You know an anime is good when the live action is decent.

I believe Kenshin’s different personalities is more like an old habit. Like “this is what is needed to be a killer” and “I don’t want to be a killer.” You could almost compare it to addiction, like an alcoholic struggling to stay sober. Kaoru reminds Kenshin why he needed to stop, he doesn’t want to be a murderer, but murdering is directly tied to his most inner desire to protect loved ones, which is why he sometimes sacrifices his own want not to kill in order to protect his friends. Battousai isn’t another personality, so much as it is his killer instincts, drowning out the soul he tries to keep alive, the suppression of his heart.

I don't honestly think he had differing personalities. I think it was more like old buried behaviors and PTSD. The longer he is in combat, the more his old habits and mindset take hold. Sometimes it's more difficult to shake. His softer side isn't exactly a mask, but a series of behaviors he trained himself to use until they also became natural.

Trust and Betrayal is the best thing that I've ever watch in my entire 30 years of life, and I do not expect to watch anything better.

I remember watching Trust and Betrayal for the first time in 2005. My first year of university. December. Final exams that I should have been studying for. It was night, and I cried, oh I cried as I watched this. I was not prepared for the emotional storytelling, considering the anime was somewhat goofy. I remember walking outside my dorm when I was done, and looking up at the streetlight. It was so quiet and snowing, and in the light it seemed to come down so slowly. I was the only one awake. I felt alone and peaceful at the same time. THIS is my memory of the the first time I watched Trust and Betrayal. It's one of my most cherished memories, and an actual defining moment in my life for so many reasons. 16 years later, and I appreciate this OVA so much more, and consider it the best OVA ever produced. Also, the music. Oh, the music. It was perfect. The only soundtrack I enjoy from the tv series is Departure. I'm sad that the OVA and the soundtracks are so hard to find now. If anyone knows where I can buy legitimate cds/dvd, please leave a comment! Thanks.

I haven't even seen the regular anime series, but trust and betrayal is one of the best pieces of media I've ever seen. So beautifully directed.

I consider Trust & Betrayal the perfect "anime". There is not a single thing i can find to criticize this piece of everlasting art. And much like the anime, there is not a single thing that i could say to improve your video. It is perfect. Expertly written, narrated, exemplified and analysed. Tremendous amount of context for the un-initiated and the long-time fans as well. I can only wish to ever produce something as well crafted as this video. You made Trust & Betrayal proud with this ode and I hope you never stop feeling proud of producing such quality content.

Rurouni kenshin will always mean the world to me. I grew up watching it on Toonami and tried to mimic Kenshin in my every day life (cringe I know, but it's true). Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it quite a bit

The OVAs are a masterpiece, they feel very unique. The anime is light-hearted and feel more like a regular product, it doesn't stand out head and shoulders over other animes as the OVAs did.

I loved that you spoke about the change of tone between the anime and Trust and Betrayal. While I loved the anime.. as a kid I never truly understood why Kenshin made that promise to never kill. Trust and Betrayal takes away that sense of adventure to show us the reality of Kenshin's past. How dont matter how hard he tried.. his sword brought saddness in his life.

I'm a trust and betrayal fan. The art, the colors, the story all of it make it one of the best imo. Great video and break down.

言葉はわからないけど、何となく理解できるくらい愛が溢れているのがわかる

'There is nothing stronger than the will to live' seems to be the main message of Watsuki-sensei in all RK media. From Hiko's teaching as Kenshin attempts to master Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki, to Kenshin's slash-on-the-cheek wound in his fight vs Kiyosato Akira. "His skills are nothing special, but his will to live is formidable"..."I hope you will find happiness in the next life" --> Kenshin's opinion of Akira that was curiously not included in the anime, but thankfully it was there in the live-action version.

I still have my Trust and Betrayal DVD's and watch them every long once in a while, getting lost in the drama of the story all over again. The OST is by far one of my favorite scores put to screen.

This video is incredibly well analyzed and edited, and on the topic of my favorite anime makes it extra amazing! Easily the best deep dive on this OVA out there! Bravo.

I've always loved how mentally strong he was. Despite all the tragedies he faced, he still has the will to live and move forward. It did paid off in the end now that he has a family and a home. I miss you Onii Chan! (Yes I call Kenshin as Onii Chan cause he's been my brother since I was 8, the age I watch this anime)

I genuinely think Tsuioku Hen is an anime masterpiece, one of the best pieces of content ever produced in the history of the media. Rurouni Kenshin is great all around, but Tsuioku Hen is just audiovisual content masterclass

This anime is my first ever anime I watched which opened the door for anime world.

Author : Wrote an amazing story Author : Also a CP enjoyer Trust and betrayal indeed

The animation for trust and betrayal is top notch,great backstory for Kenshin,can compete with the shakespeare or greek tragedies.

My teenage years. This show was one of the things that made it memorable.

I think the dual personality came after the end of the war.. it makes his personslity more interesting.. because he is more relatsble.. someone with a struggle.

My first experience with Trust and Betrayal was from a Linkin park AMV from all the way back in 2000 when I was 4 years old lmao, I distinctly remembered certain shots like Kenshin's sensei obliterating that one bandit, or kenshin sticking a sword through a guys jaw, and for years I thought about those scenes wondering what the hell this was from (I would watch the normal kenshin anime on toonami but had no idea what Trust and Betrayal was). It wasn't until 2006 when I finally watched it in its entirety online, and man did it affect me. It's one of my first exposures to a story that can be both tragic and incredibly beautiful. It's one of those stories that you just can't stop thinking about even days after watching it. the rest is history.

This is a wonderful and articulate essay - thanks so much for your editing and hard work here

I love the animation style of trust and betrayal. More realistic, showing the cruelty of war and murder. He was not trying to convince others but just do his "job" and how he deal with everything. I always wondered how the anime will be with the tone of this OVA. Thank you so much for your job, I really appreciate it.

I just have to watch this twice because it was so good.

I'm glad the production house and writers decided to animate this origin story on a serious note, also made this in a special OVA. The whole story is far superior than the comic. This is the best anime OVA of all time!

The first anime figure I ever got at a convention was Tomoe. It was kind of small, no taller than a can of soda on a chunky base. The last little bit of money I had from Christmas I spent on her. I remember crying at my community college campus because I rewatched the OVAs. Tomoe holds a very soft spot in my heart, and this version of Kenshin does as well. Fantastic video.

I wish they would remake the ova in wide screen without changing anything else... damn, what a masterpiece there are. Oh, and wonderful analysis, mate.

Absolutely phenomenal video. Top tier documentary level. Could be the whole wiki entry by itself. I just want to take a moment to go off about Kenshin's scar. In western culture I think we overlook the majority of its meanings. And there's so much there. For starters, Tomoe as you said set out to kill Kenshin. One way to say 'kill another' in Japanese, especially for the period of the movies setting, is basically to say you will 'cut' them, to 'kiri'. This was thanks to the prevalence of the sword kill of course, but in Nihon-go it's 'kiri'. Rewind a bit to when that lowly guard manages to cut Kenshin, he does 'kill' a part of Kenshin by destroying Kenshin's sense of invincibility granted to him by his godly sword technique. Kenshin visibly is shocked but his own mortality in that moment when he's felt so empowered for so long. And as the story goes on, the wound opens on its own when Kenshin kills again. It's loaded with the possible ghost of the man who cut him still trying to kill him from beyond the grave, and the continued bleeding of Kenshin's heart as he comes to grips with the meaning and cost of killing another. Back to Tomoe though, in a beautiful but tragic circle, as I said earlier she does sincerely set out to kill Kenshin, or 'kiri'(cut) the man who killed her first love. When she *betrays* the assassins she teams up with to kill Kenshin and save's him instead, it's an odd predicament. She's of noble blood it's pointed out early, so she can't lose face or suffer dishonor of a broken agreement, despite her pure reasons. When she raises the blade to Kenshin's cheek she gets to an apex of purpose. She literally cuts (Kirimasu) Kenshin, as she promised to her assassins bargain, and herself, and also to the memory of her dead fiance. She succeeds in that quest peacefully. And she also at that point knows that first scar was left by said fiance, symbolizing the rejoining of the two first lovers in being the only two to ever wound Himura. Physically AND emotionally. Joined forever in death where their paths literally cross again. And as the scar heals and comes to rest, Kenshin's heart and mind are purified. Kenshin's life as a swordsman doesn't begin with sword classes, it begins by burying the victims of senseless violence and war, and marking the graves with crosses. He loses himself then in that same violence. And it's only when one last cross is placed burying that sin in forgiveness, that he dies as the lost soul within and gets his purpose. He becomes a reflection of the scar. It's In a very literal sense his cross to bear. And the most beautiful thing? After Tomoe's cut joins her fiance's on Kenshin's cheek, the wound finally heals. The vengeful spirit of the fiance is put to peace as he too finally gets to return to his love as he wanted in life, albeit now in death. And it never opens on its own again. There's to me where the beautiful tragedy really was.

when i first stumbled upon Trust and Betryal.... it blew me away with how raw, how violent and at the same time how sad everything was...

I just watched it last night and damn im so sad and crying when Tomoe died 😢

Trust and Betrayal is the perfect anime for me.

This was the first anime I showed to one of my friends. He was shocked at how good it was and wanted to see more this good. Uh, sorry I started with the best.

This is ultimate art. Never watched anything better.

This is actually my all-time favorite film (if you consider the OVAs as a single film). Full Stop. Such a beautifully tragic stories and such an incredibly realized story.

I don't really remember how long ago I watched Trust and Bertrayal last time. 12 years? 15? I remember watching original show when I was a kid and it was really great. In fact it was my first anime and first that I really liked. I remembered those adventures to be more light and more lively. But when I started to watch Trust and Betrayal... Well I can't say it was a shock, but that was certainly a dramatic change for me. To see the character that I watched for so many episodes to become such a cold-blooded killing machine was really something. Nowdays I doubt that anyone can listen to my recommendation to watch original TV series, but If someone want to watch something really good - Trust and Betrayal always will be my number one pick. And to this day it remains one of the best anime for me. Thanks for the video, that was a great nostalgia trip and a good enough reason for me to rewatch it again.

Good lord this was fantastic, 30 mins flew by.

UPDATE: This video hit over 200k views! Thank you all so much for your suppor! If you don't like and subscribe you're pro-Tokugawa and the Battousai will be sent for you. For any old school Toonami fans, check out my new Gundam Wing video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mphynqWXq6epYYE.html

We must also speak about the seasons shown in the ova: the calm spring, the violent rainy and the dead winter. Nice analysis on the ova, one of the best written which was 180 degree opposite to anime series.

Great video! "Trust and Betrayal" is the GOAT of Anime. The real tragedy here is the Taku Iwasaki's soundtrack is not on spotify.

Amazing job. Kenshin became my favorite series in 2003 watching the Kyoto arc and with the English translation of the manga coming out at the same time, but Trust and Betrayal changed how I viewed everything. Couldn't go back to Inuyasha after that hahaha

Well said the ova is indeed an absolute masterpiece of art as well as a must watch for all rurouni kenshin fans that is out there for themselves to watch and not only that this ova show the absolute brutal reality story of the darkest arc of rurounit kenshin itself leaving a sense of brutality, sadness, beauty and catharsis but all and all everyone can share these feelings from within themselves as one of duality and one more thing this a pretty good video of trust and betrayal and also are you looking forward to the new rurouni kenshin that is coming out.

I watched the anime on toonami growing up. I had to have been about 13, found trust and betrayal at Blockbuster, I was blown away , I had no idea there was a movie and I'd never read the manga ( relevant because I watched reflections after taking trust and betrayal back) my god that was a very emotional weekend. Kenshin's story is a masterpiece in my opinion, I have not had another character in fiction that I felt so close to, and I've yet to experience a sense of loss that potent from any other Tale. It informed my world view dramatically. as did Berserk and the hunger for philosophy triggered by the KOTOR games.

When you talk about the aspect in anime that the protagonists don't often change, but rather their surroundings tend to, I definitely noticed that as well, even as a layman. That's something that became apparent to me when I more recently revisited Inuyasha. I had seen some of it on adult swim in the early 00's, but then there was an extended period when I kinda drifted away from anime. It's because so much of it is cringey, childish, and embarrassing to watch. When I was a bit older I discovered the vast and sometimes complete differences between subs and dubs. I began going back to older shows with an open mind, because I hadn't experienced it as it truly is, instead most dubs are a cruel imitation of something masterful. Over here in the west, it seems that anything animated is treated merely as a "cartoon" for children, and deserves no real respect. Just listen to the comparison of most eldery characters in most anime's. In the English dubs, they're played as ridiculous cartoony caricatures, fit for toddlers, whereas in the original, they use an actual elderly actor, who treats the material and their performance with respect. I could go on for hours about subs versus dubs, but I'm sure most people get my point. The recent popularity of Squid Game brought the awareness of the contrasts between subs and dubs, and the importance of original performances to many more people that otherwise were unaware. Certainly helped by it being live action. Getting back to my point about Inuyasha, I had stopped watching it when I was younger because the actors at ocean butchered the material with the only exception being Paul Dobson, and it just wasn't fun or compelling to watch when I got a little older. When I finally revisited it in it's true form, it was something else entirely. It's wonderfully written and acted. Many of the ways characters are written is different than what you see in many other anime's. When Kagome travels back in time with modern amenities, be it instant noodles or her bicycle, the people of the past don't loose their minds and think she's a witch or something, as that kind of scenario is often written. When it comes to Inuyasha himself, at the start he's impulsive, aggressive, imature, and petty. As the story progresses, so does he. But they don't constantly draw attention to it. They don't continually show you the contrast between early story and later story versions of his character. His growth occurs a bit more naturally. When he first receives his sword, he can't even employ it's basic function at will. Later on however, he weilds it like it's an extension of his arm, and shows a natural, almost unconscious command over it. His goals and desires change and shift as well, sometimes subtley, and at other times the result of something traumatic and transformative. I'm probably going to exhaust my character limit here soon, but It's just something I think about when it comes to that show. It's certainly a less common type of protagonist. Perhaps you could do a presentation on Inuyasha at some point. This is the first video of yours I stumbled upon while cooking dinner about an hour ago, and I was astounded to check your page and see your current sub count. With a production like this, 150,000 subs would seem criminally low. If your other presentations are anything akin to this one, then I'm sure you'll be one of the greats in due time. You're already doing amazing work, the internet just hasn't caught up to you yet. I wish you well, and am definitely going to be checking out more of your content. Take care bud! ^_^

A nice deep dive of a true classic in video essay format. Well done!

Nice edit and japanese pronunciation! and thank you for welcoming me on the discord, keep posting 💪

This is gold! Thank you for making this video! Trust and betrayal will always be special to me. It really touched me when i first saw it now 33 it still feels good seeing a masterpiece once again.

I am jealous of your narrative skills. This is a great video, glad I found your channel. Honestly coming into this, I had no idea what it even was, but I figured I’d give it a try since I’ve seen a few of your other videos. I have learned a lot, and I appreciate you putting this out there.

This is one of the best works of anime, art, and music in history.

This is probably the best review of any piece of media I’ve seen on KZfaq. I appreciate your ability to properly pronounce the Japanese terms and names. Splendid job and thank you for the time you spent planning and making this!

With the OVA’s, in his past he is Battosai manslayer so he had more of a serious personality. While when he turned Rurouni he was more lighthearted

i really apreciate the effort, arigatou from the bottom of my dying heart

Fantastic analysis! Trust and Betrayal is one of my favorite pieces of media and honesty ruined anime for me lol. It had drama, romance and, graphic violence. And I can't find another anime that has its dour, and beautiful atmosphere 💔

I remember watching the OVAs on VHS in the late 90s, I had seen clips of the show before but thebOVAs where so beautiful and dark, I was surprised by how light the show was in comparison

As a young man I couldn't grasp what made this story strike home. Now I'm a divorced 35yr old former cartoonist who moved halfway across the country to try and start fresh. I find the shadows of my past do rear their head from time to time. But what do I do? Try and push past things and make the future better. So I can see how this story strikes true.

a sad story it was. we are all lucky we were not born in that era

What a great video, i saw Rurouni Kenshin for the first time early this year, and it stuck with me, it´s one of the best anime i´ve seen, but this OVA, it´s art, i haven´t seen something like it, it´s so profound, and the action it´s so simple. Loved your video man, I think that it´s the best OVA analysis I´ve watched, and I want to watch more of yout videos. I think that I just can say thank you.

Its been a year now and rurouni kenshin got rebooted yesssirrrrrr

I’m not sure if Kenshin in the anime ever struggled with blood-thirst whenever we would revert back to Battoisai. Rather, he was struggling to not rekindle the habit of killing a lot of people to protect the ones he loves. He never enjoys the killing as Battousai, but he is decisive about killing.

Kaoru can be my sheath any day of the week.

Ah yes ruruoni kenshin. Ppl need to see this masterpiece once more

this anime was really lovely and i loved your analysis and break down. trust and betrayal is poetry

That's really an amazing analysis, maybe that feeling of the 1st time watching it won't return, but this video certainly remembered and added some layers of understanding to this story, making me feel all over again a lot of sad, hopeful and nostalgic feelings at once, almost made me cry again, thanks for organize, compare and explain so clearly how this piece of art was made and why it impacts us in this tragically beautiful way. Amazing content!

Interesting. It's interesting how tragedy is sensitised as distinct from comic elements in order to speak of the "ebb and flow" or the "cycle" between them in Reminisce. I think... in Japanese worldview, it is simply taken as a whole and given that life is largely a paradox. In speaking of details, such as style, much of the analysis is effective. Yet this difference in cultural lens added a compartmentalised mentality to the interpretation. Hence, in this analysis video, the individual journey became the highlight. However, from a more holistic perspective, it is about the meaning of life.

This is by far the best OVA I've ever watched. Even if it's only four episodes.

I think I watched Trust and Betrayal after I read the manga. The manga to me is perfect but I also appreciate the OVA and the changes and subtleties you talk about here make me appreciate it much more. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and commentary!

This is really well put together. Editing is amazing. You've earned a new sub!

cant wait for the remake. Hopefully Jinchu arc is animated this time as a non OVA.

What a fantastic take. You really nailed it. Trust and Betrayal was a masterful work of art indeed. In both style and structure. And this review or video essay proves that well. Thanks.

Great video. This anime is so special to me, it changed my life and inspired me, especially to deal with my inner demons and my struggles with depression/anxiety. Kenshin is my favorite fictional character of all time.

Ruruoni Is My Fav Anime Bruh I Just Love It.... Kenshin Himura Is So Me 😩🧡

Just wanted to say thank you for this video. I'm a big Kenshin fan and I've adored the OVA for nearly 20 years but you've given me a new perspective on some aspects. Great video!

One thing I liked about the flashback arc in the manga was that it still had humor and wasn’t as ultra serious as the anime ova was

I watched it when it came out and i still cry just thinking about it. Incredibley moving like no other anime has ever been

Truly a beautiful movie, through the years it has stuck with me. It is everlasting & will never get old, I don't think I'll ever watch something as good as this.

totally agree the OVAs are some of the best animes out there.

Wow this video on itself is a piece of art, amazing brakedown, narrative, and editing, loved the chapter format and all the thought you've putted into it, also amazing comparassions with the mainstream series. What an incredible work! Thank you so much for all the effort you've putted on this. As for my personal experience, I remember watching the main series and wondering about his scar and the history behind it, when I finally discovered about the ova, Rurouni Kenshin was already my favorite anime by far, for all the history, comic, and action, packed in it, but man that ova, oh my god it changed the way I see Kenshin so much, it made me relate so much with him that I just had to re-wach the main series all over again, and then knowing more about his past it made it a brand new experience for me.. and as you've highlited at the end, is such a powerfull and emotional experience (especially the ending) at the first time that the merely fact that you can't fell it again, at least with the same intensity when you re-wach, is on itself tragic. Funny thing for me is that whenever I feel in pain, depressed, struggling this ova always makes me feel better, bacause I feel that I can relate to him, to his pain, and his inner struggles somehow.

Thank you for this beautiful video essay for one of my favorite pieces of art. I love RK and T&B is hands down amazing and as you said I wish I could experience it for the first time again. The OVA took the best of the story and took the character's struggle and made that pain and endurance the protagonist. I love that you pointed out the music, the tone shift, and how Kenshin crafted this cold exterior to be able to endure the hardships of what he was doing.

Hello, thank you for this essay on the Rurouni Kenshin OVA: Trust & Betrayal. My first contact with Rurouni Kenshin came through the manga in the 2000s. Oh, I come from Germany. That's just by the way. I finished the TV series very later after I had read the manga completely. And I was a little disappointed. But the original movie and the OVAs just Trust & Betayal I liked very much. Thank you very much for this wonderfully elaborated video. Many know by now that Watsuki is guilty of a terrible crime. But I separate the work from the author. And the new anime by LIDEN Films, which is currently simulcast in Germany, is supposed to adapt the main manga, so I really hope for a filler-free anime adaptation. So far, 2 courses have been announced. Let's see how much of them will adapt the manga.

Wow, really great job on this. Didn't want it to end.

dude the way u explain everything in great details to music, and make it into many categories, this is by far the best video on breaking down rurouni kenshin as anime series, manga and ova, you are a genius. super incredibly well edited and analyzed.

This video is incredibly well analyzed and edited, and on the topic of my favorite anime makes it extra amazing!

Well done on this video. You have made me remember every emotion I felt watching this classic masterpiece the first time.

This was my first anime as a child, back when anime was hard to find and IDK how i ended up with the OVA’s as well but even as a little kid I new I was watching something special. Really wish they would remake the anime and finish it all the way this time jinchu arc is just as good a kyoto arc in my opinion.

This is everything I could ever have ask for in a video such as this. Nailed it.

Amazing video haven’t watched the ova since high school back in 05 or so…… you’ve earned a sub thanks for bringing back those memories ☺️

Well put! RK is one of those beautifully unique stories that just stays with you long after you finish it. Tsuiokuhen is great because it can stand apart from the canon story as its own beautiful tragedy.

Beautiful video, probably the best analysis of the topic. I've watched the OVA countless times and I don't think I'd ever get tired of it. Thank you.

This is a well balance analysis, well done 10/10

This in-depth review made so much sense to me. Reminds me of the first time I've watched this ova don't even remember how many years ago but it definitely made me remember the sorrow. This is a brilliant review. Well done for the great job

I love the background music. Reminds me of dnb/psx days

This was so interesting! Thank you! This was, is and always will be a masterpiece ❤

I think, one of the things that set Trust and Betrayal apart from other RK franchise is that Kenshin's enemies (or people that he killed) were all ordinary human beings. It made the OVA more brutal, but somehow more imaginable.

Amazing analysis of the story! Loved it!

Everything in this video is exactly this! Amazing review of an amazing anime

Best analysis I have ever seen on Rurouni Kenshin. I really loved that you gave a section to the OST of the series and Trust & Betrayal. Ruroken is my favorite thing and getting to listen to someone who really understands it all was awesome. Thank you for this amazing video.

Just wow! I adore this video. This is an anime treasure of mine and your very through analysis added so much that I did not see in my viewings so far. I will definitely reference things from this video when I talk about this show with others from here on out. Like the description of how Tome was the opposite of a sheath was a beautiful interpretation of the narrative. I would love to see more analytical content like this. Keep up the great work. Peace! - Sir Wonky

Samurai X is what got me into anime as a whole.

This is a new level of content creation! The text is very well thought out, metaphors flow one into another, serving the purpose of the story, and not being an end in itself, which is very cool! The video sequence, as well as the soundtrack, is perfectly mixed, the design of all aspects of the video is impressive. This video is a masterpiece!