The Elusive Samurai Season 2 ‒ Episode 11
The title of “My Buddha, Part Two” marks the episode as an explicit follow-up to one of the first season's finest outings, which meant my expectations were raised before I even clicked the “play” button on the streaming app. This second season of The Elusive Samurai has been messier and less consistent than the razor-sharp first year, but even when the larger scope and shape of its story is getting shaggier by the week, it can still impress in its individual chapters. While I don't think “My Buddha, Part Two” lives up to the sterling quality of its predecessor, it's still a good time overall, as it sees both the plot and Tokiyuki's development as a master tactician move forward in a sufficiently satisfying way.
Since the two-pronged failure of last week's attempted assassinations has plunged the region into chaos, Yorishige declares this the time to strike back against the enemy, and Tokiyuki is given the honor (and the test) of selecting their route of attack. Tokiyuki's explanation for taking the ostensibly more difficult, longer route is a good and practical demonstration of what the boy has actually learned after so many weeks of setbacks and false starts, even if all the expositing doesn't exactly make for the kind of edge-of-your-seat television that we saw in that first “My Buddha” episode. We've gotten to the point in The Elusive Samurai's run that its penchant for introducing an endless wave of odd new characters and its obsessions with increasingly convoluted battlefield minutiae must be counted as a feature, and not a bug. Even if it's not exactly the anime I hoped it would become, it's clear that The Elusive Samurai knows exactly the kind of cartoon it wants to be.
Eventually, we arrive at the reason that this episode is even called “My Buddha, Part Two,” as Team Hojo Clan's offensive requires Tokiyuki to pursue old Alien Ant Farm himself, Shokan, yet again. Watching the kids and their disbelieving army of recruits prepare for this rematch is quite entertaining, and I would be lying if I said I didn't appreciate the return of those Season One vibes that I've been sorely missing across several of this season's episodes. It certainly did not hurt when we got to enjoy the ridiculous montage of Tokiyuki's memories that cataloged all of the freaks, geeks, and bloodthirsty lunatics we've met along this journey.
Tokiyuki is not the only character who is learning from his past mistakes. It's fascinating to see Shokan become a genuinely reformed man so haunted by his former life as a merciless and cruel bandit. It was surprising enough when he threatened to behead one of his underlings for thinking about indulging in the raping and pillaging to which they were so accustomed. I truly was not expecting the horrific jump-scare that we got when Shokan's guilt transformed the face of his adorable little attendant into the mutilated visage of a bloody ghoul. With both our hero and our villain having properly evolved, we will have to see what happens when their blades clash once again on the battlefield.
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.
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