The Elusive Samurai is a story of dualities. It is a series heavily inspired by the life of Hojo Tokiyuki, a real-life historical figure who lived between the turbulent transition of the Kamakura and Muromachi periods. Beyond surviving his attempted assassination and involvement fighting for and against imperial forces, what remains of his legacy has been largely relegated to the footnotes of history. It’s in this obscurity where Elusive Samurai becomes less of a biographical piece and more of a fictional retelling by way of the hero’s journey.
In other words, “what if Hojo Tokiyuki was a shonen protagonist?”
That is more or less the general thesis behind author Yusei Matsui’s historical reimagining. In a genre with its own pre-established history defined by iteration, experimentation and the rapidly changing nature of audiences and storytelling, it’s a question that crossed my mind while revisiting the story in CloverWorks’s shiny new anime adaption of Matsui’s work.
The story begins in 1333 when the carefree heir to the Kamakura shogunate bears witness to his clan’s destruction following the betrayal of its most trusted and powerful general, Ashikaga Takauji. As the last surviving member and heir to his family’s legacy, Elusive Samurai has all the makings of a hero’s journey — a tragic backstory, a mentor and supernatural aid in the form of priest Suwa Yorishige, and a growing list of allies aiming to retake Kamakura and thwart Takauji’s grander ambitions.
There’s the usual themes of friendship, courage and responsibility as well, all of which are present in Tokiyuki, but I’d argue there’s something more that defines him as a character. Something that keeps him humble and motivated despite being robbed of everything and thrust into the hero’s journey against his will. An emotion so powerful, it becomes self-therapeutic when the weight of his responsibilities becomes too much to bear.
When Yorishige approaches the distraught young lord who was prepared to die “a warrior’s death,” he indirectly challenges Tokiyuki by tossing him off a cliff. A bit extreme, I’ll admit, but not done out of any malice or misdirection. Instead, it is done to awaken something within. As the samurai below are alerted to his presence, he evades by instinct, avoiding every attack with speed and precision.
In the context of the story and the changing attitudes of the era, this is the moment where the old ways of the “honorable samurai” die, but for Tokiyuki, this is where he reforges his identity as his inner hero awakens. And in that moment between life and death, he discovers himself once more, finding renewed purpose in the joy of living. In other words, “fun.”
When the identity of the man who betrayed his older brother is revealed, what keeps him from becoming consumed by vengeance or grief are not the wise words or guiding hand of Yorishige, nor the satisfaction of avenging his family when justice is served. Those elements are still present of course, but when he tracks down the traitor, their duel plays out like an endurance game of tag, with Tokiyuki managing to get the better of the superior swordsman by simply being impossible to hit. The higher the danger, the sharper Tokiyuki becomes, usurping the hunter as he toys with his new prey.
This unusual hero’s magnetism towards fun is further exemplified through Tokiyuki’s retainers, who understand that while their lord is kind, polite and naïve to a fault — a far cry from the brutal warriors of the era — his tenacity towards life becomes something truly brilliant in the heat of battle. Furthermore, their shared mutual trust stems not only from their relationships as friends and professionals, but an unspoken agreement between lord and retainers. An agreement that so long their leader continues to hold his head up high, they can overcome any demon.
As Yorishige notes to the future Elusive Warriors, “don’t you think it’ll be fun to serve a master like that?” But as the Suwa head priest’s prophecy foretells, this child will one day hold the key to Japan’s future, shaking heaven and earth in pursuit of his nemesis. And so, Yorishige will mold Tokiyuki into a hero that will inspire the masses through his legendary feats of escapism, winning favor with the masses through leadership, passion and heart, and perhaps, elude fate itself…
This is the story of the Elusive Samurai prince.
*Note: this will be mostly spoiler-free. Though I will be covering bits and pieces of the first three episodes as well as episodes 8 and 9, I’ve omitted specifics as this is meant to be more of a character study than story analysis. Enjoy!
The Boy Who Lost Everything
Revisiting the question I posed at the start of this essay, it’s important to note the story itself makes no distinction between hero and shonen protagonist, as the two obviously have parallels in relation to the hero’s journey. Stories of heroes seeking power, status or adventure are as old as time itself and while shonen didn’t invent the concept, it’s fair to say the genre has had a huge influence in the way we examine them, outside superhero media and retellings of established myths.
It’s part of the reason why so many popular manga feel the need to reinvent the wheel by differentiating themselves from their predecessors. They often subvert or deconstruct those concepts, and feature complex characters or face challenges reflective of reality, where the idea of fixing societal issues and changing the world creates a need beyond the hero’s capabilities. The idea of heroism becomes an exercise in self-reflection and actualization, which is exactly where Elusive Samurai begins by stating the obvious — “what is a hero?”
Funny enough, the story kicks off with a very traditional understanding, reiterating on those classic threads through “what the history books taught you.” In stricter terms, and depending on the context, that title would belong to Takauiji, a strong and proud warrior who would make his mark on history through the art of war. Viewed from a different perspective, he would fit the mold of a hero who gains influence through his extraordinary strength as a warrior to fulfill a higher calling. He is “the ideal samurai,” at least within the period he lived.
On the other end of the spectrum is our main protagonist, Tokiyuki. He is not a warrior fit for battle or an heir with a desire to rule, and while he is a thrill-seeker, it too serves a greater purpose outside personal enjoyment. In the wider narrative, it draws the attention of enemy generals to carry out a coordinated effort. He is a rejection of the samurai, traditional heroism, and by extension, the pursuit of the extrinsic rewards described above — power, status and adventure.
While the story itself uses these interchangeably, Elusive Samurai’s application of time within its narrative becomes the bridge between past and present heroism by way of “a shonen protagonist.” As modern era stories have placed greater emphasis on virtues like kindness, love and bravery, Tokiyuki would fit very well in today’s crop of shonen heroes. But due to the period in which he lives, he does not recognize his own inherit qualities.
Tokiyuki is a product of the environment he grew up in. He is an heir groomed to be a puppet ruler, lacking motivation to look beyond what is pleasurable. When Kamakura falls, he points to Takauji’s example, the man responsible for the death of his family, as someone who history will remember given its tendency to highlight the victors. In his mind, someone strong and capable gets to be remembered as a “hero,” while the disgraced are given a swift execution.
The desire to live, empathize and avoid conflict with others are not weaknesses. They are simply — as Shizuku points out — “aspects of the monster asleep within you.” In other words, there’s potential. All that’s missing is momentum, which is where Yorishige’s literal push towards destiny comes into play.
Although Yorishige describes the two as the heroes of their respective stories — “the hero who kills versus the hero who evades death,” to paraphrase — there’s no denying that Takauji is the antagonist of this tale. They are perfect foils bound by fate — or history, depending on the reading. Yet the most terrifying aspect of their symmetrical relationship lies not just in their opposing attitudes to life, but how their inspirational qualities as leaders are perceived by those around them, entering the realm of divinity. They are figures outside human comprehension.
How exactly they wield this divinity is beyond the scope of this essay, and the first season for those enjoying the anime. However, the religious imagery featured throughout is a recurring motif and one that will continue to play an instrumental role on our protagonist’s quest as Yorishige invites him to put his trust in people once more.
The War God’s Prophecy
The beauty of Elusive Samurai’s approach to inevitability in relation to “what if Tokiyuki became an anime good boy” is that regardless of the audience’s knowledge of where these characters end up, his characterization doesn’t revolve around his historical counterpart’s destination or years of established genre conventions and the traditional pursuit of extrinsic rewards.
Thus, the refusal of the call at the start of Tokiyuki’s story comes not from a lack of confidence or direct means of influencing the outcome, he simply lacks ambition. Death is coming for Tokiyuki, and the only way to prepare him for the trials ahead is to appeal to something beyond the hero’s destiny. He needs a reason to believe in Yorishige’s prophecy and undo the trauma of losing everything he has ever known. He needs faith.
And so, the Suwa priest anticipates Tokiyuki’s escape attempts to dodge his other responsibilities — namely, his education and martial arts training — by demonstrating his divinity. He assures him that God has not abandoned him, revealing himself to be the embodiment of Suwa Myojin. Along with being a guardian deity and god of hunting and war, he is also associated with wind and water, of which he manifests to stop the rain, revealing his army of followers.
Ever the attentive guardian, Yorishige’s extravagant display is more than divine intervention or a way of lifting Tokiyuki’s spirit, it brings prophecy into reality. With an army secured, all that remains for Tokiyuki is to become someone worthy of leading them. To do so, he’ll need to close the distance between himself and his followers, developing the leadership becoming of a hero. Under Yorishige’s guidance, this will require him to forge a bond like no other — a collaboration between “a hero and a god.”
This thread mixing real world history, spirituality and trust becomes the most present running theme in Elusive Samurai. Whereas Takauji’s influence grows by building his reputation among nobility as word of his military prowess and charisma spread to near-mythic proportions, Tokiyuki’s is one built around forging alliances. To put it lightly, he is the Cloud Strife to Takauji’s Sephiroth, and not just because both feature at least one burning backdrop and a shirtless antagonist twisting fate itself!
Rather, it’s their ties to the divine that makes their eternal conflict even more exciting when they do meet again. That patient build-up to their first confrontation, fighting against the current of inevitability through the heavenly powers that bind them. It has all the ingredients for an epic rivalry, but that’s a story for another time.
Whether Yorishige is a god incarnate, as far as Tokiyuki (and the audience) is concerned, is left to imagination. As the pair banter over the shady priest’s eccentricities, Tokiyuki embraces his new home, gaining an invaluable ally, a goal to strive towards, and in time, a loving father who will continue to be his guiding light. And just like any adoring parent doting over their child, Yorishige further sets him up for success, motivating him to broaden his horizons and seek out comrades.
A Lord and His Retainers
For those jumping in from the anime, this season is all about setting up Tokiyuki’s eventual return to Kamakura. But before he can begin to cross that bridge, he needs to rebuild his network of allies. To start with, he’s given three retainers in the form of Kojiro, Ayako and Shizuku. While the “power of friendship” trope is a well worn one at this point, I believe there is one key aspect that doesn’t get enough recognition in Elusive Samurai’s “shonenfied” spin on history.
See, these characters are more than just Tokiyuki’s best friends, comrades-in-arms and effectively family living in hiding. They are lord and retainers, and the story beautifully constructs around this relationship both as professionals and children trying to carve an existence in the often-violent world of adults.
What this means for Tokiyuki specifically is although they serve as an extension of his will and power — “a lord’s power is correlated to the retainers they keep in their employ” to paraphrase — all eyes are on him to best utilize each of their unique talents in conjunction with his elusiveness.
His responsibility as a leader requires him to consider them in his decision making, and in cases when he lacks the expertise for a certain task or cannot rely on his agility, he can trust in his retainer’s knowledge and skills to compensate for those shortcomings. Like a good boss looking to bolster their ranks, they serve as his military commanders, bodyguards and tacticians, among other roles.
For newcomers, it’s not lost on me that I might be giving the impression that the gang presented here are only “Tokiyuki’s retainers.” Hey, it’s called The Elusive Samurai, not The Elusive Warriors for a reason! However, in the jump from manga to anime, I rediscovered just how much personality and color each of them inserts into the story.
Having previously penned the popular Assassination Classroom — another favorite of yours truly — Matsui isn’t generally known for writing long, detailed characters with huge, explosive turns across multiple chapters. Outside of a few exceptions, a lot of his characters tend to be easy to understand and personality-driven with big expressions and quirks that almost leap from the pages, comically winking at the audience to the point of self-referencing.
Elusive Samurai builds on this foundation, but in shifting the focus from an ensemble cast to a coming-of-age story, those familiar character beats become focused over time. As a result, their personalities not only complement our lead’s heroic qualities, they become integral to the progression of the story.
While Yorishige is objectively the most important figure in terms of Tokiyuki’s development and the overall narrative, I’d argue there’s three other characters who contribute to shaping the eventual leader of the Elusive Warriors in this first act of the anime.
“Then I’ll Call You Big Brother”
Shizuku is a character I didn’t have a strong opinion of in the early chapters of the manga. She’s polite and quiet with a playful side, which is admittedly easy to glance over on account of Yorishige’s literal glowing aura. This is still the case in the anime, yet there is one very important addition that fully realizes her character in a way not afforded in the original work — she’s voiced now. Okay, not a profound statement, so let me explain.
Unlike the other retainers, Shizuku’s personality is intentionally reserved. Compared to the brash Kojiro or energetic Ayako, she doesn’t express herself openly, preferring to handle the group’s other affairs and advising them as they go. In addition to being the team coordinator (with a penchant for mischief), she’s often the first to assure Tokiyuki whenever skepticism sinks in.
It’s why at the beginning of the story, she’s the first person to reach out to Tokiyuki, along with serving as the intermediary to Yorishige’s antics. Like two siblings watching their dad try and fail to impress them, she’s the voice of reason, assuring the young lord that his heart is in the right place and throwing a light jab — “father means well, though he is a sham priest,” for brevity. This playfulness is also why she can indulge her dad’s shenanigans and still give Tokiyuki a hand afterwards — or a ladder!
While I wouldn’t describe the two as having “on-screen chemistry” on account of their limited screen time, what they do have is rapport — an invisible bond with few spoken words. Of the three primary retainers, Shizuku understands Tokiyuki’s heart, sometimes more than he does as the boy processes his trauma and the task ahead of him. She looks after him, whether it be as his eventual war strategist, emotional support or just picking out his pseudonym and backstory.
The Makings of a Devoted General
Before we wrap up, I do want to highlight the two recruits that join Tokiyuki’s party. As a ninja for hire, Genba is a purely “strict to business” professional. Coming from a world where loyalty is bought by the highest bidder, he makes it clear that he’ll only take a job provided the client can pay up, so he tests Tokiyuki by charging an extravagant fee to see if he’s worth his time.
Ironically, the shinobi’s attempts to squeeze the prince for all his worth backfires, all because his future employer is so goddamn innocent. “Oh, you just want money. I thought you were going to ask for a territory! You truly are a selfless individual!” to summarize. Tokiyuki’s honesty is of such purity that the more Genba shows his true colors, the more awestruck he is of his expertise instead of being offput by his methods.
In a period where betrayal and underhanded tactics were commonplace, especially among warriors, Genba fills a need that the Elusive Warriors lack — deception and espionage. He’s not shy about his priorities, and much like Tokiyuki’s playful nature and curiosity, these qualities become an asset under the right circumstances.
And despite the risk that Genba might betray them should Tokiyuki fail to live up to their agreement, he simply invites the challenge by returning his honesty. Moreover, Tokiyuki offers Genba something few others can — a place for Genba to utilize his skills freely — and for a professional, that’s worth its weight in gold.
Or as they say, “killing them with kindness.” That’s also a viable strategy, which brings me to our final character.
Demon-heart Buddha Blade
Of the two retainers Tokiyuki recruits directly, Fubuki is a little more straightforward, aside from his gluttony. A wandering swordsman without a master or purpose beyond filling his belly, he’s shown to have principles when it comes to children and returning the favor (he met Shizuku once before while starving out on the street).
When Tokiyuki asks him to be his instructor to make up for his lack of offense, the most important lesson he imparts to him is self-confidence. At the end of the day, a blade is a tool, whether it be cooking or swordplay, so instead of trying to emulate warriors, he needs to utilize his own talents to win the day. Fortunately, he already has the perfect one for the technique Fubuki has in mind.
Kindness is a virtue, and in the right hands, it can also be a deadly blade, luring even the most savage demon into a false sense of security. Though the setup for the “Buddha blade” requires a large amount of coordination for what boils down to a one-on-one duel inside an enclosed space, in practice, it’s another example of leveraging what’s available while adapting to the situation at hand.
I won’t spoil how the confrontation ends, but it enables Tokiyuki to create his own unique fighting style, uphold his ideals and retain that childlike wonderment. A truly killer technique fit for a hero who eludes death — the ability to learn, adapt and survive any situation.
The Monster of Life (Final Thoughts)
“Mr. Yorishige. You gave me allies. You gave me a way to fight. And more than anything, you gave me self-confidence. I’m proud of these little gems. They’re a treasure, a treasure from you. And no matter how much stronger Takauji is, I’ll never give up! I’ll keep on gathering treasures and try as many times as it takes!”
The Elusive Samurai is defined by contradictions. It’s loosely based on a forgotten character in Japanese history viewed through the lens of a modern shonen tale. It’s a violent and gruesome depiction of the Nanboku-chou period, yet strikingly beautiful in its portrayal of heroism, whether it’s the jaw-dropping animation of CloverWorks’s artisans or Matsui’s original art and writing. At times it’s silly and weird with its tongue-in-cheek humor, yet there’s no denying it carries its heart on its sleeve with an embrace that’s equally as infectious.
As I wrapped up this piece, I didn’t know what sort of conclusion I would draw. I figured I’d talk about the continuing trend of subversive shonen and tie it back to how it elevates Tokiyuki as a hero and a leader while still retaining that element of fun. I wanted to highlight how the main narrative finds its own unique flavor of the hero’s journey through history, divinity, fate, and the real passage of time to construct something truly brilliant.
While I’m happy that the story is now widely accessible, and it has been well received to the best of my knowledge, I fear there’s a certain portion of the general audience who will overlook Elusive Samurai’s other qualities for the impressive visuals. Ignoring the horses (because it’s always the horses in these productions), I can’t blame them. As they say here, “a beast is only beautiful when it’s following its true nature.”
Such is the nature of Hojo Tokiyuki. A heavenly prince who became a hero like no other, a devoted general with an unbreakable loyalty to his followers and a gentle soul whose divine speed and godlike reflexes are second only to the gratitude in his heart for the treasures that have been bestowed upon him. For in the best and worst of his tumultuous life, every day is a blessing, and every moment, another precious gem.
This is the heroic destiny of The Elusive Samurai. This is the true nature of a monster of life.
The Elusive Samurai is streaming now on Crunchyroll. Additional screenshots taken from the manga published by Viz Media, available wherever physical or digital graphic novels are sold.
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