Theatrical Release December 1997
Director: Hatsuki Tsuji
Screenplay: Yukiyoshi Ohashi
Character Design: Hatsuki Tsuji

The Cast is the same, but there are new characters introduced for the plot's sake:
Hitokiri Takatsuki Gentatsu - Nozomu Sasaki
Takimi Shigure - Inoue Kazuhiko
Takatsuki Toki - Miyamura Yuko

The plot was made for the big screen. It didn't happen in the manga. However, it's a very exciting and sad movie to watch. Not many happy 'oro/kenshin-gumi' moments... not many 'kenshin&kaoru' moments either. It's a rather slow-paced story, with enough fighting/violence/killing to leave you numb by the end. As a Ruroken fan, I'd say watch it, but it's not very necessary. There isn't much character development, no big secret spilled out or anything. It was pretty much like watching one of the TV filler series. I hear ADV has picked it up along side the OVA and will be releasing it in the future.

Sneak Peak

Then we cut to the present (Meiji 11th) where the Kenshingumi are riding a train. Kaoru & Yahiko see something outside, Sanosuke gets up wantting to see, making a ruckus. Kenshin watches, humored and embarrassed.

They arrive in Yokohama. Walking around, they get involved with a lady in trouble. But then some samurai shows up and protects her. In the end, the police come - everyone runs, but Sano has fun with the police.

Kenshin and the samurai, Shigure, end up talking. It seems they share the same experience of fighting in the Bakumatsu and also the same dreams of a new era. With this new friendship born, they part... only to meet again under strange circumstances.

To tell more of it would give the story away. I'll let you find out on your own. Jaa ne!