YASUKE

According to history, Yasuke was a samurai of African origin who served as under the Japanese daimyō Oda Nobunaga. It's on this fact from history that the anime is loosely based on. While it stayed true to the origin, the plot of this anime is mixed with fantasy. So basically, the story is set in an alternate universe where there is magic and advancement in technology in a feudal Japan setting.

The anime opens with the fall of Nobunaga in the hands of Daimyo's dark army. Twenty years later, Yasuke has stopped being a samurai, taken a new name, and lives in a remote village where he eventually crosses paths with a young girl destined to put an end to Daimyo's reign over Japan.

As much as I was hyped for this anime, I wasn't sure what to expect till I saw the first 10 minutes of episode one. The moment you finish episode 1, you get that feeling that this is going to be a long series beyond season 1 but my assumption was proved wrong by the time I hit episode 5. It was going to be a short experience. The whole series felt like a short tale. While I wanted more and not sure if there is going to be more seasons. The story in this season was completed and there is no cliffhanger or any sort. Some people might find this to be a underwhelming but I think sometimes we need animes like this. It's not everytime we need a longrunning series. Sometimes all we need is a short limited series. It reminds me of 'Afro Samurai'.

As to be expected, the anime is bloody, graphic and violent. The art style is pleasant. These days it's difficult to find a badly made anime in the mainstream.

The story in 'Yasuke' won't blow away your mind. It's a tale you're familiar with, a tale of struggle between good and evil. Eventually, the good overcomes the evil. While the star of the show is not the core plot, the main character Yasuke, the black sword wielding samurai is the main star that makes this show worth watching.

I will recommend this anime if you're looking for something short to watch this week. It's just six episodes long, and I didn't regret watching it.