Summary
“The Elusive Samurai” is an underrated manga series that is getting an anime adaptation, and the new visuals show off its potential epicness. The anime’s visuals capture the essence of the characters and striking visual metaphors of the original work, giving fans hope for a faithful adaptation. The upcoming anime series could propel “The Elusive Samurai” into becoming a modern classic and increase its popularity among Western fans.
One of Jump ShonenJapan’s most underrated manga series is getting an anime adaptation, and a new image shows just how epic the film could be. That string is The elusive samurai by Yusei Matsui, follows young noble Tokiyuki Hojo as they try to reclaim their kingdom. This wouldn’t be the first of Matsui’s works to be adapted, as their manga Assassination Classroom was previously adapted into a popular anime, but it would be relatively unique in some key aspects.
Twitter account @ MangaMoguraRE recently posted a new image showing the main cast of the series fighting over a burning icon. This tweet isn’t the first confirmation that the anime adaptation will air in 2024, but it is the first look at what many of the fan-favorite characters in the adaptation will look like.
The visuals by studio CloverWorks do not perfectly reflect the style of the manga, but the metaphorical conflict in the images suggests that the anime will preserve the original work’s striking visual metaphors. It also captures the personalities of many of the characters very well, from the jovial Tokiyuki to the menacing villain Takauji.
The series is not connected to Zelda, the Hojo clan’s symbol resembles the Triforce.
The Elusive Samurai is one of Shonen Jump’s most underrated manga
It’s good that the visuals clearly capture the essence of the characters, and those characters are one of the main reasons why the manga is so appealing. The first part of the story follows a young man, Tokiyuki, who escapes from the shogunate that has usurped his family’s rule and needs to gather powerful retainers around him in preparation to reclaim it. In many ways, this process is similar to Luffy recruiting the new Straw Hat crew in One Piece, and the subordinates Tokiyuki finds are just as charming as the crew. The manga’s villains are also iconic, with Takauji being one of Shonen Jump’s most disturbing villains.
Hopefully this anime will tackle one of Shonen Jump’s most underrated series. While The Elusive Samurai is clearly popular in Japan, in the West it is often overlooked for a variety of reasons. Since this is a historical drama about a relatively obscure period in Japanese history, many fans may find its setting and political factions confusing. Additionally, the series is often very dense, filled with information about its large cast of characters, unique settings, and details about its battles. Even Akane-banashi, Shonen Jump’s wonderful and revolutionary Rakugo manga, seems to have a greater following in the West, despite its ambiguous subject matter.
The elusive Samurai’s anime can be a hit
With the anime launching in 2024, more fans will now have easier access to the series, which will hopefully increase its popularity. If done well, this series could become a modern classic on par with other Shonen Jump hits like My Hero Academia. Anime fans will have to stay tuned next year when The elusive samurai launch to see if it lives up to its potential or if it will continue to be one of the Jump ShonenMost underrated series.
Source: MangaMoguraRE
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