In a massively growing market of anime, we are starting to see major players investing in the genre. For example, Netflix’s plans to invest over 8 billion dollars in original content for 2018 and a significant chunk of that will go to new anime development. As the saturation each year continues to increase for anime, it will cause many great series to be lost and forgotten in the way of limelight series like My Hero Academia, Sword Art Online, and Fairy Tail. While these are amazing series, my argument here is to keep your eyes peeling and search the depths of the ever growing pile to find the hidden diamonds that deserve to shine.
The first hidden gem I wish to address was an anime directed by Naruto and Naruto Shippuden showrunner, Hayato Date. This anime title alone is something will leave many anime fans scratching their heads wondering what in the world I’m talking about. Now before you Google search the heck out of it, let me give you the rundown of this stunning series.
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Kaze no Yojimbo
By Robert Benoit Updated: December 27, 2017
The quality of the show based on a largely minimal budget shows the mastery of Date’s craft as an anime director that he would later show at the start of Naruto. The man knows how to work with a small budget to create an engrossing drama that makes use of every frame. To juxtapose different characters into an on screen palette in order to show unending conflict and challenging emotions is something short of genius, especially when it comes to a murder mystery. While some could argue that the vague details in some character designs and background set pieces hinder the experience, I would argue the opposite. I think that this opaque choice establishes a creepy and invested atmosphere that asks the viewer to discover the importance of what is placed before them. Is there a detail purposefully left out that makes you curious of a character’s motivations? Is there a puzzle piece missing that would paint a better picture of Kimujuku and if so, can you find it? There are small things within the show’s small budget that truly adds to the experience of watching Kaze no Yojimbo that big budget anime miss entirely. Money doesn’t equal brilliance! I’m looking at you Kingdom!
The characterization of the various cast members that create the foundation for the show’s central mystery. At one point, a professor visits from Tokyo, where he points out that Kimujuku translates out to be “THE TOWN OF THE DEMON.” (Sorry, I really like to emphasize the finer details here.) In many ways, this describes not the town itself, but the people who inhabit it. Each and every single character is powerfully acted and given unique personalities that lay the groundwork for their individual motivations. Shusaku Tanokura, who is the leading mogul for one of the town’s gangs, is perceived as this perfect man who seems to always have a calm head as the world spirals around. On the other hand, Samekichi Shirogane leads the rival gang, who always acts with a hot head despite his best efforts to act like his counterpart.
Kaze no Yojimbo (translated to Bodyguard of the Wind) is a fascinatingly lighthearted and twistedly unique take on the Akira Kurosawa classic masterpiece, Yojimbo. The series follows George Kodama, who arrives in the rural town of Kimujuku in the hopes of finding a man by the name of Genzo Araki. When he strikes out in his search, George takes aim at two opposing factions that run Kimujuku to find the answers to a mystery that has haunted him for fifteen years. (I won’t get into the actual mystery because it’s far better if you just see it for yourself.)
Now what makes this series so marvelous to invest such an honorable mention you ask?
Well my response resides in the answers to a few different points.
Bare with me here!
My favorite character in the show is Rin Shirogane, for reasons that become apparent from his heavily episode-focused introduction. His introduction after being released from prison for murdering someone in a bar-fight might very well be one of the single greatest episodes of anime. The animation quality is drastically improved and for good reason, to focus on Rin’s erratic behavior and what ultimately makes him the anti-hero of Kaze no Yojimbo. It is so vividly expressed that it still gives me shivers! You’ll never look at Russian Roulette the same! He is such a well established character thanks partially to the fine work by voice-actor Richard Cansino who brings to life one of the craziest people in all of anime!
I would argue that almost every character is given a chance to shine in this show because the writers know how to play off each character’s strengths and weaknesses to add dramatic effect. One of Kurosawa’s defining talents in the works from which the show is based.
The pacing of the show for its 25 episode duration. Pacing can be somewhat of a double-edged sword for anime shows. You have series like Anohana or Erased that benefit from a short 12 episode format, while you have longer series like Durarara! that are strangely paced and might ruin the show for some completely. Kaze no Yojimbo runs at a longer 25 episodes, yet feels perfectly placed! Comparative to Cowboy Bebop, the few filler episodes feel purposeful in crafting the world depicted whist adding to George’s insatiable desire to unravel Kimujuku’s corruption.
One episode focuses on Kodama being invited onto the Shirogane Poker Train (You read that right!) that is always constantly on the move so as to avoid being raided by the cops. Another emphasizes a solo murder mystery about a man killed outside of a church and the disturbing incident that caused it more than a decade prior. While these two chapters have nothing to do with the main narrative, it creates a chance for Kodama to be painted as someone who is quick witted. More importantly, it shows that Kimujuku is a terrible town!!
There are so many other things to get into here, like the shows remarkably phenomenal soundtrack and audio design. Now as I’m finishing up here, you are probably wondering: WHERE CAN I WATCH IT?! Well that’s a tough question to answer since DVD copies are out of print and far more expensive than most would want to spend (Amazon places them starting new at $149! Yikes!)
The only way to watch the show is to either watch what is available on YouTube or find various torrent sizes to stream the show. The folks at Funimation said they would love to rerelease Kaze no Yojimbo, but they have no way of obtaining the rights since Bandai refuses to give them up. I have actually gone out of my way to email Bandai in order to convince them to rerelease the show in a Blu-ray format, but to no avail. I think we need to create a petition to get this more easily available to the anime watching public! A fan can dream can’t he?
This is a marvelous series with a beautiful finale that ties every loose end into a perfect bow. By the time it’s over, you’ll wish that you could re-watch it without remembering having seen it already. Here on Anime News Network, viewers who rated the show agreed with me, with high marks in the Good, Very Good and Masterpiece areas. If I can say anything to you, go search this show and find a way to watch it. Share it with your anime friends and make it known to more people in the anime circuit. Kaze no Yojimbo deserves to go from HIDDEN GEM to WIDELY KNOWN TREASURE! Now get to it!
Rin, one of the three Shirogane brothers, smoking a cigarette.
George Kodama, the protagonist of the series.