Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
HakuKipower
At first, this seems like a typical historical shounen, but after watching, I realized it has more depth. It links the distant past with modern psychological ideas (you can also see the modern world in some episodes). What really stands out is its fresh take on the traditional "Bushido" code, where dying in battle is celebrated and running away is seen as shameful, but the MC (Tokiyuki )'s instinct is to escape as an act of defiance instead of cowardice.
The show suggests that surviving danger takes more courage than dying a so-called 'good death.' It connects history with the present. For example, Yorishige introduces the idea that a person's value is not based on society's idea of 'strength,' but on how well they adapt to survive in a changing world. Yorishige’s foresight is fading as h…
Read at the sourceSwedishIkea
I want to preface that it took me three times to attempt watching this show and so far I'm pleasantly surprised.
In this industry the balancing act between world building, character writing and thematic setup via adaptation can be a tricky tight rope to manage. For me, my biggest hang-up was Suwa Yorishige, the priest.
Whilst Yorishige is an interesting character, his in your face attitude disturbed me just as much as he disturbed the main character at first. I want it to be clear though; that isn't inherently a bad thing.
It sets the tone for the show spectacularly as the story depicts the world as one of complete horror and violence, yet it wants to also portray the world as lively and silly.
This is also reflected in the stories themes as well. The story focuses on the ironic paradox…
Read at the sourceMedPoc
A brilliantly artistic depiction of the Kamakura era.
Story: 10
The story is based on historical facts about the Kamakura era, so the entertainment value really depends on who's watching the show. Honestly, whether someone is into Japanese history and culture or not, this anime is absolutely worth a shot. Don't expect seriousness all the time; there are some funny moments too.
Characters: 8
As expected, there are many different personalities and goals here, so it's not a new thing, but the chemistry of all of them is just amazing. We have the evil guy, who wants to rule everything and everyone, and the group of heroes that tries to stop that madness. Yes, it sounds like a basic trope, but the writing is what makes it different.
Art and Animation: 10
Holy. God. Of. Masterpieces. The arti…
Read at the sourceAvengers007
This was a different type of anime. I watched it between 15 and 21 December, and now I am waiting for Season 2. Without giving spoilers, if I talk about the first episode, the story is set in 1333. It starts with a very mischievous and playful child who keeps running around and causing trouble.
There is a historical angle. It is based on the real historical figure Hojo Tokiyuki, which makes it a rare historical anime because it explores late Kamakura and early Muromachi period Japan. But in my opinion, it only touches history. In reality, it feels more like a fantasy story.
Main Story: This is a coming of age revenge story. The protagonist is 8 year old Hojo Tokiyuki. As he grows up, he becomes a warrior. The interesting part is that he does not like fighting and he is not very good at i…
Read at the sourceShuurei
Bold, expressive, and ambitious - this is how The Elusive Samurai feels at its best. It's a shame how most of this adaptation feels like wasted potential. You get a glimpse of just how good the visual storytelling and animation can be, and then two episodes later you're spacing out to ugly CGI horses wondering where it all went wrong. Despite its very obvious visual shortcomings, the first episode and some later scenes are some of the best anime I've seen. The cheaper-looking episodes can be harder to stomach exactly because of how high it sets the bar for itself, but that doesn't erase the fact that those highs do exist.
A common criticism of this show seems to be the tonal whiplash. The juggling of tone, especially early on, ends up giving the show a morbid and almost perverse feel, and…
Read at the sourceFoolNo4
There are many things I like about this anime.
First, I like the new portrayal of samurai. You know, I usually see samurai who never give up, even to the point of sacrificing their lives. But here, I am told that sometimes running away and being a coward is not a bad choice, even for a samurai.
Second, I like the coloring of this anime. For some reason, the blood feels fresher and more vivid than in other anime, which reminds me of the first time I watched NGNL.
What I don't like is perhaps the facial expressions, which sometimes feel strange, and the scene where two officials chase Tokiyuki on horseback, which is uncomfortable to watch.
Overall, I enjoyed watching it.
Read at the sourceanacriss
I found it very boring, there were good moments but very short lived. There’s a lot of “comedy” that is just not funny, the story is very mediocre and slow and his “talent” for escaping was very dumb to me, they make mc look like he’s having an orgasm while jumping around.
It’s hard to believe so many people recommend this anime when I had to push through to finish it. The animation is ok most of the time but the cgi is quite bad.
I understand this is more to set the scenario for what’s to come but it’s feels very childish for most of the story until suddenly someone’s killed and then I remember this is not for kids
Read at the sourcefh1478
The Prince Who Runs Like A Rabbit
the elusive samurai Is one of the most colorfuls war anime I have seen. is so fun and bloody.
anime shows the real events that happened in Japanese history, but it does it in such a colourful interesting way. like how the main character is a kid who best quality is to flee, And has to assemble a team to take back his birthright.
And how it tackles that it's better to run and live another day, than to die a pointless death.
I could not stop watching it because the characters are just so fun to watch, and animation is smooth as butter, full of eccentric characters that are fun to watch.
The anime is so disarming, It's so colorful and full of youthful energy, and then the most horrible bloody scene can happen and so adult characters shows true Darkness a…
Read at the sourceCaeruleus_CCXVI
6/10 ~ Good start
Funny enough I found Elusive Samurai because I was trying to find ' Blue Eye Samurai' not realizing that was a netflix exclusive. Thinking I was going into a cross dressing revenge story about a samurai... well that made the first few episodes a bit confusing haha.
The first few ep of Elusive were extremely good, with some pretty unique visuals and an interesting story telling. Similar to Vinland Saga where both stories felt like a retelling of the events that transpired, dramatized to stay interesting, describing people with superhuman strength and abilities was a good way to tell a story like this. I also really enjoyed that the MC was just a complete psychopath, at the age of 9 this just makes it even crazier.
The show asks you on too many front, an expectation to…
Read at the sourceCynthesia
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 makes for 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 world…
Read at the sourceAhoMahouShoujo
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 I haven'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…
Read at the sourcesailorkugisaki
Following a treason and the massacre of the Shogun, Tokiyuki is the only survivor of his clan and his sole skill is...fleeing. Not the most useful competence when you want to avenge your family, right? But under the guidance of Priest Suwa, who helped him escape and whose daughter seems more responsible than him, Tokiyuki will be able to fine-tune his evasion skill and use it to his advantage when facing his foes. Who would have thought it would indeed be incorporated into their strategy? Give it to Suwa's craziness and weirdness.
Tokiyuki, along the journey, will meet other kids, each with a special skill that will benefit him and help him on his quest to avenge his family. And of course, since they are kids and need an army, the young survivor and his partisans will have to make allies…
Read at the sourceMrSlamboni
The Elusive Samurai seems to be a show that targets a young demographic (child to teenager). I would say that for adults and adolescents, this isn't enjoyable. For a young demographic this is maybe a 7. For older demographics this is a 5 or even lower. This makes it hard to judge the show because do I judge it for adults or do I take into account that it's obviously for children? In this review, I try to do both but keep in mind I am an adult.
The main characters are easy to understand; they are all young teenagers with "easily digestible" personalities and slapstick humor (which isn't funny). By easily digestible personalities, I mean that they don't really have any complex emotions or interactions between each other. The story arcs themselves also feel very simplistic, sometimes to the…
Read at the sourceferarriaga10
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’t just a story; it’s a celebration of cleverness in a world that rewards force.
Read at the sourceKBJPN
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 is unique, 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 wo…
Read at the sourceSupersonic_Pain
I wasn't looking forward to this tbh but I do like to watch all the WSJ adaptations when they come out so I kinda owed it to EluSam to check it out.
I read most of this (I think up to E10) in the manga before the anime came out and found it boring and dry and... that did not change.
It's kind of a boring, dry anime that gives "history textbook" vibes. I genuinely could not tell you what a couple of Tokiyuki's retainers' characters are supposed to be. Not to mention the antagonists are comically evil. If this wasn't a shonen anime, I wouldn't doubt for a second they'd all be rapists. It's so overdone that I was shocked when an antagonist did something that wasn't "nyeh, I'm gonna rip children's tongues out and make them slaves and I'm gonna build a harem of women after killing their husba…
Read at the sourceparavel
The Elusive Samurai has exceptional, unique direction. If you’re interested in unique animation styles, watch this. It is remiscent of Dororo and has a heavy historical and samurai feel to it with the BIG exception that it is also a comedy, and this is something I found deeply odd— if you like dark humor and intense violence, as well as pedophilia and mature behavior from children being protrayed in a largely lighthearted or satirical manner, possibly due to trauma… This may be for you.
Regardless, I found this anime to be refreshing and innovative. The cruel nature of war and how it drives people mad is still well-depicted in some ways. As someone that is not used to humor being portrayed in these scenarios, it took me by surprise. I believe this show will be enjoyed by those that value…
Read at the sourceSiaksx
I wouldn’t call *The Elusive Samurai* the greatest anime ever—not even close to the top—but I still recommend watching it, and here’s why.
First and foremost: the art. The visuals are truly exceptional, and worthy of a showcase in the Louvre (well, maybe not the Louvre, probably more in one of the biggest contemporary galleries). Every emotion is captured through the imagery alone, with no words needed. Just by observing the colors, settings, and characters’ expressions, you can feel fear, loneliness, despair, happiness, loyalty, and total madness. And when I say madness, I’m not referring to the craziness of the bandits but rather the thrill our young lord experiences from being chased.
The plot presents some challenges. There are moments when it feels weak, yet this is countered by a s…
Read at the sourceOpritckniki
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 to the 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 a…
Read at the sourceAntonyAV
"The elusive samurai" is a story set in a feudal Japan in which some people have rare super-powers such as seeing the future or in the case of our MC, agility so good that not even a group of well-trained warriors can get close to touching him even in a pincer attack. We follow a young boy who after losing everything, is set on a campaign of vengeance and self-preservation.
The characters while poorly fleshed out and one-directional are mostly likeable (With huge exceptions like that weirdo who can see the future and is interested in practicing Japanese bondage for some reason, who tf thought of that?), the villains suffer from the same issues but have interesting skills, there's some interesting fighting strategies and one particular close-quarters fight that was very good. That's everyt…
Read at the source
