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Summary:
During the Sengoku period, there are many factions constantly at war. One of these is led by a one-eyed man named Date Masamune and another by the imposing Takeda Shingen. The latter has a fiercely loyal subordinate named Sanada Yukimura who goes head to head against Date Masamune multiple times, but the battles between them tend to get interrupted. One such battle occurs when both men try to go after another leader named Imagawa, and they’re forced to break off their heated duel when Imagawa attempts to flee the scene with his body doubles. Yukimura and Masamune go after separate Imagawas, but all of the doubles are killed by a third party, and when their paths cross again, they are in front of the menacing Oda Nobunaga and his army. It was Nobunaga’s subordinates that killed those body doubles, and Nobunaga himself proceeds to kill the real Imagawa with a shotgun blast to the head.
Thoughts:
My initial interest in Sengoku BASARA wasn’t that big based on the promotional material, but after getting several emails and recommendations about it, I’ve now watched the first two episodes and realized what I’ve been missing out on. And holy crap, this show is crazy good. The level of hardcore action here is ridiculous, easily eclipsing anything else airing right now. Production I.G does an incredible job with the production quality, especially when you consider that much of the episodes so far are pure action, and they even switched to a different-but-equally-awesome animation style for the episode two battle between Yukimura and Masamune.
If there’s one thing though that’s even better than all the action, it’s how over-the-top everything in this series is, most of the time with hilarious results. I can’t stop laughing every time Yukimura and Takeda start yelling out each other’s names in manly passion while punching each other in the face. The lengths they go to show the epicness of Takeda are amusing as hell as well, like when he stands on top of his horses while they gallop up the vertical wall of a castle, or when he goes from coming within a micrometer of getting stabbed in the eye to punching his would-be assassin all the way to the top of the castle. There’s also things like Kasuga having an orgasm when she gets close to Kenshin and how dramatically evil they make Nobunaga with the music, the lightning, and the random swirling clouds right above him. Normally I might criticize a show for being too over the top, but it’s done in such a great way here that I can’t help but enjoy it.
In short, if you like action at all, then you’ll probably love this series. I’ve been very impressed by these first two episodes and am definitely going to be watching more.
By request, here’s the OP by abingdon boys school: Mirror 1, Mirror 2, Streaming ▼
basara is in my watchlist xD
Basara makes me think of a feudal version of Gurren Lagann with how over-the-top it is. I know this is a snapshot, but can you please upload the OP for download? Its so darn awesome and very well done.
Looks very interesting..
Btw this show is based off of samurai warriors I think, the main bad guy has the same name as the one in samurai warriors, and pretty much the fight style in the show is the same also.
are you serious? i was interested in basara BECAUSE of the promo video. it’s really a great show for those that doesn’t like too much confusion in their anime. loved the fighting styles and how video-game-styled it is. =)
@Reacshion
Not quite- this anime is based on a game ‘Sengoku Basara’. Samurai Warriors doesn’t really reach the levels of ridiculousness that would excuse fighting with 2 spears or 6 swords at the same time( though it’s getting there). Also Sanada Yukimura is sort of a Japanese national icon so he appears in a number of games.
watched this and i nearly fell asleep. i’d say avoid.
A.C.E.: Added.
Gurren-Lagann made a new genre. It will be called “GARimation”. xD
I just found something interesting: apparently the version airing on CBC and the one on TBS have obvious differences in animation style. CBC has a more anime style but TBS is more realistic. Some spots have somewhat different drawings.
@ kandur
Nothing against Gurren-Lagann, but if you want the progenitor of “GARimation” you should check out “Gao-Gai-Gar.” It’s even in the title.
So when you said that the odds you’d blog it were decent, that meant that you weren’t going to even bother to watch a single minute of it?
Meh. Give me Lucky Star, this ‘manly’ crap just sucks.
FINALLY.
yukimura..oya kata sama..yukimura!..oyakata sama!..YUKIMURA!!..OYAKATASAMA!!!
great animation, smoooooth.
@Ahnlay and Akandur
The term ‘GAR’ was originally meant to be ‘Im gay for Archer’ from the fate/stay night series. When misspelled and typed ‘Im gar for archer’ everyone began using GAR as Gay for ARcher. But rather then being used for those male characters who were rather girlish it ended up being a subjective term for example (and famous) ‘You are gar for badasses but gay for traps’. After a while it started to be used as objective making ‘Archer is GAR’. Later that meme (originally created in the /a/nime boards in 4chan) went on to being used to describe badass mech pilots on the /m/echa board. More so because there was the anime Gao Gai Gar which conveniently had Gar in its title.
Just a little informational tid-bit 😛 Now for the topic. Great show. I was skeptical because of the fact its based on the game but the voice actors and great action, love the scene with Nobunaga, kept me on board. Def watch
I meant @kandur :/
Epic epic epic.
With such voice cast too.
What I LOVED About this version of Sengoku Basara anime is that this time they ARE following game quite closely, going as far as to use the music from game and etc.
oh and btw, Prod.I.G released a statement that the “horse” Masamune is riding on is actually a motorcycle with horse head.
enjoy ur lucky star eye rape girls while the boys enjoy this 😉
I’m glad you picked up interest in this series. While there are a few other high quality productions this season, Basara just destroys the competition at the moment with its MANLY SPIRIT! 😀
OYAKATA-SAMA!!!
@OMNI: Thank you so much .
@Unknown Voice: I find that hard to believe, since the first scene in episode one itself clearly shows that it’s a horse with motorcycle exhaust pipes attached to it.
YESSSSSSSSSS. so glad that you’re blogging this now xD
Senbasa is probaly the only series i’m gonna follow until the end this spring. (and you just had to put a picture Kasuga…)
btw, any other girls watching this?
godly horses that defy logic
the opening by itsself makes me want to watch it…the character designs are gorgeous
yea i thought the first episode was really funny
i feel like everything is too over the top, but there is certainly enjoyment in shows like this
This along with Eden of the East have so far been my top two picks of the season.
Both are excelling in their own particular department.
Great stuff. Hopefully you blog more of each.
I’ve only seen the first episode, but I love this show so far. It’s very entertaining, and I love the character designs.
Omni, while you’re on the topic of missed shows, you might want to give Guin Saga a try as well, especially if straight up fantasy is your thing. The first episode left a pretty good impression and even if you’re not watching it, you’d miss out if you don’t at least listen to the ED song.
LOL!!! more dancing soldiers pls….. 😛
HA HA,
now this was some crazy fight in ep. 1 and 2,
it’s very refreshing, next to k-on i will watch this!
and crazy voice cast!
i wonder, if the one general, that sounds like a woman is actually A WOMAN !!!
@Ringo
I’m watching it and love it!
This show is pure epic, with a dash of history 🙂
PV is always deceiving
@ Ringo and astridstar00
Me too! I was looking forward to the anime after playing the game. There’s nothing like some epic action to balance out a day 🙂
@Ringo and co.: I’m also a girl and I love this story! (the games are great too!!)
no body did mention something about the so-called sex symbol ninja girl, pretty hot in her one-piece suit! 😀
Ha, good thing u were notified!!!
great show.
too bad its taking forever to get subbed.
@tomtom
The so-called sex symbol is Kasuga. Now the sad thing is everybody is ignoring Fuuma Kotarou who has just made an appearance.
@sadmask
oh good to know! ^^
u mean the other chick? no no, she’s awesomeness too, her eyes are drawn pretty just too lazy to describe her.
imo, this girls have more sexappeal than the girls in queen’s blade.
KIRA!
YUKIMURA!!!! *punch*
MY LORD!!!! *punch*
Basara is the new TTGL of 09′. Its that Epic.
masamune and his men look more like a sengoku jidai bosozoku with his horse’s get-up,his men’s attitude aside from his english catchphrases.
Finally. I’ve been waiting forever for you to blog this. The show is awesome–great quality, fightan, everything. The only bad part is the subbing, where it seems no fast sub groups even want to touch this.
i remember my lil sis told me about a so called anime fangirl who likes action, adventure, comedy, etc. with good-looking guys and all this person picked for this season are just a bunch of shoujo stuff. if you ask me, sengoku basara is one of those shows that has those genres in one package, minus the shoujo, of course.
glad you’re enjoying the show, omni.
and how can i ever forget this:
“Are you ready, guys?!”
“Yeah!”
“Put the guns on!”
“Yeah!”
Whats that crazy daance the guys in the op are doing??? does it have a name??
also when is the OP out????? (most importantly)
i think the op is out on May 20,2009
@Ouroboros: yeah, I’d really recommend seeing Guin Saga, too. At least try seeing the first episode to see how well it’s presented, seeing as there’s a lot of names attached to it. It’s Nobuo Uematsu’s first anime, for one.
More like a feudal version of Guilty Gear. xD I thought of Sol Bad Guy and Ky Kisuke when I saw the opening. lolol
dynasty warriors…
I’m a girl and I’m watching this anime and it is fuckin awesome!
This is awesome!!!! Been a fan of Sengoku Musou; Samurai Warriors for the PS2.
& an anime portraying Japan’s feudal times is out! Definitely on my watch & d/l list ^^
Yukimura, Hanzo, Tokugawa-Ieyasu, Nobunaga, Mitsubishi Akechi, Hideyori…etc etc ^^)
dont’ mind this ** – http://f34rVendetta.mybrute.com – if anyone wanna try out this past time mini game.
There’s a character in this called the “One-eyed Dragon” *wink wink*
uhhh I have to full version OP its alreay out i think or is mine PV ripped…
I find this anime.. Boring. I dont know, after watching the first episode, I dropped it on my list. But I really like the OP 😀
lol Date Masamune’s horse have motorcycle handlebars and exhaust pipes?
The OP was awesome (: And the animation quality, the voice acting (SHARURU’s voice is too fitting for Nobunaga haha), the BGM are all excellent! Definitely one of my top shows this season! And you don’t have to be a guy to enjoy this show’s awesomeness, imo :p
wow i like it
No story…but good action nevertheless.
You will probably enjoy this if stuffs like Shangri-La is too heavy for you.
Anyhow if that is the case, you probably enjoy other brainless stuffs like K-on too.
I just love that VA’s in this anime especially the one playing kenshin ,.reminds me of rurounikenshin
The fights between Masamune and Yukimura would’ve been more epic if they actually did get injured..
@vortex
If you didn’t like this, with the superb action and over-the-top of everything, then YOU REALLY ARE MISSING OUT. Shame on you.
Anyways, great show, played the games, been waiting for this.
This show is so freakin ridiculous and silly that it keeps me coming back for more. lol. Epic over the top nonsense, but very amusing at least.
Good? This show is so shitty.
It’s just a bunch of silly-ass shounen fights, and they’re ugly CGI too.
You should blog Mazinger instead, I can’t believe anyone would prefer this shit to something as epic as Mazinger.
It takes a couple of episodes to really understand the plot. One cannot judge the series to be worthless after watching 1 or 2 episodes only. But one thing’s for sure, the animation rocks! Superb! *thumbs up*
Boring… and confusing.
There are much better animes at the moment: 07-Ghost or FMA: Brotherhood.
I’m off here =(
It really depends on your taste. I like Basara, and so do some people. I know the fight scenes can get corney, but I think thats the point there. On the otherhand, Im not too fond of 07-ghost, Shangri-la, and Asura.
You’ll only like this if you like cheesy, flashy, brainless fun.
And I like flashy, brainless fun.
Will SOMEONE please sub episode 3 already?
it looks good, I might watch it… thx for writing this post otherwise I would’ve problably ignored this series
This is such an awesome anime, I find myself checking for subs at least twice everyday(To bad the subbers choose to sub shit like naruto and not Sengoku). Its funny how they poke fun at a lot of the other main stream animes.
Deff going to have to import these games XD
Omg thx for blogging this omni, finally i found one great anime which met all my conditions xD .. the show is dramatic and hilarious. the main villain seems to be that darkness lord, oba nobunaga, funny thing about him is his doesnt doesnt look like antagonist character, more like a joke to me >.>
Galatea-
They already localized one of them as “Devil Kings,” although the Capcom/ASW fighter wouldn’t be surprising if it came over.
I was surprised by the awesome seiyuu cast for this show e.g. Kazuya Nakai (love his voice), Park Romi, Soichiro Hoshi, and Tessho Genda (old school). I thought the action was only so-so, it’s just flashing red and blue lights colliding w/ each other..