The Elusive Samurai Season 2

Episode 7

I knew exactly what kind of episode of The Elusive Samurai we were in for before the opening credits hit. It didn't matter if I was ready or even all that willing to descend into the depths of the Hojo Clan Ball Pit; the clock was striking hijinks o'clock, and you know what they say about asking for whom the bell tolls and all that. The whole cold open is dedicated to introducing Tokiyuki's rascally schemer of an uncle, Yasuie Hojo, whose gimmick is that he looks like a Conehead and has constantly changing hiragana characters plastered on his freakishly giant forehead that give away whatever he is thinking. On top of that, the soundtrack is doubling down on the toot-TOOT-doo-DUM-dee-dum score that heralds the arrival of the Horseman of Yuks. It's the kind of music that always gets me thinking about The Soggy Bottom Boys.

Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a holy text in my household, so any comparisons to the SBBs are at least partially complementary. I'm just saying that I immediately got the feeling that “My Uncle” was going to make for an exceptionally silly half-hour of television. The Elusive Samurai has always been good at delivering silly, frivolous entertainment, though I would be lying at this point if I said my patience wasn't starting to run thin. One of the aspects of the show's first season that worked so well was how deftly it balanced its wackiest instincts with the very bloody and very real stakes at the heart of Tokiyuki's adventure. There was plenty of japing and jestering in practically every episode, but we never lost the sense of forward momentum that kept the story engaging in the big picture. This time around, though? I don't know. It sure does feel like not a whole lot has actually happened after all of these weeks hanging out with the crew. Even the epic, multi-episode battle that we just finished basically concluded with a shrug and a “We'll get 'em next time!”

To this episode's credit, though, we do get to see the criminally underused Genba square off with a new and genuinely threatening band of Tengu shinobi. I will always be happy to let the gang's best little trickster get to show off his moves, and hopefully this is a sign that he (and hopefully the other kids) will get more to do outside of pal around with Tokiyuki for weeks on end. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy seeing Fubuki act like a ravenous stray dog over his food while the girls plan their shopping spree in Kyo. I think The Elusive Samurai could stand to pick up the pace. We're over halfway through the season, after all. We need to start securing victories.

As for Yasuie…look, I appreciate that the show is trying to highlight how this historical figure is so interesting just on account of how influential and crafty he proved to be while slinking his way out of one era-defining conflict and right into another. I'm just not convinced that this snot-spewing caricature of a man isn't one goofy-ass bridge too far. For Tokiyuki's story to have real weight, I need to be convinced that we're meant to care about the cost and consequences of his rebellion at least some of the time. The whole cast of The Elusive Samurai is already a cadre of deadly but deeply unserious clowns stuffed into a proverbial car. I can't imagine there is any more room for yet another Bozo to be hogging the spotlight.

Episode Rating:

The Elusive Samurai Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

James is a writer with many thoughts and feelings about anime and other pop-culture, which can also be found on BlueSky, his blog, and his podcast.