| Native Title | Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi (逃げ上手の若君) or Nigewaka |
| Manga By | Yusei Matsui |
| Studio | CloverWorks |
| Genre | Adventure, Comedy |
| Episodes | 12 |
The Elusive Samurai Episode 1 Review: The first episode of The Elusive Samurai is definitely something that I did not expect. Let us see how this actually went and whether you should watch this or not.
The Elusive Samurai Overview
The Elusive Samurai is a Japanese historical manga series by Yusei Matsui, serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump since January 2021. By April 2024, it had been collected into 15 tankōbon volumes and received the prestigious 69th Shogakukan Manga Award in the same year.
An anime adaptation was announced in March 2023 and is being produced by CloverWorks. Directed by Yuta Yamazaki, with scripts supervised by Yoriko Tomita and character designs by Yasushi Nishiya, the series also features Yusuke Kawakami as an assistant director and music by Gembi and Akiyuki Tateyama.
The anime will premiere on July 6, 2024, on Tokyo MX, BS11, GYT, GTV, and 26 other networks. The opening theme, “Plan A,” is performed by Dish, and the ending theme, “Kamakura Style,” is by Botchi Boromaru.
The Elusive Samurai Episode 1 Review And Recap
Have you ever been so caught by surprise that you felt absolutely thrilled about a show? Well, that’s exactly what happened here, as I was not expecting this anime, which received little hype, to turn out to be so freaking good.
The anime starts with a lighthearted and comic tone, where we follow the story of Tokiyuki, the elusive heir to the Kamakura Shogunate. He is quick on his feet and hates to attend to his duties, which would make him a good ruler. However, not much is expected of him, as everyone knows he will grow up to be a puppet monarch, just like his father. Thankfully for him, Takauji Ashikaga, his vassal and a famed hero, is there to protect him from enemies.
But things turn out very bad when Takauji leaves to subjugate an uprising, and Tokiyuki comes across a weird yet eccentric Shinto priest, Yorishige, who desperately claims he is not a fake.
The most prominent aspect of this episode is the shock factor because you really do not see the sudden and completely uncalled-for ruthless twist that comes your way. One moment, you witness the protagonist living the best time of his life and the very next moment, his life turns into a nightmare. Previously, Yorishige predicted that Tokiyuki was going to be a hero. So, is this the price that he will have to pay to become one? But most importantly, is his ability to run away really so great that it can help him survive this hellish world he got plunged into?
This series is something that brings a breath of fresh air in the sea of the same themed Isekais or Romcoms that fill this season’s anime lineup. It successfully blends two very clashing genres, which are gore and comedy. Plus, the animation is exceptional and very clean, and it particularly reminds me of old 90s anime in a very good way. On top of that, the background music is also good and compliments the constantly shifting mood of the series really well. The conclusion promises a great adventure ahead, and I am excited to see what comes next.
Verdict
This show really got me good as I thought this would be a boring historical samurai comedy. However, you would want to do anything but laugh after you start the second half. While yes, it is still too early to estimate the quality of its storytelling, I have very high hopes for this one. So, if you want something fresh, absolutely watch this as you would be missing out on something amazing.
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