Hello! I’m Eva. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California. I’ve lived in Texas, Kentucky, and will quickly be living in Japan! I’m a current college grad with an MS in Justice Research a considerable feat in my life. When I’m taking a break from function/research, I take pleasure in a range of anime, passing a lot of time binging episodes alongside my husband. I also take pleasure in spending time with my two dogs and two cats, hiking, yoga, pc/video games, reading, and attempting new cuisines. I’m fairly shy, so writing right here has been a fantastic outlet for me to come out of my box.
Hey! I am Rod, and when I am not watching anime or playing video games I am almost certainly writing about them, but I am also a graphic and internet designer, and I even published a comic book and worked like four years for a nicely-recognized MMORPG. Curiously, my favored series are very distinct from each and every other, so I am nevertheless attempting to comprehend what I actually like in an anime…
OKAMI HD – Take the function of Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess who inhabits the kind of a legendary white wolf Shiranui. Use magical skills, attacks, and Celestial Brush methods to restore the land of Nippon to its earlier glory complete of life and colour.
Minit – Minit is a peculiar small adventure played 60 seconds at a time. Journey outdoors the comfort of your property to support uncommon folk, uncover numerous secrets and overcome harmful foes, all in the hope of lifting a rather unfortunate curse that ends every day soon after just one particular minute.
2064: Study Only Memories INTEGRAL – When Turing, the world’s initial sapient machine, teams up with a struggling journalist, the unlikely duo discover themselves drawn into the shadows behind the dazzling lights of Neo-San Francisco. The secrets they uncover could shake the quite foundations of society. 2064: Study Only Memories INTEGRAL fuses a classic-style adventure game with lush pixel art and a catchy electronic soundtrack that explores modern day-day problems of individuality, freedom and identity. The 2064: Study Only Memories INTEGRAL game will be obtainable on Aug. 14.
DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ – Open Beta – Go head to head in VS On the internet* with no fewer than 23 characters and 13 stages. Do not neglect to also cease by the Battle Tutorial to sharpen your capabilities and master all types of devastating methods. The Open Beta servers are scheduled to be on in between 9 p.m. PT on Aug. 9 and 11:59 p.m. PT on Aug. 11.
Activities
Calling All Nintendo Labo Fans! – In much less than two weeks, the newest Nintendo Labo Creators Contest No. two ends! Have you began on your entry? A group of Nintendo Labo judges will choose 4 winners in two categories: Very best Toy-Con Musical Instrument and Very best Gaming Expertise making use of Toy-Con Garage. The contest ends at 10:59 a.m. PT on Aug. 20. You can also verify out other submissions right here – and do not neglect to give a “like” to your favorites! The prizes consist of a specially created, collectible cardboard-inspired Nintendo Switch program, Nintendo Labo Creators jackets and far more. For far more information, please pay a visit to the official contest internet site at https://ift.tt/2HhAhNQ.
Theme Shop on Nintendo 3DS
Verify back once more subsequent week for any new updates!
Nintendo eShop Sales
Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
Wonderful bargains this week! Verify out the complete list of bargains obtainable this week at https://ift.tt/23lrArb.
Save up to 50 % on choose digital games – Super Smash Bros. is back! Celebrate E3 2018 with savings on choose digital games that helped make some of your preferred fighters renowned, as effectively as other wonderful games. Supply begins these days at 9 a.m. PT and ends June 21 at eight:59 a.m. PT.
State of Thoughts really appears actually excellent on the Switch!
OOO Valkyria Chronicles four demo! I certainly want to attempt it!
Graduated from Carleton University in the capital of Canada with a degree in Film Research and English, which fundamentally sums me up true good. I’m a sucker for a very good story – written or visual – wherever I can uncover it, regardless of whether it is in anime, video games, motion pictures, books, albums or what ever else you can feel of. If I’m not consuming, then I’m possibly attempting to make them myself.
Sword Legacy: Omen – Release Date Announcement (Steam)
RPG fans unite! Sword Legacy: Omen is a turn-primarily based tactical RPG set in the candlepunk realm of Broken Britannia. With a wealthy cast of characters and a lot of satisfying moments with regards to tactical awareness, this is a title that fans of the genre will flock to. It is by no indicates a straightforward game as you will need to have to develop accustomed to the robust battle technique and understanding the correct placement for your characters to provide the most strong attacks. All of that is complemented by the comic book style visuals that bring the characters to life, whilst the dialogue is sufficient to maintain you engaged for the duration of the campaign. With a lot more than 40 hours of play time in this re-telling of the King Arthur mythos, Sword Legacy: Omen is positive to stimulate you in a lot more approaches than one particular.
As with any tactical turn-primarily based RPG, anticipate a lot of vital considering, difficulty solving, and situational awareness. All of these play an integral function as you progress via the story considering that enemies develop a lot more intelligent, and battles all round turn out to be a lot a lot more demanding than earlier. You will be surrounded by a group of strong enemies and it’ll be up to you to make a decision how to effectively position your crew in order to stave off death and come out on leading in order to move ahead. Take element in a variety of quests that will grant you talent points must you effectively clear them, and use all of your sophisticated strategies to generate advantageous scenarios in boss battles.
You will not only be making use of one particular character for the duration of your adventures but your whole crew, which indicates that not only will you need to have to recognize Uther’s style but your other comrades also. All are equipped with their personal person weapons and attacks, so optimizing their abilities is of utmost value down the road, but mastering each and every character will take some time. Sword Legacy: Omen is all about micromanagement and finding out to see the smaller sized factors in order to totally grasp the larger image ahead of you. Appropriate arranging will lead to profitable execution and significantly less deaths on your element. With all that getting mentioned, let’s dive a small a lot more into the gameplay and visuals.
Visuals
Firstly, let’s take a appear at the visual side of Sword Legacy: Omen and what tends to make it stand out in its personal way. We described earlier that significantly of the game requires its visual aesthetic from the comic book style, which is truly really fitting for the game. It maintains realism with regards to its character style but the all round layout certainly feels like you are sifting via the pages of a comic book whilst playing. Every little thing requires location from a leading down position, sort of like what you’d anticipate from titles like Path of Exile or Diablo, or even the classic Disgaea series as that also is a tactical masterpiece of its personal.
Sword Legacy: Omen maintains its simplicity in the visual division, focusing a lot more of its interest on the tactical gameplay appeal than attempting to more than-embellish the visuals that may possibly come off as also jarring. The animations in the game are smooth and characters move freely about the screen as you handle them with your mouse, with really small lag or frame drops for the duration of gameplay. All in all, the visuals in Sword Legacy: Omen are fairly strong and do not take you away from the game but rather maintain you a lot more engaged as you dive deeper into the campaign.
Sound, Music
As for sound and music, we actually cannot say also significantly in this region, not simply because there’s a lack of music but simply because it sort of got lost along the way. After you get immersed in the game it goes more than your head considering that you are attempting challenging to concentrate a lot more on defeating the enemy, rather than listening to the music. In truth, the music wasn’t also overbearing and that in a way that is a very good point considering that it didn’t detract us at all and maintain the concentrate mostly on the gameplay. It certainly maintained its really medieval style method to it, and the sound effects that went along with character attacks synced up really effectively. 1 gripe nevertheless is in the lack of voice acting, considering that the game would’ve played out so significantly far better had there been some life place into these characters and not just have a narrator inform the story for the duration of cutscenes.
Gameplay
In any tactical turn-primarily based RPG your primary aim is to attempt and outsmart the enemy prior to they outsmart you, but of course that is no straightforward feat. The AI in Sword Legacy: Omen is fairly difficult and place up a very good fight, so it is genuine crucial to stay away from screwing up also significantly. After you get a hang of all of your squad members and master their distinctive skills, going up against a larger group of enemies will certainly alleviate a lot of issues. Rush into battle and you will get destroyed, but take it with a calm and calculated method and the game will reward you tremendously.
It is not just about leveling up one particular character and leaving the rest behind, Sword Legacy: Omen is all about balance and understanding when to swap out a character in order to successfully use yet another to close out the battle. There’s no timer in the game so you can take as extended as you need to have to in order to create a strategy, but maintain in thoughts that overthinking your turn may possibly finish up costing you down the road.
Methodical considering is surely rewarded, but there will be moments exactly where decisive action will take precedence more than the slow paced believed approach it will all rely on you on how to execute factors. That is exactly where a lot of the enjoyable derives from in Sword Legacy: Omen, as almost everything that takes place all through the game is all up to you and getting that handle is a satisfying feeling.
We will say, nevertheless, that we felt that the abilities had been a small costly at initial (beginning at about 25 talent points to upgrade) but when we began to play a lot more and a lot more factors began to even out. Some players may possibly be turned off by that but we recommend providing it some time and getting patient. The game certainly rewards challenging operate and does not want to hand you a silver spoon, which is a plus. A lot of other turn-primarily based RPGs on the marketplace normally throw you a handful of freebies to help your adventure, but Sword Legacy: Omen tends to make you operate for it and that feels so endearing towards the finish.
With all that getting mentioned, Sword Legacy: Omen is certainly a game worth playing considering that it is slow paced and encourages players to actually come up with strategic approaches to outplay the enemy, whilst surviving at all charges. When one particular of your comrades dies in battle you are left with one particular significantly less physique to help you in battle, and that is exactly where factors get difficult. Finding out to adapt on the fly is crucial and goes back to our earlier statement on actually understanding your squad members strengths and weaknesses, to be far better equipped for these significantly less than satisfying circumstances.
There will be a lot of them so be conscious of that simply because factors heat up rapidly, and with out the correct adjustments you will see your group drop really rapidly. General, a fantastic expertise and we suggest grabbing the game if you are a fan of the turn-primarily based RPG genre.
We hope you discovered our assessment of Sword Legacy: Omen to be an insightful one particular and if you are a fan of the genre, do not hesitate to choose it up! Be positive to verify out our other critiques and let us know what you believe in the comments section beneath! Of course, stick to us on Twitter to keep up to date on all the newest gaming news from about the planet, and hit us up on Twitch to catch us playing all of our reviewed titles reside, just for you!
As constantly, for all factors sweet, with news straight from Japan, be positive to maintain it locked right here on Honey’s Anime.
Editor/Writer
Author: Rob “NualphaJPN” B.
A passionate fan of gaming, writing, journalism, anime, and philosophy. I’ve lived in Japan for a lot of years and contemplate this location to be my permanent property. I enjoy to travel about Japan and understand about the history and culture! Leave a comment if you take pleasure in my articles and watch me play on twitch.television/honeysgaming ! Take care!
A motivated writer hoping to share his passion for video games, literature, and visual media. I am the primary streamer of FinestKO, a assortment game stream with roots in the fighting game neighborhood. Anytime there is time, you can typically discover me broadcasting or writing for the subsequent post.
Hello, I am initially from the states and have lived in Japan given that 2009. Even though I watched Robotech and Voltron as a youngster, I officially became an anime fan in 1994 by way of Dragon Ball Z for the duration of a trip to the Philippines. In addition to anime, I also enjoy tokusatsu, video games, music, and martial arts. よろしくお願いします
What takes place when you give a Crunchyroll trial to a former Toonami kid who hasn’t watched anime considering that Cowboy Bebop got dubbed? You get Hercule SSJ. Thanks to that, he’s spent the final two years catching up on dozens of shows and manga he’s neglected more than the years. Has most likely watched 60% of all harem ecchi in existence. Presently searching for series to fill the void left by Konosuba and One particular-Punch Man. Accepts NisiOisiN quotes as payment.
Get in touch with me Oskar or OkiOkiPanic or other factors based on how whimsical you happen to be feeling. I am an artist and game designer presently operating in the indie scene. In correct otaku style I am also interested in anime/manga, collecting figures, constructing robot models, idols, denpa music, retro games and electronics, and so on. Judging by the firm I maintain I figure it really is only a matter of time till I am obsessed with wrestling and mahjong.
Hello, I am initially from the states and have lived in Japan because 2009. Although I watched Robotech and Voltron as a kid, I officially became an anime fan in 1994 via Dragon Ball Z for the duration of a trip to the Philippines. In addition to anime, I also enjoy tokusatsu, video games, music, and martial arts. よろしくお願いします
I’m South African, harbouring an obsession for something remotely associated to Japan, mainly anime, of course. I draw at times. Some individuals contact me Naledi, it is my true name, or one thing like that. Individuals believe I’m stoic simply because I do not smile usually (I do at times). I like languages. Hoshi-kun and Naledi are the exact same side of the exact same coin.
[en]What You Need to have to Know: [/en][es]Lo que necesitas saber: [/es]
Tokyo Otaku Mode, which continues to perform to spread Japanese pop culture, such as anime, all through the worldunder the slogan, “Making the world happy with otaku culture!” has collaborated with anime news internet sites about the planet to launch a new interview project.
Japanese anime, thanks to the flourishment of streaming internet sites, is a lot more common now than it has ever been just before. Due to the fact of that, the group at Tokyo Otaku Mode have decided to interview directors and producers of anime studios that generate operates enjoyed by fans about the planet and ask them about behind-the-scenes information, such as, “How do you come up with such wonderful ideas?” and, “What do you feel when you make anime?” TOM has also incorporate photographs and videos of the studio that are hardly ever revealed to the public.
This project is becoming carried out with the cooperation of anime news internet sites from about the planet, such as Japan’s biggest anime info website Anime!Anime!, China’s enormous website Bahamut, Sumikai, we right here at Honey’s Anime, and a lot more! Scroll down under for a lot more information!
This project also consists of fan participation. Tokyo Otaku Mode is a companion in the neighborhood cryptocurrency Otaku Coin, which is set to launch this fall. In collaboration with that, fans who study these articles will be capable to use the Otaku Coin app to send the studios messages of help and gratitude. The help project will launch at the exact same time as the app in fall 2018.
Subscribe to Otaku Coin!
Want to acquire all of these fancy otaku goods with exclusive currency created just for you? Then certainly verify out Otaku Coin, the quantity 1 currency for all of your otaku wants! Subscribe right here to uncover out a lot more!
[balloon_speech align=”left” text=”I’m really stoked to find out more about these anime studios!” image=”bee-happy1″]
[balloon_speech align=”right” text=”Yeah same here! Seems like an interesting culture to know more about!” image=”honey-happy1″]
VIZ Media is thrilled to announce that they’ve acquired two manga titles, Dr. Stone and Radiant, the 1st releasing September 4th although the other drops September 11th. DR. STONE is written by Riichiro Inagaki (EYESHIELD 21) with art by Boichi. The series is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will be published in print below the Shonen Jump imprint with an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. DR. STONE also launches digitally on September 4th through viz.com and the VIZ Manga App, as effectively as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and Google Play retailers. Future volumes of the series will be published on a bimonthly basis.
RADIANT is a supernatural action and adventure series produced by French-born artist and writer Tony Valente. A Japanese-made anime adaptation of Valente’s manga will premiere this fall. RADIANT is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will be published in print with an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The series also launches digitally on September 11th through
In RADIANT, evil creatures referred to as Nemeses fall from the skies and the only ones who can fight them are Wizards—infected ones who survived a Nemesis’s corruption. Seth, 1 of these survivors, vows not only to fight the Nemeses, but to locate their mythical nest, Radiant, and destroy it!
Good! One more two manga that I will require to start off reading. The stories each sound excellent!
After the hard-hitting East Coast lifestyle hit me a bit too hard, I started pursuing my passion as a writer in my cozy home state of Ohio. Aside from that, I spend my time cooking, cosplaying, collecting anime merch, and being an improv comedy actor. I also love sneaking alliterations and stupid puns into my writing, so be on the lookout for them!
Method: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation four, Computer, Xbox A single
Publisher: Group17 Digital LTD
Developer: Ghost Town Games LTD
Release Date: August 7th, 2018
Did you consider you mastered it all in the original Overcooked? Nicely, strap your self in due to the fact Overcooked! two is coming to a console close to you and you much better be ready for all new kitchen chaos! If you have played the very first one particular, really like celebration games, or just get pleasure from arcade exciting, Overcooked! two is a title for you. Regardless of whether you play single mode or in a celebration, your strategic minds will be place to the test in this kitchen simulator.
What to Anticipate (two)
Overcooked is back with Overcooked! two, and with it comes a bunch of new stuff. From five new chefs (six for Nintendo Switch customers), to all new levels, there’s going to be a lot of exciting in retailer for players new and old alike. If you are familiar with co-op games, Overcooked! two will take your capabilities to a complete new level as you attempt to coordinate with your teammates in order to get all the orders in and stars for every single level. Do you consider you know a point or two about celebration games? Nicely, welcome to Overcooked! two.
Overcooked! two Announcement Trailer
The Onion Kingdom is in difficulty when far more and the Onion King requirements your aid! The Un-bread are threatening the Onion Kingdom. Do you have what it requires to save absolutely everyone? You will require to assemble your crew of chefs in order to tackle the Un-bread one particular kitchen at a time!
Overcooked! two comes back to us with all new puzzles, kitchens, and challenges. This time, Overcooked! two is obtainable on all of the primary consoles producing it less difficult to uncover a person to play with than just before. You will require them, also, as you tackle on new recipes and cooking challenges from magical kitchens to figuring out how to make siu mai. It is a complete slew of new challenges, but that just signifies all new exciting.
As fans of the original game, we have been ecstatic to hear that a sequel of Overcooked was coming out, so when a copy of the game landed on our laps prior to the release, you can bet we have been excited. We didn’t even hesitate to download it ASAP and commence up our Nintendo Switch to see what new gameplay Overcooked! two had to provide.
As far as gameplay goes, it is quite considerably the identical as the original game with all of the gameplay getting in the kitchen. Of course, there’s going to be new challenges as we attempted to figure out how to deal with hot air balloon kitchens, magical portals, and far more. Kitchens are in neverending chaos, and just when you consider you have it all figured out, Overcooked! two throws you however yet another curveball. Some of the challenges come with evolving kitchens as they go from one particular disaster to the subsequent, like getting on two or 3 ever moving rafts that abruptly crash and you uncover your self attempting to figure out how to adapt although acquiring your orders in. Without having setting the kitchen entirely on fire, of course. This is thrilling and continues to preserve us on our toes regardless if we have been playing in single player mode or as a celebration.
A single of the exciting elements of Overcooked! two is the inclusion of new foods. New recipes imply the game stays difficult, and boy, was it very difficult. It took us forever to appropriately figure out how to make siu mai! Some of the recipes actually created the game challenging to play solo like the siu mai or the far more difficult sushi kitchens. It was a mess to say the least. Even with two players, some of them are scary difficult. We discovered ourselves scrambling for far more players in order to make it via every single level, but it is difficult when schedules do not specifically align. Gosh, this is completely meant to be a celebration game and if you do not have a celebration, you are going to have a difficult time.
Regardless of all of the new stuff, for the most element, Overcooked! two is quite considerably the identical game as the very first one particular. It is an enjoyable chaotic celebration game that gets absolutely everyone involved. You may possibly not have been close to any individual else just before this game, but following this, you are going to uncover your teamwork is 100% much better. It is all exciting and games till the kitchen burns down.
If you are a fan of celebration games, simulators, or just mass chaos, Overcooked! two has you covered. It brings back all the exciting of the very first with a couple of new characteristics that is positive to excite absolutely everyone. We extremely suggest it to any fan of the original. Of course, we are far more than excited to continue playing it and can’t wait for far more players to get the game so that we can get a couple of folks to play with! Thanks for joining us for yet another game assessment, absolutely everyone. We appear forward to hearing from you in the comments beneath!
Author: Jenangelx3
California primarily based workaholic. Existing mottos are “I don’t care” and “I’ll try almost anything once”. Interests contain traveling, consuming, video games, and weightlifting. Presently living life to the fullest, pursuing my happiness, and conquering my fears. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
Graduated from Carleton University in the capital of Canada with a degree in Film Studies and English, which basically sums me up real nice. I’m a sucker for a good story – written or visual – wherever I can find it, whether it’s in anime, video games, movies, books, albums or whatever else you can think of. If I’m not consuming, then I’m probably trying to make them myself.
Previous Articles
Original Article Below
Samurai are fascinating, aren’t they? As warriors, they charge head-first into battles, cutting through hordes of enemies with one of the best swords the world has ever seen. At the same time, they’re also loyal vassals to their lords, and can even be loners who have their own take on bushido (“way of the warrior”). Their mystique is so strong, they’ve even inspired non-Japanese to create films like The Last Samurai, Red Sun and Shogun Assassin.
Of course, no one knows the samurai better than the Japanese themselves. Although most of the anime below embellish the samurai’s image a bit (but then, what fictional work doesn’t?), they’re still awesome enough to deserve a place on anyone’s “must-watch” list. Without further ado, let’s start off with:
Episodes: 12
Aired: Apr 2010 – Jun 2010
The Shinsengumi, an elite police force, existed at a time when the Tokugawa shogunate was beginning to lose power, and Japan was beginning to open its doors to foreigners. Historically, their main function was to keep anti-foreigner rebels at bay, though Hakuouki extends this further to include battling against monsters called Rasetsu.
In the midst of it all is Yukimura Chizuru, a young woman who wanders into Kyoto while searching for her doctor father. She gets attacked by criminals, but is thankfully saved by the Shinsengumi (which, according to Hakuouki, is an all-bishounen group). Coincidentally, Chizuru and the group happen to be searching for the same person, and so she ends up staying with them for a while.
Even though this show is pegged as a “reverse harem,” it doesn’t focus much on the romance. Instead, it has well-done fight scenes, great character development for each of the Shinsengumi members, and a mystery puzzle you can solve one episode at a time. Whether you’re a fan of pretty boys or not, this show has something for you.
Episodes: 12
Aired: Apr 2009 – Jun 2009
On the other hand, Sengoku Basara takes us back to the years before the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate. At the time, warlords from all over Japan fought for ultimate control of the country. None of them, however, came as close to their goal as Oda Nobunaga, who was willing to use any means necessary (read: massacring innocent people) to fulfill his ambition. Naturally, the other warlords decided to band against him…
…and that’s about as historically accurate as this show gets. Otherwise, it’s one over-the-top scene after the other: Generals that literally wipe out entire armies with a single swing of the sword/axe/spear, horses decked out like Harley Davidson motorcycles (I’m looking at you, Date Masamune), and heaps of insanity all around. (That may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your preferences.) At any rate, this is definitely one of the most memorable shows to come out within the last decade — what with Masamune’s random Engrish and Sanada Genjirou Yukimura’s passionate declarations about his “oyakata-sama” and “burning soul,” among other things.
Episodes: 26
Aired: Jun 2004 – Dec 2004
Can’t have a “top samurai shows” list without a Kurosawa-inspired piece, can we? Like its internationally-acclaimed predecessor, Samurai 7 revolves around a village constantly attacked by bandits. One day, the village elder decides that they’ve had enough, and tasks a group to recruit seven samurai in exchange for rice (since the village is too poor to offer money). The group had a bit of difficulty at first, until they encounter a shell-shocked veteran named Shimada Kambei, who helps them gather the rest of the warriors.
Make no mistake, though: Samurai 7 isn’t a carbon-copy of Kurosawa’s film. It puts a steampunk twist to the story, with the bandits becoming mechas called Nobuseri. Additionally, the relationship between Kirara and Okamoto Katsushiro is further explored, and ends differently from that in the film. Lastly, the pacing is just right for each episode, and eventually leads to a bittersweet, but satisfying, conclusion.
Episodes: 12
Aired: Aired: Apr 2010 – Jul 2010
Although Akitsu Masanosuke is a skilled samurai, he never stays employed for long due to his awkward personality. This changes when he meets Yaichi, who offers him a job as a yojimbo (bodyguard) for a group called the “Five Leaves.” As Masanosuke soon finds out, the group isn’t what it seems, but he’s intrigued enough to stay with them all the same.
Unlike the shows we’ve listed so far, Saraiya Goyou isn’t action-oriented. Instead, it slowly rounds out its characters, none of whom can be considered truly “good” or “evil.” The art style and music also fit the show’s gray themes perfectly, though the art can take time to get used to. Overall, if you want something different from the usual samurai show, Saraiya Goyou might just fit the bill.
Episodes: 39
Aired: Apr 2011 – Jan 2012
Another slow samurai show is Hyouge Mono, which takes place during Japan’s Warring States Period (Sengoku Jidai). Now, you normally wouldn’t put “slow” and “Warring States Period” in the same sentence — until you realize that, hey, even samurai need to chill out once in a while.
When samurai aren’t slashing at each other, they participate in cultural pursuits like tea ceremonies. Such is the obsession of Furuta Sasuke, a vassal of none other than Oda Nobunaga himself. At the end of episode’s run, a question is posed which sums up Sasuke’s dilemma: “To be an aesthete or a warrior?” (Note: An aesthete is a person who appreciates art and beauty more than anything else.)
To be fair, Hyouge Mono isn’t for everyone. If 39 episodes of old men chattering about tea doesn’t interest you, it’d be a total pain to sit through this show. But if you’re willing to give it a chance, this show is great at showcasing a different, quieter side of the Sengoku era.
Episodes: 1
Aired: Sep 2007
And now, let’s get back to the action, shall we? This time around, we have a young boy named Kotaro, who’s on the run from a group of elite Ming soldiers. Among these soldiers is Rarou (Luo-Lang in Mandarin Chinese), a blonde-and-blue-eyed Westerner who wants nothing more than to fight a worthy opponent. Fortunately for Rarou, Kotaro hires Nanashi — a mysterious but skilled samurai — as his bodyguard, and so the destinies of the three collide.
First off, this movie’s fight scenes are some of the best in anime. You can see every swing of the sword, every dodge of the foot and every cut into skin, but the action doesn’t slow down for even a single frame. Also, everyone in this film is a badass (including the dog!), so you’ll have a heck of a ride when characters go into Fight Mode. Lastly, the art and animation are fantastic, thanks in part to the efforts of Tsunenori Saito and Nakamura Yutaka — both of whom also worked on Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist and Eureka Seven, among others.
Episodes: 12
Aired: Jul 2007 – Oct 2007
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that “Sword of the Stranger” is a violent film, but most of the violence happens off-screen, or is blurred. Shigurui, on the other hand… Well, if you liked Ninja Scroll and Basilisk, Shigurui is pretty much on-par with them in terms of the “gore” factor.
This anime follows Fujiki Gennosuke and Irako Seigen, both of whom are potential successors to the school of Iwamoto Kogan, Japan’s greatest swordsman. Only one of them can take the post, however, so they battle it out in a bloody tournament that’ll test not only their worth as warriors, but also their humanity.
Shigurui may be one of the most disturbing shows — samurai or otherwise — you’ll ever watch. There’s the man who gutted himself to protest against a fight, and another whose bizarre sex scene will burn into your brain for days after you see it. If you can stomach all that, however, Shigurui offers an interesting — if extremely cynical — perspective about the samurai mythos.
Episodes: 26
Aired: May 2004 – Mar 2005
On a lighter note, we have Samurai Champloo, which is on so many “Top X Anime” lists, I’m not sure what else I can say about it that hasn’t been said before. But I’ll recap the basic plot all the same.
At the heart of this show is Fuu, a somewhat air-headed but plucky waitress who wants to find a “samurai who smells like sunflowers.” When a violent fight breaks out in her workplace, and the participants were about to be executed, she saves two of them: Mugen, a bad-tempered warrior with a breakdance-like fighting style, and Jin, a straight-laced but strong samurai in his own right. Together, they set out to help Fuu complete her quest, and have zany adventures along the way.
As many have pointed out, this show has awesome music. You’ll bob your head in time with Nujabes’ songs, and the soundtrack hits all the right notes (pun intended) with scenes like Mugen’s flashbacks. Also, the combination of Edo period and modern elements may seem odd, but in true Watanabe Shinichiro fashion, they blend together as well as Samurai Champloo’s main trio.
Episodes: 94
Aired: Jan 1996 – Sep 1998
This show is a classic in the samurai genre, and for good reason. It’s about Himura Kenshin, who was formerly known as Battousai, a hitokiri (“man-slayer”) for the government during the Bakumatsu. For some mysterious reason, he decides to leave that old life, and now that he is in the peaceful Meiji era, he wants nothing more than to be a rurouni (“wanderer”) who will never kill again. Unfortunately for him, former enemies keep coming back to haunt him.
Rurouni Kenshin revolves around a simple, but powerful, conflict: Will Kenshin remain true to his “no-kill” vow, or will he become Battousai again to protect his country from powerful, bloodthirsty enemies? Granted, the TV series’ quality can be uneven, with fillers taking up most of the latter part, but when this show is good, it’s awesome.
Episodes: 201
Aired: Apr 2006 – Mar 2010
To be honest, I wasn’t sure whether to put this in the top spot or not. After all, Gintama is best known for its toilet humor, and this probably isn’t the right list for Sorachi Hideaki’s obra maestra to be number one. But, after taking into account everything that happened during the serious arcs, I think I’ve made the right decision.
See, Gintama presents multiple perspectives on what it means to be a samurai. To the main character, Sakata Gintoki, being a samurai is about protecting what he wants to protect (read: his oddball group of friends). To Katsura “Zura” Kotaro, a joi rebel, it’s about freeing the country from the Amanto. To Sakamoto Tatsuma, it’s about bringing smiles to others through his business ventures. To Takasugi Shinsuke, it’s about reclaiming the honor of the samurai — and avenging Shouyou-sensei — by any means necessary.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You also have the Shinsengumi (made up of “country samurai”), the Shimura siblings and many others. Even the Yato — the universe’s strongest mercenary race — view the samurai as worthy opponents. What I’m saying is, behind all of its dirty jokes and self-deprecating humor, Gintama is a show that handles its samurai themes unlike any other.
Considering the overall quality of the samurai genre, I’m sure plenty of gems were left out, like Peacemaker Kurogane, Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran, Afro Samurai, Mushibugyou, Mutsu Enmei Ryuu Gaiden and many others. So if you have anything to say about my choices, let’s have a friendly(!) discussion in the comments.
Author: Issa M.
Issa is a pen-wielding mercenary by day, and an anime fangirl by night. She might seem anti-social at first, but she’s actually quite friendly once you get to know her. Also, she’s learned to like Google+ after getting locked out of her own Twitter account for some mysterious reason, so say hello to her there!
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