10 More Action or Adventure Shows That’ll Get You Pumped!
The Elusive Samurai is a flashy and comedic samurai anime that’s airing (as of this writing). Fun fact, Assassination Classroom author Yusei Matsui also created The Elusive Samurai. In The Elusive Samurai, we follow Tokiyuki, a young boy who is the rightful heir to the Kamakura Shogunate.
One day, a noble warrior named Takauji organizes a rebellion to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate. This leaves everyone but Tokiyuki dead. Left with no options, Tokiyuki embarks on an adventure with a few folks. Tokiyuji hopes to avenge those he lost.
If you’re currently watching this anime but don’t know of shows/anime that capture its magic, fear not. We’ve searched through the archives to find you 10 more TV shows/anime that offer a similar viewing experience.
Additionally, for each program we’ve covered, including The Elusive Samurai, we’ve included a link that allows you to view our full thoughts about the series to see if it’s worth your time.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows/anime that should whet your appetite when you’ve finished streaming The Elusive Samurai!
Rurouni Kenshin (1996)
Similarities – Action, Comedy, Themes
Rurouni Kenshin (1996) is an anime worth experiencing despite the backlash it’s received (as of late) because of certain real-world influences. This anime contains wonderful storytelling, chilling moments, and characters The Elusive Samurai’s fans will adore.
In Rurouni Kenshin, we follow a former assassin named Hitokiri. Hitokiri changes his name to Kenshin to remove himself from his treacherous past. Kenshin doesn’t want to murder anyone and wants to live peacefully. Yet, when Kenshin learns a new foe has taken his former alias, he embarks on a journey to stop this culprit.
Like The Elusive Samurai, Rurouni Kenshin offers humorous scenarios to avoid feeling too dark. The visuals hold up but there are moments where the animation looks dated. If that’s an issue, the anime received a remake in 2023 so fans can watch the remake instead.
On top of having some endearing romantic elements, modern audiences should give this ’90s gem a chance.
Dororo (2019)
Similarities – Action, Adventure, Themes
Penned by the godfather of manga, Osamu Tezuka, Dororo (2019) is a captivating samurai anime. This phenomenal tale follows Hyakkimaru, a man who seeks his body parts. Hyakkimaru’s father and several demons were responsible for Hyakkimaru’s handicapped state.
Now older, Hyakkimaru embarks on a mission to search for and destroy the demons who stole his human elements. Along the way, he’ll meet a young boy named Dororo and establish a solid bond with him. Much like Tokiyuki’s tale (so far), Hyakkimaru’s journey is fueled by revenge.
Where Tokiyuki seeks vengeance against a man for killing his family, Hyakkimaru searches for supernatural entities that robbed him of his humanity. Both tales have great emotional moments, but Dororo’s segments are more gripping.
While some of Dororo’s moments may feel rushed, The Elusive Samurai’s audience will love this Tezuka classic.
Demon Slayer
Similarities – Action, Adventure, Themes
Demon Slayer is another modern Shonen anime fans will love. For those unaware, Demon Slayer delivers a similar revenge-fueled tale about a boy who grew up in a historical setting. Its lead, Tanjiro, embarks on a quest to slay demons who murdered his family.
Tanjiro’s sister, Nezuko, suffers from a demonic curse, making matters more dire for Tanjiro. Despite Tokiyuki and Tanjiro’s unfortunate circumstances, the two will find ways to experience life through enjoyable means. Where Tokiyuki seeks solace from the Suwa folks, Tanjiro will participate in satisfying excursions with Zenitsu and Inosuke. At the same time, fans should expect our samurai leads to engage in exhilarating sword fights.
Arguably, Demon Slayer’s fights are more visually impressive. Regardless, The Elusive Samurai’s fanbase should find Tanjiro and his comrades’ outings exciting.
You can check out our coverage of the Demon Slayer franchise here!
Ninja Scroll
Similarities – Action, Adventure, Swordsmanship
Rurouni Kenshin isn’t the only ’90s samurai classic we’d love to recommend. Ninja Scroll is a brutal anime many retro action junkies love to praise. This action-packed endeavor follows Jubei. He’s a talented swordsman who gets roped into a battle with skilled combatants.
This occurs after Jubei saves Kagero, a remarkable ninja, from a vile individual, and gets poisoned by a government spy. Therefore, Jubei must uncover the mystery surrounding his gauntlet of foes and come face to face with a man from his past.
Like The Elusive Samurai, Ninja Scroll’s action scenes are pure eye candy. Viewers will be bewildered by Ninja Scroll’s imagery. They’ll wonder how an early ’90s anime can look as great, if not, better than other action-centric anime released today.
Coupled with having similar story segments drenched in tragedy, history, and twists, Ninja Scroll is an old-school B-level anime worth seeing.
Yona of the Dawn
Similarities – Action, Adventure, Historical
Yona of the Dawn is a mid-2010s anime many folks want another season of. Like Tokiyuki, Yona of the Dawn’s protagonist Yona lives a peaceful existence in her preferred environment. However, a certain individual ruins Yona’s serene livelihood. Like Tokiyuki, Yona flees her homeland to escape a tragic fate.
This kicks off Yona’s quest for strength and vengeance. Like The Elusive Samurai, Yona of the Dawn offers great comedy, action, and drama. Yona endures her fair share of training regimes and fans will appreciate seeing her character develop throughout Season 1’s run.
Additionally, Yona will befriend numerous people and encounter interesting opponents. These characters have great personalities and goals. Some of them, like Hak, are extremely comedic, much like Yorishige’s character in The Elusive Samurai for better or worse.
On top of giving fans historically rich and visually appealing locales, Yona of the Dawn is worth your time.
Gintama
Similarities – Action, Adventure, Comedy
Gintama is one of the funniest Shonen Jump properties to grace the magazine. While Gintama’s known for its varied humor, it’s not afraid to delve into darker and mature material to captivate audiences. For those unaware, Gintama follows Gintoki, a skilled swordsman who likes tackling weird jobs.
He’ll later befriend two eccentric individuals named Shimura and Kagura who’ll assist him with these tasks. From battling sci-fi threats to average samurai like Tokiyuki does, fans will enjoy following Gintoki and his comrades’ journey in Gintama.
Next to having humorous sketches and drama-rich segments, Gintama’s action set pieces are remarkable. Like The Elusive Samurai, not all warriors fight with swords. You’ll see folks utilize different types of martial arts in this anime. This helps keep the battles refreshing and exciting.
Although Gintama can be a huge undertaking, length-wise, we’re certain The Elusive Samurai’s fanbase will love it.
Samurai Champloo
Similarities – Action, Adventure, Comedy
A samurai anime of action and funk awaits you in Samurai Champloo. Samurai Champloo delivers great characters, phenomenally animated battles, and a heart-pumping soundtrack that’ll make it difficult for someone to turn away from it. Our story starts in a small shop where shady samurai and individuals mingle and drink.
One day, Mugen, a samurai, walks in and fights a ronin named Jin there. Many problems occur, resulting in both warriors’ arrests. Fortunately, Fuu, the shop’s waitress, hires Mugen and Jin as her bodyguards for a specific task. Thus a quest of entertaining proportions begins.
The Elusive Samurai and Samurai Champloo offer familiar and exciting takes on samurai life. Additionally, both anime feature hilarious and emotional segments with the characters. This allows audiences to develop a fondness for each series’s character roster. Give Samurai Champloo a watch when you can!
Afro Samurai
Similarities – Action, Adventure, Samurai
If you thought the beheading scenes in The Elusive Samurai were intense, fans will be in awe at what Afro and others do in Afro Samurai. Like Tokiyuki, Afro lived a decent life. However, that all changed when Justice came along and killed Afro’s father. Enraged, Afro sets off on a journey to assassinate Justice to avenge his father.
As one can tell, Tokiyuki and Afro have similar backgrounds and train to become better warriors. As of the anime’s continuity, Tokiyuki is more inexperienced than Afro, but he’ll likely become a phenomenal samurai eventually. Additionally, both characters aren’t afraid to kill their foes.
The foes Afro and Tokiyuki encounter are skilled, with some of them being downright insane. Lastly, both anime feature our characters traversing settings that look pretty to the eye. If you want a samurai show with gore, emotion, and maturity, check out Afro Samurai.
Sword of the Stranger
Similarities – Action, Adventure, Samurai
Tokiyuki has his work cut out for him in The Elusive Samurai. He lost his family and has to keep his identity a secret, otherwise, he’ll meet a similar brutal fate. This idea of living life on the run is something Sword of the Stranger’s Kotarou understands. Kotarou and his pet dog Tobimaru must travel to different locales to avoid detection.
Many assassins are hunting Kotarou down. Kotarou and Tobimaru befriend Nanashi, who’ll serve as their bodyguard during their adventure. Their dynamic mirrors Yorishige and Tokiyuki’s to some degree. Similar dynamics and premises aside, Sword of the Stranger and The Elusive Samurai feature solid fights.
Folks will enjoy seeing the fascinating team-focused battles and solo duels set within these anime realms. Moreover, both shows offer interesting historical settings with architecture that’ll help immerse folks in each storyline. Give Sword of the Stranger a watch if you’re after a great samurai work.
Vinland Saga
Similarities – Action, Adventure, Themes
Vinland Saga centers its tale around Thorfinn. He’s a young male who seeks vengeance against a man who killed his father. While Thorfinn’s world is centered around Vikings instead of samurai, many folks can pinpoint the similarities between his and Tokiyuki’s journeys.
First and foremost, both characters have experienced loss in the family. This experience gives both characters reasons to push forward with their goals. Additionally, both stories feature rich drama that extends beyond the leads we follow. This gives both tales life and entices folks to care for the other characters depicted in each’s universe.
Additionally, both tales feature interesting antagonists. While not much is known about Takauji’s character, anime-wise, his dominant presence and mysterious aura make him someone worth admiring, much like Vinland Saga’s Askeladd.
In addition to offering memorable physical altercations, Vinland Saga is a must-watch!
So there we have it, our 10 anime/TV show alternatives to watch when you’ve caught up with The Elusive Samurai!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!