2024 has been a great year when it comes to animes that were good enough to make people fall for them and engage in their fandom or wait for their next season to release.
‘The Elusive Samurai ‘ turned out to be one of those animes that unexpectedly made its place among the top hits during their particular seasons.
It’s a pretty cool anime set in feudal Japan. The main character, Tokiyuki Hojo, isn’t your typical hero. Instead of fighting head-on, he’s got this amazing talent for dodging and surviving. After his family gets betrayed, he has to use his wits and agility to stay alive and navigate all the political chaos while learning to hone his existing abilities.
Key Takeaways:
- The Elusive Samurai is a 12 Episode Adventure, comedy, historical fantasy anime Written by, Yusei Matsui.
- It is a story about a young Samurai who loses everything and continues to struggle to regain it.
- The story draws some inspiration from the historical figures of Japan.
Here are the top six reasons one should give this anime a try:
1. The Protagonist loses everything and fights to regain all:
Tokiyuki Hojo is the Heir of the Hojo clan, which is the main faction that ruled over the entirety of Japan during that period. He’s still nine years old and about to inherit the title of Shogunate in the future.
However, the Hojo clan is betrayed by its own members and meets its demise to the point where not a single Hojo survivor is left aside from the protagonist himself. Tokiyuki never intended to learn the art of war or any other martial arts techniques as he was supposed to be a puppet ruler who inherited the throne but didn’t get heavily involved in any kind of political affairs.
He had never imagined being betrayed by the warrior whom he admired the most. He loved his clan and its members, but they were all slaughtered, and he wasn’t able to initiate a single action to aid them.
Tokiyuki then comes to a realisation that he had been nothing but a coward and decides to end himself along with his clan but is saved by a landlord named Suwa Yorishige, who goes on to motivate the young samurai to seek revenge and become a glimmer of light for his future.
2. Gathering allies to rise from the bottom and seek revenge:
Tokiyuki Hojo was the only survivor of the Hojo clan and was supposed to be the ruler of their clan in the future. However, after being betrayed by his own people multiple times, he grasps the reality of this world and acts according to the plans laid down by Suwa Yorishige, a mysterious person who guides and Shows deep compassion for Tokiyuki.
As someone who lost everything at a very young age, Tokiyuki continues to gather new allies who would become his loyal retainers and not just fight alongside him but also become prominent figures to develop his personality and teach him several new techniques and values in the process.
Each of his allies has their own role in their series they become a major part of the story as soon as they’re recruited. It serves as a great reason for those who are thrilled with stories that offer several intriguing personalities to give this anime a try.
3. It’s a gemstone for those who like samurai and their battle tactics:
Countless animes were popularly known for their action sequences, especially those that involved sword fighting and unique sword techniques.
The Elusive Samurai anime has it all! To begin with, the protagonist wields a sword as a symbol of being a samurai but relies mainly on his elusiveness, which greatly aids him in every kind of battle.
And when it comes to being a Samurai, a sword isn’t their only tool; most of them specialise in some sort of activities in which they’re proficient. Several important figures in the series are shown to have such abilities. Some of them are very good at one of their five sense organs to the point where they’re able to detect a footstep from a hundred meters away if they specialise in hearing.
Some can predict things with utmost accuracy by analysing the current situation. And just like that, the list of characters continues to get bigger.
4. Unique Protagonist who doesn’t need to rely on Strength:
I know it might sound boring when talking about a character who isn’t hungry for more power or strength either mental or physical, but as the name of the anime suggests, our protagonist here depends mainly on his ability to manoeuvre throughout the battlefield with his agile body that doesn’t lack stamina and keeps going until the mission is completed.
In the very first episode, it was clearly depicted that Tokiyuki Hojo doesn’t enjoy being bound to the daily routine of going through rigorous training to strengthen his battlefield capabilities like swordsmanship or archery.
He had an innate talent for running away and being very hard to get captured by the guards who were responsible for his training.
Therefore, Tokiyuki Hojo goes on to face formidable foes without the skills of a great worrier or a samurai who specialises in at least one field.
5. A blend of Humor and historical drama:
Most anime fans were drawn towards Japan’s beauty owing to the industry constantly making efforts to depict their historical struggles, culture, and achievements in the past.
As a result, today, we get to witness a great number of anime/manga series that depict Japan’s history in one way or another, especially when it comes to Samurai warriors and their methods of leading a life of pride and honour.
The Elusive Samurai anime has drawn some inspiration from the history of Japan by portraying the character of Ashikaga Takauji who was a real Samurai warrior in Japan and is known to have captured several other clans and kingdoms during his time.
Humour is another major part of this anime, without which, the setting could’ve become way too serious than necessary. However, some fans might find it a little bit disappointing when humour is added during the scenes where the characters are going through massive pain or sorrow, for example, while losing their loved ones or a family member.
Overall, humour is included as an important part of the series, and makes things unique by surprising the viewers.
6. ‘The art of war’
War is deeply involved in shaping the overall story of ‘The Elusive Samurai ‘ anime. The series begins in a peaceful environment where the young Price is slacking off and running away to avoid his training sessions. Very soon, everything changes, and Tokiyuki witnesses the darkest horror of war, where an entire clan is obliterated in an instant.
Several kinds of tactics are involved within the entire anime. Characters showcase their unique learnings and knowledge of battle and apply them during a war against their opponents. The countermeasures taken by the other faction are always a thrill to watch.
Amid battles between two exceptional characters, their conversation plays an important role as they explain their resolve along with their intentions. It is also during a battle that characters realise their shortcomings and learn from their opponents.
Conclusion:
Unlike most of the other animes, ‘The Elusive Samurai ‘ does a great job of character building during its first season and makes their resolves clear as to where it might lead them in the future. Tokiyuki intends to become a great personality capable of becoming a ruler and gaining the trust and faith of his subjects.
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Like many similar revenge-driver animes, the protagonist intends to finish off their targets but ends up learning a lot in the process of reaching such height while gaining trustworthy friends.
These were some of the reasons to watch ‘The Elusive Samurai ‘ anime, but certain things could only be understood if one experiences things themselves.
