Best Shonen Anime Like The Elusive Samurai

The Elusive Samurai is the newest anime to come from renowned hitmaker Shueisha, with its author Yusei Matsui having also created the popular Assassination Classroom. The anime takes place after the fall of the Kamakura Shogunate and follows the young Tokiyuki Hojo in his quest to take revenge against the man who betrayed his family, Takauji Ashikaga.

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By  Mark Sammut

The Elusive Samurai is a historical story that combines exciting action with the trademark humor Matsui brings to his works. While the anime has a unique approach to its storytelling, the setting has been explored by a good number of shows. Here are some of the best anime based on shonen manga that fans of The Elusive Samurai would like.

8 Samurai Deeper Kyo

A Shadowy Soul Hidden Within A Kindly Spirit

Yuya Shiina is a bounty hunter traveling all over Japan for the man who killed her brother. On her travels, she meets the medicine peddler Kyoshiro Mibu, who seems to be nothing but a cowardly yet kind man. In truth, he hides a second person within him: Demon Eyes Kyo, a ferocious samurai who will do anything to get his body back.

Samurai Deeper Kyo is a classic samurai story taking place not long after the end of the Warring States period. Though it takes huge liberties with historical events and invokes a lot of supernatural elements, it should still be a fun read for any fan of this historical period.

7 Orient

Fantasy Bushi On An Oni-Slaying Adventure

Japan has been overrun by Oni, and their oppressive rule bans the existence of Bushi, the only beings that could possibly slay them. Musashi and Kojiro are two young men who dream of being Bushi, but due to living in a town ruled by Oni, are forced to hide their dreams. When the chance to achieve their dreams comes to them, however, they can't help but reach for it.

Orient is a (fairly) recent anime based on a manga by the creator of the popular fantasy series Magi. While the story does take place in a very fantastical version of Japan, it is full of references to the Warring States Era of Japan, with Musashi and Kojiro being references to legendary swordsmen Musashi Miyamoto and Kojiro Sasaki.

6 Mushibugyo

A Monster-Infested Edo

Edo has been besieged by giant insect monsters, known as Mushi, for about 100 years. The only defense against them is the City Patrol, a collective of samurai who work together to fight them. Taking the place of his father, Jinbei Tsukishima becomes the newest member of the Patrol, swearing to protect the public as best he can.

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Mushibugyo is a monster-hunting action anime taking place in a non-specific era of historical Japan. While having little basis in real life, the show can still be fun for fans of sword-slinging samurai action.

5 Peacemaker Kurogane

A Revenge Story In The Shinsengumi

Tetsunosuke and Tatsunosuke Ichimura's parents are murdered, leaving them alone. Despite being a young man, Tetsunosuke is insistent on finding and avenging himself on his parents' killer. To that end, he attempts to join the Shinsengumi, a special police force composed of particularly skilled samurai.

Peacemaker Kurogane takes place in an era of Japan much later than most other historical periods outlined in this discussion. However, it is still an era that is full of exciting events, so any fan of historical anime should enjoy it.

4 Hell's Paradise

A Search For The Elixir Of Immortality

Gabimaru vs Sagiri – Hell's Paradise Jigokuraku Episode 3

The seemingly immortal ninja Gabimaru is up for execution after being captured during an assassination. Seeing his skills and desire to avoid execution, Gabimaru is instead recruited to investigate a mysterious island along with several other prisoners. Should they manage to find the elixir of life, they will be pardoned.

Hell's Paradise is a supernatural action series taking place in a non-specific period of Japanese history. While there isn't much historical relevance here, there are some references to Japanese history for those who are well-versed in the subject. Beyond that, Hell's Paradise is a fun and intense action anime, albeit one that is far more violent than The Elusive Samurai.

3 Dororo

The Demon-Hunting Body Restorer

A lord makes a sacrifice to the twelve demon gods to secure prosperity for his lands. As a result, his son is born missing limbs and organs and is subsequently abandoned. The boy is found by a doctor who gives him artificial limbs to replace what he has lost. Now named Hyakkimaru, the boy travels the land to recover his stolen body parts, with the young thief Dororo as his only companion.

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By  David Heath

Dororo is a supernatural action series from the great Osamu Tezuka, the godfather of manga. While its storyline has little to do with Japanese history, it does take place within Japan's Warring States Era and exhibits that era's aesthetics and culture.

2 Rurouni Kenshin

The Former Assassin Seeking Redemption

During the Bakumatsu, Kenshin Himura was the Battosai, a fearsome assassin who could slay multiple foes in a single slash. Nowadays, however, he wanders Japan as a rurouni, with a reverse-edged sword that is incapable of killing. Having sworn never to take a life again, Kenshin fights to protect lives to atone for his past.

Rurouni Kenshin is a classic samurai franchise, possibly one of the most iconic. Though the anime received a reboot series last year, the original 1996 series is still watchable to this day, delivering high-quality animation for the period, lovable characters, and a great blend of history and fiction. The fight sequences are also spectacular, and the anime can be pretty funny at times (particularly the '90s original).

1 Gintama

Futuristic Aliens In Samurai Country

Japan has been taken over by aliens called Amanto, and their influence has transformed the country completely. Through all this upheaval, the samurai have been left behind, with no place for them in this new Japan. A former samurai, Gintoki Sakata works as an odd-jobber, helping people across Edo a little at a time.

Gintama takes place in an alternate version of post-Bakumatsu Japan, one that is full of historical culture and modern-day trappings. The series has tons of historical references, as well as a reputation for mixing hilarious comedy with top-tier action and tearjerking drama. The latter makes Gintama a fantastic pick for The Elusive Samurai, with both shows demonstrating a talent for blending the serious with the absurd.

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