Premiere Date
17-07-2025
The following contains minor spoilers for The Elusive Samurai, Episodes 1-6, now streaming onCrunchyroll.
A good TV premiere is good storytelling, but a truly great one can be a double-edged sword; once the bar is raised so high, there’s that much more distance to fall if the story can’t keep up. After a mesmeric opener that our eyes couldn’t believe, the luster had almost seemed to wear off for CloverWorks’The Elusive Samurai, but it came back from a rough patch, stronger than ever.
Based on the manga by Yusei Matsui, this story follows the adventures of Hojo Tokiyuki, the precocious young survivor of the slain Hojo clan and the overthrown Kamakura Shogunate. Betrayed by one he used to admire, Tokiyuki travels with a clairvoyant priest who will give him the tools and allies needed to become a hero - not by killing, but by surviving.
The Game of Hide-and-Seek To Reclaim Japan
Episode 1 set quite a high bar between its chaotic yet easily readable action, its enchanting use of color, and the enthusiasm it impressed upon the viewer as it looked to the road ahead. The start of any great adventure isn’t just exciting in itself, but because it promises even better things to come. Through the opening alone, the audience can see the ensemble of characters that are forming, and seeing that group come together has been the main drive of the story since the premiere.
Our last feature about the seriesbriefly touched on Episode 2, where Tokiyuki meets the first of his new retainers: Kojiro Nezu and Ayako Mochizuki. While Tokiyuki, one concerned less with studies and more with play, is initially flummoxed by how to engage with these new friends, their chemistry shines quickly through the same place the young lord always excels: in battle.
Thus, “The Elusive Warriors” are born, and though none of them are quite as interesting on their own as Tokiyuki, their personalities bounce off each other well. It’s also rather refreshing how well they get along from the start. Tokiyuki might not have allthe traditional qualities of a leader, but his unique charisma is all that is needed to get people to follow him. To him, it’s just a matter of wanting friends to play with, the earnestness of which is incredibly disarming.
The CGI Horses Almost Ruined It
For some, the narrative ofThe Elusive Samuraiwas already enough for the series to lose some steam, and to their credit, the story can be rather simple at points. But a simple story need not be weaker for that fact if the way it is told is done effectively, something this show seemed to be doing consistently well. For the cynics to whom the first episode’s high bar was tempting fate, however, Episodes 4 and 5 seemed like the chickens were coming home to roost.
We’ve written a lot about CGI in animein the past, and it’s always important to reiterate that CGI itself isn’t the problem - rather, the implementation is the issue. In this show’s case, it was simply jarring to see, especially after some of the best hand-drawn animation all year. Animals - especially horses - can be hard to animate, so a prolonged sequence of archery on horseback was no doubt a hurdle for even a team as skilled as this.
Yet, even with the CGI, there was ambition evident, between the camera work, posing, and expressions displayed by the characters. Were it just about some lackluster CGI horses and dogs, it would feel egregious to waste this much time harping on it outside a brief mention. The reason we bother bringing it up is because ofjust how thoroughly CloverWorks dispelled worrythat such compromises would become the new standard, as much as one episode later.
Episode 6 Is a Miracle
The midway point ofThe Elusive Samuraiis difficult to put into specific words. Grand, sweeping statements, on the other hand, come naturally. It’s by far one ofthe best episodes of TV anime this year. The effects and the way they blend so naturally from one shot to the next aren’t just pretty, but at times thematically cohesive. Above all, such moments elevate an already impressive work of art beyond the purview of television and warrant its keyframes hung in museums.
Central to the episode is Tokiyuki’s budding partnership with the ninja, Kazama Genba, whose mask lets them morph and take on the form of others. Just as he seamlessly blends with nature and changes form to trick his opponents, the camera’s many pans and zooms play tricks on the eye. The audience is taken on a thrill ride through a dense forest-turned-battlefield as the episode’s two main antagonists chew up the scenery.
The Elusive Samurai’s antagonists -and specifically, the demonic presentation of their skills, from Sadamune’s impressive sight to Ichikawa’s superhuman hearing - are delightfully creepy. And then there’s Ashikaga Takauji, who goes above and beyond to display how demonic a threat he poses, through the most violent and simultaneously breathtaking imagery of the series thus far.
Is This ShowTrulyas Good as It Looks?
Just as undeniable as this show’s beauty is, its few blemishes are reason enough why some aren’t as caught up in the hype. Its comedy can be pretty low-brow compared to the praises sung about the artwork. Additionally, there are times when the script can feel like it’s repeating itself, especially when one such as Yorishige comments on Tokiyuki’s titularly evasive nature.Then, there’s the matter of this series' violence.
In an era where good men turn on one another, where heroism is contingent on killing, and where death is inexorably tied to honor, this story responds to all of that with a polite, cheerful ‘nah.’
For some, the ultraviolence of the series can clash with its lighter elements, but as a counterpoint, it is a blend that works all too well to differentiate the good guys from the bad guys.The Elusive Samuraiis a story that wields the childlike innocence of its protagonist as a weapon. In an era where good men turn on one another, where heroism is contingent on killing, and where death is inexorably tied to honor, this story responds to all of that with a polite, cheerful “nah.”
It works because of the kind of hero Hojo Tokiyuki is, just as Tokiyuki works because of the kind of story he exists within. To run away is thought of as cowardly, but whenheruns away, it feels likethe grandest kind of heroism there is, perhaps because it is an offense mounted in response to such a grotesque evil. The tonal contrast of this show is equal parts flaw and feature, but for every character interaction that left me grinning ear-to-ear, it leaned heavily toward the latter.
Genba’s introduction to the series is the very thesis of this sentiment. Seeing someone so conditioned to be greedy become utterly disarmed at the kindness of our young hero is the sort of simple pleasure that adventure stories are made for.The Elusive Samuraihas been phenomenal, CGI horses be damned, and if it isn’t yet on the watchlist, it should be.
