{"id":935873,"date":"2025-12-29T21:08:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T21:08:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/?p=440403"},"modified":"2025-12-29T21:08:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T21:08:20","slug":"elusive-samurai-is-one-of-the-most-jaw-droppingly-beautiful-anime-ive-ever-seen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/elusive-samurai-is-one-of-the-most-jaw-droppingly-beautiful-anime-ive-ever-seen\/","title":{"rendered":"Elusive Samurai is one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful anime I’ve ever seen"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Elusive Samurai<\/a> <\/em>is a story about a samurai in hiding \u2014 but the series itself is so flashy, I can\u2019t help but marvel at every frame.<\/p>\n

The new anime from CloverWorks<\/a> is based on the life of H\u014dj\u014d Tokiyuki, a real-life historical figure who was heir to Japan\u2019s shogunate in the 1300s. The story follows the young lord Tokiyuki as he seeks to restore his family\u2019s rule after the ferocious warrior Ashikaga Takauji betrays and overthrows the H\u014dj\u014d clan. I won\u2019t spoil what happens from there, but I\u2019ll say one thing: No matter what else it\u2019s doing, Elusive Samurai <\/em>boasts some of this season\u2019s best animation. <\/p>\n

CloverWorks animates much of the show in a bright, cheery style that flaunts the gorgeous free-flowing kimonos of Kamakura-era Japan. It\u2019s just so nice to see details like the intricate folds of Tokiyuki\u2019s sky-blue and cerulean garb in motion, and subtle details like the delicate bounce of fabric as he rides a trotting horse.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

But the spectacle doesn\u2019t stop there. The early episodes demonstrate the series is an absolute all-you-can-eat buffet of visual styles. CloverWorks highlights tense moments with animation inspired by other art forms. When Tokiyuki confronts the soldiers who overthrew his family and burned down his tranquil home, he sees them with impact frames that look like they\u2019re drawn with a fiery palette of thick oil pastels. In the second episode, Tokiyuki fights an uncle trying to capture him. The animators portray a key fight scene in a style that makes it look painted with splotchy ink, but inverted so Tokiyuki feels otherworldly. <\/p>\n

And a narrator occasionally connects plot points to historical events, so having a scene that appears to take inspiration from traditional Japanese art styles, like shadow puppetry, feels appropriate. The visual references are grabby, but not all over the place.  <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019m still waiting for a few other parts of the show to develop beyond the animation. Like several popular sh\u014dnen series, Elusive Samurai<\/em> takes some time to get its story rolling. A few of the characters can be grating as they train up and learn the ropes. Still, each episode stands out as a visual delight, making Elusive Samurai<\/em> one of the best anime<\/a> from the 2024 summer season \u2014 an exhilarating start to a show with an animation style that simply can\u2019t be contained.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Elusive Samurai is a story about a samurai in hiding \u2014 but the series itself is so flashy, I can\u2019t help but marvel at every frame. The new anime from CloverWorks is based on the life of H\u014dj\u014d Tokiyuki, a real-life historical figure who was heir to Japan\u2019s shogunate in the 1300s. The story follows the young lord Tokiyuki as he seeks to restore his family\u2019s rule after the ferocious warrior Ashikaga Takauji betrays and overthrows the H\u014dj\u014d clan. I won\u2019t spoil what happens from there, but I\u2019ll say one thing: No matter what else it\u2019s doing, Elusive Samurai boasts some of this season\u2019s best animation.  CloverWorks animates much of the show in a bright, cheery style that flaunts the gorgeous free-flowing kimonos of Kamakura-era Japan.…<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":935874,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-935873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-polygon"],"yoast_head":"\nElusive Samurai is one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful anime I’ve ever seen | Arcader News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Elusive Samurai is a story about a samurai in hiding \u2014 but the series itself is so flashy, I can\u2019t help but marvel at every frame. 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