When you call a manga The Elusive Samurai, there’s bound to be moments of failure and retreat. Of course, this aspect has helped make Hojo Tokiyuki such a formidable character, as he’s faced off against many strong warriors with his running skills and come out on top. But can Tokiyuki turn something cowardly and transform it into a plan of action? In its nineteenth volume, The Elusive Samurai brings about the so-called “false retreat”.

But first, should I be surprised by how fast the fight between Tokiyuki and Fubuki was? Was this a fake out? After so much being built up in the previous volume regarding two former allies fighting one another, how it ends is kind of disappointing. Granted, it gave me a laugh seeing Ayako smack his mask hard enough to crack it, which somehow woke something up in Fubuki’s brainwashed mind. But for now, I guess this fight may have to be for another day.


And maybe that’s a good thing, because this volume of The Elusive Samurai is just one huge fight after another. In battle, there are no breaks or breathers. Take a moment to rest, and your neck could say “sayonara” to your head! And quite a lot of people in The Battle of Ishizu lose their heads in the wildest of ways. But there’s one warrior who’d dare never to lose their pretty head in battle: Kitabatake Akiie.

To be blunt, this volume belongs to Akiie, who uses a wild plan to trick the Ashikaga forces into a false sense of power. Instead, the whole thing winds up being a ruse, as Akiie demonstrates his wits, his skills, and his beauty to claim the heads of many enemy soldiers. Dare I say, he almost seemed untouchable. So why the “almost” part?

Enter the big baddie himself: Takauji. His mere presence sends shivers down the spines of many soldiers, both allied and enemy. In fact, his way of slaughtering dozens of soldiers without breaking a sweat is so terrifying that I couldn’t even muster a chuckle when he made quick work of Akiie’s army. So when Takauji and Akiie go head to head in battle, one can’t help but feel worried about the outcome. And man, do I hate it when those worries are right on the money.

It’s here where Tokiyuki brings out his “false retreat”. The fake out is so convincing that even I thought our hero had become a yellow-bellied coward. But no, all according to plan, as we see just how much Tokiyuki has learned from Akiie and the many other soldiers and generals who have stood by his side. In fact, this moment shows a side of Takauji that’s never been seen, one that’s brims with cowardice and a greedy means of survival. Is it a sign of hope for his defeat in the future?

Who knows. But when it comes to fighting, retreating, and plotting, Hojo Tokiyuki has become a master of them all. At long last, he’s earned his adulthood, as a man whose childhood was robbed of its innocence by Takauji. Volume Nineteen of The Elusive Samurai is all battles from front to back cover, with both sides coming out wearier from fighting. However, knowing both Tokiyuki and Takauji, the urge to rise from the ashes and blossom into a mighty warrior again is imminent.

Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media. Click here to read past reviews of The Elusive Samurai!