'Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning' on Netflix July 30; top 10 villains so far
MANILA, Philippines — "Rurouni Kenshin: The Final" has been a mainstay in Netflix's daily top 10 since it was released last June 18.
As such, the Japanese action film based on cult anime "Samurai X" will release its final installment, "Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning," on Netflix this July 30.
In anticipation of this final chapter in the "Rurouni Kenshin" saga, here is a rundown of Kenshin Himura's "super villains" from the previous installments, "Rurouni Kenshin" (2012), "Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno" (2014), "Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends" (2014) and "Rurouni Kenshin: The Final" (2021).
In the recently premiered fourth and the final movie franchise, the villains in the series were even more highlighted as Himura Kenshin bravely faces them as they come.
Such roles serve as moral bases of the protagonist and of the audience as to what needs to be done in order to address certain issues. But some often regard these characters as the ones who put color to the story –– the ones who show the reality that life isn’t just about the good ones, but also about the ill-intentioned individuals who succumb to wrongful doings.
Let’s get to know these villains and their stories to gain a better understanding of why they chose the dark side.
10. Kanryu Takeda
Actor: Teruyuki Kagawa
Kanryu is a man who gives low regard to human life as his money-hungry mindset places the value of gold above all else.
In the film, he was introduced as a leader who is responsible for assassinating some of his own men and the deaths of thousands of civilians. He is also the key figure behind opium distribution.
9. Gein
Actor: Go Ayano
Gein's attire consists of a black suit with his skeleton pattern mask. He wears special black gloves that allow him to produce thread from its fingertips. Gein was hired by Kanryu, along with others, to kill Kenshin. In the film, it is evident that he likes to test his skills against strong opponents.
8. Udo Jin-E
Actor: Koji Kikkawa
Jin-E is a complete psychopath and one of the deadliest killers in the film series. He doesn’t care about ideals as long as he can continue killing. He is obsessed with defeating Kenshin. His most noticeable trait is his eyes, which are inverted to have white pupils and dark blue sclera.
7. Soujiro Seta
Actor: Ryunosuke Kamiki
Seta is normally seen smiling, with seemingly no emotion, but in reality, he subconsciously suppresses his emotions, making him difficult to read in combat, as stated by Kenshin.
In the film, he adheres to the philosophy of "the survival of the fittest" and believes it to be an absolute truth. His dedication to this belief, however, leaves him emotionally vulnerable and naive when others' differing ideology conflicts with his own.
6. Makoto Shishio
Actor: Tatsuya Fujiwara
Shishio is extremely ruthless, sadistic and coldblooded. He strongly believes in the concept of social Darwinism, in which the weak exists for the benefit of the strong, and generally appears devoid of compassion or mercy throughout the film. Shishio is notable as he wears bandages around his entire body to ease the pain and hide his deformity.
5. Cho Sawagejo
Actor: Ryosuke Miura
Also known as "Cho the Swordhunter," Sawagejo is a bloodthirsty, yet arrogant and foolhardy assassin. He is a master of maneuvers when it comes to his elastic longsword, and he can pull off circus-like tricks using his scabbard. He proves to be skilled and not challenged when he fights opponents.
4. Anji Yukyuzan
Actor: Tomomi Maruyama
Yukyuzan used to be a peace-loving Buddhist monk who believed that violence was never to be an option. When his temple, however, was burned down and the children he cared for murdered by the imperialists, his anguish, bitterness, hatred and rage transformed his beliefs.
In the film, he no longer acknowledges that Buddha could rightfully choose who lives and dies as he takes the decision into his own hands.
3. Hyogo Kujiranami
Actor: Shinnosuke Abe
The former samurai who, after losing his right arm in battle, joined the “Six Comrades” in search of revenge and a proper death.
Kujiranami possesses a great deal of physical strength and endurance, but because he does not use swords following his amputation, he does not display flashy techniques. Instead, he has a special attachment where his right hand is used to equip machine weapons.
2. Hyoko Otowa
Actor: Shuntaro Yanagi
Otowa is considered as the master in long-range fighting who is also a member of the Six Comrades.
He is a very sadistic man, taking pleasure in harming and killing men, women and children alike. In general, he has a calm and reserved demeanor, rarely showing signs of shock by surprising events or of being easily intimidated. His strength lies in the assassins' tools known as "anki" – a type of concealed weaponry of Chinese origins.
1. Enishi Yukishiro
Actor: Mackenyu Arata
“Too beautiful for a villain” as described by the Japanese manga artist Watsuki, Enishi’s trademark, however, is the small round sunglasses he wore and his spiky white hair.
In the film, it can be seen that he is strategic and extremely persistent, with how he develops a complex plan to make his worst enemy suffer.
Above all, Enishi is shown to be very obsessive as his life revolved around avenging his sister's death.
Since its release back in 1994 as manga comics, ”Rurouni Kenshin” has captured the hearts of fans worldwide with its historical action themes and samurai characters.
“Rurouni Kenshin” is the story of a wanderer named Himura Kenshin, formerly known as the assassin "Hitokiri Batt?sai" or Batt?sai the Manslayer. After participating in the Boshin War, Kenshin wanders the countryside of Japan, offering protection and aid to those in need as redemption for the murders he once committed as an assassin.
In the Philippines, fans can now binge watch the movie series as all five films starting from “Rurouni Kenshin: Origins,” “Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno,” “Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends,” “Rurouni Kenshin: The Final” and “Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning” are now available on Netflix.
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