Elusive Samurai takes anime visual design in stunning directions

Elusive Samurai is a story about a samurai in hiding, but the series itself is so flashy that I am amazed with every frame.

CloverWorks’ new anime is based on the life of Hōjō Tokiyuki, a real-life historical figure who was heir to the Japanese shogunate in the 14th century. The story follows the young lord Tokiyuki as he attempts to restore his family’s rule after the fierce warrior Ashikaga Takauji betrays and overthrows the Hōjō clan. I won’t spoil what happens next, but I will say one thing: whatever it does, Elusive Samurai features some of the best animations of this season.

CloverWorks animates much of the show in a bright, cheerful style that showcases the beautiful flowing kimonos of Kamakura-era Japan. It’s just so much fun to watch details like the intricate folds of Tokiyuki’s sky-blue and cerulean robe in motion, and subtle details like the delicate bounce of fabric as he trots along on a horse.

But the spectacle doesn’t stop there. The opening episodes establish the series as an all-you-can-eat buffet of visual styles. CloverWorks emphasizes tense moments with animations inspired by other art forms. When Tokiyuki confronts the soldiers who overthrew his family and burned down his quiet home, he sees them with impact frames that look as if they were drawn with a fiery palette of thick oil pastels. In the second episode, Tokiyuki fights off an uncle who tries to capture him. The animators portray a key fight scene in a style that looks as if it were painted with smudged ink, but inverted so that Tokiyuki feels otherworldly.

And a narrator occasionally connects plot points to historical events, so a scene that seems to be inspired by traditional Japanese art styles, like shadow puppetry, feels appropriate. The visual references are catchy, but not everywhere.

I’m still waiting for a few other parts of the show that develop beyond the animation. Like several popular shōnen series, Elusive Samurai takes a while for the story to get going. A few characters can be annoying as they train and learn the ropes. Still, each episode stands out as a visual delight, making Elusive Samurai one of the best anime of the summer season of 2024: an exciting start to a series with an animation style that is simply impossible to master.