Rurouni Kenshin OVA LE Blu-Ray Release -- $64.99

Ecofreak

Ecofreak

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I've been waiting for the Kenshin OVAs of "Trust & Betrayal" to be released on Blu-Ray, and the first set is being released August 24, 2011!

The set includes the following for $64.99 (before shipping):
- All 4 OVA episodes
- Total Running Time: 125 min.
- 1080 Hi-def picture, digitally remastered
- Audio: Japanese (linear PCM) & English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
- Subtitles: Japanese & English
- Exclusive new box and digipak art by ATSUKO NAKAJIMA, the character designer
- Includes a deluxe booklet (comes with separate English translation booklet)

The "Reflections" OVA and Kenshin movie are being released Sept 21 and Oct 26, respectively, for the same price.

Certainly the most expensive blu-rays I'll likely ever buy in terms of minutes/dollar, but as "Trust & Betrayal" are my favorite anime production of all times (I still listen to the soundtrack on a frequent basis), it's worth it to me.

It's marked as LIMITED EDITION so please take that into consideration.

Here's the link again just in case: http://www.aniplexusa.com/rurounikenshin/
 
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Man, that is tempting, because I LOVE the first Kenshin OVA's (Reflection/Seisouhen can eat a big bowl of dick), but Jesus that price...

I Was better off not knowing about this without being tempted and possibly saving money.
 
Thanks for the heads up, OP! I love this anime series and hope they plan on a blu ray release for it too-what was it, like 90 episodes or something-wonder how much that's gonna cost me!
 
[quote name='bardockkun']Man, that is tempting, because I LOVE the first Kenshin OVA's (Reflection/Seisouhen can eat a big bowl of dick), but Jesus that price...

I Was better off not knowing about this without being tempted and possibly saving money.[/QUOTE]

True -- but it's Limited Edition. Can you really take a chance by waiting and potentially paying an astronomical price if/when it's out-of print? ;)

[quote name='awsookysooky']Was doin some googlin' and came across this site: http://jumpsq.shueisha.co.jp/contents/topic-rurouni/index.html Who can translate? Does this mean they are going to be starting up another Kenshin series in 2012?[/QUOTE]

They're also making a live action Kenshin movie, scheduled for release next year -- and you can be casted as an extra (Disclaimer: Must currently live in Japan). :D

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/int...rurouni-kenshin-sends-casting-call-for-extras

With the new TV series, movie, PSP game, and OVA Blu-Ray release, Kenshin certainly seems to be coming back in a big way.
 
[quote name='bardockkun']Man, that is tempting, because I LOVE the first Kenshin OVA's (Reflection/Seisouhen can eat a big bowl of dick), but Jesus that price...

I Was better off not knowing about this without being tempted and possibly saving money.[/QUOTE]

This
 
I guess considering how much the out of print SAMOOR-EYE ECCHS dvds of this go for, its a pretty good deal, but that's still too damned much. I was an anime fan way back when a subtitled VHS would run you this kind of money for one episode, but sue me, I was spoiled by that brief period in the two-thousand-auts where stuff could be had for a pretty reasonable price. Pendulum is swinging back in the other direction now I guess.

[quote name='ssjmichael']oro![/QUOTE]

Ah! None of that! This is the depressing, heart-wrenching, SD-cutesy-bullcrap-free Kenshin!
 
A great OVA but that price is ridiculous! You'd figure for $65 they'd include a statue or first season or two of the tv series too. LE or not, I'm scratching my head on this one.
 
I remember when the first OVAs came out (Samurai X LOL) and they were badass. Then the later ones were just depressing and I never saw them a second time. They're out of their mind for $65, though. I'd pay maybe $10 just for the first two, but that's it.
 
When they do the new series, I really hope they take out the last half or third of the original series. Kenshin fighting Christians and whatnot, WTH!?
 
[quote name='jling84']When they do the new series, I really hope they take out the last half or third of the original series. Kenshin fighting Christians and whatnot, WTH!?[/QUOTE]
If they're basing or following closely to the manga they kinda have to considering that was just a giant shoe horned plot since by then the anime series had caught up to the manga. That and the giant plothole of someone other then Kenshin being taught the Hiten Mitsurugi style.
 
I'm sure that the new Kenshin series won't remake any filler of the old series, though I can't say that I hated all of the post-Kyoto arc anime. The episodes with the Kakure Kirishitan villain were actually okay because they loosely dealt with an interesting cultural issue in early Meiji Japan, but some of those filler mini-arcs were just painfully dull.

As much as I love Rurouni Kenshin I just can't pay that much for four OVA episodes, limited release or no. Aniplex is nuts and I'm definitely not looking forward to taking it in the wallet for Madoka Magica when that gets released here.
 
$65 for 125 minutes? They've got to be fucking joking. And limited edition? I'll believe that when it's actually accompanied by print run numbers -- technically, everything is limited edition in that there will never be an infinite number of copies made. Even if it truly is limited or "rare", I can't really justify that much for it.

My bet, though? Some limited number in this "special package", and then six months to a year later, a normal blu-ray case edition. There's too much money to be made on Kenshin to limit it to the collector's market like that.
 
If anyone's wondering why this is so expensive, it's because this is the Japanese release. Instead of having people resort to importing it, Aniplex USA is "releasing" it over here. The only difference between our release and the Japanese release is that ours has an additional booklet which contains English translations for the original booklet that's in Japanese.

This is the same scenario as the Blu-ray release of The Garden of Sinners that Aniplex USA made available over here.

65 dollars is a lot of money for this — I agree with you guys — but this is actually cheaper than the Japanese release, which runs for 6,162 yen ($80) on Amazon, and that's after their 27% discount (which is actually pretty common for preorders and recent releases, albeit their discount does fluctuate, before or after the release date). I think that at least counts for something.

Also, I wouldn't hold my breath for a "standard" Blu-ray release. I highly doubt that's going to happen. Once this sells out, that's it; you're not gonna get another chance to buy it again.
 
[quote name='Razzuel']Also, I wouldn't hold my breath for a "standard" Blu-ray release. I highly doubt that's going to happen. Once this sells out, that's it; you're not gonna get another chance to buy it again.[/QUOTE]

Meh, I can live without it then. Though Kenshin is popular enough over here that I'll be surprised if there isn't a domestic release at some point.
 
Aniplex is probably trying to cash in on these OVAs while they still can. If the upcoming anime series remake follows the manga fully, it will end up covering what happens in Trust & Betrayal, but with newer animation.
 
All this argument of price kinda reminds me I did pay for it on VHS subtitled way back in the day from Suncoast for $30 each and without a doubt I got my money's worth and then some.

Though the awkward transition of going from the OVA's to the TV series, well...
 
I just noticed in the OP, that for this price you don't even get Reflection included. They're selling that separately for $55. I don't even like Reflection that much but still, you'd figure for $65 you'd get both Trust and Betrayal and Reflection
 
[quote name='bardockkun']If they're basing or following closely to the manga they kinda have to considering that was just a giant shoe horned plot since by then the anime series had caught up to the manga. That and the giant plothole of someone other then Kenshin being taught the Hiten Mitsurugi style.[/QUOTE]

Oh yes, that was horrible!
 
I forgot already these were coming out but i'm still buying Trust & Betrayal for sure. Care little for the movie or fanfic style wrap up to the series so those get a skip.
 
What's with all the hate on Reflection? I thought it gave you the best parts of the series without having to watch the whole drawn out thing, and it was so well animated that it made the series look crummy by comparison. If it was included in this I'd definitely be down for it, but as is it's lacking in extra collectibles and the price is high even for one of my absolute favorites.
 
[quote name='Shinpachi']What's with all the hate on Reflection? I thought it gave you the best parts of the series without having to watch the whole drawn out thing, and it was so well animated that it made the series look crummy by comparison. If it was included in this I'd definitely be down for it, but as is it's lacking in extra collectibles and the price is high even for one of my absolute favorites.[/QUOTE]

I thought the ending sucked first off. It's not the way the creator Nobuhiro Watsuki wanted the series to end, and it's not really part of the canon. It's pretty much as good as a fanfic. The animation style was okay but I definitely preferred the series' character models to the changes made in Reflection. The whole movie just seemed so bleak too. It's not the way I'd have liked Rurouni Kenshin's saga to be wrapped up.
 
[quote name='Shinpachi']What's with all the hate on Reflection? I thought it gave you the best parts of the series without having to watch the whole drawn out thing, and it was so well animated that it made the series look crummy by comparison. If it was included in this I'd definitely be down for it, but as is it's lacking in extra collectibles and the price is high even for one of my absolute favorites.[/QUOTE]
Because it completely ruined one of the best story arcs in the Kenshin manga while retaining little to nothing from it. That and the god fucking awful ending that even the creator himself has publicly stated on several occasions he disliked. fuck that OVA.
 
[quote name='Shinpachi']What's with all the hate on Reflection? I thought it gave you the best parts of the series without having to watch the whole drawn out thing, and it was so well animated that it made the series look crummy by comparison. If it was included in this I'd definitely be down for it, but as is it's lacking in extra collectibles and the price is high even for one of my absolute favorites.[/QUOTE]

I had two big issues with the story itself
Kenshin, after some 90 something episodes protecting her knowingly sleeps with Karuo even though he has a fatal contagious disease. It made no sense whatsoever I don't care how much she begged, someone else went through the exact same thing in Trust & Betrayal but he managed to keep it in his pants yet Kenshin with his iron willpower couldn't ? Then we have Sanosuke who meets Kenshin after years and notices something is horrendously wrong and his health is rapidly declining but can't be bothered to at least see the guy back home?
Sure it had some nice animation but the style was fugly and the story was IMO pure shit.
 
Just got an e-mail from Right Stuf where I ordered "Trust & Betrayal," stating that my order has been delayed due to "unforeseen demand." No update on when I'll actually be receiving it but I'm glad I pre-ordered if it actually is limited edition.
 
So these will probably end up like Garden of Sinners. LE only, but I ordered. I loved kenshin but hate the price but knowing what happened with Garden I totally pre-ordered this.

Garden of Sinners was ~ 400 for 7 episodes
Kenshin ~ 70 for 4?
 
I just pulled the trigger on Bandai's store myself, it hurt to pay that much for 4 eps i'm not going to lie but damn after searching for 8 months for Gundam Igloo once it went out of print never again.
 
[quote name='Ecofreak']Just got an e-mail from Right Stuf where I ordered "Trust & Betrayal," stating that my order has been delayed due to "unforeseen demand." No update on when I'll actually be receiving it but I'm glad I pre-ordered if it actually is limited edition.[/QUOTE]

I haven't got an email from them, but on their website it says that it's reserved for my order.

[quote name='lorddct']Garden of Sinners was ~ 400 for 7 episodes
Kenshin ~ 70 for 4?[/QUOTE]

That's a deceiving comparison. A better way to compare them would be with their running times.

The Garden of Sinners - $398.98 - 542 minutes (602 minutes if you include the recap movie)
Trust & Betrayal - $64.98 - 120 minutes
 
[quote name='coolsteel']I just pulled the trigger on Bandai's store myself, it hurt to pay that much for 4 eps i'm not going to lie but damn after searching for 8 months for Gundam Igloo once it went out of print never again.[/QUOTE]

Wow, never heard of Gundam Igloo before. Looks pretty cool based on the Youtube trailer.

Was it worth the effort?
 
[quote name='Ecofreak']Wow, never heard of Gundam Igloo before. Looks pretty cool based on the Youtube trailer.

Was it worth the effort?[/QUOTE]

Oh definitely , in the 0079 series you always see the Zeon army with all these crazy mobile armors and oddball weapons well Igloo is about the science division testing these things out while also simultaneously showing how the war effort was going for Zeon. I had downloaded it back when it first came out and kept putting off getting the dvds due to that price of 40 a piece but then i'm ready to pull the trigger and crap out of print. Not doing that with Kenshin.
 
I wish this Kenshin OVA was in a little more Limited Edition type packaging. I feel it could have been a little better for the price we pay for it.

It is definitely closer to an import than purchasing a US "release" everything is in Japanese. So if you look at it that way I guess you are paying less than the regular import from Japan.
 
[quote name='Ecofreak']Just got an e-mail from Right Stuf where I ordered "Trust & Betrayal," stating that my order has been delayed due to "unforeseen demand." No update on when I'll actually be receiving it but I'm glad I pre-ordered if it actually is limited edition.[/QUOTE]I got that same email too, but 2-3 days later they shipped it. I received it pretty fast.

[quote name='Razzuel']If anyone's wondering why this is so expensive, it's because this is the Japanese release. Instead of having people resort to importing it, Aniplex USA is "releasing" it over here. The only difference between our release and the Japanese release is that ours has an additional booklet which contains English translations for the original booklet that's in Japanese.

This is the same scenario as the Blu-ray release of The Garden of Sinners that Aniplex USA made available over here.

65 dollars is a lot of money for this — I agree with you guys — but this is actually cheaper than the Japanese release, which runs for 6,162 yen ($80) on Amazon, and that's after their 27% discount (which is actually pretty common for preorders and recent releases, albeit their discount does fluctuate, before or after the release date). I think that at least counts for something.

Also, I wouldn't hold my breath for a "standard" Blu-ray release. I highly doubt that's going to happen. Once this sells out, that's it; you're not gonna get another chance to buy it again.[/QUOTE]
Pretty much the truth. I for one welcome AniplexUSA for doing this, so I'm spending the money.
 
I received my copy today, but it came in a bubble envelope and arrived crushed/dented & with a sideways slant to the spine. :cry:

Have to wait a while yet to watch it, I guess.
 
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[quote name='lorddct']I wish this Kenshin OVA was in a little more Limited Edition type packaging. I feel it could have been a little better for the price we pay for it. [/QUOTE]

I concur, as I must have flipped the package around half a dozen times trying to see if anything on the packaging said limited. Guessing for $70, I expected a little more "meat" to the packaging.

Not to mention we early adaptors got the shaft in pricing once again, as it's currently going for $54.98 instead of $69.98 @ Rightstuf where I ordered, and I just received mine yesterday. Could have waited until this week to order, but didn't want to chance missing out. Oh well.
 
Huh? Trust & Betrayal still costs $64.98. Reflections and the movie are $54.98, and they always have been. I think you might be confusing Trust & Betrayal with either of those.
 
[quote name='Razzuel']Huh? Trust & Betrayal still costs $64.98. Reflections and the movie are $54.98, and they always have been. I think you might be confusing Trust & Betrayal with either of those.[/QUOTE]

:whistle2:# Oops! You are correct. I have the aniplex page bookmarked and scrolled down right past T&B to Reflections, my mistake. Well feel a little better now then:)
 
I will wait till i can get it for $20, maybe even $30 but not a penny more.

DVD versions are perfectly fine for me.
 
[quote name='styl3s']I will wait till i can get it for $20, maybe even $30 but not a penny more.

DVD versions are perfectly fine for me.[/QUOTE]

Uh, you're going to be waiting indefinitely.

Also, you should probably take a look at the differences between the two versions — it's pretty significant.

http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showpost.php?p=1955414&postcount=112

For those of you that are too lazy to click through, I'll provide one of the 60 comparisons:

R1DVD | BD
 
[quote name='Razzuel']Uh, you're going to be waiting indefinitely.

Also, you should probably take a look at the differences between the two versions — it's pretty significant.

http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showpost.php?p=1955414&postcount=112

For those of you that are too lazy to click through, I'll provide one of the 60 comparisons:

R1DVD | BD[/QUOTE]

I remember the DVD release looking really pixelated and colors almost washed out. Glad to see the Blu-Ray version looks a lot crisper and vibrant!

Probably watch mine over Labor Day.
 
[quote name='Razzuel']Uh, you're going to be waiting indefinitely.

Also, you should probably take a look at the differences between the two versions — it's pretty significant.

http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showpost.php?p=1955414&postcount=112

For those of you that are too lazy to click through, I'll provide one of the 60 comparisons:

R1DVD | BD[/QUOTE]
Then i will use the power of the internet to get 1080p versions without paying $64.

I am not paying $64 for something that is worth $30 at the most. Besides i am fine with the DVD version, it's more than watchable, i don't have to have everything on blu-ray im not a AV nerd.
 
[quote name='styl3s']Then i will use the power of the internet to get 1080p versions without paying $64.[/QUOTE]

Go suck a dick.
 
[quote name='elessar123']
Go suck a dick.
[/QUOTE]
cool story bro

I have bills to pay, i am not about to fork over almost $70 on like 2 hours of anime that i don't even like THAT much.
 
[quote name='styl3s']cool story bro

I have bills to pay, i am not about to fork over almost $70 on like 2 hours of anime that i don't even like THAT much.[/QUOTE]

1) Your PSN is Kenshin, spelled in l33t. You're "not a fan" while reading this thread 15 *years* after it was released.

2) It's against forum regulation to explicitly discuss piracy, and faux pas to discuss it generally.
 
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