Review of The Elusive Samurai

Finding unique and original ideas in anime these days is very difficult, so one could see that with a description like “In the year 1333, the Kamakura shogunate” that alone is very intriguing. The cover art shows a cute character leaping through the air, flames.. looks very flashy- ah a Samurai anime- I decided to take a look to see what it was. And the very first episode left me speechless. Not anything else I could say but totally frozen, and speechless. The characters are all very beautiful, and the main one (on the cover) called Tokiyuki and he’s totally adorable and runs around playinghide and seek with all the minders at the palace, jumping across rooftops- aw this show looks playful and cute is it a slice of life or something?… his brother joins in and now they’re kicking a ball around- and then flash to the next scene and it’s some guy’s HEAD. Next thing I remember, heads were rolling all over the place and blood was spewing in every direction. Like FOUNTAINS of blood. And my jaw just dropped open.

(After someone gave me some smelling salts) I came back to level- but Jumping James Batman! This anime is BONKERS!

It’s hard for me to explain to you. … you have these cute characters like Tokiyuki, Shizuku the princess, ………..so you have to imagine that, and then you have these warriors who seem kind of clownish, like maybe quite insane? And they slash hundreds of people to death- including women and children- and in the middle of the bloodbath THERE ARE FUNNY FACES. Several of the characters have this comedic disposition, and funny faces. So, this is a Battle Shonen. But it seems even more unhinged than a typical battle shonen.

I understand Japan is a vastly different culture than here in the west; but I’ve seen enough of Japanese culture (not just in anime) and always sort of known- or maybe it’s something we’re all told- the Japanese sense of humor (among other things) is different than ours. Well watching Elusive Samurai reminded me of that, in the most extreme way possible. It was like being slapped in the face with reminders- that what they find amusing is…. uhh different.

My biggest problem with this show was I couldn’t understand who it was made for?
Like the cover art makes it look like a fun shonen anime for middle schoolers. But the level of violence- some of it surprisingly disturbing- just doesn’t seem like it’s for kids. If it really is meant as a kids show then geezus I don’t know what to say. It’s not serious enough for adults- that’s for sure- and the bonkers ED is pretty clearly aimed at young people. The odd mismatch with who the audience is supposed to be was really baffling.

There doesn’t seem to be a lesson, or a morality tale being woven by this story either- like so many Samurai anime are famous for. It seems like a fun Catch-Me-If-you-can shonen with a cast of misfits who elude the goofballs of the Shogunate to fight another day; with no higher purpose than to just entertain (and remind you that the samurai were killers and that Japan’s past was VERY bloody) but here’s a funny face to make you laugh!! Isn't this FUNNY?!? Hahahaha!! SLASH
It’s wild and totally ridiculous, but after 10 of the episodes I really stopped caring about the story and just watched with my brain off. My brain was SO disengaged that I really didn’t care much what was happening anymore… and the ending song actually started to sound interesting.

I can’t really recommend this show based on if you like Samurai anime, or if you have any expectations about story. But if you just want to see pretty characters jump and flip in the air with their beautiful clothing flowing in the wind as they beat up goofy bad guys- then this will dazzle your eyeballs. It might possibly make you laugh kind of out of disbelief. You will definitely get dumber watching this, that’s for sure.