Mei Manuel
HALLO MINNAAAA! Haha, this would be the last post for the month (Mei’s beloved month is starting next week) as I am busy again with life and responsibilities. Regardless of my busy life, I will try my best to be active here. I was deciding the other day if I should change either this place or Kouryou’s layout coz I found some good ones in the WordPress website but I am undecided as of now.
Anyway! Mei has finally went out again for the month and its also to watch Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto taika-hen (Kyoto Inferno). Admittedly I got hooked with Keishi Otomo’s rendition of this beloved anime/manga in the first one and the arc for this new movie is one of the best ones, the Juppongatana arc. The cast list for this new arc (divided into two parts: Kyoto Inferno and the Legend Ends) is quite interesting to see as well!
Amusingly so, I watched the movie without sleep! OMG! I had to go early to Manila to do some personal errands and when I got to the mall (watched in SM Mall of Asia’s Premier Cinema) around 1 pm, I was out of it. But I pressed on with my little brother.
Now for Mei’s thoughts on the movie (some spoilers warning!):
From the first movie, the second installment to the beloved live-action series does not disappoint. Several scenes were pretty much revised to fit the 2 hours and 20 minutes movie and some cuts were done (I was kinda disappointed they never did include Saito and Kenshin’s epic battle but then again, Saito appeared early in the movie and did have that rain scene on the first movie). I unfortunately missed the first five minutes of the movie because we arrived late in the mall, but when i did see it, Saito swag all the way!
Some notable parts of the movie is the theater scene (There’s a clone oro?), Soujiro’s introduction (Kamiki… omg you fit your character!), the birth of the demon (Tatsuya Fujiwara is one hot Shishio before he got burnt! – it is interesting he was in the Toba-Fushimi battle in the first one), Kenshin-Sano bro-love (awww! Munetaka Aoki is definitely Sano! Hands down!), the Cho-Kenshin fight (I was hoping to see the knife scene when Kenshin went to the Arai household), and the Kyoto Inferno (the sideline Okina-Aoshi battle was something to look forward to)! Definitely that was so cool! Saito of course did not disappoint on that, bad ass Wolf of Mibu! Another interesting part of the movie is the fight scenes on board the Rengoku. The finale is something you guys should watch for because the other guy which should have been in the first parts of this movie (if you follow the anime/mangaverse).
Casting for this second movie is 10/10! Tatsuya Fujiwara is in his element as Shishio like Ryunosuke Kamiki as Soujiro Seta (sooo carefree Soujiro). Maryjun Takahashi is also one hot Yumi Komagata! (her clothes remind me of the live-action clothes of Anne Watanabe in XXXHolic). Yusuke Iseya as Aoshi Shinomori was ok (his sad backstory is slightly altered for the movie and his quest for Kenshin), clothes could have been slightly better though. Makimachi Misao’s live action actress Tao Tsuchiya is quite adorable as well! (She is actually better as Misao rather than being Himawari Kunogi in XXXHolic).
Things to look forward to in the next movie (or hope to see and know)
– If Sano, in his wild goose travelling to Kyoto, did learn the Futae no Kiwami
– The Student-Teacher moment between Hiko and Kenshin (cough cough, spoiler)
– Aoshi-Kenshin/ Kenshin-Shishio Battles (I wouldnt say no to some of Saito’s battles as well)
– The battle of the Aoiya
– WHERE THE HELL DID KAORU GO?!?!
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After the movie, I was famished alongside my brother as we were originally supposed to eat first if not for the fact we arrived at the 1:00 pm showing. We argued and eventually found ourselves in IHOP, my brother’s now most favored restaurant coz they serve breakfast from morning to night. Photos below and some thoughts on them below!
Note to those going here, prices are kinda pricy but they have a wide array of selections for your palate. They serve some excellent ice tea!
Bacon Temptation Omelette and pancakes (I forgot which exact one this is)
Pot Roast Penne Pasta with plenty Cheese – This one is my order. It was quite good but too cheese-y for my taste.
Gah slightly busy but mild September is coming but its my b-month so hope things will go well! Back to classes I am! Will be posting again soon!