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「FIGHT SONG」
Drifters is probably the one series I’ve been eagerly awaiting since viewing the OVA a couple months ago. The product of
Hellsing’s creator Kouta Hirano, Drifters offers a gritty, dark, and over the top setting complemented by sharp, pulpy artwork. One need look no further than this show for Fall’s popcorn action flick.
Not Your Mother’s Log Horizon
Drifters at its core follows the recent trend of “trapped in another world” shows, ranging from standard fare Log Horizon/SAO to the darker Overlord/Grimgar, and even the satirical genre deconstruction KonoSuba. On this scale though Drifters definitely falls more towards the dark side. Famous warriors/statesmen are seemingly plucked from the jaws of death and assigned by a bespectacled bureaucrat to a fantasy world. Basically take the heroic servants of the Fate series, have them reborn in the world of Overlord, and you get Drifters. It’s not a novel concept (Outbreak Company had a variation on the idea), but Drifters looks to spin it differently by emphasizing the action. Bloody action. We can see this already with the stylized Battle of Sekigahara, where Shimazu Toyohisa hacks, slashes, and all but immolates himself in order to behead Ii Naomasa. Those familiar with the Hellsing OVAs will understand the centrality of this ultraviolence, but for everyone else expect this overarching style to continue. Drifters is going to be all about the pulp action slaughter.
Of course any action-heavy series wouldn’t be complete without some good (read, over the top) characters and we are not disappointed here either. Shimazu represents your typical samurai clad in courage, honour, and a powerful desire to see his enemies without heads, while Nobunaga (in yet another anime showing) offers up a distinctively piratical appearance (eyepatch included) and temperament. Then there’s Nasu Yoichi, whose function besides a trap is an arbiter of sorts between the other two hotheads. Hirano’s artwork gives all three a wickedly dangerous appearance in addition to their personalities, the sort of sharp, aggressive designs often found in Western comics or graphic novels. The character art make the violence all the more entertaining, the smirks and piercing eyes amidst the blood and body parts drawing out excitement much the same way as blowing something up. Using actual historical figures like this is especially fascinating because (at least for those familiar with them) it gives a good sense of suspense and an eager “I know what’s coming” sort of reaction. Also helps most famous figures have plentiful stores of melodrama and emboldened honour in their personalities, two useful qualities for enlivening any sort of action sequence.
As for the desk jockey behind it all, there’s precious little go off of (barring his function as a transportation middleman) and even less for the elves, let alone the two individuals shown at the end of the episode. Thankfully, however, all (well, most) will be answered in next episode. I guarantee it.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Similar to Hellsing, Drifters’ Achilles heel will likely be the comedy. Hirano is not the most skillfully comedic of authors, and his writing often struggles to create jokes which are both well-timed and funny. Hellsing particularly suffered from this in certain parts, but at least stuck to largely typical situations anyone could understand. Drifters, however, employs both the daily humour and distinctively Japanese concepts in its comedy (so far at least), making most jokes fall flat. Thus the weaker half of this episode, where a potential introduction to Drifters’ world turned into a dull exposition on Shimzau’s parochialism, Nobunaga’s melancholy, and Yoichi’s looks. Don’t expect this aspect to improve noticeably over time either, it’s unfortunately one of the quirks of the creator.
If one can look past these comedic issues, however, there isn’t likely to be a better action series offered this season. Given Hellsing’s fantastic set piece battles, Drifters will likely to follow the same format, especially if next episode doesn’t deviate from the OVA (hint hint). It’s no spoiler to say things improve greatly once the fighting begins and our cast of characters gets fleshed out. If you’re even remotely interested I recommend sticking with this one, it only gets better from here.
Random Tidbits
Nobunaga was largely responsible for introducing arquebuses into Japanese combat, so it’s fitting he should wield one here in Drifters. Also interesting is how he is hinted to die at the hands of the Akechi instead of through seppuku.
Yes, Yoichi is a man. Don’t be that surprised, even Nobunaga and Shimazu are put back by his feminine appearance.
Although I heavily mention the action here, expect some interesting moral topics to appear on occasion too, particularly regarding politics, war, and identity. Anyone who remembers the Major’s speech will understand the potential for such things to come up.
ED Sequence
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ED: 「Vermillion」by Maon Kurosaki
I’m hoping the comedy is kept to a minimum in this series because I didn’t care much for it
It’s the author’s trademark. You should drop it now if you hate it, because it’s not going away.
We can only hope sadly 😛
The humor is blegh 😛 But it matters not, as there’s going to be plenty of hemoglobin on the grass next episode! HIIIIIYYYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!
that hellsing vibe tho… works kinda well here.
that said…
https://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/72261722.jpg
This really did feel like Fate/Stay Night without all the ridiculous and convoluted BS behind it, just pure action. I hope it stays that way throughout the series.
One look at Yoichi and I’m instantly remind of Girl Alucard from Hellsing The Dawn. It made me remember back then how glad I was Hellsing Ultimate was made to make me forget the TV series (though to be fair the soundtrack of the latter was pretty good). This is definitely Kouta Hirano’s work with his character designs, especially the way his characters smile. Gonna be following this in anime form as I only read a few chapters of the manga.
Kinda like Super Smash Bros, but instead of Nintendo characters you get historical figures. Must say I like the idea.
Man, ya just gotta daisuki that Late Medieval Japanese Toyohisa’s speaking. Really does sound like what a hick from Kyuushu would say wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
“Kubi naru no wa oin ja nai, kissan yo!!!”
Aaaahhh, gotta love that, ya just gotta love that!
Indeed recent trend of “trapped in another world” got popular these days. We have LH/SAO/Overlord/Grimgar vibes, we have Fate vibes, and it seems it can really work!
I was brought to Drifters by Fall Preview on here and I am definitely satisfied with first episode. It’s dark, it’s bloody, it’s mysterious, it’s taking historical characters into action. All in all, I am really liking it, so far so good. Can’t wait to see how it will develop.
PS: Yoichi is a man – I seriously didn’t get it…
PS2: Seeing ‘Hirano Kouta presents’ at start already reminded me of HOTD, it’s irrevocable for me right now
There’s no hidden message behind that Yoichi comment, it’s just there to eliminate any last doubts about his sex. Some people may be stubborn enough to seriously believe he is a tomboyish girl after all 😛
Funnily enough, supremely-feminine looking males were somewhat common over there way back in the day, and by that I mean nearly 700-900 years ago!
You’re gonna love the main villain.
Too bad the plot is nothing Log horizon or any other trapped in another world anime.
Drifters as I read it, Show Spoiler ▼
Really think there is potential for some great drama here.
Please please keep blogging this show. I love the art and accent. Too bad Yoichi’s a trap though.
What Im trying to make sense of:
Show Spoiler ▼
Log Horizon was supposedly very bloody in book form, major point in story was players who could no longer adventure because combat was real, real painful, bloody and dying hurt really bad. Bodies and part of them all over the place, anime changed that for the children channel.
This story though is actually pre computer and has more links to pre computer age works than the computer linked types, SAO game is still unreal but your trapped in it is one type, Log Horizon a different type your in you characters body in a real world that happens to work on physics like those in the game, NPC’s are now real people with souls. Outbreak Company is the closest with no computer game component. But this story has people separated by time and multiple universes so is actually closer the the Narnia books than anything else so far. In Narinia there is actually a place with doors to many worlds and people are drawn from different era’s because time in different universes moves diffrently. Narinia started publishing 1950. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain has the time travel but not a different world but the fish out of water character is there. That was one of the first english time travel stories, if you want original you got to go back, way back.
Buddism has the multiple universes many of different natures so it a very old idea.
I have Hellsing as one of my most hated anime. The reason I liked Hellsing until it blew way past my suspension of disbelief was the total stupidity of vampires using more modern weapons made to look like WWII era Nazi weapons to somehow attack London though the militaries of America and Europe using a insane villain who actually has not plan to win just kill a huge number and die. This by a villain and vampires who have no Nazi beliefs. I could go on with stupid fights being in just to look cool with no actual logic to them. I hope this avoids the violence for violence reason no logic problem.
I enjoyed first episode but I worry.
Would have been nice if Yoichi was a female character. Already sounds and looks the part, just raise the neckline a bit and we’d be non the wiser.