Well, I (along with many others) definitely got just a little thrown by the two previous episodes. They certainly weren’t complete flubs… but if you make much of any comparison to the contents of this episode (or earlier ones), it’s rather hard to justify it as anything other than a self-induced slump that is completely blown away by the contents of this episode. Providing a much more “man-to-man” (or man-to-boy?) setup, the episode and its staff have far more room to play with, and subsequently do so. Providing arguably the most disorienting and disturbing episode so far, The Elusive Samurai episode 6 is yet another visual treat added to the season as a whole.
When I say disorienting, I truly mean disorienting. Following along with the big-eared Sukefusa, and our fox-like Genba once more, the episode takes us into the territory of something entirely incomprehensible- but in a very good way. Sukefusa’s demonic hearing is displayed in a way that provides the character with a disturbing sense of omnipresence that will sniff out Genba and Tokiyuki wherever they go. One step away, one shadow behind- the man is a threat in a way that feels impossible to explain. He lacks the stronger abilities of Sadaume, or the uncanny nature of Takauji, but can provide the most disturbing presence in the series so far. The Elusive Samurai episode 6 expertly grasps that, and delivers in spades… under a first time storyboarder?
That’s right, Youko Kikuchi is the storyboarder for The Elusive Samurai episode 6, and they absolutely kill it. Would you ever believe that this was the first episode they’ve ever boarded? And no, it’s not the Youko Kikuchi that did the designs for Twilight Out of Focus. Either way, they provide an insane creative display to sell this episode. The fine line between hard to follow, and impossible to follow can be difficult to dance upon, but Kikuchi makes it feel like second nature as reality bends and warps to accommodate the uncanny abilities of not just Sukefusa, but Genba as well.
The playfulness and surprisingly malicious nature of the young boy is put on display in wonderful fashion at around the midway mark of the episode. Things has just the slightest incongruencies that help to really sell that, as well. When disappearing, he doesn’t melt away where you think, for example. The timing of his moves is all very “wrong”, and the quite literally elusive storyboarding stitches things together in a way that makes it feel as if you’re trying to catch up with everything that Genba is doing. The level of communication that Kikuchi provides here is just incredible, and is absolutely what Genba’s phenomenal depiction hinges on.
If you want to talk about probably the most important disorientation in The Elusive Samurai episode 6 though, it has to be Takeuji’s monstrous reveal. Being the “big bad villain” with a thousand watt smile, it’s really important to not only sell that dichotomy to the viewer, but to buy it yourself as well. Kikuchi’s work does wonders to that end, and has the full support of Matsui’s story in this case. The creative decision to offset Takeuji with what people accept as a “charismatic leader”, and see him completely crumble under the pressure of Takeuji is an incredible decision.
It’s also one that can be impressively hard to sell, but Kikuchi does outstanding work here, like with much of the rest of the episode. It’s just really subtle things, like how Prince Moriyoshi gets covered in blood while Takeuji remains stainless, or how unwilling the episode is to provide viewers with an understand of how Takeuji kills all those men. I think the icing on the cake though is how Kikuchi uses camera movement to disorient viewers. It starts out as simple rotation- which is mirrored in some scenes of just characters rotating- but quickly devolves into something like a spinning top. The longer the scene goes on, the less it spins horizontally before eventually keeling over upside down and ending. It’s a hard sensation to put into words, but it effectively saps all of the confidence and charisma Prince Moriyoshi had, and replaces it with intense feelings of fear, horror, and anxiety.
The Elusive Samurai episode 6 just goes to show that when Matsui and this production are on the same page, magic happens. The unsettling, the unnerving, the unspeakable and immaterial- when Matsui can express these effectively through his story, this anime exists without equal in the scope of an episode. Even with comedic characters like Sadaume and Sukefusa, when given the space to be serious, and be a threat, their very natures are enough to make things uncomfortable.
It’s just… Matsui doesn’t seem to want to let go of that humor. It has its moments, that’s for sure, but it is such a detriment to being able to express what is genuinely outstanding work in episodes like this one. Episodes one to three, plus The Elusive Samurai episode 6, have been some of the best experiences I’ve had with TV anime recently- which is saying a lot with how many outstanding works there have been as of late. Matsui’s humor will never entirely depart, so I can’t say things can only get better. All I can do is hope that the story is able to take a precedent as we continue to creep forward, allowing this team to create something incredible out of this adaptation.
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