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The Elusive Samurai - Wikipedia

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The Elusive Samurai

First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Hojo Tokiyuki

逃げ上手の若君
(Nige Jōzu no Wakagimi)
Genre
Manga
Written byYusei Matsui
Published byShueisha
English publisher
ImprintJump Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Jump
DemographicShōnen
Original runJanuary 25, 2021 – present
Volumes19 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed byYuta Yamazaki
Written byYoriko Tomita
Music by
  • Gembi
  • Akiyuki Tateyama
StudioCloverWorks
Licensed by
Original networkTokyo MX, BS11, GYT, GTV, MBS
Original run July 6, 2024 – present
Episodes12
icon Anime and manga portal

The Elusive Samurai (Japanese: 逃げ上手の若君, Hepburn: Nige Jōzu no Wakagimi, "The Young Lord Who Is Skilled at Escaping") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yusei Matsui. It has been serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump since January 2021, with its chapters collected in 19 tankōbon volumes as of February 2025. The series is based on the historical figure of Hōjō Tokiyuki, a young samurai determined to enact revenge on Ashikaga Takauji, a samurai who betrayed and caused the downfall of his family.

An anime television series adaptation produced by CloverWorks aired from July to September 2024. A second season has been announced.

The series won the 69th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2024.

Set between the late Kamakura and early Muromachi periods, the story follows the tale of Hojo Tokiyuki, a boy on the run after his family is overthrown by Ashikaga Takauji. With his only allies being a shady priest and his followers, the young lord must seek revenge and regain his glory, with his only weapon: a superhuman ability to flee and hide.

Written and illustrated by Yusei Matsui, The Elusive Samurai started in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump on January 25, 2021.[4][5][6] Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on July 2, 2021.[7] As of February 4, 2025, 19 volumes have been released.[8]

In North America, the manga is licensed for English release by Viz Media, who simultaneously publishes the chapters digitally as they are released in Japan on its Shonen Jump website.[9] In October 2021, Viz Media announced that they would publish its volumes in print, with the first one released on July 5, 2022.[10][11] Shueisha also simulpublishes the series in English on the Manga Plus platform.[12]

An anime television series adaptation was announced in March 2023. It is produced by CloverWorks and directed by Yuta Yamazaki, with scripts supervised by Yoriko Tomita, and character designs handled by Yasushi Nishiya.[13][14] Yūsuke Kawakami serves as assistant director, and Gembi and Akiyuki Tateyama composed the music.[15] The series aired its first season from July 6 to September 28, 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks.[16][17][18] The opening theme song is "Plan A" (プラン A, Puran A), performed by Dish, while the ending theme song is "Kamakura Style" (鎌倉 STYLE, Kamakura Sutairu), performed by Botchi Boromaru [ja].[19]

A second season was announced on October 6, 2024.[20]

In North America, the series is licensed by Aniplex of America, streaming it on Crunchyroll;[21][22] an English dub premiered on August 3, 2024.[23] Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[24]

By May 2022, the manga had over 1 million copies in circulation;[28] over 1.5 million copies in circulation by April 2023;[29] over 2 million copies in circulation by March 2024;[30] and over 3 million copies in circulation by July 2024.[31]

In June 2021, The Elusive Samurai was nominated for the seventh Next Manga Award in the Best Printed Manga category and placed sixth out of 50 nominees.[32][33] The series ranked eighth on the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2022.[34] Along with Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Sūji de Asobo, and Trillion Game, The Elusive Samurai won the 69th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2024.[35][36][a]

Anthony Gramuglia of Comic Book Resources wrote that the series has become one of the "highlights of [Weekly] Shōnen Jump's newer titles", adding that "[it] is not only surprisingly emotional but also surprisingly intense, starting with all cylinders at full-throttle and never letting up".[38]

  1. ^ Since 2023 the nominees are not divided into categories.[37]
  1. ^ "The Official Website for The Elusive Samurai". Viz Media. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  2. ^ Strusiewicz, Cezary Jan (August 22, 2024). "Who Was The Elusive Samurai? The Real Life of Hojo Tokiyuki". Tokyo Weekender. Archived from the original on August 27, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  3. ^ Valdez, Nick (June 26, 2024). "Top 10 Most Anticipated Summer 2024 Anime to Watch". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  4. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 17, 2021). "Shonen Jump Launches New Manga by Assassination Classroom & Astra Lost in Space Creators, 2 Others". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  5. ^ "北条時行"検索する人続出 ジャンプ新連載の主人公で史実描き話題 作者は『暗殺教室』松井優征氏. Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. January 25, 2021. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  6. ^ 松井優征の新作は歴史の狭間で"逃げる"英雄を描く逃亡譚、. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 25, 2021. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  7. ^ 逃げ上手の若君：「暗殺教室」松井優征の5年ぶり新連載 コミックス第1巻 日本画家が着物や背景描く. Mantan Web (in Japanese). November 26, 2022. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  8. ^ 逃げ上手の若君 19 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  9. ^ Hazra, Adriana (January 22, 2021). "Viz Media to Publish Yusei Matsui's New Manga in English". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  10. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 10, 2021). "Viz Announces Summer 2022 Book Releases Including Junji Ito's The Liminal Zone, Takashi Shiina's Yashahime Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  11. ^ "The Elusive Samurai, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  12. ^ "Yûsei Matsui, l'auteur de Neuro et d'Assassination Classroom, lance un nouveau manga dans le Shônen Jump". Manga News (in French). January 25, 2021. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  13. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 19, 2023). "Yusei Matsui's The Elusive Samurai Manga Gets TV Anime at Cloverworks". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  14. ^ 漫画『逃げ上手の若君』テレビアニメ化決定 制作はCloverWorksでPV公開 (in Japanese). Oricon. March 20, 2023. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  15. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 16, 2023). "The Elusive Samurai Anime's 1st Promo Video Introduces Main Cast". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  16. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (March 24, 2024). "The Elusive Samurai Reveals 1st Short Promo Video, July Premiere". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 24, 2024. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  17. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 8, 2024). "The Elusive Samurai Anime's New Promo Video Reveals July 6 Premiere". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 8, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  18. ^ a b 逃げ上手の若君 (in Japanese). Tokyo MX. Archived from the original on September 28, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  19. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (June 23, 2024). "The Elusive Samurai Anime's New Video Reveals More Cast, Theme Songs Artists". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  20. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (October 6, 2024). "The Elusive Samurai Anime Gets 2nd Season". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 6, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  21. ^ Mateo, Alex (July 3, 2024). "Crunchyroll to Stream Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, The Elusive Samurai, True Beauty, More Anime for Summer Season". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  22. ^ The Elusive Samurai｜Official Trailer. Aniplex of America. July 3, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024 – via YouTube.
  23. ^ Dempsey, Liam (August 2, 2024). "The Elusive Samurai English Dub Reveals Cast, Release Date". Crunchyroll News. Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  24. ^ Pineda, Rafael (July 1, 2024). "Muse Asia Licenses The Elusive Samurai, SHY Season 2 Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  25. ^ a b c d "Monogatari｜Terebi Anime「Nige Jōzu no Wakagimi」Koshiki Saito" 物語｜TVアニメ「逃げ上手の若君」公式サイト [Story｜TV Anime "The Elusive Samurai" Official Site]. nigewaka.run (in Japanese). Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  26. ^ "Watch The Elusive Samurai". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  27. ^ TVアニメ『逃げ上手の若君』 [@nigewaka_anime] (August 31, 2024). ＼\次週の #逃げ上手の若君 は.../／ 幕間（1333年-1334年） ꧁ 「歴史」をお届け ꧂ 諏訪頼重(声：#中村悠一)の 新録ナレーションとともに 第一回～第九回を振り返ります🏃 全国30局にて9/7 ㈯23:30より放送🎲 (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved September 28, 2024 – via Twitter.
  28. ^ 『逃げ上手の若君』(松井優征作品)公式 [@ansatsu_k] (May 30, 2022). #逃げ上手の若君 第6巻が 6/3（金）発売‼️ 累計発行部数は100万部突破🎉 6巻発売を記念して イラストカードを作成しました✨ ⬇️配布書店リストはこちら⬇️ https://shu-sales.box.com/s/1jimwmb02kmflrk7hi56i4ehxkd6jyhl ※配布方法は書店により異なります。 ※配布物は数量に限りがあります。なくなり次第終了いたします。 (Tweet). Retrieved June 6, 2023 – via Twitter.
  29. ^ 『逃げ上手の若君』(松井優征作品)公式 [@ansatsu_k] (April 4, 2023). #逃げ若 最新10巻や各巻を購入（画像の帯が目印）すると 時行パーカープレゼントに応募できます❗️ ⚠️応募締切は2023年5月8日（月）まで❗️ 帯についている応募券をハガキに 貼って応募要項のあて先に送ってください👍 外れても和紙シールが 当たるWチャンス✨ #逃げ上手の若君 (Tweet). Retrieved June 6, 2023 – via Twitter.
  30. ^ アニメ『逃げ上手の若君』放送時期が2024年7月に決定。主人公・北条時行の本編映像が盛り込まれたショートPV第1弾を公開. Famitsu (in Japanese). March 24, 2024. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  31. ^ アニメ「逃げ上手の若君」映像美にキャストも感動の第1話先行上映会イベントレポート. The Television [ja] (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. July 5, 2024. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  32. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (June 21, 2021). "Voting Opens for Tsugi ni Kuru Manga 2021 Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  33. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (August 24, 2021). "Kaiju No. 8, Oshi no Ko Win Next Manga Awards Web, Print Categories". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  34. ^ 書店員が選んだおすすめコミック2022、第1位は龍幸伸「ダンダダン」. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 27, 2022. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  35. ^ 第69回小学館漫画賞に「葬送のフリーレン」「逃げ上手の若君」など4作品 部門は廃止. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  36. ^ Mateo, Alex (January 18, 2024). "Frieren, Elusive Samurai, Trillion Game, Sūji de Asobo. Win 69th Shogakukan Manga Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  37. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 7, 2023). "12 Works Including Frieren, Elusive Samurai, Ya Boy Kongming! Nominated for 69th Shogakukan Manga Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  38. ^ Gramuglia, Anthony (June 18, 2021). "Shonen Jump's 5 Newest Manga, Ranked". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.