The Mouse House: Short Review of Rurouni Kenshin Season 3: Tales of the Meiji and Introduction to my Next Event

A Short Review of Rurouni Kenshin: Season 3 Tales of the Meiji and an Introduction to my  Next Event

Theme Song by Brian Setzer and owned by Walt Disney Records

I have decided to cut my anime review short because A. I don’t really like this particular season of the show and B. I really want to get this next event up and running.

So after the awesomeness that was the Legend of Kyoto, season 3 Tales of the Meiji was basically the show returning to the status quo of season1 where there would be various enemies to confront. After the epicness of season 2 there’s no going back. The episodes felt like a halfassed retread of season 1 in a lot of ways and that turned a lot of people off who were expecting the show to get better after season 2. The reason for this crap is because the studios were impatient in picking up the screen rights. The third act of the manga wasn’t done yet and the studio was already knee deep in the show and couldn’t wait which is a shame because the third of the manga is absolutely awesome going back to Kenshin’s origins and have villains that seek vengeance against anything and everything and everyone that Kenshin has saved.   There is only one part of this arc that is good and that is about a 10 episode arc where Kenshin fights a rogue Hiten Mitsurugi Master who is the leader of a Christian sect that wants to rebel against the government or die a martyr. This arc is good because it reminds me of the Legend of Kyoto. It’s also interesting to see Kenshin fight a Hiten Mitsurugi Master that is very different from him and in a lot of ways superior. The arc also delves into the terrible cycle of how people that were persecuted end up becoming persecutors and betray their beliefs. Also getting into how religion has been unfortunately used to manipulate and control people for the personal gain of more elite people in the religion’s institutions. The best thing about the arc is that it never truly points fingers at one group and always brings up the faults of all sides. Also there are nice character bits with Sano and the sister of the sect’s leader. Sano falls in love with Sayo (the sister of the sect’s leader) and Sano wonders how such a kind person can endorse the bad things her brother has done and he tries to bring out the hypocrisy that she has tried to blind herself to. In the end she agrees to help stop this violence even in the midst of her slowly dying of tuberculosis (a disease that she and her brother have and it also took their mother). Sano tries to get her to the Dutch consul who is also a doctor for treatment, but an assassin tries to kill the consul and Sayo pushes him out of the way and gets shot. After a very sad farewell scene Sayo dies in Sano’s arms. Kenshin defeats the sect’s leader and the Meiji Government takes pity on them at the urging of Kenshin and the Dutch consul. Their sentence is banishment from Japan and the Dutch consul has the idea to take them to Holland. Everything after that arc though is pretty much crap that doesn’t jive with the series at all. Now there’s the end of that review. As I said Legend of Kyoto is the reason this is a well deserved masterpiece. Here are pictures below.

Introduction to the next event 

 

Who doesn’t love music? Music is so many things to different people. Some people listen to music to be entertained while others want deeper meaning and thought provoking tunes. Music has become a fundamental part of human culture and pop culture especially. So that is why I have decided to dedicate an entire month to celebrate my love of music. Ladies and Gentlemen this is MUSICAL MARCH MADNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m going to start the event by counting down my favorite main themes. There are so many great main themes and they couldn’t possibly fit on one list. So here is a preliminary list in no particular order of my honorable mentions.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST music Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman

Now this might be considered a character theme, but I disagree because the song is more about their relationship then about Belle and Beast themselves. The OSCAR winning song is an excellent ballad that shows us that this story truly is a “tale as old as time”. It puts the themes of the film in such a simple manner that it is 110% irresistible.

TRON LEGACY THE GRID music by Daft Punk

I love TRON. So when I found out a sequel was in the works I was extremely excited. When the movie began and Daft Punk’s awesome music kicked in with Jeff Bridges narrating I was completely thrilled and captivated. I was glad to be back in the world of TRON. This theme captures the magic and wonder of the GRID and creates a great musical representation of one of the most unique worlds in all of pop culture.

LORD OF THE RINGS THEME music by Howard Shore

We go from a computer world to a medieval world. The Lord of the Rings theme captures the friendship and bonds of the Fellowship as well as the grand world of Middle Earth. Big in scope yet small and heartfelt. A perfect theme for an adventure that involves destroying a “Precious” ring.

HARRY POTTER FRANCHISE THEME HEDWIG’S THEME music by John Williams

Now normally one of my criteria for main themes is no character themes, but Hedwig isn’t really a character she’s just an owl. I didn’t cry when Hedwig died. Also I am not an obsessive Harry Potter fanboy I just like the books and movies. But I am a John Williams fanboy and this theme captures the magic, mystery and wonder of J.K. Rowling’s world perfectly! Wow I really wish I could put this on the list, but this didn’t quite make the cut.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA THEME music by Koji Kondo

The Legend of Zelda’s theme is one of the most energized themes in all of gaming and has motivated and enchanted gamers for 28 years! The theme is one of the themes  that ares the epitomes of adventure! You just want to get up and explore a forest with no fear when you hear it!

RUROUNI KENSHIN: THE LEGEND OF KYOTO WHEELS OF DESTINY PROLOGUE AND DEPARTURE

Music by Noriyuki Asakura

I know I’ve already talked about these in the last review, but they’re just so good! Wheels of Destiny Prologue is has a gritty and dark mood to it that sets up the dark times just around the corner and I love it! Departure shows the epic decisions and paths that a hero and even a villain takes. It shows that there is abigger confrontation in store and that a destiny must be followed. An excellent theme.

CIRCLE OF LIFE music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice

What a great opening to a great movie (even if the movie is a ripoff). It showcases the world perfectly as well as the themes of finding “our place on the path unwinding”. Who can forget the emotional weight and the grand scale of this song? I think the most powerful moment of the song is when the ray of light shines down on Simba and it’s the blessing of the dead kings. That part of the song sends shivers down my spine. A perfect opening song!

SIMPLE AND CLEAN music and lyrics by Utada Hikaru

It really pains me to put this song and the next one on an honorable mentions list, but I have to. I love this song! This song captured the “hearts” and imaginations of all RPG players when it debuted as the theme song to Kingdom Hearts 1. It has gone on to be the official theme song of the entire series by returning in Chain of Memories, Birth by Sleep (I don’t count Coded). It is beautifully sung by Utada Hikaru and is a fabulous song.

SANCTUARY music and lyrics by Utada Hikaru

Believe it or not I actually prefer this over Simple and Clean. I think it suits the themes of the series better and has a more epic and magical beauty to it. You feel like you’ve stepped into a wonderful dream that you don’t want to wake up from.

 

Well there are my honorable mentions Join me next time where I count down the TOP 13 BEST MAIN THEMES!!!!!!!!

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