A dark prequel of the more lighthearted "Rurouni Kenshin" television series, this OAV series reveals how Kenshin's bloody past shapes his future convictions. And Director Kazuhiro Furuhashi takes pains to deliver an emotionally stirring portrait that at once tells the story of a child reared on violence and a country fractured by it.

Wedged between an innate thirst for blood instilled in him as a child when bandits slaughter his caregivers and a mentor who advocates non-violent solutions to conflict, Kenshin at first appears stoic immersed in Japan's civil strife. However, his rage succumbs to more tender emotions when Tomoe enters his life.

The exquisitely detailed natural settings and the elegantly stark human violence beautifully reflect the thematic and emotional contrasts of the story.

The translation aims for a poetic quality with mixed results. Some lines are genuinely graceful, others verge towards hammy, but the voice acting is clear and effective.

Valuable historical background and character notes help put "Samurai X" into a border context. The historical background feature scrolls up (a la the introduction of all Star Wars movies) requiring a pause button to read.

The violence isn't gratuitous or tasteless, but it certainly is graphic.

Murder abounds in pre-westernized Japan.

Pronounced in this series, the seasons play a vital role in creating the tone.

How can human bodies hold enough blood to discolor puddles in a rainstorm, a garden full of flowers, walls of buildings, clothing, souls, etc.

Love it? Hate it? Buy it.