Speaking of the live action movies, I there anything you are worried about in the jinchuu arc adaptation? All adaptations are adaptations and changes are abound, especially since the whole fake out kaoru death thing was lightly touched on already.
Honestly the biggest thing is that they try to utterly water down how terrifying the entire arc is. Jinchu is the most horrifying arc in Kenshin in my complete and honest opinion. I’ve elaborated on it here , but I think they will likely completely avoid having Emi Takei brutalized, which is understandable, but give a heavy implication, such as lots of blood, the scent of Tomoe and Kaoru’s hair ribbon / or clip so to speak, in the adaptations.
Once again watering down Sanosuke’s character + his reaction is the strongest to Kenshin’s complete shut-down, ‘temporary death of himself’.
Deleting the existence of Rakinmura for something like, him being heavily injured or unconscious instead, although they did that in the second arc of Inferno so Rakinmura may be possible.
Katsura being a manipulative politician.
Tsubame waking Kenshin up in Rakinmura.
Take out most of if the majority of Enishi’s henchmen.
Erase something imperative, Tomoe’s smiling flashbacks which are always a big indicator to me of Enishi’s sanity and status.
Enishi seeing Tomoe in Kaoru when he tries to choke her, likely to be taken out.
Watering down the fight scenes to one big fight instead of multiple.
I feel the first will cover Tsuiokuhen a great deal primarily, while the second may rush and cram as much of Jinchu accurately as possible.
Taking out Kaoru and Megumi’s decision of Tomoe. The contrast of one willing to die for Kenshin (Megumi) and Kaoru wanting to (live) for him really showed good kinship between the two women and contrast of ideals.
The confession scene. I think this is unavoidable honestly, and should be, but they may cram that in or rush it when it’s one of the most arguably poignant scenes in the franchise both as Kenshin / Kaoru closing the distance and Kenshin finally acknowledging he has a home, only for Jinchu Arc to rip it away from him.
The funeral, Aoshi is confirmed last I checked, but the whole finding the doll in the ‘corpse’ might also be too squicky for the audience. I think a lot of the really crucial but brutal parts are likely to be omitted, as well as the stack on fight scenes on the attack on the dojo.
Also we aren’t certain if they won’t completely omit the burning of the Akabeko.
In regards to the part of Jinchu which is ‘Reminisce’, honestly keeping Tomoe’s blunt and unafraid analysis of Kenshin’s mind-state is imperative. It builds her character and her growth with the little scenes such as their talk after the children leave and Kenshin smiling at her, or the scene with the diary, Enishi being present at her death, Tomoe dealing the fatal blow to the Yaminobu leader, and the heavy foreshadowing of someone’s death, (hers) are things I’m legitimately concerned about.
I will be really disappointed if they don’t have the scenes where Kenshin and Tomoe build up their intimacy or newer audiences might not buy if if they rush it, it’s such a beautiful and tragic relationship and as they’ve done with Kaoru and Kenshin’s romance, should be also done accordingly. Both ships could be rushed here.
KENSHIN ADMITTING HE CANNOT SAVE ALL BUT ONE BY ONE IF THEY TAKE THAT OUT OR PUT IT IN WITHOUT HIM ACKNOWLEDGING TOMOE HELPING HIM FIND HIS NEW PURPOSE TO NOT KILL AFTER THE BAKUMATSU I WILL BE FRUSTRATED.
The entirety of the cast coming to the island to rescue Kaoru. Yahiko’s fight, Misao crying at the well…all of that, all the emotional but little details the build on the greater ones? Need to be seen. Jinchu is meant to emotionally destroy us, not make us smile for two movies worth until the end .
Also I’d like Tomoe’s ghost to visit Kenshin as a symbol of him taking as he says, ‘one step forward stronger than before’. That’s key. Putting the past in his heart and taking the future into account. That’s what the story is about to me and ignoring that little visit from his wife in the dream-snow will just be..too sad.
PUT IN TOMOE’S FATHER PLEASE IN RAKINMURA.
Honestly there’s a LOT I’m worried about, and I just hope they keep the most crucial points in the present day in-tact. Really there’s a whole list in my head that’s way longer than this but at the TOP of my head this is the best I can give you, Slow! Let’s just hope they don’t mess it up since it’s the most impactful part alongside the Kyoto arc, IMO, if not the top. We’ve waited a long time, so I’d say be patient and we’ll see if they can remember what’s true to Rurouni Kenshin’s message as a whole and take hopefully intel from sources as to what defined the chapters as a whole.
So yes I’m also anxious, but I don’t feel any pessimism but trepidation because the alternative was the nonsense of Seishouhen ( dumbest thing I’ve ever watched ) and it’s far better than it not being made in some context at all, so I’m trying to keep a positive mind!