Precious Samurai is CloverWorks' best Anime

Key Takeaways

• Elusive Samurai is impressive with a rich story, dynamic animation and an unusual hero.
• Tokiyuki's unique fighting style defies traditional heroism, making the story engaging and refreshing.
• The series boasts top-notch animation and potential, making it a strong contender for Anime of the Year.

CloverWorks was founded nearly six years ago, and despite the studio's youth, bold productions such as Wonder egg priority or The Promised Land left an unforgettable mark on the audience. The Precious Samurai is the latest project to impress with its vision, sound and story, and on the occasion of the studio's sixth anniversary, we dare say it's the strongest series yet.

Based on the manga by Yusei Matsui, The Precious Samurai is a historical shōnen set in 1333 and based on the life of Hojo Tokiyuki, the surviving heir to the Kamakura shogunate. After Takauji Ashikaga betrays the shogunate and leads a massacre, nine-year-old Tokiyuki flees the massacre, joining a priest who will provide him with allies and training to restore the country.

The weirdness of the Instant Classic

The Precious Samuraikoa's strongest touch is his riskiest gamble – that's why his first episode is so important and the high bar he sets early on. To say it's putting its best foot forward is an understatement. Tokiyuki's playful nature and the peaceful peace of his home are intoxicating when painted in such rich colors and brought to life through such expressive animation.

This stability was soon shattered. Takauji's betrayal destroys Tokiyuki's world – a world that the audience will not know for more than 10 minutes, but his loss will be felt as strongly as if he had been searching for hours. Admittedly, there are some misunderstandings in the violent presentation that may deter some viewers at first, but those who persevere will no doubt quickly see the vision.

Learn to love the tough samurai

The most interesting thing about The Precious Samurai is its unusual hero and the context in which the story presents its subject. Tokiyuki is young and although he is the heir to the shogunate, he neglects his duties because he thinks he will be a puppet ruler like his father. Instead, he lived a life of play, with a tenacity to run and hide that rivaled that of a superior human. Although she was cute, her ability to carry her character was questionable.

When his house was destroyed, the custom of the time dictated that he should take his own life, to join his family in an honorable fall. However, as predicted by the mysterious priest – Yorishige Suwa – he cannot. Tokiyuki clings to life, fleeing the blades of those who would kill him for his family's name. It's a generational show to watch, backed by some of the most flawless color design and animation direction available. And that's just the premiere.

What sets Tokiyuki apart from other Shōnen Protagonists

As mentioned in our mid-August review, The Precious Samurai weaponizing the childlike innocence of being a boy to reject the traditional ideas of bravery and honor that existed in the era. Tokiyuki is not a strong fighter in the slightest, but his speed and survivability allow him to run around his enemies, taking them down in time. It's a unique twist on the battlefield that makes actions that other stories might call cowardly become triumphant.

As a result, the tonal dissonance becomes negligible, not because it's a child running away from death, but because Tokiyuki is struggling with an idea. The idea that heroism is inextricably linked to killing or that there is honor in death – sentiments that the novel considers more childish than the heroic youth. A more modern philosophy perhaps, but that's what Yorishige was there for; the priest who can see the future.

In many ways, the novel feels like a tongue-in-cheek history lesson crossed with meta-textual time travel. The first episode starts in 2024 before time goes back. Next, we are introduced to Takauji Ashikaga before the narrator assures us that he is not the hero of the story. From then on, Yorishige feels like an outcast, whose vision of the future is only dedicated to protecting and uplifting Tokiyuki, who – through modern lenses – lacks love.

The Battle of Hide-and-Seek

The Precious Samurai's story is a small part, and the first season does not come close to the whole story, because the manga continues. In this season, we follow the formation of the next great team under the leadership of Tokiyuki – “The Elusive Warriors”. Kojiro Nezu and Ayako Mochizuki were the first retainers to enter the party, as well as Yorishige's daughter, Shizuku. At the end of episode 12, the thief Genba and the swordsman Fubuki will join the party.

In the beginning, the supporting cast may not appeal to the audience as strongly as Tokiyuki. It doesn't help that Kojiro and Ayako appear as partners beforehand, but what's important is that they all have good chemistry, and add a lot to the fight. Additionally, as the story progresses, the characters get their chance to shine and their relationships with Tokiyuki, especially with Genba and Kojiro, deepen. It's fun watching them all become attracted to Tokiyuki.

Just kidding, your mileage may vary. It can be loud and noisy in a way that may annoy some, but it has its charms, especially as a vehicle for the growing bond between the players. As mentioned earlier, it also serves as a nice balance to the darker elements of the show, but even the recurring villains provide some humor to the action. The only exception is Takauji, who may unleash the purest “evil power” seen in anime in a while.

Animation and anticipation of the future

When it first came out we said it sounded too good to be true. Halfway through, The Precious Samurai He said he has the voter turnout to support his first promise. After season 1 ended, it was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful anime of 2024, and Dandadan it has barely started, so there is time to change it, but there will still be tough competition.

At worst, this series is plagued by some CGI that clashes with other visuals. In retrospect, this show has not only consistently delivered beautiful animation – it has consistently created some of the most avant-garde sequences seen on an action show in years. Episodes 1, 6, and 9 in particular are so well constructed that it's worth considering CloverWorks' priority as one of Japan's top echelons of animation houses. The main battle from Episode 9 alone is a masterpiece that animator Keisuke Okura should be proud of. [watch it here].

There is something funny about this series, its true character is different from person to person, but nevertheless it has been compared to classics like Rurouni Kenshin. Something about the look of it – the colors – harkens back to the old era of action-adventure animation, but it's very modern. With that, it's really exciting to imagine where this series will go next.

The Precious Samurai
is fantastic and a strong contender for Anime of the Year.

This is CloverWorks' best series yet, and even writing these words seems to be tempting fate after the old feelings. The Promised Land or Wonder egg priority turned around. But not everyone can see the future like Yorishige, so in the meantime, until season 2, let's call it that. The Precious Samurai is fantastic and a strong contender for Anime of the Year.

The Precious Samurai available on Crunchyroll.