A historical drama with samurai on the run is about to begin. The Elusive Samurai (Nige Jozu no Wakagimi) might not be the romance epic we’ve come to expect of samurai with godlike speed. But the heir to the Hojo Clan is plenty of fun to watch. Those interested in Japanese history will also find much to enjoy. This anime series will premiere on July 6th, 2024. Let’s enjoy the new trailer until then.
Yusei Matsui released the original The Elusive Samurai manga series on January 25th, 2021. Shueisha has since published fifteen volumes in Weekly Shonen Jump.
The Hojo prince and some of his friends are as follows:
- Tokiyuki Hojo — Asaki Yuikawa (Rumi Hizutome from Shangri-La Frontier). The surviving heir of the Hojo Clan lacks experience but makes up for it with a talent for running and hiding.
- Yorishige Suwa — Yuichi Nakamura (Gray Fullbuster in Fairy Tail). Though suspicious, the lord of an allied province lends aid to Tokiyuki whenever necessary.
- Shizuku — Hinaki Yano (Kitasan Black in Uma Musume Pretty Derby). The quick-witted ally to Tokiyuki maintains the household.
- Ayako — Sayumi Suzushiro (Nijika Ijichi from Bocchi the Rock!). Tokiyuki’s loyal ally also serves as his maid.
CloverWorks has maintained a home page and a Twitter (X) page to promote The Elusive Samurai. You can find additional series information and the Key Visuals there.
The Elusive Samurai Runs Away to Fight Another Day
The Hojo Clan held great sway over Japan for over a century. Their reign ended during the Kenmu Restoration of the Nanboku-cho period when Emperor Go-Daigo launched his campaign to overthrow the Hojo Clan. Takauji Ashikaga — once a loyal samurai of the Kamakura shogunate — turned against the Hojo Clan and sided with Emperor Go-Daigo. The Hojo Clan may have fallen, but it has not vanished.
Tokiyuki Hojo — a boy of only eight years — survived the attack and now plans a counter-offensive. He’s not alone in his efforts. The priest and province lord Yorishige Suwa predicts many great things ahead for him. Thanks to his godlike running and hiding skills, Tokiyuki could live long enough to see if any of Yorishige’s predictions come true.
Are you going to watch The Elusive Samurai when it premieres in July? Do you hope this fictional Tokiyuki Hojo gets a happier ending than his real-life counterpart? How do you think Himura Kenshin would handle a situation like this? Let us know in the comments below.
Let’s Chat
Also, be sure to follow J-List on these platforms!
- Twitter/X, where Peter posts anime booba for you
- Bluesky, where we post several times a day
- Facebook, where we share memes and discuss anime
- Instagram, where you can look at sterilized anime memes because it’s Instagram
- Discord, if you want to chat with other J-List customers of culture
J-List has plenty of fast samurai in stock. The Erza Scarlet 1/6 Figure Samurai -Kouen Banjou- ver. Crimson from Fairy Tail is available for purchase right now.