Kamiya Kaoru

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Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
In this Japanese name, the surname is Kamiya.

Kamiya Kaoru
Bang Zoom! dub)[3]
Kara Bliss (Requiem for the Ishin Patriots)
Katherine Catmull (Reflection)[4]
Amanda Hanawa (New Kyoto Arc)
Alexis Tipton
(live-action films)
Risa Mei (2023 anime series)
Kamiya Koshijirou (father)
Himura Kenshin (husband)
Himura Kenji
(son)

Kamiya Kaoru (神谷 薫), known as Kaoru Kamiya in the

fictional character in the Rurouni Kenshin manga created by Nobuhiro Watsuki. In the story Kaoru is the instructor of a kendo school in Tokyo, Kamiya Kasshin-ryū (神谷活心流). The students leave when many people are killed by someone claiming to be the Hitokiri Battōsai (人斬り抜刀斎) from the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū", damaging the school's reputation. Kaoru is saved from the murderous impostor by the real Battōsai, Himura Kenshin
, now a wanderer who has sworn to stop killing. During the series, Kaoru grows fond of Kenshin due to his good actions to society and becomes his ally.

Kaoru also appears in the film version of the series and other media of the franchise, including electronic games and a series of

original video animations
(OVAs). Although Watsuki wanted to design Kaoru "more cutely" and to be "more fashionable", he toned down those qualities and made her poor and "down-to-earth". There was concern that Watsuki would kill her off, with her critical reception having been mostly positive.

Appearances

Rurouni Kenshin

Young woman in a sleeveless red blouse, talking into a microphone
Emi Takei, who played Kamiya Kaoru in live-action films

Kaoru is the instructor of the Kamiya Kasshin martial-arts school.

Tsukayama Yutaro).[11][12]

When the Meiji government requests Kenshin's aid to kill the former Hitokiri Shishio Makoto, he bids Kaoru an emotional farewell and leaves for Kyoto.[13] Kaoru falls into a depression before she follows him to Kyoto after a pep talk from Megumi. With the Oniwabanshu's Makimachi Misao, she defeats one of Shishio's Juppongatana: Honjō Kamatari.[14][15]

In Tokyo, after Kaoru learns about Yukishiro Enishi's plans to kill everyone connected to Kenshin she teaches Yahiko the ougi of the Kamiya Kasshin. Enishi says that his goal is not to kill Kenshin, but to make him suffer by killing the person most important to him: Kaoru.[16] He kidnaps her, leaving a replica of her dead body.[17] Convinced that he again failed to save the one who was most important to him, Kenshin flees to the Fallen Village and falls into a catatonic depression. When he learns that Kaoru is alive, he and the group rescue her from Enishi. They marry and have a son, Himura Kenji.[18] Five years later, after taking in Hasegawa Ashitaro, Inoue Aran, and Kubota Asahi into the Kamiya dojo, Kaoru receives information from them that her father is presumably alive and living in Hokkaido, prompting her and her family to travel there in the hopes of reuniting with him.

Other media

In

Rurouni Kenshin and its three sequels.[24]

Concept

Watsuki said that he used "no specific model" and "no specific motif" in designing Kaoru, saying that if he had to name one model it would be Chiba Sanako of Ryōma no Koibito. He wanted to include the "commanding" qualities of Sasaki Mifuyu (佐々木 三冬) from Shōtarō Ikenami's Kenkaku Shōbai (剣客商売). According to Watsuki, Kaoru is a "plain, regular girl" despite her commanding qualities. By the first Japanese compilation, he thought that the character worked and many female Rurouni Kenshin readers identified with Kaoru. At the time, Watsuki had not decided if Kaoru would be Kenshin's love interest. Although he wanted to design Kaoru "more cutely" and to be "more fashionable", he toned down those qualities and made her poor and "down-to-earth". The artist described her ponytail as "de rigueur" for a girl practicing kendo. According to Watsuki, he enjoys drawing Kaoru but filling in her hair is "sometimes a pain."[25] At the end of Rurouni Kenshin, Kaoru received a new hairstyle. Watsuki felt that Kaoru would look odd without her ponytail, but her original hairstyle did not look maternal and he changed it for the ending.[26] When female readers asked Watsuki if Kaoru was a strong fighter, he called the character "quite independent for her age" who could "hold her own" against the local dojo masters and compete at the national level (although she is weaker than Kenshin and Sagara Sanosuke).[25]

Watsuki said that in volume seven the series took on a more adult tone, influenced by the

Yukishiro Tomoe.[29][30] Watsuki described Tomo Sakurai's CD-drama voice as "not too airhead-y," "not too high" and "not too low."[31]

Reception

Kaoru has been popular with Rurouni Kenshin readers, placing fourth or fifth in every popularity poll.

About.com's "Top 8 Anime Love Stories", with Katherine Luther calling it a "classic romance."[38] Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network was disappointed by Kaoru's lack of development in the series Rurouni Kenshin Restoration.[39] SciFi.com liked her character due to how Kaoru does not see Kenshin as the past murderer Battosai but instead as a kind wanderer who wants protect others. The writer also enjoyed the good actions Kaoru does like protecting Yahiko in early episodes.[40] Megan Lavey from Mania Entertainment found Kaoru more appealing in the manga version over the anime adaptation due to that, while in both versions it is obvious that she has romantic feelings for Kenshin, in the manga she has a better understanding of Kenshin's darker persona most notably when former assassin prepares to leave Tokyo.[41] For the final arc in the manga, Mania Entertainment felt that twist that happens shortly after Kenshin's battle with Enishi helps to show why Kaoru loves Kenshin carefully.[42]

Kaoru's Reflection OVA series version was criticized; Efrain Diaz, Jr. of IGN wrote that although some of Kenshin and Kaoru's private moments are touching, others are depressing.[43] According to Anime News Network's Mike Crandol, Kaoru is the least visually successful character redesign in the Reflection OVA. Citing the manga version's "distinctive girlish charm", Crandol said that the staff members tried too hard to make her look like Yukishiro Tomoe.[30] Don Houston from DVD Talk noted the controversy between the fandom as they refrained from treating Reflection as canon due to how tragic the life of Kaoru and Kenshin's family became.[44] About.com's Serdar Yegulalp felt the romance between Kaoru and Kenshin was entertaining to watch but at the same time criticized they often acted out of character, commenting on how Kaoru lets her husband leave the house in contrast to how in the original series, Kenshin left Tokyo while still not married with her.[45] Ridwan Khan from Animefringe praised the romance between Kaoru and Kenshin, feeling it was well developed in the OVAs and served as a fitting finale to the series.[46] On a more negative review, Carl Kimlinger stated that Kaoru was one of the most damaged characters in the OVAs as a result of being a more stereotipycal female character waiting for her husband to come back home rather than Watsuki's original version where Kaoru would not allow Kenshin to leave or instead go with him when he leaves Tokyo to work.[47] According to Ashley D. Lake from UC Riverside, Kaoru represents the Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu values defied in the Meiji era that Kenshin chooses to protect due to the values it offers to people, something rare in anime series due to prominent violence during the time Rurouni Kenshin premiered in Japan.[48]

ABC CBN's Karen Flores praised Emi Takei's portrayal of the character in the first live-action film, stating the actress played her character just like the one from the manga and anime. However, she was criticized for lacking her tomboyish traits when interacting with the young Myojin Yahiko.[49] The lack of the love triangle between Kaoru, Kenshin and Takani Megumi was criticized by Ko Ransom from Anime News Network, as the writer noted the first film covered too many subplots.[50] David West from Neo lamented Kaoru had few appearances in the final film, citing her role in the previous ones appealing.[51]

References

  1. ^ Aniplex, Fuji TV (January 10, 1996). "伝説の美剣士…愛ゆえに闘う男". Rurouni Kenshin. Episode 1. Fuji TV.
  2. ^ a b "Rebecca Forstadt Female Voice – My Sexy Voice – Rebecca Forstadt – Voice Actor". rebeccaforstadt.com. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  3. ^ Aniplex, Fuji TV (March 17, 2003). "Handsome Swordsman of Legend: A Man who Fights for Love". Rurouni Kenshin. Episode 1. Cartoon Network.
  4. ^ a b Samurai X: Reflection (DVD). ADV Films. 2003.
  5. ^ Mei, Risa [@LoveRisaMei] (November 15, 2023). ""Hold it, battosai!" You can hear me as Kaoru Kamiya in the new @rurounikenshin reboot!!! Huge huge thank you to the team at @BangZoom @mummynyan @staleybud, and the rest of the production team for trusting me with such an iconic role 🙏🎀" (Tweet). Retrieved November 15, 2023 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Episode 1." Sony Samurai X dub.
  7. ^
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  14. ISBN 978-1-59116-810-2
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  17. ISBN 978-1-4215-0338-7
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  18. ISBN 1-4215-0675-0
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  20. ^ "Rurouni Kenshin: Enjou! Kyoto Rinne official website". Banpresto. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  21. ^ "Jump Super Stars official website". Nintendo. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  22. ^ "Jump Ultimate Stars official website". Nintendo. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  23. ISBN 978-1-4215-5231-6
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  24. ^ "Emi Takei to Play Live-Action Rurouni Kenshin's Kaoru". July 25, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  25. ^
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  27. ISBN 4-08-782037-8
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  29. ^ Miki Fujitani (2002). Rurouni Kenshin Seisouhen 2 (DVD). Sony.
  30. ^ a b Crandol, Mike (January 22, 2002). "Ruroni Kenshin second OAV series Seisouhen, part 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
  31. ^ Watsuki, Nobuhiro. Rurouni Kenshin Volume 2. Viz Media. p. 95.
  32. ^ "Rurouni Kenshin Poll: Favorite Character Then & Now". Anime News Network. June 2, 2011. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
  33. ^ "Rurouni Kenshin: Kaoru 8" Anime Plush Toy". Amazon. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  34. ^ "Rurouni Kenshin: Key Chain – Kaoru (Key Chains)". Amazon. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  35. ^ "Rurouni Kenshin: Sweat Band – Kaoru". Amazon. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  36. ^ Ross, Carlos. "Rurouni Kenshin manga review". T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews. Retrieved February 18, 2008.
  37. About.com. Archived from the original
    on March 7, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  38. ^ Silverman, Rebecca (January 29, 2014). "Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration GN 1 & 2". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  39. ^ Robinson, Tasha. "Rurouni Kenshin TV The first steps down a very popular road". SciFi.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2008.
  40. ^ Lavey, Megan (October 27, 2004). "Rurouni Kenshin Vol. #07". Mania. Archived from the original on December 6, 2012. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  41. ^ Lavey, Megan. "Rurouni Kenshin Vol. #28". Archived from the original on May 28, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  42. ^ Diaz, Efrain Jr. (April 9, 2004). "Samurai X". IGN. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  43. ^ Houston, Don (December 28, 2004). "Samurai X - Reflection - Director's Cut". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  44. ^ Yegulalp, Serdar (December 6, 2012). "Rurouni Kenshin: Seisou-hen (Reflection)". About.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  45. ^ Khan, Ridwan (June 2002). "Rurouni Kenshin: Sei Sou Hen Vol.2". Animefringe. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  46. ^ Kimlinger, Carl (October 31, 2011). "Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection Blu-ray Limited Edition". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  47. ^ "UCR Honors Capstones 2020-2021" (PDF). UC Riverside. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  48. ^ Flores, Karen (December 6, 2012). "Review: 5 reasons to watch 'Rurouni Kenshin'". ABC CBN. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  49. ^ Ransom, Ko (September 20, 2012). "Rurouni Kenshin Live-Action Movie". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  50. ^ West, David (October 11, 2015). "Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends". Neo. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
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