dose of everything each chapter made it interesting and lovely at the same time. I thought Kazura embarrassed by what Bentengou (the dog spirit) does every time with her body to be so funny most of the time hahaha.

It's saddening that Miyata Kouji had passed away in 2015 but I really enjoyed this series and I'm very glad to have been able to read it.

January Anime of the Month (AOTM)

Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Genre: Action, Military, Adventure, Drama, Magic, Fantasy, Shounen

Episodes: 64 (Finished airing)

Well, well, this is a hard one to not know, though I have to be honest that I have never watched this until last year haha. I did watch most of the 2003 version though as a kid though so that was what made me like Fullmetal Alchemist in the first place. So, even though it may not have followed the manga faithfully to the end (since they caught up to the manga and made up the rest), I still enjoyed the 2003 version very much.

Fullmetal Alchemist follows the Elric brothers Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric who are searching for the Philosopher's stone to recover their original bodies. Due to an irreversible decision (forbidden act of alchemy) they made as children, Edward's leg and Al's whole body was sacrificed in the name of equivalent exchange for what they tried to use alchemy to create. In order to at least get Al's soul back, Ed lost his arm and transmuted Al's soul to a piece of armour. As they search for it, they discover that the war between Amestrians and Ishvalans, the Philosopher's stone and the military are connected intricately making things very difficult to handle.

There's a nice bit of comedy here and there but doesn't detract from the story which makes it very nice. The Ishvalan war was probably the event that engaged me most because of the scar it left in all the characters that participated and didn't participate. It was a huge event that drives a lot of the story and quite possibly the motivation of our adult characters as well. The homunculus weren't the most amusing but I did enjoy that despite all the things they did, they all had very simple wishes that spiralled into this destruction.

To be honest, although FMA is ranked #3 in MyAnimeList, content-wise I have to admit that it wasn't the most interesting, but that is my preference simply because I personally wasn't very engaged in the whole Philosopher's stone plot itself. However, I did very much enjoy the characters, the fight scenes and the emotions that were shown. It's hard to pick favourite characters since they were all developed very well and portrayed very relatably. If I had to choose though, Mustang and Scar would be the most meaningful characters in that Scar's revenge and story was cliche but done very well and Mustang was someone you can't help but not love since you can see how much he cares for his subordinates. He's a wonderful leader.

Shao May (the tiny panda) was soo adorable though. Oh, and May Chang and Ling Yao are my favourite side characters (because they're cool, funny, cute and I like their growth and conviction towards protecting their respective clans) besides Winry. Winry has always been one of my top favourite female main characters in Shounen after all so it's really hard to not like her, especially since she dedicates her life to making and repairing Ed's and others' automail and she always has the hard job of always waiting for the Elric brothers to come back, not knowing if they're safe or not. Ed's proposal to her was the cutest thing everrr! Hahaha!

Anywho, I do recommend this and love it even though it's not the most interesting (for me), I really enjoyed the motivations of our characters and how everything aligned together so well to create the bonds that they had and have. Ending was cliche but enjoyable as well. The emotions of each and every character, even the villains were portrayed very well. It's a simple story executed very well and I guess that's what I loved about it. Van Hohenheim's story was a good one too, especially with Trisha's last words to him. I still feel so sad over Hughes though sigh.

I didn't mention anything about the Elric brothers! Hahaha. Well, they're good characters but they don't stand out for me even though I do like them. Although I did keep thinking about Oosaki Nana in NANA from Ed's voice though haha. They're classic shounen characters with Ed carrying a heavy burden on wanting to restore his brother's physical body no matter what since he was the one who suggested that forbidden act so it was really touching when Ed wanted to ask Al if he hated him for it but wasn't able to because he was scared. It made me tear T_T The emotions run quite real in this story and I probably enjoyed that the most alongside the well executed story.

2016 Favourite Manga/Anime

So, I'll limit myself and choose my favourite manga and anime this year. This is different from a manga/anime of the month because I didn't necessarily read/watch the whole thing in one month but it's definitely something I'd say that I enjoyed the most in the year of 2016. It's hard to find translated manga that came out in 2016 besides the really popular ones, so I'll just pick whatever I loved the most this year. Still okay though, since Kingdom is ongoing so, it counts hahaha.

As for anime, I'll choose one that came out this year :D


Kingdom by Hara Yasuhisa
Genre: Action, Adventure, Historical, Martial Arts, Seinen, Fantasy, Tragedy, Comedy, Drama
Status: Ongoing, 499 chapters scanlated

Wow! Kingdom nearly has 500 chapters! So excited! I have to say, Kingdom by far had the most interesting development this year. The great big war is breaking out and we have so many great generals in the lead that I'm just soo hyped with what's about to happen! Oh, and Shin holding Ouki's glaive makes me so happy and proud at the same time, he's grown so much throughout these chapters, it's amazing. With the addition of members into Shin's army and the reaffirming of Sei's resolve as a king to unite the whole land, the journey for Shin in becoming a great general is one that can only continue to be even better. I love seeing Shin mature along with his comrades but retaining his own principles in a world wrought with war and chaos, he can get a bit OTT sometimes but I love how Sei and his relationship make them try their best to improve themselves so that they can all achieve a unified China.

The story follows our protagonist Shin who is aiming to become a great general in Qin. It is a story revolving around the events in history with Qin Shi Huang unifying China. Naturally, it is a fictional historical manga and thus there will be things here and there that are exaggerated or made up to make it entertaining and interesting and I love it. I also love how the manga puts its own interpretations of historical events but retains the general timeline of events and important happenings of historical figures etc. Shin apparently is a historical figure with a lack of info on and thus allowing the mangaka to expand his own freedom on what type of person he is and that's good! The interpretation of Sei (future Qin Shi Huang) is also very enamouring and interesting considering his predominately 'good' nature.

All in all, besides the lovely grand swings that can fall tens of enemies in one fell swoop, there are also very interesting war tactics, interesting generals on our protagonist's side and the enemies' sides that make this a very compelling story that depicts a time of bloodshed and turmoil as they all fight for a better future that each individual believes in. It isn't only a great battle manga! There is some nudity and blood though so heads up on that!

I would recommend the anime as well, but I really hate the 3D animation that makes it pretty bad lol. Gonna say this again and again lol, the manga is so much better!

Yuri!! on Ice

Genre: Comedy, Sports

Episodes: 12

When I first saw Yuri!! On Ice in the season chart, I was so excited because I have always loved watching figure skating ever since I watched Ginban Kaleidoscope. The best thing about this one though is that it's very much focused on figure skating with proper soundtracks, costumes and skating programs for the individual skaters. The animation is top notch most of the time and the selection of music and costumes are so beautiful, I loved the whole anime from beginning to end. The opening and ending theme songs are so great and captivating as well omgg. The soundtrack Yuri on Ice that our protagonist Katsuki Yuri dances to is so dazzling and enchanting that I just can't help but love listening to it every time it plays! 

The story revolves around Yuri who suffers a crushing defeat in the Grand Prix Final and returns to his hometown wondering whether he should continue skating or not. After a series of events, the figure skating champion Victor comes along and says that he'll be Yuri's coach and that begins their gruelling training and lovely journey growing as skaters and individuals. What I love about this anime is that not only are the skating programs wonderful to the eyes, the characters are also very dynamic and constantly growing. Victor and Yuri (and the other Yuri too, which is his rival) all have their flaws but they learn from each other and inspire each other to reach new heights and break through their respective barriers that limit their growth. It was because of this experience as coach and student that they were both able to teach each other things they would not have picked up alone and I loved that.

Note though that Victor and Yuri do essentially become a couple so that might not be to your tastes but I think their relationship is so much more than a mere romantic relationship. They love each other as individuals and merely cherish each other as the one they would like to stay together with, although I guess there is some fanservice here and there hahaha. But overall, the anime focuses on individual challenges and growth in characters rather than romance. It was wonderfully played out as an anime and I would encourage anyone to watch this! Our Yuri may be a bit meek but very relatable and he gets stronger emotionally through the episodes and I really liked that!

His rival Yuri (same name) is a bit arrogant and prideful but most definitely an exceptional guy. I loved his skating programs, they were so enjoyable! Especially his costume, omggg, it was so cool! He's a bit cute when he's not that angry hahaha. Phichit the Thai skater is my favourite though, he's so sweet and cute, I love him! Definitely a short but enjoyable anime.

P.S Hope everyone has a merry Christmas and a happy new year! <3 See you all in January! :)

December Manga of the Month (MOTM)

Only one this month! Since Christmas is coming soon and my sister is coming back from Japan for a bit so gonna be busyy~ Oh and I'm gonna do a 2016 Favourites kinda thing so yeah~~ But I guess if there was a theme for this month, it would be to learn to love yourself because our heroine in this manga is a great example of that.

Pochamani by Hirama Kaname

Genre: Comedy, Romance, School Life, Shoujo

Status: Ongoing, 21 chapters scanlated

I probably say this all the time but I was thinking this was going to be another typical shoujo and it's not incorrect to think of it as quite a typical shoujo except with a chubby girl. However, what makes this one good has to be the heroine. The guy is okay. What I like about our heroine is how mature she is when she handles her problems and how she handles herself. Alike many other people, she has insecurities since she is chubby and others are skinny but what I like about her is that she accepts herself for who she is and has learned to love herself without needing someone else to love her. When she said "I'm glad that I'm fat. I like my fat self." because if she wasn't chubby, she wouldn't have met the main male character and she wouldn't have found her good friends. I really respect her outlook towards her life and her surroundings and I think she is a great heroine to look up to compared to a lot of other questionable ones, to say the least.

My negative impression for this is probably because of how the synopsis describes this manga; romantic comedy with a chubby high school student and her handsome boyfriend who is a chubby maniac LOL. Great, absolutely great. It's not wrong but it's definitely much more than that, especially seeing the progress between the two's relationship is really nice. They both have flaws but they both do their best to work it out in their own way and bring each other up. I think this is a really nice relationship. They both have their problems but deal with it maturely and try their best to work out the best outcome themselves and with their friends etc.

I also like that they clarify with the main male that although he is a chubby maniac, the reason she is special and not the other chubby girls is because of the way our heroine carries herself as a person. Albeit a bit insecure when she compares herself with others considering how handsome her boyfriend is, she nevertheless understands that she should at least love herself even if other people won't because she is chubby. She cherishes herself for who she is and I like her and that's why the guy likes her too hahaha. I guess I just really like the positive message that it sends out; that we should learn to love ourselves.

November Anime of the Month (AOTM)

Ranma 1/2

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Slice of Life

Episodes: 161 (Finished airing)

One of the most nostalgic classics from the '90s would have to be Ranma 1/2. I never realised it was once cancelled for poor ratings in the beginning, since I absolutely loved it as a kid, but I watched this in the Cantonese dub. I've never watched it in Japanese just because I'm so used to watching it in Chinese, just like Rurouni Kenshin hahaha.

Anyway, the story follows our main character Ranma who went to some cursed springs in China with his father for some martial arts training and ended up falling into one of them that turned him into a girl! From then on, whenever he is splashed with cold water, he turns into a girl but he changes back into a boy by splashing himself with hot water. As he returns to Japan, he starts to live with the Tendou family as a fiance of Akane's although they are both rather reluctant to be tied for marriage. And that's all you really need to know about this anime hahaha. It's a comedy so there's not much actual plot besides the budding romance with Akane and the other girls/fiancee candidates that chase after Ranma as he tries to find a way to change himself back to being a guy completely. Many people love Ukyo and Shampoo but I've always loved Ranma and Akane because of how annoying they can be as well as how sweet they can be.

I love the tie-in of martial arts in Ranma 1/2 because it makes everything very entertaining. Many things are done in jest obviously so it's really a bundle of fun with martial arts. The martial arts to keep ramen noodles safe and figure skating martial arts etc are just a few of the crazy techniques and arts that the people they meet use and it's absolutely hilarious. This anime has a special place in my heart and Ranma and Akane's relationship is what makes my heart warm and happy all the time. They're both very stubborn and probably tsundere but I love it when they show affection and care towards each other.

One of the most memorable scenes in Ranma 1/2 for me was the ice skating episodes where Ranma declared to everyone that Akane is his fiancee and that he won't allow anyone to hurt her. It was so sweet! And when they were spinning and Akane told him to let go so that he won't get hurt by continuing to hold on to her, I think the ice skating arc really showed how much Akane and Ranma care for each other in their own respective ways. She was also so cute when she made him cookies and was so determined to get him to eat it though hahaha.

But of course, the show runs mostly on the comedy factor and it never fails to make me laugh although some characters can get quite annoying loll. I remember there was an episode where Akane went to hospital and the other fiancee candidates gave her presents and Kodachi gave her a bomb that exploded and then a tape recording her laugh 'ohohoho' plays LMAO. That was so hilarious omg.  Ryoga is also a good character that is always lost (just like Zoro in OP), it's crazy where he ends up hahahaha but I still love him. Everyone seems to love Shampoo the most though and I guess she is rather entertaining in how hard she tries to win Ranma's affections.

Nevertheless, this is a great classic comedy that can get repetitive after 100+ episodes but still really good and funny. I mean Genma and Soun are such hilariously stupid fathers that I absolutely love and Happosai can be so annoying but stupidly funny when he gets weak due to not being close to his favourite lingerie or girls lmao. Needless to say, I love Ranma but I always question how they always have the money to fix the buildings and the house that Ranma and gang break every single episode LOL. It's definitely something I would rewatch again and again. It does have a rather abrupt ending though so I think if you want a conclusive ending, you'll have to read the manga.