One word sums up this series: AWESOME.
Based on the world of the Sengoku Basara videogames which are [loosely] based on the infamous Sengoku Period in Japanese history, Sengoku Basara is a mish-mash of explosive action, slapstick comedy, and romance caught in a whirlwind war for supremacy. In the words of a reviewer on ANN, it's "JAPANESE HISTORY MAXIMUM". And I loved every second of it.
Story:
While the Japanese audience are very familiar with the Sengoku period and its many players, us foreigners might have a bit of a rough time recognizing the famous samurai and battles that pepper the Sengoku Basara universe. With a large cast, SB works quickly to familiarize viewers with the varied generals and their respective heavily-named territories, focusing especially on Masamune Date, the Big Boss of Oshu [an utter badass] and Lord Shingen and his (servant? protege?) Yukimura Sanada of the Takeda Clan. Main villain Oda Nobunaga (he has one HELL of a theme song) explodes onto the scene in episode 2 leaving a wake...
Japanese History Just got a Lot More Awesome!
Based on a video game series that itself turned Japanese history into a comic book, this is the coolest anime show I've seen in quite some time. You see, the "Sengoku" of the title refers to the "Sengoku" or "Warring States" period of Japanese history, which lasted over 100 years and saw constant battle as numerous factions fought for territory and control. Several of the characters are even based on actual people...but here they are given flashy, colorful outfits that make them look like medieval superheroes/villains, weild badass kung-fu weapons, have nicknames like "One-Eyed Dragon", "Tiger of Kai" and "The Devil King", spout dialogue that sounds like Shakespeare on testosterone(it's cooler than it sounds), and use DBZ-style super powered martial-arts moves that defy the laws of physics. One character even has a motorcycle handle bars and exhaust pipes on his horse! If you think that sounds over the top...well, that's the whole idea.
I'll admit that some of the...
Are you ready ghuys?!!!!
Yes, that is ghuys, not guys. The words of Date Masamune in this series always sound better when you add his little accent.
If there is any series done which reeks of more testosterone fueled action than Basara, I haven't seen it yet. This series takes the warring states period and injects it with a dose of about 1000 energy drinks. Is it meant to be accurate? No. Is it meant to obey the laws of physics? No. Is it meant to be an action packed show where bitter enemies band together to face a common foe? Yes.
That is mostly what both seasons sum up to be. It is not an over the top emotional drama story or a feel good story where enemies come to love each other. It is an action series showing the strength found when rivals put aside differences and join forces. The two most prominent heroes are the ones gracing the box cover: Sanada Yukimura and Date Masamune. The epic rivalry between these two knows no end. Their battles always engulf entire battlefields and...
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