Broadcast season: Summer 2024
Number of episodes: 12
Viewed on: Crunchyroll
Translator: ?
Genre: History, Drama, Supernatural, Action
Thoughts: The Elusive Samurai is definitely one of the best looking anime to come out this season and the only thing stopping it from approaching perfection are the flaws in its story and characters. Set in historical Japan, the anime follows Tokiyuki Hojo, the young heir of a powerful clan, who soon finds his family betrayed and completely wiped out. After being saved by the mysterious Yorishige, a suspicious priest who claims he has divine power to see the future, Tokiyuki decides to live rather than die an honorable death in seppuku or above. battlefield. By using his special skills to dodge any attack that comes his way and survive, Tokiyuki tries to live a new life in an era where seeking death is the most glorious way to live.
Similar to live-action films, Part of the appeal of historical anime is the character and setting designs. In some ways, historical times often seem otherworldly, and The Elusive Samurai leans heavily into that aspect through bright colors, stylized clothing, and bombastic animation, while still historically accurate.
One criticism I saw online was the use of CGI in the anime, but I especially found its use purposeful and well-executed. CGI has become synonymous with laughable horror animation, but in the face of industry saturation and overwork, it is often used to characterize monsters. CGI works differently than 2D animation, and directors used it to especially emphasize the otherworldliness of the monsters. In this case, CGI is used for the adult samurai, but its use remains the same. Adults are monsters. They kill any civilian man in their path, are ready to behead children with a smile on their faces, and actively torment women. The worse the samurai, the more heavily they are represented by CGI. As they move toward Tokiyuki and his group of other lost children, the CGI makes them feel heavier, bigger, and more dangerous than if they were animated in 2D.
Dynamic animation
Not to mention, it takes away from the brilliance of the 2D animation. There's one particular episode in which Tokiyuki fights a samurai, and his skill at dodging attacks becomes so ridiculous that the animation turns hard into Looney Tunes. At one point in the battle, it switches to the enemy's POV, where all he can see is Tokiyuki's smiling face bouncing around the screen, like a Windows logo screensaver. 2000s. Tokiyuki's superpower skill to always avoid attacks could be ridiculous in reality if the animation didn't keep it interesting, and The Elusive Samurai exploits every instance of it by not only incorporates humor but is also visually pleasing through vibrant colors and catchy music.
The voice acting is also great. Yuichi Nakamura shines as Yorishige, and his performance stands out among the entire cast, even though his role is a supporting one. Asaki Yuikawa also deserves special praise as Tokiyuki. She only started voice acting in 2022, and in just two years, she successfully landed the main role and sounded exactly like the character. When I first heard her voice, I thought Tokiyuki was actually voiced by a boy.
The technical aspects of the film are nearly perfect, which is why I'm almost disappointed that the story is held back. I suspect the problem lies in the source material, but other anime like 86: Eighty-Six and Tsurune have taken the risk of changing many stories to write a better story for the screen, and it's a shame that The Elusive Samurai has Don't take that route.
Yuichi Nakamura is perfect
First, I like the theme of the story. Seppuku was a well-known samurai practice on an international level, and the fact that dedicated samurai would rather die than live in shame is a well-documented historical fact. The fact that Tokiyuki is trying to live like a samurai with the completely opposite motto of survival despite obstacles is a valuable exploration, both of the time period and of the way culture changes through youth.
I'm also a huge fan of Yorishige's divine power. His ability to see the future is real, though imperfect, and it is the source of both effective comedy and sentimental philosophy. At one point, Yorishige worries about animal rights activists for being quite accepting of animal cruelty in the past, and he worries about “modern audiences” not liking the main characters for also being accepting of animal cruelty. accept animal cruelty as normal. At another point, Yorishige reminisces about how the supernatural world will die every second in the future, as what was considered supernatural in his time turned out to be just science that humans did not yet understand. . Regardless, the story's ability to successfully use Yorishige's power in both comedic and philosophical moments makes me wish the story took advantage of it more.
The central villain is one of the best parts of the series. Always calm, always chivalrous, and even loving towards those within him, these traits make Ashikaga fearsome. The visual direction never fails to remind us of the demonic deeds this “honorable” samurai is capable of, to the point where we question whether perhaps there are actual demons possessing his body. me instead of a man or not. Red splashed wherever he walked, and sometimes, his two eyes became hundreds, all shrinking into a small circle.
A terrifying villain
Where the elusive Samurai struggles is with tone. When it comes to Tokiyuki and his band of merry misfits, who have a high kill count I might add, the series swings too easily between humor and tension. Timing is important for comedy and during a strategy meeting where children are forced to defend a village, the stakes suddenly become meaningless when the main strategist collapses to the ground and begs for food. exaggerated. These interruptions are scattered throughout each episode, and the poor timing is obvious enough that I couldn't help but wish they'd skip the comedy entirely so I could actually feel the important part. of the story.
This may have prevented The Elusive Samurai from being the perfect anime, but it's still a series worth applauding. Its direction and animation are outstanding compared to the yearly series and have an ongoing story with surprising themes and impactful characters. If we're lucky, perhaps these flaws will resolve themselves in later installments of the source material and we'll even be able to experience a masterpiece if the series continues.
Rating
Plot: 7 (Coefficient 3)
Characters: 7 (Coefficient 3)
Art/Animation: 9 (Factor 2)
Voice acting: 7
Soundtrack: 8.5
FINAL SCORE: 75.5