Rurouni Kenshin Movie (Live-Action)

Before my obsession with bands, there was anime. Rurouni Kenshin (RK) is definitely one of my all-time favorites. It's probably one of the longest running anime shows back then but I still watched the English version on Studio 23 and the Japanese version on AXN. I didn't bother watching the Tagalized version on ABS-CBN though because I found it corny as a child. Yup, my kaartehan goes way back. :))

Believe it or not, I used to register my name as Sera Himura in all my online accounts and used a Samurai X-themed password back when I didn't care about internet security at all. I even have copies of the OVAs (Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal and Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection) and the movie in VCD format. Fangirl much? Wait til you see my collectibles. HAHAHA /facepalm

As expected, I was ecstatic when I heard the news that RK was going to have a live-action movie adaptation so imagine my excitement when I found out that it's going to be shown in Philippine cinemas. Oh my anime fangirl heart~! ♥ We immediately purchased tickets for the first screening schedule on the first day when we found out (accidentally) that SM Cinemas were selling tickets in advance. It only made sense to see it as soon as it hits the cinemas.

So on December 5th, Erin and I went to SM North Edsa Cinema 1 to finally see the film. We were greeted by a long line of people that goes all the way to the Fruitas stand. Or even past it. I'm not sure because I couldn't see the end of it. To put it, the line was so long, it felt like we're queuing for an Eiga Sai film. >.< Nee-chan, Bryle and Mabel were already inside the cinema while Erin and I were still contemplating if we should fall in line or just wait for the end of the line since we have reserved seats so there's nothing to worry about. Thanks to Mabel's literally glowing face (because of her Note II haha), we found our seats easily.

I was holding my breath as the film started. I haven't watched the anime in years so I was both excited and nervous at the same time. The film started with Kenshin killing off people as Hitokiri Battousai while Saito tries to catch him. And as the new age dawned, Kenshin left his dark past and became the sakabatou*-carrying, happy-go-lucky wanderer we all know and love. It was so good seeing his "oro" face again!

I don't want to spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it yet so I won't go into details just that it covers the first few episodes of the anime and even a little bit of the prequel OVA (Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal). Seeing the characters show up on the screen one by one sent shivers down my spine. Props to the stylists and costume designers. You can easily tell who the characters are just by looking at them. I especially love how the audience reacted upon seeing Sano for the first time. Everyone cheered like they've seen a long lost friend or something. He's perfect as Sano. I only wished he was a little bit taller and more lanky. Also, when Kenshin finally puts on his signature maroon hakamashita paired with white hakama, everyone was filled with nostalgia. And when it got to the fight scenes, OHMYKAMI-SAMA! The choreography was flawless! Everything was perfectly executed without looking fake. And just like in the anime, they brought in hilarious moments during unexpected times to lighten up the mood. Yup, that's the RK I know alright.

For some reason, I expected the film to be around an hour and a half long but it lasted for more than two hours. I didn't know if I wanted it to end already or just go on forever. SM Cinemas are cramped so my legs get pretty uncomfortable when I'm seated for a long time. But it was sure worth it. It was so good, everyone clapped at the end. As we went out of the cinema, I was reminded how much love I have for RK. I still dislike Kaoru though. So it's not just the anime version that I find annoying. Haha Some things never change, I guess.

When we got home, the first thing I did was to search for my Rurouni Kenshin: Premium Collection CD. I remember trying to convince mom to buy it for me because I couldn't save up for it fast enough. I looked at the CD inlay and tried to recall all the ending themes but Karly beat me to it. Haha Giving up, I gave it a listen and surprisingly found myself singing along. I still know the lyrics by heart even though I can hardly understand most of it. Which reminded me of the lack of memorable OST the movie had which was quite disappointing. But aside from that, it was perfect.

*reverse-blade sword

R&R at Balay Indang

On every special occasion, we try to go somewhere new as a family - be it a new resort, new show or just a new restaurant. So to celebrate Ate's birthday, we started looking for a resort away from the city. As a law student, she's been spending most of her time cooped up in her room studying so a getaway would be the perfect gift on her birthday. Luckily, Balay Indang responded to our inquiry pretty quick even on a short notice. We have no idea what to expect aside from the fact that we're paying Php 2,500 per head for an overnight stay which includes 5 meals (lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, breakfast and morning snack). Not bad!

So on November 2, we woke up at 4 AM and left for Balay Indang around 5:30 AM. Driving through the streets of Manila is a breeze during this time of the year since almost everyone's away in the provinces to visit the graves of their departed loved ones. Well, except us. Before we know it, we were already near Tagaytay at only 6:30 AM!

Big breakfast at Bag of Beans

We decided to stop by Bag of Beans for a hearty breakfast. The entire place is filled with the wonderful smell of freshly baked bread. Sure, it's enticing to look at the variety of breads displayed on the counters but we're all suckers for a great view so we headed straight to the patio where we can marvel at Taal Volcano's beauty all we want. Definitely worth waking up early to.