The Elusive Samurai Episode 9 Review: A Leader’s Lament

The 9th episode of The Elusive Samurai was intense, with a surprising conclusion. Let us see how this episode turned out.

The Elusive Samurai Episode 8 Recap

Here, the enemy is preparing to attack the village, but their plans won’t go as smoothly as they think. Unbeknownst to them, Fubuki, a brilliant strategist is part of the hero’s team. He devises the key strategies for the upcoming battle, creating plans that could help turn the tide even though his group is outnumbered.

Recognizing Fubuki’s expertise, the hero, Tokiyuki, asks him for guidance. Tokiyuki, known for his defensive fighting style, struggles with traditional combat techniques. Understanding this, Fubuki teaches him a special move called the Demon Heart Buddha Blade, which is perfect for Tokiyuki but can only be used in one-on-one battles.

Meanwhile, Shokan and his followers finally begin their advance toward the village, brushing off the traps and obstacles set in their path. But just as Fubuki planned, Tokiyuki gets ready to face Shokan. During this encounter, we catch a glimpse of Shokan’s unsettling nature. It seems he likes to enjoy causing others distress, especially the vulnerable.

The Elusive Samurai Episode 9 Review And Recap

The episode begins with a much-needed explanation of the sword technique our hero plans to use against Shokan. Fubuki expertly showcases how a blade cuts best when it is pulled. Thus, someone like Tokiyuki, who lacks immense power or expertise to master a complex move, can use this to his elusive nature and pull off an effective cut.

Thus, our hero does just as instructed and, in a swift motion, slices off the right wrist of Shokan. This should be nothing to a seasoned warrior like him, for whom even a huge gash is nothing. He will just have to finish Tokiyuki off before blood from his wrist gushes out, which takes a long time. So this should not be a problem, right? Well, before that, he must get hold of Tokiyuki, who also happens to be the best at running away.

Elsewhere, the mood is also intense as both Ayako and Kojiro try to fend off a retainer of Shokan, who is a deft handler of Naginata. They at first get overwhelmed, while Fubuki, on the other hand, takes on the strongest of the bunch. Shiro’s reason behind hiding his skills is interesting, as he thinks it is best to act like a fool until a battle comes, completely catching his enemies off guard.

But this episode was not all about the battle, as we also learned a lot about Shokan. He was the younger son of a lord who had only a small territory to give to his older son. Thus, Shokan was told to serve his older brother instead, and this was not acceptable to him, who trained all his life to be a lord. Thus, he did what he thought was the next best thing. He started looting and plundering lands and torturing its people.

So this time, will he be able to strike gold and finally impress his masters enough to win big? Or his atrocities will finally come to a halt?

Verdict

Today’s episode was again a mixture of drama, action and lots of fight sequences. The Elusive warriors do their best to hold on against the adult enemies, but still, their lack of experience surfaces at times. The anime, as usual, utilises a vibrant colour palette to emote the setting, giving the series an artistic touch.

The visuals, coupled with sudden humour, keep you entertained and invested till the end, delivering an unexpected conclusion.

Also Read: The Elusive Samurai Episode 8 Review: A Mastermind Strategist