Shigurui

Absolute Masterpiece, I wish they made more Anime series like this. A little ambiguity in this series, but it makes up for the realism that it gives in the series. After watching this anime, even the "good" Anime doesn't feel worth watching. Shigurui and Ninja Scroll are one of the best Anime for me. Looking forward to Anime like this.

Shigurui is an anime that centers around the lives of the 2 foremost disciples of the Kogan style - a form of swordplay that allows the user to deliver lethal strikes from extraordinary distances and with blinding speed. One disciple is driven by his ambition to ascend through the social rungs despite his common birth; the other is driven by his blind devotion to his master and to preserving the legacy of the sword school. They have been dubbed the twin dragons of the Kogan, but only one can emerge as the successor to inherit the school and its fortune, and for this honor only the strongest will be chosen.

-Key aspects:

The swordplay depicted in Shigurui is markedly different from the variety you'll commonly see in anime (where people smack their swords together while performing gymnastics). The katana is a weapon designed to kill with a single stroke, and Shigurui adheres to this basic principle. This is a large part of what sets the action in this anime a cut above its peers. Shigurui features true swordplay in which every stroke has meaning, and where the first clash is often the last.

The art, visual effects, and soundtrack are all top notch. Every scene is crafted with painstaking care and it all sums up to an experience that is nothing short of a masterpiece.

It is important to note, however, that this is not a simple anime, so unless you're prepared to invest yourself in the narrative, and possess a certain degree of 'mental refinement' (for lack of a better term) Shigurui probably won't speak to you as deeply. The anime is also gore-heavy; it shows you exactly what happens when a swords comes into contact with flesh and it isn't pretty. This may be a deciding turnoff for you, and that's understandable. Some people have a stronger stomach than others.I would encourage you not to simply dismiss the content as gratuitous however.

-In closing: Ever since Shigurui I have been searching for an anime in the samurai genre that could provide me with an experience on par with death frenzy, and sadly nothing seems to come close. I can't even watch most anime anymore because they bore me in comparison to Shigurui. I truly believe that this is the pinnacle of production in an anime to date.

Be prepared, Shigurui: Death Frenzy is not for everyone. It's gruesomely violent, has very few redeemable or likeable characters, it's rapey, shockingly gory and has pretty much zero moments of humour.

I also kind of loved it.

The story takes place in the 1600's in a dojo where the sensei is training samurai in order to choose his eventual successor and the backstabbing, murder and betrayals going on in the background. That's the basic gist of it, i don't want to spoil anything.

Pretty much every character is a psychopath especially the sensei, the fight scenes are so stylish and brutal and the tone and atmosphere so thick with dread and tension that i do not blink when i watch this show.

The violence really is extreme with dismemberment, eyeballs being slashed with swords (and eaten), jaws being detached from faces and characters having teeth stuck in their fists after delivering particularly hard blows to their opponents.

It really isn't for sensitive viewers but if that sounds cool to you then....well it is pretty cool.

I enjoyed the soundtrack too which is mostly traditional Japanese instruments and dark ambient drones which make it feel really intense. It's like watching a horror movie.

I can definitely see some people hating it due to it's slow pace, relentlessly downbeat tone and extreme content (including sexual violence) but i think this is an underrated gem.

This is a dark and gritty series with none of the fluff that typical anime includes in order to cater to younger viewers. Its strong points are its unique animation, understated score, and pervasive mood. The animation is stylistic and highly detailed. The action and pace are slow and deliberate, so that the animation really focuses on the details of the scene. This type of animation looks like it could be the inspiration behind some of the recent American motion comics, like Iron Man Extremis, which I really enjoyed. The score is also carefully paced and understated, combining with the art to set the perfect mood of darkness and despair.

Sounds pretty good so far right? Well the story and plot are fairly straightforward and simplistic. There's nothing blatantly wrong with them, no cheesy plot-fillers like in the early episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist. It's just that there's nothing that unique about the story (one stoic samurai seeking honor, another ambitious samurai seeking power), and not many surprises or strategies to the plot (of which Death Note was the pinnacle). Additionally, the plot jumps multiple time lines, making it a challenge to keep up with the story.

But despite the slight flaws in the simplistic plot and story lines, the art is definitely worth checking out if you want to see something innovative and have the patience to stick with the deliberate pace of the series.

Shigurui: death frenzy captivated me from the first episode. It's a slow burner, but every second is tense. The score is blended it to every aspect of it and sets the mood for every scene. I found myself having to rewind many times to understand the scene that goes by quickly, but the show rewards you paying attention. It's beautifully crafted and makes you feel like you're in ancient Japan. I don't know how this show isn't rated higher, maybe because it isn't your mainstream action packed anime. It is a mature, graphic and bloody tale that quite literally moves to the beat of its own drum. Yet it never lacks in pacing. If ghost of tsushima and basilisk ninja scrolls had a lovechild it would be this. 10/10.