*le sigh*

[redbeangirl]

Finished the Saigou biography. Desperaely need to refresh my memory in regards to the Kyoto arc of RK, but after that I have no good excuse for not working on chapter three.

I've been reading other people's responses to Last Samurai (*waves to clarus, resmiranda, catystorm*) and I'm increasingly woeful about my own opinions. As I've said to more than one person in the

Comments

[clarus]

I think you're definitely entitled to your opinion on the movie. It's totally cool. You were kinda immersed in the Saigou biography, so yeah, it's totally understandable that you'd have issues with the movie.

For me, what really did it was the last scene, when the samurai were cut down with gatling guns. That is the whole message of Rurouni Kenshin, too: the dying of a tradition. It comes out much, much more in the movie than it does in the series, but it is there. It's like this great big shadow that hangs over everything, especially for the modern viewer, who can look at things like the trains, and the corruption in the Meiji government, and know that it all adds up to Imperialist Japan and the "stumble." Which is what the Japanese call WWII, no lie. A stumble. So, for me at least, even if some of the facts were right, the story, the message, was basically true.

Anyway. *hugs* You don't have to justify a differing opinion. ^_^

[clarus]

*even if some of the facts were wrong

Ai yi yi. Proofread, Clarus, proofread. >_

[redbeangirl]

No, you're totally right on that count. That was one thing the film handled especially well, and...truth be told, part of the reason why I was so annoyed, because one moment I would be moaning about Tom Cruise's performance, and the next I was moved to tears by the destruction of old Japan.

*grins* Of course, this just makes me want to continue my slow trek through modern Japanese history....I still don't know nearly as much about post-meiji japan as I should. Soooo much reading left to do... O_o

[catystorm]

I think I enjoyed the movie so much because I purposefully did not go looking up anything I didn't already know. I like to keep my self ignorant of things before seeing a movie (not to the extreme, but I don't go out of my way for it), so I can enjoy the movie for what it is, not what I want it to be.

Then I go download it and pick it to pieces. :D

I notice a lot of people have problems with Tom Cruise. I *like* Tom Cruise, so that didn't bother me as much as other people. It could have always been much, much worse. ^_^x

It's fun for me and my roommate to trace the connections and patterns between Last Samurai, Kenshin, Peacemaker Kurogane and Burai. It's utterly fangirlish and insane, but a lot of fun.

...until the Sakamoto Ryoma thing. Ugh, pain. He shall henceforth be known as "dreadlocks" to minimize my personal trauma. x.x

And now, back to me readings. ^_^x

[recession]

I agree with everything you said. I have a good knowledge of that time in Japan, and I enjoyed the movie. I just think a lot of people went in there thinking it was going to be a true historical representation of the war at the time -- which it wasn't.

Kinda reminds me of Daredevil. Everyone who went in with high expectations hated it. Everyone who went in with low expectations loved it. Go figure.

[hlaron]

this is in no way relevant (as i haven't seen the film yet) but i just now read the chapter of ruruken with your userpic in it.

"no i'm not going to protect your friends. bugger off."

hiko!

ahem. i'll be off now.

[redbeangirl]

My love for Hiko has absolutely no end :D

[hlaron]

i've finished the kyoto arc and now neither does mine ^_^

[redbeangirl]

*encourages quietly from corner*