Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration, Vol. 1

I'm a fan of the series, well fan is a bit of an understatement. I have all the manga books and when I came across this one I was excited. the storylines are different but the artwork is top notch, I quite enjoyed the slight tweaks to everyones charters and look's.I think if Watsuki had had a longer run then this reboot would have been allot better. but as it is I think too much was packed into too shot a time and it suffers for this.But if your just looking for a bit of fun then this is a nice accompaniment to your collection. I enjoyed it myself but then I'm able to not let the differences from he original to the new cloud my judgment on the matter. I enjoyed the artwork, the fight screens and the charters.Yes there's too much packed in and it's not a patch on the original series but it's a fun read that i enjoyed :)

As a huge fan of Rurouni Kenshin, back in the days (more than 10 years ago!!!), I was obviously excited/nervous with the news of a live-action movie. Fortunately the movie was amazing, and with the resurgence of interest Watsuki agreed to draw a little movie-companion version of Rurouni Kenshin.And that is what this is. This is not canon, or a replacement. This is a sort of "alternate universe" Kenshin, loosely related to the movie (and I mean loosely), in Watsuki's new style.Having re-read the full manga recently, I have to admit to not being a big fan of Watsuki's new drawing style, but that's obviously a personal preference, and doesn't reflect too much on my opinion of this volume. What does reflect the 3 stars is the pace and structure of the story. Probably because of its conception as a bit of a lark to go with the movie, it feels rushed, poorly developed, and the story doesn't flow (it sort of stutters along) as well as it could between scenes. As for the characters, Watsuki seems to switch awkwardly from trying to make Kenshin "harder" and more "comedic" than originally. This results in a Kenshin that feels "off" from the original character.If this was a new manga, I'm not sure how successful it would be (not very, I'm guessing). As a curio to add to the Kenshin universe, it's fine. But the movie is, funnily enough, more in keeping in style and feel with the canon Kenshin that this.In conclusion, enjoy this for what it is, but don't expect too much out of it.

I cannot help compare these comics to the originals. They are work is good but I have to say I am not a fan of the fight scenes they seem to be shown in a blur with smudges for the point of impact. The story seem to be rushed, also I am not really a fan of having finishing the volume with a prequel. That could just be me as I hate prequels. However it is annoying have a cliff hanger than a prequel set 5 days before the main story started. The main thing I do like about this volume is that Kenshin is less of a clown when he is not in his fighting persona. Sanosuke as well seems to have jumped a little in his evolution as he has already mastered the 2 layer attack before his first fight with Kenshin. He mentions he lean it from a monk. This is an example of how this is rushed was 3 volumes of the originals and skill learned later on by the characters as they faced greater challenges are squeezed into on. An ok summary and reboot but I prefer the originals.

Picture this: a feminine-looking, goofy swordsman who has vowed not to kill, but is secretly a lethal ex-assassin known as Hitokiri Battosai.Yep, the title character of "Rurouni Kenshin" is a pretty unusual male lead for an action series. The first volume of Nobuhiro Watsuki's classic manga series has some initial awkwardness as it introduces the main characters, but it's got plenty of action, humor ("Dislocated groin..." "DISLOCATED BRAIN!") and a teeny hint of romance.Searching for Hitokiri Battosai, a young dojo owner named Kaoru assaults a sword-carrying stranger... and promptly whips his butt. Turns out his sword blade is upside-down, and he insists that "this one is merely a rurouni... a traveling swordsman with no destination." Unfortunately someone using that name is disgracing Kaoru's dojo -- and they have their eyes on taking it over.It's only then that the mysterious Kenshin shows what he's really capable of. Kaoru asks him to stay on, and it turns out to be a good thing (despite some deadly brawls with the police). First they become embroiled in the fate of a feisty young samurai boy, who's being used as a pickpocket for a gang of thugs, then with some former students who get the dojo into serious trouble.Then a mysterious young man comes to the neighborhood, seeking fights with strong opponents. Old enemies of Kaoru's hire him to take out Kenshin -- and the Fight Merchant seems all too willing.Nobuhiro Watsuki's "Rurouni Kenshin" has become a classic for its haunted pasts, explosive action and a wide array of antagonists. But the first volume is a fairly light-hearted affair by comparison, although Watsuki does delve into the darker side of life (such as Yahiko's miserable life and horrible past) and the sociopolitical strife of the era.Obviously any series with a swordsman is going to have some action, and Watsuki delivers a whirlwind of sword blows and superhuman leaps, which can do anything from leveling an opponent to slamming his head through the ceiling. But there's also plenty of comic relief in here, usually supplied by Kaoru's short fuse and Kenshin's space-cadet attitude ("... but now you've got nowhere to go!" "Hmm... so persistent... what can one do but surrender?")Kenshin is a pretty likable if odd hero -- he's goofy, spacey, eager to please and polite to a fault, as well as being skinny and pretty-faced. But he gets creepy empty eyes when he starts fighting, and he turns out to be a lot smarter than he'll openly show. Kaoru makes a good counterpart, being as blunt and strong-willed as Kenshin pretends not to be. And Yahiko is an unexpectedly likable young boy to round out the cast."Rurouni Kenshin Volume 1" is a solid start to an excellent series, as it introduces us to the legendary Battosai... or not. Definitely a good read.