Shigurui
I’m always into samurai and shinobi (ninja) type of anime. I even watch Himawari even tough the anime somehow more into comedy type (means less action) but what the heck…as long there’s a shinobi in it! Just to name a few, among the title that I’ve watched that includes either samurai or shinobi elements in it are Samurai X, Samurai 7, Samurai Champloo, Peacemaker Kurogane, Basilisk, and Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto. Recently I had managed to get my hands on another anime that involves a samurai element in it; Shigurui.
The anime took place during the period of Tadanaga Tokugawa‘s rule in Edo era. Basically it’s revolves around the event when Tadanaga Tokugawa held a staged tournament among samurai and using a real katana (instead of using bokken). And the story focused on the first match between Fujiki Gennosuke and his opponent, Irako Seigen. Fujiki is a one armed samurai while Irako seems to be blind and have some injuries with his foot. Two of them take the initial stance in a very weird way (mostly Irako with his “Mumyō Sakanagare” move) and just when the fights about to begin….the story took us back into the beginning of it all…which is approximately 7 years ago. The first episode reveal the above until up to the point of the first meeting between Fujiki Gennosuke and Irako Saigen 7 years ago.
Irako Saigen’s Mumyō Sakanagare
Fujiki Gennosuke Unsheathe his katana
Conclusion
This anime can’t be categorised as an action adventure genre as a whole. There’s a historical elements in it and top it up with an inner deep feels of story telling. The character is somehow been described as detail as possible but not too excessive; just enough for the needed development of one particular episode. The anime often explained events using flashback and most of the flashback is either an actual historical fact or just a past events that one particular character experienced. I must admit that the anime is really slow in terms of pace but not to the point it became dull..just try to delivers almost everything in detail. This anime is definitely heavy as I myself have to watch the first episode more than once because I’m a little bit dizzy due to a lot of involvement of flashback, historical facts explanation, and a few “silent” scene. Those who watched Basilisk anime, try to imagine Basilisk with the addition of samurai and also with more gloomy mood. Heavy stuff but great nonetheless. Watch it and rate it yourself; without hesitation I mark Shigurui as my “Must Watch”!
