Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi 逃げ上手の若君

2024 summer | Episodes: 12 | Score: 7.8 (72157)

Updated every Saturdays at 23:30 | Status: Finished Airing

Type: TV

Producers:Aniplex | Tokyo MX | Shueisha | BS11 | Bit grooove promotion

Streaming: Crunchyroll | Aniplus TV | Muse Asia

Synopsis

Tokiyuki Houjou, a carefree eight-year-old noble, is content with the serene life in Kamakura and shows little regard for the serious responsibilities that come with his eventually succeeding his father as the next shogun. Instead of dedicating himself to rigorous training in swordsmanship or archery, Tokiyuki excels in the art of evasion, skillfully dodging his advisors and discovering perfect hiding spots. However, his peaceful existence is shattered when a sudden coup brutally wipes out his clan. Overwhelmed with guilt for being the sole survivor, Tokiyuki contemplates joining his family in death. However, his fate takes an abrupt turn when the enigmatic priest Yorishige Suwa suddenly shoves him onto a battlefield. Yorishige, who prophesies that Tokiyuki will one day become a great hero, leaves the boy with no choice but to navigate his way free of enemy soldiers. As Tokiyuki struggles to survive against these foes, he finds a new thrill in raising the stakes of his usual hide-and-seek games. With a renewed sense of purpose and the promise of powerful allies from Yorishige, Tokiyuki vows to avenge his family—not through his capability to fight, but through his extraordinary talent for running away. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Voice Actors

Yuikawa, Asaki

Nakamura, Yuuichi

News

Reviews

Cynthesia
03/26/2025, 03:24 PM
Don't be fooled by its whimsy, NigeWaka may turn war into child's play but it does so with a mature brutality which perfectly captures the tone of the times. The samurai had an obsession with death, to a point where they will reject life in order to die. For them, your life might as well be defined entirely by how you die and there is no greater honor than to die honorably in battle. NigeWaka takes this notion and spits on it, choosing to follow the story of a boy who is a master of evading death and how it's life, not death, that makesfor greatness. Tokiyuki could have easily become another samurai. A boy whose life is surrounded by and defined by death and without much to live for, it's only through his mastery of evasion that he is able to live. Through his journey we watch his worldview change. Initially believing that his purpose is to die with his clan, when push comes to shove he chooses to discard his pride and live instead. While this is partially due to his childish nature and how he enjoys the "game" of evasion, it comes in tandem with the maturity of a true lord that understands that there is no real honor to be found in death. Tokiyuki is a fantastic eye into the world of historical Japan as he begins to usher in updated values to those he leads. He is no great warrior on paper, lacking great swordsmanship or physical prowess (he's 9), but because he places life on the highest echelon he is able to overcome far greater opponents due to this fundamental difference in values. Just like Tokiyuki this is an anime defined by death. War is a constant and corruption rears it's ugly head at the highest level of power. Beyond it's typically bright colorful aesthetic is a show that isn't afraid to broadcast the brutality of war. Villages are raided, innocent civilians massacred and beheaded. Death doesn't lie around the corner but rather shows itself outright. It isn't necessarily a juxtaposition for it to be broadcast within such normal looking environments because this way of life is what was normal for the time. The presentation as a whole are this anime's strongest quality. Most clearly this is an extremely beautiful show. Everything is full of color and life, landscapes are well crafted and clearly aim to impress. Action sequences are extremely fluid and equally full of life. Actions are performed with utmost creativity, the way each character moves contains a piece of their identity. Tokiyuki and Genba have this kind of playful energy to their agility as they almost dance their way through the battlefield and evade the clutches of death. Gods of war such as Takauji seem to embody death itself, performing executions as naturally as they breathe. Specialists such as Sadamune have their greatest features (in this case his eyes) exaggerated to the utmost degree to make it seem as though he's channeling the supernatural within this one focal point. But more so than mere artistic style is the camerawork. The way scenes are composed and operate seem like an accelerated version of real life film. The camera is almost alive, constantly moving about and manipulated by the actions of it's surroundings. Quick cuts and parallelism are used abundantly, a ball falling to the ground is intertwined with a severed head meeting the floor, an action will begin in one location and finish in another. This creates a far more satisfying "live" experience as scenes become more fluid and clever. Paired with the absolutely beautiful presentation and this creates an extremely pleasant and unique viewing experience. Unfortunately not everything gets to enjoy this same level of polish, most evidently in terms of the characters. Tokiyuki and Takauji work extremely well but the remainder of the cast, both friend and foe, end up suffering. While it makes sense in the grand scheme of things for Tokiyuki's retainers to fundamentally have a kind of master-follower relationship, this does not fall in line with Tokiyuki's character, who is a hyperactive friendly extraverted child. The elusive warriors do have the airs of being friends in arms but because there isn't sufficient time dedicated to developing their relationship this ends up falling short in the back half, especially as the group continues to grow in size. This isn't to say they have poor chemistry or anything, but the characters themselves are lacking. Dedicating some time to Tokiyuki's training would have aided this immensely but that aspect ends up being shelved in favor of missions. The antagonists are where the show really falls apart, especially when the first impression is Takauji who exerts this commanding aura over all who cross him. In contrast, what we get for recurring villains end up being cartoonish evil, leaning heavily on the cartoonish end, and obnoxious. Sadamune does well in comparison but each consecutive antagonist ends up being less serious than the last which creates a severe case of tonal whiplash, which is another one of this series' glaring issues. There's a time and place for everything and this NigeWaka generally manages to balance its execution well. However in the final quarter especially the show ends up losing sight of how to properly distinguish between silly moments and brutal combat. One liners and cutaways end up becoming increasingly frequent as you near the end which when paired with the incredibly difficult to take seriously antagonists makes for a very jarring experience when it leads into countless casualties and on screen executions. It's a real shame because they demonstrate that they know how to do this extremely well with Tokiyuki, who finds joy in evading the clutches of death, but ends up dropping the ball with everyone else. NigeWaka is a supremely entertaining thrill ride featuring masterful visuals and an entertaining cast of characters navigating a world which isn't afraid to kill them at any moment. While it stumbles a little near the end, for the most part it balances the carefree wonder of a child with the mature brutality of war perfectly. A real technical marvel that easily manages to place itself ahead of the pack on all fronts, a truly whimsical experience.
Unconfidence
02/25/2025, 03:51 PM
I wanted to write a review of this anime, because it deserves one. So this was easily one of the most beautiful anime I've ever seen. The visual effects are presented in a way which is stunning an unique, and left me constantly mesmerized. The characters and setting are all loads of fun, and you really feel a palpable sense of the stakes at play. The action sequences can get over-the-top, which is usually something I don't like, but because of how well they're executed I found myself loving the ride. The attention paid to setting and time create an atmosphere Ihaven't seen in an anime before this. But I gave it an 8, not a 9. Why? Because of pacing. At the end, the season loses a lot of steam. It feels like they needed to plan just a little better to avoid that, but I also can't tell if they just kind of wanted to take it easy at the end or something? I don't know, it just feels like there should have been more there, and like the season was over but still had episodes. But that is literally my only complaint. It's the toughest 8 I've ever given, because I want this otherwise perfect anime to have a 9 from me, but I can't with the last three episodes being what they are.
ferarriaga10
01/12/2025, 09:22 PM
This anime shows that brains can outshine brawn, that a light expands more than darkness, even in the bloodiest of times. It’s an anime that flips the script on what it means to be a hero, replacing brute strength with sharp instincts and agility. Every episode feels like a mental chess match, where survival isn’t just about staying alive—it’s about staying one step ahead. The charm lies in its unexpected tone. It’s historical, sure, but it’s playful and self-aware, with moments that make you smirk even as tension builds. The art style, sharp and expressive, mirrors the cunning nature of its characters. The Elusive Samurai isn’tjust a story; it’s a celebration of cleverness in a world that rewards force.
KBJPN
01/06/2025, 08:35 PM
This anime is good. I've been watching summer 2024 anime, and this is definitely one best ones for that came out. In this anime we follow the mc who is at first highlighted for being a "coward" and running away using his elusiveness, however as the story develops so those the mc, he realizes that his elusiveness isn't something to be ashamed of, but in fact his strongest strength. This anime takes place back then during war times, and it highlights just how cruel war can be, however its cool to see the strategies they made on later battles. This story is beautiful, the animation isunique, the comedies ok. Everything is nice in its own way; I especially liked how the characters we meet along the way with the mc all have a cool trait that makes them interesting. This anime is definitely worth the watch!
Opritckniki
11/10/2024, 11:48 AM
don't miss it! This anime was an excellent surprise when looking for anime on the theme of the Japanese Middle Ages. Indeed, the themes covered are quite dark at the beginning, but there are comic moments that are fairly well managed. However if you are looking for something realistic, you may be hampered by certain character abilities. Nevertheless we manage to get past it without much concentration. In terms of ease of viewing, the time passed extremely quickly and only one day was needed to watch it. For the animation part, it is excellent and highlights the emotions expressed by the characters which are sometimes deliberately pushed tothe extreme. For me, it marks a renewal on the part of the “Tokyo MX” studio. It is therefore an anime that really deserves special attention and is totally worth watching.
PixelB
10/28/2024, 11:57 PM
Well, I do appreciate how the anime depicts actual conflict. I mean, it doesn't take the lazy route where all modern shounen are just good guys vs the evil demons. Oh boy, would it be too difficult to watch humans cutting down other humans, let's dumb it down a little and make the enemies literal demons and monsters so that the audience can understand who are the good and bad guys are! Yes, this show has people cutting down other people. After all, it's set in a time of wars between provincial lords and successions of people in power. It's the late Kamakura period! It's niceto see a historical show -- albeit very loosely I imagine -- when all shounen series tend to be generic power fantasies. However, as always, the show obviously is shounen at heart. The show features some minor magic and superpowers at hand, as well as a nine year old protagonist trying to take revenge over the current administration that threw his clan out of power. The offputting part of the show, and perhaps the reason people will love or hate this show has to be the comedic and slice of life bits. Even our main character's personality consists of enjoying the thrill of running away. It's a little difficult to take a show seriously when the main character's getting off in a fight to the death. There's plenty of manzai and comedic interactions even when people are fighting. Either way, the show attempts to inject a lot of lightheartedness and humor even in the most serious of times. People can be cutting other peoples' heads off and there would still be a mandatory comedic bit like running out of energy and having to eat a bunch of rice balls in an exaggerated manner. There's one thing for sure: it's not a Gintama. I wouldn't say it was very successful at pulling this sort of dynamic off very well. Yorishige's the worst of them all, being a running overpowered gag character and also a sort of mentor and father figure for Tokiyuki. While he doesn't possess any actual combat ability, I'd say having such a facetious and light-hearted personality and affecting the entire story with his endless insight of peering into the literal future counts. While Yorishige himself has some obviously more serious scenes, you can't help but think mostly to the comedic bits where he acts as a boke. I actually don't mind most of the characters, especially the rest of the side characters. Genba's a bit too much of the perverted archetype but the rest of Tokiyuki's retainers aren't bad. The synergy, dialogue, and relationships between each other definitely shines through. If the show treated itself more seriously while still maintaining some slice of life and appropriate manzai when it was appropriate, I'd think the show would be getting somewhere. Of course, the reality is that actually writing a good story is really difficult. By injecting a lot of manzai interactions, the author is able to keep things light-hearted, maintain the shounen vibes, and still write a relatively competent story. A lot of people maybe would be turned off by a slower paced story, or maybe the author would lose his charm when writing in such a manner. After all, his strength does seem to be in those moments of comedic relief. The animation is also a huge hit or miss. The beginning especially had some nice animation, but throughout the entire show there's so much cutting corners despite a solid storyboarding and art direction overall. I enjoyed some of the more abstract representations, painting style, and framing of interactions here and there, but the excessive amount of still frames, CGI, and lack of concrete background and even just faces being drawn at far distances does not rank highly. It's these small problems with the animation that ultimately drag it down to an overall mediocre and even unenjoyable experience. Near the end of the season, most fights are still frames and animated with as much shorthand as possible. Overall, the show attempts to have a similar storytelling with the likes of giants like Gintama, but fails to understand the delicate balance of character personalities when doing so. It's hard to watch gag characters kill people and make me think much of them. Gintoki's most fun traits are things like liking sweet things, being stingy, and being extremely lazy. When Tokiyuki's most fun trait is getting off to battle, you can see the large difference in character development.
RealAuraz
10/22/2024, 09:13 AM
One of the Sleeper Hits of the Summer 2024 Season. The anime is set in ancient chinese times and all of the terminology and relations brought up about that matter may be a bit too much for you as it was for me at times, but it does not take away from the fact that everybody working on this project was very passionate. The art style looks similar to 80s/90s anime, but in a very refined and well executed way. The colors are vibrant, the animation feels fluent and alive, and the use of cgi in some parts was well executed aswell and did not drecreasethe quality of the Experience. The Opening and The Ending are both super creative and beautiful and also demonstrate how much love wen't into this. It was very interesting to see the talent of the Main Character play out in different scenes, and some side characters also had great moments. That being said, the Story could've been a bit better but it nonetheless is a great Experience I can definetly recommend. 8/10, Thank you for reading my review.
bleachtsubasa
10/11/2024, 07:01 PM
Loved the blend of low-brow comedy and High Art. Art style was such a feast to see - so experimental, beautiful fights scenes, so bloody, and such unique art style - tongue -in-cheek and gruesome and beautiful!!! Animators really had fun with it. On the plot front, the emphasis on turning failures into strengths or being strategic with your strengths is such an exciting concept for shonen. And so much mentorship!!!! My heart is so warm but also the brain is buzzing - I wanna channel Fubuki lol. Also great insight on samurai pride of that era and the birth of subversive technique and ninjas. Notto mention love the ongoing bit that Yorushige can see so far into the future he knows what’s up in the 21st century lol. We really ate well with this one - can’t wait for season 2.
Artvisitor
10/09/2024, 01:50 PM
I feel like this show deserves more recognition but at the same time I do recognize elements of it that would drive people away. It's not for everyone but if it's for you then you will enjoy it quite a bit. Cloverworks handled the production side of things very well. The visuals are pretty great but a lot of it is achieved through clever use of different artstyles and angles. The show has a lot of energy and drive both in terms of visuals and pacing (although it does slow down closer to the end). The negative side of production is occasional CG modelsand while it's good CG, you will notice it and it does feel a bit weightless at times especially when weapons are involved. Now, the controversial part is the tone. At first it was a bit jarring going from lighthearted, wholesome stuff to blood and death (and the show doesn't have much chill when it comes to violence) but as soon as I noticed that different characters react to these tonal shifts differently, it kinda made sense. Also. it's an era when death often doesn't come from old age and it makes sense for characters close to fighting to not be too phased by it. Still, because of those tonal shifts the overall impression the show creates is rather lighthearted despite the occasional limb getting detached... Or maybe it's just me...
SuperAdventure
10/03/2024, 05:45 PM
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.
animeloser103
10/03/2024, 10:18 AM
Elusive Samurai is a show where is exceptionally shrugged upon and under the damn rug. I barely see anyone talking about it. Easily top 5 of this season of anime (although not many good anime were here this season but I digress). Wonderful animation, good characters, decent story, and humor that actually caught me off guard. The one thing that was apparent is it’s obvious the animation department is struggling a bit. Elusive Samurai is amazing and has multiple episodes where it rivals Studio Ghibli especially with it’s soft colored and painted art, but you can see when CGI is used, and I think some partsof the anime didn’t cook enough. It isn’t much of an issue though since 80% of the anime is CHEFS KISS. But episode 4 and episode 12 were easily the worst in the animation department, almost fully utilizing still frames and janky CGI. But, I cannot talk ill of the rest. The characters are good, but there are some that are just ‘there’ or ‘aight’ y’know, it’s a historical Shonen so expect some IRL names portrayed into characters like Dazai in BSD. Symbolisms in the anime were portrayed very well with what would be going on in 1333. The art is versatile too, a lot of sakuga, some stop motion, real life footage, cutout animation, and ofc the CGI. It’s like fucking Gumball. Suwa is easily the best character~ (totally not biased because of Gojo VA) They also have a lot of ugly ass characters as villains that gross me out. So thank you Elusive Samurai, I did not need to see protruding eyeballs and ears with teeth. I wish some characters had development or some relevance, I do like some like Genba, Tokiyuki, and Suwa but everyone else is meh or aight. Hopefully we see more diverse personalities than one-note characters with 1 specific quirk, like Demon Slayer. The story is well written. Very unique too and is sometimes even fourth wall breaking and can have a few jabs in the modern world as well, delivered by the future seeing Suwa. Times were tough in 1333, that’s for damn sure.
Gsarthotegga
10/03/2024, 06:27 AM
Elusive Samurai has solid production values, exciting animation, and coloring at times—in fact, pretty often. Certain scenes remind me of a lavishly animated late 1990s or early 2000s OVA, acting as something like this generation's Hakkenden but with less artistry and a shonen rather than seinen mentality. There's plenty of corner cutting, however, whether it's the use of eye-poking CGI for characters, a slew of stills with motion lines or shaking, or Dezaki-styled "postcard memories" inserts. Nonetheless, the animation is only exciting at a few points, mostly in the first half and a handful of fights later on. Though it's mostly a pretty standard shonenin tone, certain scenes have an arthouse flair, pairing well with the emotions expressed. They especially do a great job of capturing the exhilaration of combat, as the main weaves around arrows and flips past swishing swords, or the backgrounds come alive in an abstract rush of color as he acrobatically makes his way to his destination. The art is usually vivid, sans the occasionally murky surroundings or a shoddy drawing here and there. The character designs for the little tots and cackling villains are distinct, and there's occasionally some decent action. The comedy is mostly obnoxious or plays upon awkward shotacon pandering that is the sanitized otaku equivalent of a white van with no windows and heaps of free candy or lost puppies. The scene where the MC meets the priest (uh oh) on the tree is one of the shrillest, loudest scenes in anime—a truly impressive feat! There's no way one can take this seriously in the beginning, for even when the tears rain down from the MC's googly eyes, and he has lost hope because his clan has been massacred, they pull the same slapstick comedy routine with absurd faces, bulging eyeballs about to pop a la Graves' disease, and the unbearable screeching of ten year olds and shining manchildren! I'd honestly say it's on par with the tone-deaf comedy of Demon Slayer; poking fun at tragedy and drama dynamics can work well, but the humor is usually oozing with unwanted tropey animeisms that are forced into the script as part of the shonen model rather than meshing well. Fortunately, the series becomes lighthearted and whimsical instead of playing it up as a hammy dark drama, and even the oftentimes gruesome blood sprays and gore explode into cartoonish chaos, so the tonal clashes aren't too pronounced, and the humor does mellow overtime. While the concept is acceptable for a story, the execution is less than stellar, and the themes, script, story, and characters are where this series is weakest, flailing like cement clown shoes into Japan's deepest lake. There's your typical quick introduction to a samurai clan, followed by rivers of blood, and finally a bunch of pint-sized heroes rising up to lead an army and save the day. The story meanders around without aim, gradually introduces the bloated cast of thin characters who barely register as archetypes, and shows their special abilities and potential, which means a touch of espionage, a big battle or two with cavalry and soldiers, numerous solo battles, and a whole lot of slinking off into the night with their tails between their legs. The MC lacks proficient combat skills, but he can run away like a champ, while finding many opportunities to lecture adults and inculcate them in the art of retreat. By shonen standards, he's serviceable, foregoing the blockheaded idealism or obliviousness of plenty of others. His traumatic past informs his thought process, and his capabilities grant him with a balanced set of strengths and weaknesses, resulting in more tension and growth than the most bargain bin of shonen. The rest of the characters are basic, and when the MC remarked that he didn't know who Shizuku was because she seemed so mysterious and steeped in the arcane, it reminded me that I could say the same about even the simple Jacks of the cast, most of whom I can't remember the name of. The villains, though similarly lacking nuance, are a bit more entertaining, as they're often sadistic dirtbags, like the traitorous uncle who split too fast, or the eye-bulging archer Sadamune, or even the monkish samurai with literal ants in his pants who has a rare character arc. It could have been a 4-5 in the middle to late portion of the series, but it's so mediocre as it goes on and has a bland final arc, lacking the polish and thrill of the visual elements in the earlier portion of the series. There's not much else to say. It's just a dull shonen with a sloppy-taco story and plain-riceball characters. There are bursts of stylistic excess, but they aren't impressive enough to maintain much interest for those who have seen the most celebrated visual works in anime, which is a huge problem because that's the only thing this show has going for it.
Winnah_Daniels
09/30/2024, 09:56 AM
This anime was FUN as hell. I cant lie I thought this would just be something I throw on int he background and dont pay attention to. The main premise "Leader who is good at running away" intrigued me, but I didnt think I'd get hooked. RIght about episode 3 or 4 I decided this was one of my favorites. The main character is a classic shonen. He has presence and pride and a drive to reach his goal. Could swap him out with Tanjiro from Demon Slayer and you wouldnt notice much of a difference. One of the strengths int his show are int heside characters. The retainers (2 blue haired boys, specifically) are really interesting to me. I love how theyre all slowly learning to be a revolutionary force. There is an element of the super natural, here. With the future telling priest and the presence of gods / demons that help augment peoples skills. I cant wait for season 2 and Im going to start reading the manga to explore more of the lore. Last point - it is beautifully animated. Dont put this on in the background. You have to pay attention to really see all the great art
MrKessler
09/30/2024, 05:18 AM
TL,DR This show might be a masterpiece in the making. The sheer quality of its production is worth a watch, WATCH IT. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This show made me realize I have been underestimating Cloverworks as a studio. Barring some really wonky horseback CGI shots, this is as close to a perfect production: the animation is consistently spectacular throughout, the art direction is absolutely beautiful, giving us some of the best most colorful visuals I've seen, the sound design is on point, the direction and storyboarding are endlessly creative, the way this show portrays horrific acts with its colorful artstyle makes those acts so much more terrifying. Episode 6 hadme jaw dropped the entire time and it should be used as an example to anime in the future. This show deserves a watch just for the quality of its production alone. But that doesn't mean the story and characters are bad, far from it. If I had to critic anything about it, is some of the self-referential comedy isn't my favourite. But besides that this show is funny, charismatic, thematically interesting and dark in the right places. I hope the show continues because it has the possibility of being a true masterpiece. I will give it a 9 for now because we've only scratched the surface of what its capable of, but my hopes are really high
nonaloth
09/29/2024, 06:57 PM
The Elusive Samurai (on Crunchyroll) The Elusive Samurai was a pleasant surprise for me. I started watching it randomly, without recommendations or prior knowledge—just clicked and began. At first, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it. The opening seemed quite childish, filled with jokes, quirky characters, and the classic innocent protagonist overflowing with kindness. I’ve become somewhat saturated with that trope. However, I must be honest—I was misled by my own biases. This anime skilfully balances seriousness with humour, blending various art styles, from sketchy to 3D, in a magnificent way. I watched all 12 episodes in just two days because it was so enjoyable and light-hearted, leaving mewanting more. There are numerous references to current memes that are genuinely funny. The humour is impressively woven into the context of war, executed flawlessly by the writers—kudos to them! It’s worth noting that the series carries philosophical and religious undertones regarding short- and long-term actions and how we impact others, even when it seems counterintuitive at the moment. What a delightful experience this was! I had never heard of this title or studio before, but they created a remarkable work of art. I’m glad I gave it a chance and watched it.
Firechick12012
09/28/2024, 06:53 PM
Comedy is purely subjective by its very nature, and different people have their own preferences in regards to what makes them laugh. Some people like gross-out jokes, some people like slapstick, some people like physical comedy a la The Three Stooges or the Marx Brothers, and that's fine. Everyone's preferences for comedy are valid and unique. But one thing that's really important when you're writing comedy at all is not just timing, but making sure it doesn't clash with whatever else its being used for. Unfortunately, there's a lot of series that think shoving comedy into things where it's not needed or warranted will makea series great, but it's really not. Unfortunately, after having watched the anime of The Elusive Samurai, it wound up being one of those series. Good lord, I really wanted to like this series, but it turned out to be such a mess. Based on the manga by Yusei Matsui, the author of Assassination Classroom, The Elusive Samurai centers on 8-year-old Tokiyuki Hojo, the youngest prince of the Hojo clan, living his carefree life in Kamakura of the 1300s. He shows little regard for the serious responsibilities that come with his eventually succeeding his father as the next shogun, which is typical for a child of his age. Instead of dedicating himself to rigorous training in swordsmanship or archery, Tokiyuki excels in the art of evasion, skillfully dodging his advisors and discovering perfect hiding spots. However, his peaceful existence is shattered when a sudden coup brutally wipes out his clan, moreso when it turns out a retainer that he adored, Takauji Ashikaga, was the one who spearheaded the massacre. Overwhelmed with guilt for being the sole survivor, Tokiyuki contemplates joining his family in death, but his fate takes an abrupt turn when the enigmatic priest Yorishige Suwa suddenly shoves him onto a battlefield. Yorishige, who prophesizes that Tokiyuki will one day become a great hero, leaves the boy with no choice but to navigate his way out of the hands of enemy soldiers. As Tokiyuki struggles to survive against these foes, he finds a new thrill in raising the stakes of his usual hide-and-seek games. With a renewed sense of purpose and the promise of powerful allies from Yorishige, Tokiyuki vows to avenge his family—not through his capability to fight, but through his extraordinary talent for running away. Now, I haven't read or seen Assassination Classroom, manga or anime, so I'm not familiar with Yusei Matsui's brand of comedy. But after seeing the anime for The Elusive Samurai, I've come to the conclusion that...his brand of comedy just isn't for me. But I don't want to be a negative nancy, so for the sake of wanting to be fair, I'm going to talk about the good things the anime has to offer, and there are quite a few things it has going for it. For one, CloverWorks really went all out in the animation department here. Not just in things like character motion, backgrounds, and the costumes, but for using all sorts of experimental animation techniques in a variety of different ways, reveling in being as weird and surreal as possible when it feels its necessary. The Elusive Samurai is at its best when it lets its animation staff completely let loose and experiment, whether it be with intentional rough-shod pencil sketches, Renaissance-style water colors, or psychedelic acid trips filled to the brim with color, symbolism, and crazy imagery straight out of Belladonna of Sadness. I'll give CloverWorks this, they mostly made Elusive Samurai look awesome. I say mostly because it does cut quite a few corners from time to time, with the most egregious offenses being awful CGI models of characters, whether they be riding horses or just...turning to look behind themselves. Like...what? Why even do that? At least Atri: My Dear Moments limited CGI-modeled characters to when they're far into the background. The CGI almost borders on Tsuki ga Kirei levels of obnoxious and in your face. And for the most part, I liked some of the characters. Tokiyuki is a fun lead character who does grow over the course of these twelve episodes and makes full use of his skillset without the series ever making him come off as overpowered. He's not physically strong, but the skills he does learn manage to compensate for his lack of strength, giving the battles more of a tense edge to them, and he manages to have enough personality to be endearing and fun to follow. Alright, this is the part where I have to be honest and say...other than Tokiyuki and Fubuki, none of the other characters are given this same treatment. All the other characters, even the ones in the main ensemble, don't really have much to them except their mission to protect and help Tokiyuki. Kojiro gets some development outside of being just one of Tokiyuki's retainers, but that only happens in the final episode, meaning it's far too late for it to really have any real impact. I'll go into more about other characters in a bit, but I will say this: I fucking hate Genba. He's God awful, but more than that is what the show does with him. No, show, I do not need to see a ten-year-old child not only being drunk off his ass, but sexually assaulting every girl he sees, have the whole thing be played for wacky anime comedy, and have that very same episode end on a close-up of his comically censored genitals. This also extends to the villains, who I really couldn't bring myself to give two shits about because all of them are just generic Saturday morning cartoon villains who you'll only remember because of one exaggerated character trait they have and nothing else. The only, and I do mean ONLY, villain in this series that is given even a sliver of nuance and humanity is Sadamune, but that only happens near the end of the show, and after that he just disappears. All the other villains in this show don't do anything except be out for Tokiyuki's blood or scream maniacally for the sake of forcing unneeded comedy. Speaking of unneeded comedy...you know what? It's time I rip this band-aid off, because I cannot hold back any longer. I want to like Elusive Samurai as a show. I really do. But I'll be honest, watching this was a total chore, mainly because of it's biggest flaws: Both its comedy and its constant use of tonal whiplash. Actually, I'm going to highlight a specific scene in episode 2 which I feel encapsulates everything wrong with the anime as a whole: When Tokiyuki returns to his home, seeing it in ruins, he falls to his knees and openly cries, mourning the loss of his family, friends, and clan at the hands of Ashikaga. It's a moment of vulnerability for him, and Tokiyuki needed to grieve in order to process what had happen to him. The scene should have remained somber...but in the VERY NEXT SECOND, the mood and tone are completely and utterly ruined by a shot of Yorishige Suwa shoving his creepy as fuck smily face in Tokiyuki's line of sight and scaring the bejeezes out of him, complete with exaggerated anime faces on both characters. Basically, not only is The Elusive Samurai's approach to comedy cringy as all hell in that it relies way too much on constant yelling, exaggerated gags, and one-note fourth wall jokes, the show constantly shoehorns it throughout its entire run, especially in scenes where it's not only completely unneeded, but actively clashes with what's going on on screen! Like...do we really need some dude screaming like a banshee as a child's family gets horrifically murdered around him?! This show seems to have no concept of how to balance both its dramatic and comedic moments properly, or is convinced the material won't be able to stand on its own without constant comedic exaggeration amped up to eleven 24/7. I know other series had problems with balancing drama and humor sometimes, Demon Slayer being one such show thanks to Zenitsu, but I've never seen it be so obnoxiously omnipresent as it is in Elusive Samurai. And unfortunately, from what I've heard about the manga, this is a feature, not a bug, so it's here to stay. Uuuuugh. And a lot of the unnecessary comedy is perpetuated by Suwa, the vehicle through which Yusei Matsui espouses all of his weird comedy bullshit. Yeah, not gonna mince words, Suwa pretty much breaks the show for me (Though less so than Genba). Every single time his comically exaggerated creepy as fuck smily face gets plastered on the screen, either the mood or tone gets completely shot to hell and back. I actually think the show works better when he's being a more serious mentor rather than the unhinged banshee fourth wall espousing comedy vehicle the show clearly wants him to be. He's basically the Zenitsu of Elusive Samurai, only his presence is constant and we're expected to just find his antics funny even though they're clearly not. It doesn't help that his so-called powers seem less like actual abilities and more like excuses for him to break the fourth wall and throw in modern or pop culture references that are completely out of place in a show like Elusive Samurai. Seriously, this show thinks its funny when it's just...not, and before you come at me with all your "Oh, you must not like fun!" accusations, I don't hate fun. But I don't like it when a piece of media tries to shoehorn unneeded, unfunny comedy in places where it clearly has no business being, case in point the aforementioned scene in episode 2 which should have been just somber and sad. The Elusive Samurai does have the makings of a good show, and even with its animation hang-ups, it's clear the staff who worked on this show put a lot of hard work into it. I just wish that same passion and versatility was applied to everything else, and if I'm being honest, the anime has put me off of reading the manga. The less I have to put up with Suwa and Genba, the happier I'll be. If you like Elusive Samurai, cool, more power to you. Feel free to enjoy it if you're into Yusei Matsui's brand of comedy. It's not my cup of tea, and that's okay.
mrudul_dahikar12
09/28/2024, 01:38 PM
Highly recommend... It has such a great story, I personally love the story based on history it's quite fun to watch . Cloverworks animated the season so well , the radiant colours, animations were mesmerizing.i like how some of the darkest scene is presented in a beautiful art and colour works which looks pretty yet cold at the same time . Both opening and endings were banger it on my playlist now . Character designs are awesome. Even the most goofy looking characters are scary strong. Overall I really want to see the progress of over main cast over the period of time . I loved the season wish formore , well waiting is all we can do .
ZeroMajor12
09/28/2024, 11:00 AM
I'll keep it short. This is an anime where perverts are the focal point of every conflict, hear me out. Coming from the same author who made Assassination Classroom, you'd be surprised to see how much gore this anime lets out, it's such a drastic change in tone and stakes, yet it does it in such a playful way, the only way to describe The Elusive Samurai is psychotic perverts fighting each other for their own 'fetishes'. The story starts off like an average coming-of-age plot about a young samurai, but like the title implies, the guy sucks at fighting and he also happens to be ashota. If you're familiar with the name 'Nagisa Shiota', this is the author doing the same thing with his protagonist again. From there on, you're introduced to the series' first perverts, Yorishige Suwa, who exhibits every behavior of a stranger trying to groom children, but that's okay since he also has a child and has divine energy emitting behind him, so he has to be a good guy right? This is where you realize that every character introduced here will be a bunch of weirdos from there on. Later on, you get the MC, voiced by an actress, enacting lines of a flushed child who just discovered his fetish of confronting death and 'elusively' runs from it (pun intended). It's an anime about relishing on the desire to live out your twisted fantasies in the sight of the battlefield. Animation-wise, the anime for the most time looks good since it has CloverWorks name in it but you can tell it has some moments where it feels off. By the time they shifted to 3D animation, it becomes a battle of tolerance. But if you can keep up, it's not that bad. The anime also includes the time to paint antagonists the party has to encounter in the most psychopathic, dubious, and unholy of all expressions to ever exist. You have multiple characters that are recognised by their cartoonish-like characteristics, for instance, enlarged ears that makes a man look like a monkey. A character that looks like your savior-incarnate only to be a vile killer. A man whose eyes are about to pop out anytime and a thief who can literally shape-shifting his face into anyone they want to and make their same behavior. Speaking of characters, you just entered the lottery, ladies and gentlemen. In this environment of redundant perverts, there are in fact normal characters in this anime and it shows on the face of people who reside with the main character or central antagonist of the anime. Unless for a few exceptions, the story doesn't completely forget how a normal person acts. You're just shoved into the perspective of an abandoned noble meeting an endless amount of perverts that you might worry if the abyss stares back at you. You're never going to find a cast this twisted other than degenerate hentais with dubious roles or fanservice propaganda. I'm not going to say that the anime is flawless by any means. The pacing for something that is meant to be chaotic and bamboozling ends up feeling slow and predictable. For something that wants to make a mature but playful tone, it ends up getting stale quickly once you know exactly what the characters' antics do. There's rarely any development, since most of that sweet 24 minutes per episode is focused on introducing bigger bad guys in a contest of becoming the incarnate of the Seven Deadly Sins, but only in Japan. And whenever there is one moment of character development, it's only given to Tokiyuki for very little development. The characters might have good design and a reason to exist, but without any reasonable development to grow alongside Tokiyuki, it makes them look like your cast of Naruto's chunin students who were set up to be rivals with different set of skills. Their supporting characters are made to be introduced, act like friends and rarely got feedback for their own growth as well. It's sufficient in multiple aspects, like a jack of all trades, but likewise it also means the anime doesn't excel in any of them. You'll leave thinking of a decent experience, but you'll find yourself too bamboozled to make words out of the fetishes you were exposed to in this anime. Thank you for reading.
Tkit
09/28/2024, 08:01 AM
Abstract art pieces, advanced visual storytelling, inspired direction and enormous creative energy wasn't what I expected going into Elusive Samurai, but here we are. The sheer quality of artistry put on screen here is even more puzzling when taking into account how simple this story is. The whole plot of the anime works only because it was skillfully elevated with great care and passion. First it is important to note that between those amazing highlights there is a whole bunch of normal anime and this normal anime looks great as well. Art Style is of course enjoyed depending on taste, but you can be certain thatthis isn't a generic looking random show, but bright colorful and energetic one. Even the character designs while fitting with the historic period, are often bonkers and enjoyable. There was a lot of effort put into animation from more mundane/comidic moments to epic fights. Those fights are helped by great choreography full of fluid movement and direction. The biggest strength of the Elusive Samurai shows in the fact that where others would have stopped at having great fights Elusive Samurai decides to show in a creative way more about characters. Sometimes a great sense of hearing will be represented by a gorgeous sequence, characters backstory will have a different style representing his feelings, emotions as a whole might be shown visually, a display of overwhelming power will become an otherworldy spiritual experience. With great direction and good focus a sense of disorientation in character will be skillfully portrayed. As I said the whole show isn't like that, but a lot is which is great to witness and used in a way that makes this competent, but simple story much more engaging. Quickly talking about sound, voice acting is very good but ost, while hitting during the highlights, was pretty unnoticeable. An unfortunate detail important to bring up, in the last few episodes the wonderful visual quality decreases drastically. I talk a lot about simplicity because it is true. Motivations are flat and many of the characters feel one note, but that doesn't mean everyone is like this. The whole plot is focused on the asymmetrical conflict of protagonist vs antagonist. Tokiyuki (good guy) has very engaging chellange of turning from a carefree, kind child into a responsible, charismatic leader while Takauji (bad guy) is a great execution of a simple, evil antagonist. His presence, power and attitude make him great to watch and the violence he is capable of give him a scary aura. Lesser antagonists are also mostly fun. Often very over the top, but in one example even given a small arc making me excited for the future of the rest of them. So yes story isn't anything special, but it's competent enough to be made special by the artistry surrounding it. Now time for the bigger problem. This show is a comedy that tries its hand at mixing itself with tragedy and serious violence. Again comedy is subjective (I enjoyed it), but sometimes the jump from funnies to drama felt too jarring, it felt like a less skilled Gintama. Now it wasn't the worst attempt at doing something like that I saw, sometimes they do it well, but for someone unaccustomed to this approach bad mixing of tones can be a deal breaker. Either way be ready for a wacky show that tries to be serious from time to time. To summarize I love abstract art enough to almost disregard all of the flaws in here, maybe despite them you will love it too.
KANLen09
09/28/2024, 08:00 AM
The Elusive Samurai - Hello, my dear students, now's the time to get assassinated once again...but this time, embossed in actual history, to experience yet another comedic adventure? I sure hope so that's the case... If you didn't know any better, historical AniManga are now once again on the rise thanks to the major successes of series like Kusuriya no Hitorigoto a.k.a The Apothecary Diaries, and if there is any indication to go by, I wish that this will become a recurring trend for the numerous seasons and years to come. And from the courtesy of mangaka Yusei Matsui, the author of one of AniManga's mostrevered, juggernaut series of the 2010s: Ansatsu Kyoushitsu a.k.a Assassination Classroom, comes his latest Weekly Shonen Jump series of Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi a.k.a The Elusive Samurai, a series that hearkens back to Feudal Japan, and makes it look like a joke as much as possible. But the series winning the Shogakukan Manga Award in its 69th edition alongside Sousou no Frieren, Sūji de Asobo, and Trillion Game (which is getting an anime next season) this year (2024)? It's no joke. The series being set in the Nanboku-cho North and Southern Courts period, is loosely based on the historical figure of Hojo Tokiyuki, a samurai of the Hojo clan whose father was Takatoki, the de facto ruler of the Kamakura Shogunate in the year 1333. It depicts the real-life battle of the 1333 Siege of Kamakura, being a part of the civil Genko War (also known as the Genko Incident) fought between the country's 96th Emperor Go-Daigo and the de facto military government from 1331 to 1333. Led by the first-generation Ashikaga Shogunate under the Emperor's orders, the elder brother of Takauji leads the charge in overthrowing the Hojo clan, forcing the lead figure, now shrunk down to a young boy, to escape to safety and certainly from beheading from the ursurpers. With his only help being a self-proclaimed, shady, prophetic priest, alongside similarly aged young kids that would prove their loyalty to restore the Kamamura Shogunate to its former glory, Tokiyuki must venture a dangerous path to ensure that his reputation does not warrant the death-defying trait that he's known for: his superhuman ability to flee, hide, and dodge enemy attacks. That's like an elusive person through and through. Right out of the gate, the anime means business, and if clean, swift, silent, and deadly samurai katana swipes don't mean anything to you, the elusive dropping of human heads, splashes of blood, and endless juxtapositions will. There's a reason why Japan's rich and very dramatic history just makes for some great content, and Yusei Matsui taking real-world events to add his own Assassination Classroom twist, it's just genius. The abstracts of clean settings that contradict the reality of the situations being total gruesome bloodshed with or without tears, shit can get real pretty quick, and the way that this show does its survivability and deaths is so seamless to the point where "don't blink, and you'll miss a beat." All of this, despite being a Shonen series in general, was quite the game-changer when the manga came out as a brand new Shonen Jump work in January 2021, and quoting from CBR's Anthony Gramuglia, the series has become "one of the highlights" of Weekly Shonen Jump (at the time), that it is not only surprisingly emotional but also surprisingly intense, starting with all cylinders at full-throttle and never letting up." If anything, this is an excellent rendition of foretelling the story of the 1333 Siege of Kamakura, in the classic Shonen way that Yuusei Matsui only knows how to do by inserting his sense of humour that, for better or for worse, you could be a total joker in awe for seeing apparitions of Koro-sensei and the Kunugigaoka Middle School's dropout Class 3-E with Nagisa Shiota and his classmates. And that, brings me to the main meat of the show itself: the characters. With Hojo Tokiyuki and his escapee saviour of military commander Suwa Yorishige, the latter boasting that he could see the future, he's technically not wrong, as it's revealed that he has the spirit of Suwa Myōjin inside him, which makes him a god. Furthermore, history dictates that like the Hojo Clan, the Suwa clan also faces opposition with the fall of the Kamakura Shogunate, facing its own opposition in the Shinano Province, which ultimately forced them to support the already-decimated Hojo Clan with Tokiyuki at the helm, so it's a "tour de force" of near-extinct communities bonding together to face against a formidable common foe that extends all the way up to the Emperor. Speaking of Assassination Classroom then, this show does have its pick of period-accurate "class-sized" students through its aptly-named The Elusive Warriors band of youngsters: Yorishige's adopted daughter of the shrine maiden and logistics expert Shizuku; the swordsman and woman of Nezu Kojiro and Mochizuki Ayano who accompanies Tokiyuki to aid him in their military expertise; the mischievous thief of Kazama Genba who operates by money and fear with his disguise tactic; as well as the dual-sword wielding ronin of Fubuki who joins their rag-tag Kamakura restoration team after a scuffle that leads the former to trust his gut instinct after Tokiyuki has proven himself, this is a retainer group that can easily match up against Feudal Japan's lead figures. And the young-aged brats they are as a group of 5 kids, are just as (if not more) effective as a big-sized army who has to follow instructions to their "sacrificial" deaths, more than suffering through the endless comedic banters of Shizuku's uncle, as well as the colourful display of enemies that range from demeaning to outright crazy. And as if you NEED any reason to believe all of the insanity that is the anime, its production values will shock you even further. There's no doubt that this is an Aniplex production, made solely because of well-known producer Shouta Umehara, who's done a lot at the Sony-owned studios of A-1 Pictures and (more recently) CloverWorks, the likes of Eromanga-sensei, Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru a.k.a My Dress-Up Darling and Bocchi the Rock! to name a few. The fact that this is a CloverWorks production, it's not just calling the A-1 Pictures' sister studio an imitation to begin with, but it's very clear that despite sharing resources within the same animation house, you can always bet on both studios banging out their adaptations like passion projects. From the uncanny but striking animations to flawless and interesting battles (e.g. Episode 9 is a classic Arifumi Imai masterclass) that you just can't help but be in awe of, the show is just crafted masterfully with the intention to surpass the manga in all regards, and it did. Despite the no-name storyboarder that is debut director Yuta Yamazaki, it's very clear that he wants to make a splash for a name recognition, and a recognition that he'll get for an insane job well done along with a capable staff team behind the anime. Being a historical series, its OST has to be spot-on to reflect the history, and Akiyuki Tateyama (along with GEMBI) nailed the music aspect beautifully. I'd expect nothing less from the Yuru Camp a.k.a Laid-Back Camp series' music composer, and if there's one thing that he's good at, it's the comfy stuff, even if the action (i.e. as is the case for the Genjitsu Shugi Yuusha no Oukoku Saikenki a.k.a. How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom series) unfortunately doesn't match up to his strengths. As for the theme songs themselves, this show does a competent job with DISH// and Botchi Boromaru having historically inspired songs that are just a delight to listen to and is worth endless repeats on end, especially the latter with its catchy bop of a Nanboku-cho-inspired rap song. It's clear that Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi a.k.a The Elusive Samurai didn't quite turn out to be the success story that Yusei Matsui wanted to be, despite its increasing popularity as the years go by with the manga that, while is historically accurate, doesn't dive deep into the rich history that is the Kenmu Restoration period, much less the level of historical knowledge that is required out of the reader to fully understand what's going on in the manga replicating true stories. And if that doesn't get to you, neither will its writing be, that feels superficial at times than what we've come to expect from Assassination Classroom. Ultimately, whatever your proposition will be, I think that the anime is pretty much necessitated to reinvigorate sales of the manga, and I hope it has done that to a degree that would help even overseas fans appreciate the series even more, even if reception in Japan has been lukewarm at best. I'm a sucker for historical stories, so this naturally comes recommended, but see if it does for you, either in seriousness or banter.

Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi 逃げ上手の若君

2024 summer | Episodes: 12 | Score: 7.8 (72157)

Updated every Saturdays at 23:30 | Status: Finished Airing

Type: TV

Producers:Aniplex | Tokyo MX | Shueisha | BS11 | Bit grooove promotion

Streaming: Crunchyroll | Aniplus TV | Muse Asia

Synopsis

Voice Actors

Yuikawa, Asaki

Nakamura, Yuuichi

News

Reviews

Cynthesia
03/26/2025, 03:24 PM
Don't be fooled by its whimsy, NigeWaka may turn war into child's play but it does so with a mature brutality which perfectly captures the tone of the times. The samurai had an obsession with death, to a point where they will reject life in order to die. For them, your life might as well be defined entirely by how you die and there is no greater honor than to die honorably in battle. NigeWaka takes this notion and spits on it, choosing to follow the story of a boy who is a master of evading death and how it's life, not death, that makesfor greatness. Tokiyuki could have easily become another samurai. A boy whose life is surrounded by and defined by death and without much to live for, it's only through his mastery of evasion that he is able to live. Through his journey we watch his worldview change. Initially believing that his purpose is to die with his clan, when push comes to shove he chooses to discard his pride and live instead. While this is partially due to his childish nature and how he enjoys the "game" of evasion, it comes in tandem with the maturity of a true lord that understands that there is no real honor to be found in death. Tokiyuki is a fantastic eye into the world of historical Japan as he begins to usher in updated values to those he leads. He is no great warrior on paper, lacking great swordsmanship or physical prowess (he's 9), but because he places life on the highest echelon he is able to overcome far greater opponents due to this fundamental difference in values. Just like Tokiyuki this is an anime defined by death. War is a constant and corruption rears it's ugly head at the highest level of power. Beyond it's typically bright colorful aesthetic is a show that isn't afraid to broadcast the brutality of war. Villages are raided, innocent civilians massacred and beheaded. Death doesn't lie around the corner but rather shows itself outright. It isn't necessarily a juxtaposition for it to be broadcast within such normal looking environments because this way of life is what was normal for the time. The presentation as a whole are this anime's strongest quality. Most clearly this is an extremely beautiful show. Everything is full of color and life, landscapes are well crafted and clearly aim to impress. Action sequences are extremely fluid and equally full of life. Actions are performed with utmost creativity, the way each character moves contains a piece of their identity. Tokiyuki and Genba have this kind of playful energy to their agility as they almost dance their way through the battlefield and evade the clutches of death. Gods of war such as Takauji seem to embody death itself, performing executions as naturally as they breathe. Specialists such as Sadamune have their greatest features (in this case his eyes) exaggerated to the utmost degree to make it seem as though he's channeling the supernatural within this one focal point. But more so than mere artistic style is the camerawork. The way scenes are composed and operate seem like an accelerated version of real life film. The camera is almost alive, constantly moving about and manipulated by the actions of it's surroundings. Quick cuts and parallelism are used abundantly, a ball falling to the ground is intertwined with a severed head meeting the floor, an action will begin in one location and finish in another. This creates a far more satisfying "live" experience as scenes become more fluid and clever. Paired with the absolutely beautiful presentation and this creates an extremely pleasant and unique viewing experience. Unfortunately not everything gets to enjoy this same level of polish, most evidently in terms of the characters. Tokiyuki and Takauji work extremely well but the remainder of the cast, both friend and foe, end up suffering. While it makes sense in the grand scheme of things for Tokiyuki's retainers to fundamentally have a kind of master-follower relationship, this does not fall in line with Tokiyuki's character, who is a hyperactive friendly extraverted child. The elusive warriors do have the airs of being friends in arms but because there isn't sufficient time dedicated to developing their relationship this ends up falling short in the back half, especially as the group continues to grow in size. This isn't to say they have poor chemistry or anything, but the characters themselves are lacking. Dedicating some time to Tokiyuki's training would have aided this immensely but that aspect ends up being shelved in favor of missions. The antagonists are where the show really falls apart, especially when the first impression is Takauji who exerts this commanding aura over all who cross him. In contrast, what we get for recurring villains end up being cartoonish evil, leaning heavily on the cartoonish end, and obnoxious. Sadamune does well in comparison but each consecutive antagonist ends up being less serious than the last which creates a severe case of tonal whiplash, which is another one of this series' glaring issues. There's a time and place for everything and this NigeWaka generally manages to balance its execution well. However in the final quarter especially the show ends up losing sight of how to properly distinguish between silly moments and brutal combat. One liners and cutaways end up becoming increasingly frequent as you near the end which when paired with the incredibly difficult to take seriously antagonists makes for a very jarring experience when it leads into countless casualties and on screen executions. It's a real shame because they demonstrate that they know how to do this extremely well with Tokiyuki, who finds joy in evading the clutches of death, but ends up dropping the ball with everyone else. NigeWaka is a supremely entertaining thrill ride featuring masterful visuals and an entertaining cast of characters navigating a world which isn't afraid to kill them at any moment. While it stumbles a little near the end, for the most part it balances the carefree wonder of a child with the mature brutality of war perfectly. A real technical marvel that easily manages to place itself ahead of the pack on all fronts, a truly whimsical experience.
Unconfidence
02/25/2025, 03:51 PM
I wanted to write a review of this anime, because it deserves one. So this was easily one of the most beautiful anime I've ever seen. The visual effects are presented in a way which is stunning an unique, and left me constantly mesmerized. The characters and setting are all loads of fun, and you really feel a palpable sense of the stakes at play. The action sequences can get over-the-top, which is usually something I don't like, but because of how well they're executed I found myself loving the ride. The attention paid to setting and time create an atmosphere Ihaven't seen in an anime before this. But I gave it an 8, not a 9. Why? Because of pacing. At the end, the season loses a lot of steam. It feels like they needed to plan just a little better to avoid that, but I also can't tell if they just kind of wanted to take it easy at the end or something? I don't know, it just feels like there should have been more there, and like the season was over but still had episodes. But that is literally my only complaint. It's the toughest 8 I've ever given, because I want this otherwise perfect anime to have a 9 from me, but I can't with the last three episodes being what they are.
ferarriaga10
01/12/2025, 09:22 PM
This anime shows that brains can outshine brawn, that a light expands more than darkness, even in the bloodiest of times. It’s an anime that flips the script on what it means to be a hero, replacing brute strength with sharp instincts and agility. Every episode feels like a mental chess match, where survival isn’t just about staying alive—it’s about staying one step ahead. The charm lies in its unexpected tone. It’s historical, sure, but it’s playful and self-aware, with moments that make you smirk even as tension builds. The art style, sharp and expressive, mirrors the cunning nature of its characters. The Elusive Samurai isn’tjust a story; it’s a celebration of cleverness in a world that rewards force.
KBJPN
01/06/2025, 08:35 PM
This anime is good. I've been watching summer 2024 anime, and this is definitely one best ones for that came out. In this anime we follow the mc who is at first highlighted for being a "coward" and running away using his elusiveness, however as the story develops so those the mc, he realizes that his elusiveness isn't something to be ashamed of, but in fact his strongest strength. This anime takes place back then during war times, and it highlights just how cruel war can be, however its cool to see the strategies they made on later battles. This story is beautiful, the animation isunique, the comedies ok. Everything is nice in its own way; I especially liked how the characters we meet along the way with the mc all have a cool trait that makes them interesting. This anime is definitely worth the watch!
Opritckniki
11/10/2024, 11:48 AM
don't miss it! This anime was an excellent surprise when looking for anime on the theme of the Japanese Middle Ages. Indeed, the themes covered are quite dark at the beginning, but there are comic moments that are fairly well managed. However if you are looking for something realistic, you may be hampered by certain character abilities. Nevertheless we manage to get past it without much concentration. In terms of ease of viewing, the time passed extremely quickly and only one day was needed to watch it. For the animation part, it is excellent and highlights the emotions expressed by the characters which are sometimes deliberately pushed tothe extreme. For me, it marks a renewal on the part of the “Tokyo MX” studio. It is therefore an anime that really deserves special attention and is totally worth watching.
PixelB
10/28/2024, 11:57 PM
Well, I do appreciate how the anime depicts actual conflict. I mean, it doesn't take the lazy route where all modern shounen are just good guys vs the evil demons. Oh boy, would it be too difficult to watch humans cutting down other humans, let's dumb it down a little and make the enemies literal demons and monsters so that the audience can understand who are the good and bad guys are! Yes, this show has people cutting down other people. After all, it's set in a time of wars between provincial lords and successions of people in power. It's the late Kamakura period! It's niceto see a historical show -- albeit very loosely I imagine -- when all shounen series tend to be generic power fantasies. However, as always, the show obviously is shounen at heart. The show features some minor magic and superpowers at hand, as well as a nine year old protagonist trying to take revenge over the current administration that threw his clan out of power. The offputting part of the show, and perhaps the reason people will love or hate this show has to be the comedic and slice of life bits. Even our main character's personality consists of enjoying the thrill of running away. It's a little difficult to take a show seriously when the main character's getting off in a fight to the death. There's plenty of manzai and comedic interactions even when people are fighting. Either way, the show attempts to inject a lot of lightheartedness and humor even in the most serious of times. People can be cutting other peoples' heads off and there would still be a mandatory comedic bit like running out of energy and having to eat a bunch of rice balls in an exaggerated manner. There's one thing for sure: it's not a Gintama. I wouldn't say it was very successful at pulling this sort of dynamic off very well. Yorishige's the worst of them all, being a running overpowered gag character and also a sort of mentor and father figure for Tokiyuki. While he doesn't possess any actual combat ability, I'd say having such a facetious and light-hearted personality and affecting the entire story with his endless insight of peering into the literal future counts. While Yorishige himself has some obviously more serious scenes, you can't help but think mostly to the comedic bits where he acts as a boke. I actually don't mind most of the characters, especially the rest of the side characters. Genba's a bit too much of the perverted archetype but the rest of Tokiyuki's retainers aren't bad. The synergy, dialogue, and relationships between each other definitely shines through. If the show treated itself more seriously while still maintaining some slice of life and appropriate manzai when it was appropriate, I'd think the show would be getting somewhere. Of course, the reality is that actually writing a good story is really difficult. By injecting a lot of manzai interactions, the author is able to keep things light-hearted, maintain the shounen vibes, and still write a relatively competent story. A lot of people maybe would be turned off by a slower paced story, or maybe the author would lose his charm when writing in such a manner. After all, his strength does seem to be in those moments of comedic relief. The animation is also a huge hit or miss. The beginning especially had some nice animation, but throughout the entire show there's so much cutting corners despite a solid storyboarding and art direction overall. I enjoyed some of the more abstract representations, painting style, and framing of interactions here and there, but the excessive amount of still frames, CGI, and lack of concrete background and even just faces being drawn at far distances does not rank highly. It's these small problems with the animation that ultimately drag it down to an overall mediocre and even unenjoyable experience. Near the end of the season, most fights are still frames and animated with as much shorthand as possible. Overall, the show attempts to have a similar storytelling with the likes of giants like Gintama, but fails to understand the delicate balance of character personalities when doing so. It's hard to watch gag characters kill people and make me think much of them. Gintoki's most fun traits are things like liking sweet things, being stingy, and being extremely lazy. When Tokiyuki's most fun trait is getting off to battle, you can see the large difference in character development.
RealAuraz
10/22/2024, 09:13 AM
One of the Sleeper Hits of the Summer 2024 Season. The anime is set in ancient chinese times and all of the terminology and relations brought up about that matter may be a bit too much for you as it was for me at times, but it does not take away from the fact that everybody working on this project was very passionate. The art style looks similar to 80s/90s anime, but in a very refined and well executed way. The colors are vibrant, the animation feels fluent and alive, and the use of cgi in some parts was well executed aswell and did not drecreasethe quality of the Experience. The Opening and The Ending are both super creative and beautiful and also demonstrate how much love wen't into this. It was very interesting to see the talent of the Main Character play out in different scenes, and some side characters also had great moments. That being said, the Story could've been a bit better but it nonetheless is a great Experience I can definetly recommend. 8/10, Thank you for reading my review.
bleachtsubasa
10/11/2024, 07:01 PM
Loved the blend of low-brow comedy and High Art. Art style was such a feast to see - so experimental, beautiful fights scenes, so bloody, and such unique art style - tongue -in-cheek and gruesome and beautiful!!! Animators really had fun with it. On the plot front, the emphasis on turning failures into strengths or being strategic with your strengths is such an exciting concept for shonen. And so much mentorship!!!! My heart is so warm but also the brain is buzzing - I wanna channel Fubuki lol. Also great insight on samurai pride of that era and the birth of subversive technique and ninjas. Notto mention love the ongoing bit that Yorushige can see so far into the future he knows what’s up in the 21st century lol. We really ate well with this one - can’t wait for season 2.
Artvisitor
10/09/2024, 01:50 PM
I feel like this show deserves more recognition but at the same time I do recognize elements of it that would drive people away. It's not for everyone but if it's for you then you will enjoy it quite a bit. Cloverworks handled the production side of things very well. The visuals are pretty great but a lot of it is achieved through clever use of different artstyles and angles. The show has a lot of energy and drive both in terms of visuals and pacing (although it does slow down closer to the end). The negative side of production is occasional CG modelsand while it's good CG, you will notice it and it does feel a bit weightless at times especially when weapons are involved. Now, the controversial part is the tone. At first it was a bit jarring going from lighthearted, wholesome stuff to blood and death (and the show doesn't have much chill when it comes to violence) but as soon as I noticed that different characters react to these tonal shifts differently, it kinda made sense. Also. it's an era when death often doesn't come from old age and it makes sense for characters close to fighting to not be too phased by it. Still, because of those tonal shifts the overall impression the show creates is rather lighthearted despite the occasional limb getting detached... Or maybe it's just me...
SuperAdventure
10/03/2024, 05:45 PM
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.
animeloser103
10/03/2024, 10:18 AM
Elusive Samurai is a show where is exceptionally shrugged upon and under the damn rug. I barely see anyone talking about it. Easily top 5 of this season of anime (although not many good anime were here this season but I digress). Wonderful animation, good characters, decent story, and humor that actually caught me off guard. The one thing that was apparent is it’s obvious the animation department is struggling a bit. Elusive Samurai is amazing and has multiple episodes where it rivals Studio Ghibli especially with it’s soft colored and painted art, but you can see when CGI is used, and I think some partsof the anime didn’t cook enough. It isn’t much of an issue though since 80% of the anime is CHEFS KISS. But episode 4 and episode 12 were easily the worst in the animation department, almost fully utilizing still frames and janky CGI. But, I cannot talk ill of the rest. The characters are good, but there are some that are just ‘there’ or ‘aight’ y’know, it’s a historical Shonen so expect some IRL names portrayed into characters like Dazai in BSD. Symbolisms in the anime were portrayed very well with what would be going on in 1333. The art is versatile too, a lot of sakuga, some stop motion, real life footage, cutout animation, and ofc the CGI. It’s like fucking Gumball. Suwa is easily the best character~ (totally not biased because of Gojo VA) They also have a lot of ugly ass characters as villains that gross me out. So thank you Elusive Samurai, I did not need to see protruding eyeballs and ears with teeth. I wish some characters had development or some relevance, I do like some like Genba, Tokiyuki, and Suwa but everyone else is meh or aight. Hopefully we see more diverse personalities than one-note characters with 1 specific quirk, like Demon Slayer. The story is well written. Very unique too and is sometimes even fourth wall breaking and can have a few jabs in the modern world as well, delivered by the future seeing Suwa. Times were tough in 1333, that’s for damn sure.
Gsarthotegga
10/03/2024, 06:27 AM
Elusive Samurai has solid production values, exciting animation, and coloring at times—in fact, pretty often. Certain scenes remind me of a lavishly animated late 1990s or early 2000s OVA, acting as something like this generation's Hakkenden but with less artistry and a shonen rather than seinen mentality. There's plenty of corner cutting, however, whether it's the use of eye-poking CGI for characters, a slew of stills with motion lines or shaking, or Dezaki-styled "postcard memories" inserts. Nonetheless, the animation is only exciting at a few points, mostly in the first half and a handful of fights later on. Though it's mostly a pretty standard shonenin tone, certain scenes have an arthouse flair, pairing well with the emotions expressed. They especially do a great job of capturing the exhilaration of combat, as the main weaves around arrows and flips past swishing swords, or the backgrounds come alive in an abstract rush of color as he acrobatically makes his way to his destination. The art is usually vivid, sans the occasionally murky surroundings or a shoddy drawing here and there. The character designs for the little tots and cackling villains are distinct, and there's occasionally some decent action. The comedy is mostly obnoxious or plays upon awkward shotacon pandering that is the sanitized otaku equivalent of a white van with no windows and heaps of free candy or lost puppies. The scene where the MC meets the priest (uh oh) on the tree is one of the shrillest, loudest scenes in anime—a truly impressive feat! There's no way one can take this seriously in the beginning, for even when the tears rain down from the MC's googly eyes, and he has lost hope because his clan has been massacred, they pull the same slapstick comedy routine with absurd faces, bulging eyeballs about to pop a la Graves' disease, and the unbearable screeching of ten year olds and shining manchildren! I'd honestly say it's on par with the tone-deaf comedy of Demon Slayer; poking fun at tragedy and drama dynamics can work well, but the humor is usually oozing with unwanted tropey animeisms that are forced into the script as part of the shonen model rather than meshing well. Fortunately, the series becomes lighthearted and whimsical instead of playing it up as a hammy dark drama, and even the oftentimes gruesome blood sprays and gore explode into cartoonish chaos, so the tonal clashes aren't too pronounced, and the humor does mellow overtime. While the concept is acceptable for a story, the execution is less than stellar, and the themes, script, story, and characters are where this series is weakest, flailing like cement clown shoes into Japan's deepest lake. There's your typical quick introduction to a samurai clan, followed by rivers of blood, and finally a bunch of pint-sized heroes rising up to lead an army and save the day. The story meanders around without aim, gradually introduces the bloated cast of thin characters who barely register as archetypes, and shows their special abilities and potential, which means a touch of espionage, a big battle or two with cavalry and soldiers, numerous solo battles, and a whole lot of slinking off into the night with their tails between their legs. The MC lacks proficient combat skills, but he can run away like a champ, while finding many opportunities to lecture adults and inculcate them in the art of retreat. By shonen standards, he's serviceable, foregoing the blockheaded idealism or obliviousness of plenty of others. His traumatic past informs his thought process, and his capabilities grant him with a balanced set of strengths and weaknesses, resulting in more tension and growth than the most bargain bin of shonen. The rest of the characters are basic, and when the MC remarked that he didn't know who Shizuku was because she seemed so mysterious and steeped in the arcane, it reminded me that I could say the same about even the simple Jacks of the cast, most of whom I can't remember the name of. The villains, though similarly lacking nuance, are a bit more entertaining, as they're often sadistic dirtbags, like the traitorous uncle who split too fast, or the eye-bulging archer Sadamune, or even the monkish samurai with literal ants in his pants who has a rare character arc. It could have been a 4-5 in the middle to late portion of the series, but it's so mediocre as it goes on and has a bland final arc, lacking the polish and thrill of the visual elements in the earlier portion of the series. There's not much else to say. It's just a dull shonen with a sloppy-taco story and plain-riceball characters. There are bursts of stylistic excess, but they aren't impressive enough to maintain much interest for those who have seen the most celebrated visual works in anime, which is a huge problem because that's the only thing this show has going for it.
Winnah_Daniels
09/30/2024, 09:56 AM
This anime was FUN as hell. I cant lie I thought this would just be something I throw on int he background and dont pay attention to. The main premise "Leader who is good at running away" intrigued me, but I didnt think I'd get hooked. RIght about episode 3 or 4 I decided this was one of my favorites. The main character is a classic shonen. He has presence and pride and a drive to reach his goal. Could swap him out with Tanjiro from Demon Slayer and you wouldnt notice much of a difference. One of the strengths int his show are int heside characters. The retainers (2 blue haired boys, specifically) are really interesting to me. I love how theyre all slowly learning to be a revolutionary force. There is an element of the super natural, here. With the future telling priest and the presence of gods / demons that help augment peoples skills. I cant wait for season 2 and Im going to start reading the manga to explore more of the lore. Last point - it is beautifully animated. Dont put this on in the background. You have to pay attention to really see all the great art
MrKessler
09/30/2024, 05:18 AM
TL,DR This show might be a masterpiece in the making. The sheer quality of its production is worth a watch, WATCH IT. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This show made me realize I have been underestimating Cloverworks as a studio. Barring some really wonky horseback CGI shots, this is as close to a perfect production: the animation is consistently spectacular throughout, the art direction is absolutely beautiful, giving us some of the best most colorful visuals I've seen, the sound design is on point, the direction and storyboarding are endlessly creative, the way this show portrays horrific acts with its colorful artstyle makes those acts so much more terrifying. Episode 6 hadme jaw dropped the entire time and it should be used as an example to anime in the future. This show deserves a watch just for the quality of its production alone. But that doesn't mean the story and characters are bad, far from it. If I had to critic anything about it, is some of the self-referential comedy isn't my favourite. But besides that this show is funny, charismatic, thematically interesting and dark in the right places. I hope the show continues because it has the possibility of being a true masterpiece. I will give it a 9 for now because we've only scratched the surface of what its capable of, but my hopes are really high
nonaloth
09/29/2024, 06:57 PM
The Elusive Samurai (on Crunchyroll) The Elusive Samurai was a pleasant surprise for me. I started watching it randomly, without recommendations or prior knowledge—just clicked and began. At first, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it. The opening seemed quite childish, filled with jokes, quirky characters, and the classic innocent protagonist overflowing with kindness. I’ve become somewhat saturated with that trope. However, I must be honest—I was misled by my own biases. This anime skilfully balances seriousness with humour, blending various art styles, from sketchy to 3D, in a magnificent way. I watched all 12 episodes in just two days because it was so enjoyable and light-hearted, leaving mewanting more. There are numerous references to current memes that are genuinely funny. The humour is impressively woven into the context of war, executed flawlessly by the writers—kudos to them! It’s worth noting that the series carries philosophical and religious undertones regarding short- and long-term actions and how we impact others, even when it seems counterintuitive at the moment. What a delightful experience this was! I had never heard of this title or studio before, but they created a remarkable work of art. I’m glad I gave it a chance and watched it.
Firechick12012
09/28/2024, 06:53 PM
Comedy is purely subjective by its very nature, and different people have their own preferences in regards to what makes them laugh. Some people like gross-out jokes, some people like slapstick, some people like physical comedy a la The Three Stooges or the Marx Brothers, and that's fine. Everyone's preferences for comedy are valid and unique. But one thing that's really important when you're writing comedy at all is not just timing, but making sure it doesn't clash with whatever else its being used for. Unfortunately, there's a lot of series that think shoving comedy into things where it's not needed or warranted will makea series great, but it's really not. Unfortunately, after having watched the anime of The Elusive Samurai, it wound up being one of those series. Good lord, I really wanted to like this series, but it turned out to be such a mess. Based on the manga by Yusei Matsui, the author of Assassination Classroom, The Elusive Samurai centers on 8-year-old Tokiyuki Hojo, the youngest prince of the Hojo clan, living his carefree life in Kamakura of the 1300s. He shows little regard for the serious responsibilities that come with his eventually succeeding his father as the next shogun, which is typical for a child of his age. Instead of dedicating himself to rigorous training in swordsmanship or archery, Tokiyuki excels in the art of evasion, skillfully dodging his advisors and discovering perfect hiding spots. However, his peaceful existence is shattered when a sudden coup brutally wipes out his clan, moreso when it turns out a retainer that he adored, Takauji Ashikaga, was the one who spearheaded the massacre. Overwhelmed with guilt for being the sole survivor, Tokiyuki contemplates joining his family in death, but his fate takes an abrupt turn when the enigmatic priest Yorishige Suwa suddenly shoves him onto a battlefield. Yorishige, who prophesizes that Tokiyuki will one day become a great hero, leaves the boy with no choice but to navigate his way out of the hands of enemy soldiers. As Tokiyuki struggles to survive against these foes, he finds a new thrill in raising the stakes of his usual hide-and-seek games. With a renewed sense of purpose and the promise of powerful allies from Yorishige, Tokiyuki vows to avenge his family—not through his capability to fight, but through his extraordinary talent for running away. Now, I haven't read or seen Assassination Classroom, manga or anime, so I'm not familiar with Yusei Matsui's brand of comedy. But after seeing the anime for The Elusive Samurai, I've come to the conclusion that...his brand of comedy just isn't for me. But I don't want to be a negative nancy, so for the sake of wanting to be fair, I'm going to talk about the good things the anime has to offer, and there are quite a few things it has going for it. For one, CloverWorks really went all out in the animation department here. Not just in things like character motion, backgrounds, and the costumes, but for using all sorts of experimental animation techniques in a variety of different ways, reveling in being as weird and surreal as possible when it feels its necessary. The Elusive Samurai is at its best when it lets its animation staff completely let loose and experiment, whether it be with intentional rough-shod pencil sketches, Renaissance-style water colors, or psychedelic acid trips filled to the brim with color, symbolism, and crazy imagery straight out of Belladonna of Sadness. I'll give CloverWorks this, they mostly made Elusive Samurai look awesome. I say mostly because it does cut quite a few corners from time to time, with the most egregious offenses being awful CGI models of characters, whether they be riding horses or just...turning to look behind themselves. Like...what? Why even do that? At least Atri: My Dear Moments limited CGI-modeled characters to when they're far into the background. The CGI almost borders on Tsuki ga Kirei levels of obnoxious and in your face. And for the most part, I liked some of the characters. Tokiyuki is a fun lead character who does grow over the course of these twelve episodes and makes full use of his skillset without the series ever making him come off as overpowered. He's not physically strong, but the skills he does learn manage to compensate for his lack of strength, giving the battles more of a tense edge to them, and he manages to have enough personality to be endearing and fun to follow. Alright, this is the part where I have to be honest and say...other than Tokiyuki and Fubuki, none of the other characters are given this same treatment. All the other characters, even the ones in the main ensemble, don't really have much to them except their mission to protect and help Tokiyuki. Kojiro gets some development outside of being just one of Tokiyuki's retainers, but that only happens in the final episode, meaning it's far too late for it to really have any real impact. I'll go into more about other characters in a bit, but I will say this: I fucking hate Genba. He's God awful, but more than that is what the show does with him. No, show, I do not need to see a ten-year-old child not only being drunk off his ass, but sexually assaulting every girl he sees, have the whole thing be played for wacky anime comedy, and have that very same episode end on a close-up of his comically censored genitals. This also extends to the villains, who I really couldn't bring myself to give two shits about because all of them are just generic Saturday morning cartoon villains who you'll only remember because of one exaggerated character trait they have and nothing else. The only, and I do mean ONLY, villain in this series that is given even a sliver of nuance and humanity is Sadamune, but that only happens near the end of the show, and after that he just disappears. All the other villains in this show don't do anything except be out for Tokiyuki's blood or scream maniacally for the sake of forcing unneeded comedy. Speaking of unneeded comedy...you know what? It's time I rip this band-aid off, because I cannot hold back any longer. I want to like Elusive Samurai as a show. I really do. But I'll be honest, watching this was a total chore, mainly because of it's biggest flaws: Both its comedy and its constant use of tonal whiplash. Actually, I'm going to highlight a specific scene in episode 2 which I feel encapsulates everything wrong with the anime as a whole: When Tokiyuki returns to his home, seeing it in ruins, he falls to his knees and openly cries, mourning the loss of his family, friends, and clan at the hands of Ashikaga. It's a moment of vulnerability for him, and Tokiyuki needed to grieve in order to process what had happen to him. The scene should have remained somber...but in the VERY NEXT SECOND, the mood and tone are completely and utterly ruined by a shot of Yorishige Suwa shoving his creepy as fuck smily face in Tokiyuki's line of sight and scaring the bejeezes out of him, complete with exaggerated anime faces on both characters. Basically, not only is The Elusive Samurai's approach to comedy cringy as all hell in that it relies way too much on constant yelling, exaggerated gags, and one-note fourth wall jokes, the show constantly shoehorns it throughout its entire run, especially in scenes where it's not only completely unneeded, but actively clashes with what's going on on screen! Like...do we really need some dude screaming like a banshee as a child's family gets horrifically murdered around him?! This show seems to have no concept of how to balance both its dramatic and comedic moments properly, or is convinced the material won't be able to stand on its own without constant comedic exaggeration amped up to eleven 24/7. I know other series had problems with balancing drama and humor sometimes, Demon Slayer being one such show thanks to Zenitsu, but I've never seen it be so obnoxiously omnipresent as it is in Elusive Samurai. And unfortunately, from what I've heard about the manga, this is a feature, not a bug, so it's here to stay. Uuuuugh. And a lot of the unnecessary comedy is perpetuated by Suwa, the vehicle through which Yusei Matsui espouses all of his weird comedy bullshit. Yeah, not gonna mince words, Suwa pretty much breaks the show for me (Though less so than Genba). Every single time his comically exaggerated creepy as fuck smily face gets plastered on the screen, either the mood or tone gets completely shot to hell and back. I actually think the show works better when he's being a more serious mentor rather than the unhinged banshee fourth wall espousing comedy vehicle the show clearly wants him to be. He's basically the Zenitsu of Elusive Samurai, only his presence is constant and we're expected to just find his antics funny even though they're clearly not. It doesn't help that his so-called powers seem less like actual abilities and more like excuses for him to break the fourth wall and throw in modern or pop culture references that are completely out of place in a show like Elusive Samurai. Seriously, this show thinks its funny when it's just...not, and before you come at me with all your "Oh, you must not like fun!" accusations, I don't hate fun. But I don't like it when a piece of media tries to shoehorn unneeded, unfunny comedy in places where it clearly has no business being, case in point the aforementioned scene in episode 2 which should have been just somber and sad. The Elusive Samurai does have the makings of a good show, and even with its animation hang-ups, it's clear the staff who worked on this show put a lot of hard work into it. I just wish that same passion and versatility was applied to everything else, and if I'm being honest, the anime has put me off of reading the manga. The less I have to put up with Suwa and Genba, the happier I'll be. If you like Elusive Samurai, cool, more power to you. Feel free to enjoy it if you're into Yusei Matsui's brand of comedy. It's not my cup of tea, and that's okay.
mrudul_dahikar12
09/28/2024, 01:38 PM
Highly recommend... It has such a great story, I personally love the story based on history it's quite fun to watch . Cloverworks animated the season so well , the radiant colours, animations were mesmerizing.i like how some of the darkest scene is presented in a beautiful art and colour works which looks pretty yet cold at the same time . Both opening and endings were banger it on my playlist now . Character designs are awesome. Even the most goofy looking characters are scary strong. Overall I really want to see the progress of over main cast over the period of time . I loved the season wish formore , well waiting is all we can do .
ZeroMajor12
09/28/2024, 11:00 AM
I'll keep it short. This is an anime where perverts are the focal point of every conflict, hear me out. Coming from the same author who made Assassination Classroom, you'd be surprised to see how much gore this anime lets out, it's such a drastic change in tone and stakes, yet it does it in such a playful way, the only way to describe The Elusive Samurai is psychotic perverts fighting each other for their own 'fetishes'. The story starts off like an average coming-of-age plot about a young samurai, but like the title implies, the guy sucks at fighting and he also happens to be ashota. If you're familiar with the name 'Nagisa Shiota', this is the author doing the same thing with his protagonist again. From there on, you're introduced to the series' first perverts, Yorishige Suwa, who exhibits every behavior of a stranger trying to groom children, but that's okay since he also has a child and has divine energy emitting behind him, so he has to be a good guy right? This is where you realize that every character introduced here will be a bunch of weirdos from there on. Later on, you get the MC, voiced by an actress, enacting lines of a flushed child who just discovered his fetish of confronting death and 'elusively' runs from it (pun intended). It's an anime about relishing on the desire to live out your twisted fantasies in the sight of the battlefield. Animation-wise, the anime for the most time looks good since it has CloverWorks name in it but you can tell it has some moments where it feels off. By the time they shifted to 3D animation, it becomes a battle of tolerance. But if you can keep up, it's not that bad. The anime also includes the time to paint antagonists the party has to encounter in the most psychopathic, dubious, and unholy of all expressions to ever exist. You have multiple characters that are recognised by their cartoonish-like characteristics, for instance, enlarged ears that makes a man look like a monkey. A character that looks like your savior-incarnate only to be a vile killer. A man whose eyes are about to pop out anytime and a thief who can literally shape-shifting his face into anyone they want to and make their same behavior. Speaking of characters, you just entered the lottery, ladies and gentlemen. In this environment of redundant perverts, there are in fact normal characters in this anime and it shows on the face of people who reside with the main character or central antagonist of the anime. Unless for a few exceptions, the story doesn't completely forget how a normal person acts. You're just shoved into the perspective of an abandoned noble meeting an endless amount of perverts that you might worry if the abyss stares back at you. You're never going to find a cast this twisted other than degenerate hentais with dubious roles or fanservice propaganda. I'm not going to say that the anime is flawless by any means. The pacing for something that is meant to be chaotic and bamboozling ends up feeling slow and predictable. For something that wants to make a mature but playful tone, it ends up getting stale quickly once you know exactly what the characters' antics do. There's rarely any development, since most of that sweet 24 minutes per episode is focused on introducing bigger bad guys in a contest of becoming the incarnate of the Seven Deadly Sins, but only in Japan. And whenever there is one moment of character development, it's only given to Tokiyuki for very little development. The characters might have good design and a reason to exist, but without any reasonable development to grow alongside Tokiyuki, it makes them look like your cast of Naruto's chunin students who were set up to be rivals with different set of skills. Their supporting characters are made to be introduced, act like friends and rarely got feedback for their own growth as well. It's sufficient in multiple aspects, like a jack of all trades, but likewise it also means the anime doesn't excel in any of them. You'll leave thinking of a decent experience, but you'll find yourself too bamboozled to make words out of the fetishes you were exposed to in this anime. Thank you for reading.
Tkit
09/28/2024, 08:01 AM
Abstract art pieces, advanced visual storytelling, inspired direction and enormous creative energy wasn't what I expected going into Elusive Samurai, but here we are. The sheer quality of artistry put on screen here is even more puzzling when taking into account how simple this story is. The whole plot of the anime works only because it was skillfully elevated with great care and passion. First it is important to note that between those amazing highlights there is a whole bunch of normal anime and this normal anime looks great as well. Art Style is of course enjoyed depending on taste, but you can be certain thatthis isn't a generic looking random show, but bright colorful and energetic one. Even the character designs while fitting with the historic period, are often bonkers and enjoyable. There was a lot of effort put into animation from more mundane/comidic moments to epic fights. Those fights are helped by great choreography full of fluid movement and direction. The biggest strength of the Elusive Samurai shows in the fact that where others would have stopped at having great fights Elusive Samurai decides to show in a creative way more about characters. Sometimes a great sense of hearing will be represented by a gorgeous sequence, characters backstory will have a different style representing his feelings, emotions as a whole might be shown visually, a display of overwhelming power will become an otherworldy spiritual experience. With great direction and good focus a sense of disorientation in character will be skillfully portrayed. As I said the whole show isn't like that, but a lot is which is great to witness and used in a way that makes this competent, but simple story much more engaging. Quickly talking about sound, voice acting is very good but ost, while hitting during the highlights, was pretty unnoticeable. An unfortunate detail important to bring up, in the last few episodes the wonderful visual quality decreases drastically. I talk a lot about simplicity because it is true. Motivations are flat and many of the characters feel one note, but that doesn't mean everyone is like this. The whole plot is focused on the asymmetrical conflict of protagonist vs antagonist. Tokiyuki (good guy) has very engaging chellange of turning from a carefree, kind child into a responsible, charismatic leader while Takauji (bad guy) is a great execution of a simple, evil antagonist. His presence, power and attitude make him great to watch and the violence he is capable of give him a scary aura. Lesser antagonists are also mostly fun. Often very over the top, but in one example even given a small arc making me excited for the future of the rest of them. So yes story isn't anything special, but it's competent enough to be made special by the artistry surrounding it. Now time for the bigger problem. This show is a comedy that tries its hand at mixing itself with tragedy and serious violence. Again comedy is subjective (I enjoyed it), but sometimes the jump from funnies to drama felt too jarring, it felt like a less skilled Gintama. Now it wasn't the worst attempt at doing something like that I saw, sometimes they do it well, but for someone unaccustomed to this approach bad mixing of tones can be a deal breaker. Either way be ready for a wacky show that tries to be serious from time to time. To summarize I love abstract art enough to almost disregard all of the flaws in here, maybe despite them you will love it too.
KANLen09
09/28/2024, 08:00 AM
The Elusive Samurai - Hello, my dear students, now's the time to get assassinated once again...but this time, embossed in actual history, to experience yet another comedic adventure? I sure hope so that's the case... If you didn't know any better, historical AniManga are now once again on the rise thanks to the major successes of series like Kusuriya no Hitorigoto a.k.a The Apothecary Diaries, and if there is any indication to go by, I wish that this will become a recurring trend for the numerous seasons and years to come. And from the courtesy of mangaka Yusei Matsui, the author of one of AniManga's mostrevered, juggernaut series of the 2010s: Ansatsu Kyoushitsu a.k.a Assassination Classroom, comes his latest Weekly Shonen Jump series of Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi a.k.a The Elusive Samurai, a series that hearkens back to Feudal Japan, and makes it look like a joke as much as possible. But the series winning the Shogakukan Manga Award in its 69th edition alongside Sousou no Frieren, Sūji de Asobo, and Trillion Game (which is getting an anime next season) this year (2024)? It's no joke. The series being set in the Nanboku-cho North and Southern Courts period, is loosely based on the historical figure of Hojo Tokiyuki, a samurai of the Hojo clan whose father was Takatoki, the de facto ruler of the Kamakura Shogunate in the year 1333. It depicts the real-life battle of the 1333 Siege of Kamakura, being a part of the civil Genko War (also known as the Genko Incident) fought between the country's 96th Emperor Go-Daigo and the de facto military government from 1331 to 1333. Led by the first-generation Ashikaga Shogunate under the Emperor's orders, the elder brother of Takauji leads the charge in overthrowing the Hojo clan, forcing the lead figure, now shrunk down to a young boy, to escape to safety and certainly from beheading from the ursurpers. With his only help being a self-proclaimed, shady, prophetic priest, alongside similarly aged young kids that would prove their loyalty to restore the Kamamura Shogunate to its former glory, Tokiyuki must venture a dangerous path to ensure that his reputation does not warrant the death-defying trait that he's known for: his superhuman ability to flee, hide, and dodge enemy attacks. That's like an elusive person through and through. Right out of the gate, the anime means business, and if clean, swift, silent, and deadly samurai katana swipes don't mean anything to you, the elusive dropping of human heads, splashes of blood, and endless juxtapositions will. There's a reason why Japan's rich and very dramatic history just makes for some great content, and Yusei Matsui taking real-world events to add his own Assassination Classroom twist, it's just genius. The abstracts of clean settings that contradict the reality of the situations being total gruesome bloodshed with or without tears, shit can get real pretty quick, and the way that this show does its survivability and deaths is so seamless to the point where "don't blink, and you'll miss a beat." All of this, despite being a Shonen series in general, was quite the game-changer when the manga came out as a brand new Shonen Jump work in January 2021, and quoting from CBR's Anthony Gramuglia, the series has become "one of the highlights" of Weekly Shonen Jump (at the time), that it is not only surprisingly emotional but also surprisingly intense, starting with all cylinders at full-throttle and never letting up." If anything, this is an excellent rendition of foretelling the story of the 1333 Siege of Kamakura, in the classic Shonen way that Yuusei Matsui only knows how to do by inserting his sense of humour that, for better or for worse, you could be a total joker in awe for seeing apparitions of Koro-sensei and the Kunugigaoka Middle School's dropout Class 3-E with Nagisa Shiota and his classmates. And that, brings me to the main meat of the show itself: the characters. With Hojo Tokiyuki and his escapee saviour of military commander Suwa Yorishige, the latter boasting that he could see the future, he's technically not wrong, as it's revealed that he has the spirit of Suwa Myōjin inside him, which makes him a god. Furthermore, history dictates that like the Hojo Clan, the Suwa clan also faces opposition with the fall of the Kamakura Shogunate, facing its own opposition in the Shinano Province, which ultimately forced them to support the already-decimated Hojo Clan with Tokiyuki at the helm, so it's a "tour de force" of near-extinct communities bonding together to face against a formidable common foe that extends all the way up to the Emperor. Speaking of Assassination Classroom then, this show does have its pick of period-accurate "class-sized" students through its aptly-named The Elusive Warriors band of youngsters: Yorishige's adopted daughter of the shrine maiden and logistics expert Shizuku; the swordsman and woman of Nezu Kojiro and Mochizuki Ayano who accompanies Tokiyuki to aid him in their military expertise; the mischievous thief of Kazama Genba who operates by money and fear with his disguise tactic; as well as the dual-sword wielding ronin of Fubuki who joins their rag-tag Kamakura restoration team after a scuffle that leads the former to trust his gut instinct after Tokiyuki has proven himself, this is a retainer group that can easily match up against Feudal Japan's lead figures. And the young-aged brats they are as a group of 5 kids, are just as (if not more) effective as a big-sized army who has to follow instructions to their "sacrificial" deaths, more than suffering through the endless comedic banters of Shizuku's uncle, as well as the colourful display of enemies that range from demeaning to outright crazy. And as if you NEED any reason to believe all of the insanity that is the anime, its production values will shock you even further. There's no doubt that this is an Aniplex production, made solely because of well-known producer Shouta Umehara, who's done a lot at the Sony-owned studios of A-1 Pictures and (more recently) CloverWorks, the likes of Eromanga-sensei, Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru a.k.a My Dress-Up Darling and Bocchi the Rock! to name a few. The fact that this is a CloverWorks production, it's not just calling the A-1 Pictures' sister studio an imitation to begin with, but it's very clear that despite sharing resources within the same animation house, you can always bet on both studios banging out their adaptations like passion projects. From the uncanny but striking animations to flawless and interesting battles (e.g. Episode 9 is a classic Arifumi Imai masterclass) that you just can't help but be in awe of, the show is just crafted masterfully with the intention to surpass the manga in all regards, and it did. Despite the no-name storyboarder that is debut director Yuta Yamazaki, it's very clear that he wants to make a splash for a name recognition, and a recognition that he'll get for an insane job well done along with a capable staff team behind the anime. Being a historical series, its OST has to be spot-on to reflect the history, and Akiyuki Tateyama (along with GEMBI) nailed the music aspect beautifully. I'd expect nothing less from the Yuru Camp a.k.a Laid-Back Camp series' music composer, and if there's one thing that he's good at, it's the comfy stuff, even if the action (i.e. as is the case for the Genjitsu Shugi Yuusha no Oukoku Saikenki a.k.a. How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom series) unfortunately doesn't match up to his strengths. As for the theme songs themselves, this show does a competent job with DISH// and Botchi Boromaru having historically inspired songs that are just a delight to listen to and is worth endless repeats on end, especially the latter with its catchy bop of a Nanboku-cho-inspired rap song. It's clear that Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi a.k.a The Elusive Samurai didn't quite turn out to be the success story that Yusei Matsui wanted to be, despite its increasing popularity as the years go by with the manga that, while is historically accurate, doesn't dive deep into the rich history that is the Kenmu Restoration period, much less the level of historical knowledge that is required out of the reader to fully understand what's going on in the manga replicating true stories. And if that doesn't get to you, neither will its writing be, that feels superficial at times than what we've come to expect from Assassination Classroom. Ultimately, whatever your proposition will be, I think that the anime is pretty much necessitated to reinvigorate sales of the manga, and I hope it has done that to a degree that would help even overseas fans appreciate the series even more, even if reception in Japan has been lukewarm at best. I'm a sucker for historical stories, so this naturally comes recommended, but see if it does for you, either in seriousness or banter.

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Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi 逃げ上手の若君

'Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi' Gets Second Season

Summer 2024 Simulcast List [Update 6/6]

Summer 2024 Preview

PV Collection for Jan 29 - Feb 4

'Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi' Reveals Additional Staff, First Promo

PV Collection for Oct 16 - 22

'Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi' Announces Additional Cast for 2024 Premiere

Manga 'Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi' Gets TV Anime [Update 3/25]