[Work Analysis] Why the TV Anime 'The Elusive Samurai' is So Interesting!!

Hello, I'm Shiori Koshimizu.
I was able to relax quite a bit during the Obon holidays, but since the latter half of August, the amount of work I need to do both professionally and personally has increased, and I'm spending my days running around like a mouse as usual.

Even in such busy days, I never stop finding and exploring interesting anime works (it's an obsession). So, this time, I would like to take up the currently trending'The Elusive Samurai'!

<Disclaimer> The following text is a review and analysis based solely on the TV anime version currently airing since July 2024, and please note that these are merely Koshimizu's personal views.

The original work is a manga currently being serialized in 'Weekly Shonen Jump' by Yusei Matsui. The director is Yuta Yamazaki, the series composition is by Yoriko Tomita, the character design and chief animation director is Yasushi Nishiya, and it is produced by Clover Works.

Hojo Tokiyuki, the legitimate successor to the Kamakura Shogunate, is a mischievous boy who is 'elusive'—once he runs away, it is difficult for anyone to catch him. However, his life, which seemed happy, changes completely in 1333 (Genko 3) due to the rebellion of Ashikaga Takauji (later Takauji), who should have been a loyal retainer. Takauji joins forces with Emperor Go-Daigo to capture the Rokuhara Tandai, and Kamakura is destroyed in just twenty-four days.
Although Tokiyuki's Hojo clan and retainers were all killed, Suwa Yorishige, the head of Suwa Taisha Shrine, and his daughter Shizuku appear to hide Tokiyuki. The story follows Tokiyuki, who escapes a predicament through their guidance and his own talent for being 'elusive,' as he throws himself into the battle to take back his hometown of Kamakura while gathering new allies, or retainers, based at the Suwa Taisha Shrine where he has taken refuge.

Below, I would like to analyze what makes 'The Elusive Samurai' so attractive while briefly organizing it into chapters.

1. The Choice of 'Hojo Tokiyuki' / The Wonder of Image Transformation

The particularly excellent point of 'The Elusive Samurai' is that it has shed new light on the historical 'loser' Hojo Tokiyuki as a 'hero' in the modern sense.Tokiyuki appears in textbooks for about one line as a central figure in the 'Nakatsukasa Rebellion.' To be honest, my image of him was that of a 'regrettable event where the orphaned child of the Hojo clan started a rebellion aiming for the restoration of Kamakura, but it was suppressed.' No, I apologize to Tokiyuki, but isn't he a person that many Japanese people don't even remember?
However, when I looked into it, the rebellion didn't end just once, and
he recaptured Kamakura three times in his life, and at least twice (even though his allies died in battle), Tokiyuki himself survived, making him truly an 'elusive young lord.' Takauji must have had a hard time with this.

"Only when you are standing at the very bottom of despair, at the very edge of the abyss of death, does the hero within you shine—"
"Takauji became a hero by killing, and you will become a hero by living. You two are heroes of opposite destinies."
(Episode 1)

Through these words of Suwa Yorishige,the viewer witnesses a composition of conflict that they never expected.It is not a Good vs. Evil composition, but a 'fight and kill' Takauji vs. 'run away and live' Tokiyuki composition. At the same time, Tokiyuki's latter stance was also a direct reversal of the way of the samurai, where 'fighting and dying' was taken for granted.

The fact that such a person was chosen as the protagonist is, of course, largely due to the original author's excellent sense, but I think it's not just that, but that the trend of the modern era has 'promoted' Tokiyuki to the protagonist.

2. The Value of 'Running Away is Winning'

Usually, a story's protagonist should be able to be a protagonist only by not fearing battle, standing up to powerful enemies, and overcoming difficulties. However, the reason why the 'elusive' Tokiyuki is established as a protagonist is most clearly and concisely expressed in the opening song 'Plan A'.

TV Anime 'The Elusive Samurai' Opening Song | DISH// 'Plan A'

<Lyrics Excerpt>
It's Plan A, right? There's no hesitation, right? It's about living, right?
It should be fine even if you're laughed at or it's painful
Plan A
Plan A
Running away is winning
Plan A
Plan A
Running away and winning is the way

The lyrics by Takumi Kitamura of 'DISH//' contain a message that respects human life, saying that in some cases, 'running away' is the best option, and above all, 'it's about living.' In other words, 'running away' does not mean 'defeat,' but is a value that it is strictly 'escape for survival.'
And (I was very hesitant to write this in this article...), while thinking about this work, I realized that for us modern Japanese people, 'escape for survival' is a very familiar and urgent issue. It is 'evacuation from disasters.' Needless to mention emergency earthquake alerts, breaking news about heavy rain or typhoons, and evacuation drills, such disaster countermeasures are based on the premise of prioritizing human life above all else and encouraging evacuation. I think that the value of 'first, you should run away and ensure your safety' has been correctly established in society against frequent disasters (threats). Therefore, although the eras are very different, I think that an 'elusive' person like Tokiyuki has been accepted as a protagonist. However, since it is dangerous to immediately equate anime works with modern society, I would like to keep this as a personal view for now.

And, although it may seem contradictory to the above,the fact that Tokiyuki in the story is not just running awayis also one of his great charms.

'I could clearly see the future too. That person will never run away from the important things he has decided in his heart from now on.'
(Episode 4)

When he was forced into an unreasonable demand by the master archer Ogasawara Sadamune, Tokiyuki accepted the challenge of 'Inuoumono' (dog-hunting archery) at Yorishige's recommendation. This is the line spoken by Yorishige's daughter, Shizuku, while watching his back. In fact, throughout the main story, Tokiyuki maintains a stance of never running away from the goal of defeating Takauji (the trials and training for that purpose). In this respect, Tokiyuki is indeed a 'hero', isn't he?

3. 'Retainers' = Royal Road Development!?

(Omitted) If you find someone excellent, keep inviting them and increase your retainers! In the future, they say this is called a 'royal road development'!!
(Episode 3)

Setting aside why Yorishige knows future terminology (lol), it is also interesting that the concept of 'retainers' functions so well. Retainers are subordinates who form a master-servant relationship with a powerful warrior and fight at the risk of their lives (see Yorishige's lines in Episode 3). By replacing the process of gathering allies to advance the story—common in battle anime—with the process of gathering 'retainers,' the anime successfully grounds itself in a historical context without feeling out of place.

As a brief experiment, I created Table 1, which is a chart of the main characters at this point. On the vertical axis, I listed the main roles in the story: Commander, Warrior, Sorcerer, and Strategist. On the horizontal axis, I used the words 'Hot' and 'Cold' for convenience to describe their personalities in a nutshell. In this table, 'Hot' summarizes personalities and traits such as hot-blooded, bellicose, powerful, and talkative, while 'Cold' summarizes those such as calm, defensive, weak, and reticent.

Of course, it is impossible to describe a character's personality in a nutshell (in fact, the folds of their hearts are what make them interesting), but when you try looking at it this way, you notice that the characters are well-balanced. Kojiro and Ayako are both bellicose characters, but they are of different genders, and their ways of adoring Tokiyuki seem to differ as well.
Also, I was hesitant to label Fubuki, an outstanding dual-wielder, as 'Cold,' but I decided to do so this time because, while he has a hot heart, he judges situations calmly and is also skilled at planning strategies (Episode 7).

3. 'Grotesque' Enemy Characters

As the episodes progress, one eccentric enemy character after another appears. They are 'grotesque' individuals whose certain physical abilities have developed in an eerie way.

Enemy characters are generally skilled in combat and serve as trials for Tokiyuki and his friends. Godaiin Muneshige is skilled in swordsmanship, Ogasawara Sadamune in archery, Ichikawa Sukefusa is Sadamune's assistant, Shokan is a bandit skilled in all aspects of combat and looting, and Takauji is the central figure in the conquest of Kamakura. Their physical characteristics, which seem to embody their worldly karma, should be viewed as directorial features rather than historical facts, but they all represent the appearance of the 'grotesque' (having a form different from the norm).

There is a theory that 'grotesque' individuals were active during the reign of Emperor Go-Daigo, and in Episode 10, a narration describing the unique atmosphere of the Nanboku-cho period is inserted.

'This era was the last time when humans and mysteries coexisted. 'Seeing a yokai meant a major earthquake was coming,' 'Tengu flew around the town.' Such stories were recorded in official documents as facts.
(Omitted)
At that time, praying was a practical public project, and a huge budget was poured into it.'
(Episode 10)

Humans and mysteries coexisting... In a society where the visible and the invisible exist side by side, those with abilities beyond human understanding or the ability to interact with such beings became objects of awe and reverence. The Biwa Hoshi (lute priests), whom I wrote about in my university thesis, were one such example (incidentally, the 'za' guilds that the Biwa Hoshi formed to secure their performance rights have their origins in the Nanboku-cho period). In terms of abilities beyond human understanding, it can be confirmed throughout the work that Ashikaga Takauji possesses unfathomable abilities (a terrifying power that could be called sorcery).

The fact that Tokiyuki, who opposes these 'grotesque' individuals, is actually a 'monster of survival instinct' (Episode 1) disguised as an 'elusive expert' gives the work historical depth and the charm typical of an anime.

4. Conclusion

So far, I have talked about the appeal of 'The Elusive Samurai' based on the current TV series. I have written at length, but my view is only a small part of the whole work. The best way to feel the charm of the work is, of course, to use all five of your senses to watch the main story. If you have the chance, please check it out now.
And I will continue to enjoy this work as a fan from next week on! Good luck, Elusive Warriors!

Well then, thank you for watching until the end.
See you again next week!

Shiori Koshimizu

'The Elusive Samurai'
©Yusei Matsui/Shueisha, The Elusive Samurai Project