Peacemaker Kurogane

Historical fiction

Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...

manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

series written and illustrated created by . It is unrelated to the Peace Maker

Peace Maker

Peace Maker is a manga by Ryōji Minagawa about a trick shooter named Hope Emerson. It is not to be confused with Peace Maker by Nanae Chrono....

manga by Ryōji Minagawa

Ryoji Minagawa

' is a Japanese manga artist born in Sumida, Tokyo.He was invited with Spriggan story writer Hiroshi Takashige to go to a comic convention in Portugal in 1996 as a guest of honor due to his work on Spriggan. He worked on other manga comics before he went on to create Project ARMS with fellow manga...

. The story begins in 19th century Japan before the Meiji Restoration

Meiji Restoration

The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...

, a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure

Social structure

Social structure is a term used in the social sciences to refer to patterned social arrangements in society that are both emergent from and determinant of the actions of the individuals. The usage of the term "social structure" has changed over time and may reflect the various levels of analysis...

while the seeds of the revolution are being planted. The story follows the boy protagonist, Ichimura Tetsunosuke

Ichimura Tetsunosuke

was a member of the Shinsengumi and Hijikata Toshizō's page.Although commonly believed to be a fictional character, Ichimura Tetsunosuke was a real member of the Shinsengumi. Born in the year 1854, Tetsunosuke was the third son of Ichimura Hanemoki...

, who joins the Shinsengumi

Shinsengumi

The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...

(initially as Hijikata Toshizo

Hijikata Toshizo

was the vice-commander of Shinsengumi, a great swordsman and a talented Japanese military leader who resisted the Meiji Restoration.-Background:...

's page) while seeking strength to avenge his parents' death at the hands of a Choshu rebel.

The prequel of Peacemaker Kurogane is was published by Enix

Enix

The was a Japanese company that produced video games, anime and manga. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975 as and renamed Enix in 1982...

in the magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan

Monthly Shonen Gangan

is a manga imprint of Square Enix . It publishes manga in several magazines aimed at different reader demographic groups in the Japanese market. Its magazines are home to some popular manga series which were adapted into anime series, like Fullmetal Alchemist, Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit,...

. Shinsengumi Imon Peacemaker is licensed in North America by Tokyopop

Tokyopop

Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...

.

A live-action adaptation of the manga was aired on TBS

Tokyo Broadcasting System

, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....

entitled . It premiered on January 15, 2010, until its conclusion on March 19, 2010.

Plot

The story is focused on the main character, Ichimura Tetsunosuke, an energetic, short, and very childlike 15 year old. He and his older brother (Tatsunosuke) are left to fend for themselves after the vicious murder of their parents. While Tetsunosuke wants to get revenge, his pacifist brother is not so inclined. 'Tatsu' joins a special police

Special police

Special Police does not have a consistent international meaning. In many cases it will describe a police force or a unit within a police force whose duties and responsibilities are significantly different from other forces in the same country or significantly different from other police in the same...

force dubbed the Shinsengumi, as an accountant to earn a living, the organization 'Tetsu' wishes to join as a soldier to seek his revenge. The story chronicles Tetsu's trials and tribulations as a struggling page craving redemption. He develops relationships with all the legendary members of the Shinsengumi army helping them with their various struggles as he constantly battles his own against himself. At the story's climax, Tetsu discovers himself and the overwhelming responsibility the power he is searching for holds.

Characters

The protagonist

Protagonist

A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...

of Peacemaker Kurogane who was historically an actual member of the Shinsengumi

Shinsengumi

. He is short, strong-willed, and often underestimated by his peers. Tetsu also has a cheerful, active and competitive personality. He joins the Shinsengumi in order to become strong and avenge the death of his parents at the hands of a member of the Chōshū clan, and ends up working as a page to Hijikata Toshizo. At the time in 1864, Tetsu had psychogenic dwarfism

Psychogenic dwarfism

Psychosocial short stature or psychosocial dwarfism, sometimes called psychogenic or stress dwarfism or the eponymous Kaspar Hauser syndrome, is a growth disorder that is observed between the ages of 2 and 15, caused by extreme emotional deprivation or stress.The symptoms include decreased growth...

and has not grown physically for two years due to his emotional scar. He has been more-or-less adopted as a mascot/little brother figure by the senior members of the Shinsengumi. He cries a lot.

Tetsu's over protective, easily worried and rather high-strung older brother/guardian (also an actual member of the Shinsengumi). He is polite, soft spoken, and down to earth. After the death of their parents, he had to take care of himself and his brother. He, in accordance with his more pacifist

Pacifism

Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...

outlook, works only as a bookkeeper for the Shinsengumi. He has tried to put all thoughts of revenge for his parents' deaths out of his mind, but convincing his younger brother to do the same is a little more difficult. Tatsu has a habit of apologizing for his little brother.

The first unit captain of the Shinsengumi. He is deceptively delicate-looking and has an overall sunny disposition that occasionally borders on childishness, but displays frighteningly deadly skill in combat situations. He shares a strong bond with Hijikata and is also one of the only people who has a deep understanding of Tetsu. He takes Tetsu seriously and often practices with him. In addition, Souji loves children and is rarely seen without his piglet Saizo when he is off-duty. Although he denies it, Souji is diagnosed with tuberculosis later in the series.

The Shinsengumi's second vice-commander, Hijikata hides his compassion behind a cold and ruthless front, and is known as "the demon of the Shinsengumi". A brilliant strategist and fighter, Hijikata's talent for battle is extraordinary. When dealing with enemies, his method is highly practical and often reckless. He counts Kondo, Yamanami, and Okita among his closest friends, and is a stern master to his page Tetsu. His hobby consists of writing haiku

Haiku

' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...

The tenth unit captain and the best spear

Spear

A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...

fighter in the Shinsengumi. Sanosuke is best friends with Nagakura Shinpachi

Nagakura Shinpachi

was the captain of the 2nd troop of the Shinsengumi.-Background:Nagakura Shinpachi Noriyuki, known as Eikichi or Eiji during his childhood, was born in the Matsumae clan's "kami-yashiki" in Edo on the 11th day of the fourth month of Tenpō 10 His father, Nagakura Kanji, was a retainer of the...

and Todo Heisuke

Todo Heisuke

Tōdō Heisuke Tōdō Heisuke Tōdō Heisuke (藤堂平助 1844 – December 13, 1867）was a samurai of Japan's late Edo period who served as the eighth unit captain of the Shinsengumi. His full name was Tōdō Heisuke Fujiwara no Yoshitora.-Background:...

, forming a trio known as "The Three Comedians", whose chief hobby seems to be annoying Tetsunosuke. He has a scar on his stomach from a failed seppuku

Seppuku

is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...

attempt and is very proud of it.

The second unit captain of the Shinsengumi. He introduces himself to Tetsu as "Sanosuke’s keeper." Like Tetsu, he is often underestimated by his height (and young appearance — he looks like a child, but is actually in his 20s). In fact, he is extremely skilled with his sword and is a swordsman of Okita Soji's level. He is also quite the joker, especially in conjunction with Sanosuke and Heisuke.

The eighth unit captain of the Shinsengumi. Heisuke is the youngest member of Kondo's group and the youngest captain of the Shinsengumi. Since he has a slight infatuation with small, cute animals, he always calls Tetsunosuke "Puppy Boy" (much to Tetsu's dismay).

The third unit captain of the Shinsengumi. The droopy-eyed and soft-spoken Saito Hajime has a supernatural ability to sense ghosts, spiritual

Supernatural

The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...

auras

Auras

Auras is a town and a nagar panchayat in Unnao district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.-Demographics: India census, Auras had a population of 5653. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Auras has an average literacy rate of 51%, lower than the national average of 59.5%;...

(which unnerves many of the other members), and is able to perceive information about future events. He has an inexplicable camaraderie with Okita.

One of the Shinsengumi's two vice-commanders. Yamanami (often called "Sannan" by Kondo and Hijikata, which is an alternate reading of the kanji in his name) is a good-natured and thoughtful figure, providing a counterpoint to Hijikata's blunt and Machiavellian tendencies. He also loves children and takes a shine to Tetsunosuke. He is beloved by his fellow Shinsengumi members, and, like Hijikata, is firmly opposed to putting a sword in Tetsu's hands. He is carrying on a clandestine affair with a Shimabara

Shimabara

Shimabara can refer to any of the following:* Shimabara, Nagasaki, a city in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan* Shimabara Peninsula, the geographic feature that hosts Shimabara, Nagasaki* Shimabara Castle, in Shimabara, Nagasaki...

courtesan named Akesato.

The commander of the Shinsengumi. Kondo is presented as a grandfatherly, slightly-clueless figure who is still fully aware of his and his organization's goals.

The "den mother" of the Shinsengumi, Ayumu (most often known as "Ayu-nee", or "big sister Ayu") is the cook and housekeeper at the Shinsengumi compound. A pretty woman with a motherly nature, Ayumu is fully cognizant of what the people around her do for a living, and acts as a sort of big-sister figure to Tetsu. She is Susumu's older sister, and, like him, a shinobi. She mentions in one episode them as being apart of the Oniwaban. While Susumu is based on the actual spy, Ayumu is a fictional character

Fictional character

A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

. She dies during the course of the anime.

Ayumu's younger brother, Susumu is one of the Shinsengumi's spies, reporting directly to Hijikata. A skilled shinobi and information-gatherer, his nature emulates that of his superior's. He often cross-dresses (quite convincingly) to gather information.

A fictional character. She is mute and writes to communicate. Tetsu tends to relate to her because her parents were also murdered. She and Hana are apparently 'girls-in-training' under Akesato in the red light district.

She and Saya are 'girls-in-training' under Akesato. She the polar opposite of Saya. Very loud, blunt, upbeat and caring in her own strange way. She dislikes katanas. Her dad was an umbrella maker and spoke loudly about honor. When her mother was sick, he did not sell his swords for a doctor. What happened to them is unknown but it is assumed that the mother died of the illness. She wants Tetsu to make her his new mother out of compassion. She has a big crush on Harada Sanosuke after he saved her from thugs at a festival.

Okita Soji’s piglet pet. He lives with his "family" at the Shinsengumi Headquarters. He also has a habit of chasing Tetsunosuke more often than anyone else.

Based on the actual person. Akesato is Yamanami Keisuke's lover, a Shimabara courtesan, and a shinobi working for the Chōshū clan. In the manga, it is stated by Sakamoto that Akesato is mixed blood

Miscegenation

Miscegenation is the mixing of different racial groups through marriage, cohabitation, sexual relations, and procreation....

(half-Japanese and half-Caucasian); she has blonde hair

Blond

Blond or blonde or fair-hair is a hair color characterized by low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. The resultant visible hue depends on various factors, but always has some sort of yellowish color...

(which she hides under a wig) and blue eyes. She is a member of the Fūma clan and acts as Susumu's rival in the series. (Note: the real Akesato was not a shinobi.)

Based on the historical figure. Yoshida Toshimaro, a student of Yoshida Shōin

Yoshida Shoin

Yoshida Shōin was one of the most distinguished intellectuals in the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate...

, is a leader of the Chōshū clan and a master of military science

Military science

Military science is the process of translating national defence policy to produce military capability by employing military scientists, including theorists, researchers, experimental scientists, applied scientists, designers, engineers, test technicians, and military personnel responsible for...

. He was killed by Okita in episode 23 while pointing a katana fragment held in his mouth at Tetsu.

A fictional character. Suzu intends to avenge the death of his older brother at the hands of the Shinsengumi. He becomes Tetsu's friend without realizing that he's part of the Shinsengumi. He is a follower of Yoshida.

Based on the actual visionary. An old acquaintance of Tatsu and Tetsu's father, Sakamoto refers to their father as the "Peacemaker." Sakamoto also calls Tatsu "Dragon Boy", as "Tatsu" can be translated to "Dragon" in Japanese and nicknames Tetsu "Iron Boy", as "Tetsu" can be translated as "Iron". He is an expert swordsman but he mainly uses a pistol. In the Japanese version of the anime and manga, Ryoma tends to speak random English words. Ryoma is also wanted by the pro-Shogunate forces, as revealed by Okita when he sneaks into the Shinsengumi headquarters. In Episode 9, the tune Sakamoto Ryoma

Sakamoto Ryoma

was a leader of the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate during the Bakumatsu period in Japan. Ryōma used the alias .- Early life :Ryōma was born in Kōchi, of Tosa han . By the Japanese calendar, this was the sixth year of Tenpō...

whistles is actually that of The Star-Spangled Banner

The Star-Spangled Banner

"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...

Nonexistent in the manga. He looks just like Okita Soji in terms of appearance. He first appears before Maro entertaining him, he worked for Maro and impersonated Okita Soji. After Hijikata, Hajime and Okita invaded Maro's place and was saved by Hotaru's ignorance, he was never seen again.

A fictional character. A girl who has a crush on Soji. She becomes an assistant to Ayu, but later is revealed to be a spy for the Choshu. She decides to quit being a spy, and ends up being tricked by Kichisaburo, thinking he is Okita Soji. She frees Saito, Hijikata and Soji from the Eight Element Battle Formation without realizing it by peeling off the seals.

Peace Maker

Peace Maker was published in Japan by Enix

Enix

The was a Japanese company that produced video games, anime and manga. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975 as and renamed Enix in 1982...

before it was transferred to Mag Garden

Mag Garden

is a Japanese publishing company that focuses on manga-related publications and is also involved in the development of anime and live-action adaptations. It was founded on June 5, 2001 by Yoshihiro Hosaka along with former manga artists of Enix...

. It is licensed and published in North America and Germany by Tokyopop

Tokyopop

. The manga is also licensed and published in Italy by Star Comics and in France by Kami.

Mag Garden

Mag Garden

released all 5 tankōbon

Tankobon

, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...

volumes of the manga on September 10, 2005. Tokyopop

Tokyopop

released Peace Makers 5 tankōbon volumes between August 14, 2007 and November 4, 2008. Later, Tokyopop

Tokyopop

re-releases the manga through Madman Entertainment

Madman Entertainment

Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...

. The first volume was released on November 10, 2008. The second was released on February 10, 2009. Tokyopop Germany released the manga's 5 tankōbon volumes between December 2005 and June 28, 2006. Kami released the manga's 5 tankōbon volumes between September 20, 2006 and July 11, 2007.

Peacemaker Kurogane itself was started as a new series in Mag Garden

Mag Garden

's Comic Blade

Comic Blade

is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Mag Garden. It was first published in February 2002 and is sold on the thirtieth of each month. The manga series are published in tankōbon under the imprint.-Serialized manga:...

in 2001. It was later licensed by ADV Manga, which released three of the five volumes before putting it on hold indefinitely. After the license lapsed, Tokyopop

Tokyopop

acquired it. The manga is licensed and published in France by Kami, and in Germany by Tokyopop

Tokyopop

.

Mag Garden

Mag Garden

released the manga's 5 tankōbon volumes between October 10, 2002 and March 10, 2005. ADV Manga released 3 volumes of the manga between October 4, 2004 and March 22, 2005, before putting the volume on hold indefinitely. After Tokyopop

Tokyopop

acquired the license, it releases the manga's first volume on March 10, 2009. Tokyopop Germany released the manga's 5 tankōbon volumes between June 1, 2005 and October 1, 2005.

Anime

The manga was later adapted into an anime series by Gonzo Digimation and ran for 24 episodes, which aired on TV Asahi

TV Asahi

, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....

between October 7, 2003 and March 24, 2004. The US license for the anime is held by ADV Films under the title Peacemaker. The anime follows the plot of the manga mostly, but also introduces characters that are only shown in the sequel of the story. The anime aired in the United States on Showtime Beyond, alongside Chrono Crusade

Chrono Crusade

, also known as Chrno Crusade due to a typo in the original logo, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Daisuke Moriyama. It was originally published by Kadokawa Shoten in Dragon Magazine which began serialization in November 1998. A 24-episode anime television series based on the...

. On June 25, 2010, anime distributor Funimation Entertainment

Funimation Entertainment

Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...

announced on their online panel FuniCon 4.0, that they have acquired rights to the series along with 3 other ADV title, after ADV's shutdown in 2009. The anime was broadcast in France by Déclic-Images

Déclic-Images

Déclic Images is a French company specialised in the translation and sale of Japanese-style comics in the French-speaking world.The Déclic Images trademark was born in 1999. As early as 2002, the company produced nearly half of all new Japanase anime published in France...

. It was broadcast in Spain by Buzz Channel. It was broadcast in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...

by space power, in the Philippines by QTV and Hero.

The anime uses two pieces of theme music

Theme music

Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...

. "You Gonna Feel" by Hav is the opening theme, while "Hey Jimmy!" by Hav is the ending theme of the anime.

Gonzo Digimation released the anime's seven DVDs between December 21, 2003 and June 25, 2003. Gonzo Digimation released the DVD box set, containing all 7 DVDs, on December 22, 2004. ADV Films released the anime's seven DVDs between September 14, 2004 and September 13, 2005. ADV Films released the DVD box set, containing all 7 DVDs, on November 15, 2005.

Drama and Animation CDs

On December 21, 2003, Geneon

Geneon

is a Japanese music, anime and home entertainment production and distribution enterprise headquartered in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Geneon has been involved in the production and distribution of several anime in Japan...

released an animation soundtrack CD for Peacemaker Kurogane. Geneon

Geneon

released a set of 5 Drama CDs for Peacemaker Kurogane. The first CD was released on December 21, 2003, the second CD on January 23, 2004, the third CD on February 25, 2004, the fourth CD on March 21, 2004 and the fifth CD on April 23, 2004 The songs were sung by Mitsuki Saiga

Mitsuki Saiga

is a female seiyū who was born in Saitama. Saiga works at Ken Production.-Anime:* .hack//Roots * .hack//Sign * 07-Ghost * Ashita no Nadja...

, Yuka Imai

Yuka Imai

is a freelance female Japanese voice actress who was previously represented by Gekidan Moonlight.-Anime:*Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go!! *Banner of the Stars *Boys Be.....

, Joji Nakata, Takaya Toshi, Junichi Suwabe

Junichi Suwabe

is a Japanese voice actor working for Haikyo. His most known roles involve, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques , Archer , Keigo Atobe and Omega ....

, Kappei Yamaguchi

Kappei Yamaguchi

, better known by his stage name of , is a Japanese voice actor and actor from Fukuoka, affiliated with Gokū and 21st Century Fox.He is best known for the roles of Ranma Saotome , Jackson Neil , Tombo , Yattaro , InuYasha , Ryuichi Sakuma , L , Usopp...

and Kenji Nomura

Kenji Nomura

, nicknamed "Nomuchin", is a Japanese voice actor from Okayama Prefecture affiliated with Aksent. He graduated Kurashikishiritsu Chayachō Elementary School, Kurashikishiritsu Tōyō Junior High School, and Okayamakenritsu Amagi High School.-Television animation:...

. On November 25, 2005, Geneon

Geneon

released a Drama CD for the second season of Peacemaker Kurogane. The songs were sung by Mitsuki Saiga

Mitsuki Saiga

is a female seiyū who was born in Saitama. Saiga works at Ken Production.-Anime:* .hack//Roots * .hack//Sign * 07-Ghost * Ashita no Nadja...

, Joji Nakata, Takaya Toshi, Kappei Yamaguchi

Kappei Yamaguchi

, Kenji Nomura

Kenji Nomura

, Kousuke Torimi and Takahiro Sakurai

Takahiro Sakurai

is a voice actor who was born in Aichi. He is a member of 81 Produce; his height is .Many of his roles are handsome men. However, he has also voiced reluctant heroes as well as the occasional villain...

.

On March 10, 2004, a soundtrack CD was released for the opening theme of Peacemaker Kurogane, "You Gonna Feel" by Hav.

Reception

Mania.com's Megan Levey commends the tension and emotion of the second volume of Peacemaker Kurogane that "seems to just ring from the pages". Mania.com's Megan Levey commends the third volume of the manga for its "very close facial expressions" in its artwork but criticises the manga's color pages for coming "across as extremely flat and somewhat washed out".

Peacemaker was ranked 9th as the "Favourite Anime Series" in the 26th annual Animage readers' poll. THEM anime reviews comments that the "drama of the series is paramount" but its comedy is lame. Animefringe.com criticises the protagonist of the series, labelling him as "an annoying brat that cries and moans when he doesn't get what he wants". Mania.com's Chris Beveridge commends the anime for its slowly revealed "supernatural elements" as well as the simplicity and comical nature of Saizō the pig. John Sinnott at DVD Talk

DVD Talk

DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...

praises the first DVD of Peacemaker for its original language version over the English dub because Ayumu's English voice actress uses "one of those fake southern accents that are really horrible". DVDtalk's John Sinnott criticises the fifth DVD of the anime for "the lack of focus this series has". Brian Hanson at Anime Jump criticises the anime for aping Rurouni Kenshin

Rurouni Kenshin

, also known as Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The fictional setting takes place during the early Meiji period in Japan. The story is about a fictional assassin named Himura Kenshin, from the Bakumatsu who becomes a wanderer to...

as well as not displaying the qualities of other Weekly Shōnen Jump

Weekly Shonen Jump

is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...

anime when it becomes "surprisingly violent". DVD Verdict's Judge Jeff Anderson commends the anime for its "CGI that blends well with the animation" and English dub that has a much more dynamic sound than the original Japanese track. Science Fiction Weekly's Tasha Robinson commends the anime for its "highly textured, detailed and beautifully rendered semi-historical drama, very much in the spirit of Rurouni Kenshin

Rurouni Kenshin

" whenever Tetsu "drops to the background" or "shuts up for a few scenes".

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.