Sengoku Basara
Number of episodes: TBA
Production Studio: Production I.G.
Fansub Release Viewed: Shinsen Subs
Likelihood of US Release: Medium
Yet another video game gets the anime treatment as this over the top version of the Warring States period comes to life.
Episode Summary
It is the Warring States period in Japan, and many powers are vying for control of the country. Takeda Shingen sends his fiery young subordinate, Yukimura, on a mission to sneak-attack his rival, Uesugi Kenshin. Yukimura prefers a frontal assault, but a few punches from his master convince him to follow orders. What he doesn’t realize is that Kenshin has advance information about the attack, and plans to meet them halfway. What no one expected was a surprise attack, led by Date Masamune, to intercept Yukimura en route. The two meet on the road and, after words are exchanged, they enter battle with each other.
After a while, it’s clear that the battle is a draw, and Sasuke, Takeda’s ninja, breaks things off. Due to the surprise attack, Kenshin and Takeda call a truce for the time being, and both Yukimura and Masamune leave the battle in awe of each others’ power. Takeda explains afterward that he knew of Date’s intentions, and used the situation to teach Yukimura flexibility as a general. The two have another loving punching match in the garden. The next day, Date Masamune and his men are on the offensive, and use Takeda and Yukimura as part of their plan to distract some enemy soldiers. Yukimura gives chase to try and stop his newfound rival.
Thoughts
Wow. So if I wanted to define the term GAR to someone, I think I would just show them an episode of this show and leave it at that. This show revels so much in its over-the-top manliness that it might as well be taking a bath in it. I have to say, though, that in spite of how silly certain aspects of the show are, if more video game adaptations were like this, video game adaptations might not have such a bad name after all.
First, the silly stuff. One of the first scenes of the show features Date Masamune riding on a horse that has motorcycle handles. He pumps up his troops by yelling things in English, of all things. When he and Yukimura are in battle, there are flames flying everywhere (and I’m not talking about their sexuality, though the subtext is so thick in this series that it might as well be text) and explosions going off. Date fights with six swords, Wolverine-style. Their armor is embellished and anachronistic, which admittedly looks really awesome (Yukimura has breeches with flames on them!). There are ninjas!
Phew, now that I have that out of my system, here are some more subdued, thoughtful comments on the show. The animation, by the always-talented Production I.G., is excellent. The fight animation is smooth and features some great action choreography. There are some touches of CG that add some pizazz as well, including sparks coming off of the weaponry and that sort of thing, and also some of the backgrounds as the troops travel on horseback. And speaking of the backgrounds, let me just say right here that the background art is simply gorgeous, especially in regards to the use of color to accent some of the more striking elements. There is a scene where Date’s troops are celebrating in a grove of cherry trees, and the light reflected off of the blossoms at night is simply breathtaking. The battle between Yukimura and Date which takes place at dawn is made even more epic when the sun rises in the background, and the two men become mere silhouettes against it. There’s definitely a reason why Production I.G. is heralded time and time again for its animation prowess.
As far as depth of story goes, well, the show is about as deep as a kiddie pool. There’s a lot of GAR and perhaps some passing historical references (though with characters like this I can guarantee that accuracy of portrayal was not at the forefront of the writers’ minds). Other than that, the series seems to be taking a narrow focus on dudes fighting each other and looking totally cool while doing so. And sometimes when a show accomplishes that goal this well, a deep story isn’t something that I miss a whole lot. After a full season I might be saying something different, but if the pace keeps to a good clip I think it could maintain its entertainment quality.
If you love action, especially the over-the-top variety, and are a fan of great animation, then this series is a must-see. Just don’t go digging for any depth, since you’ll hit bedrock pretty quickly.
Pros
- The animation, especially during action sequences, is great
- The show is enjoyably over-the-top
Cons
- There’s little to no depth so far
- Historical accuracy? What’s that?
