Hyakka Ryoran Samurai Girls - Review of charming characters and deep story

Samurai Girls - The Battles and Charms of Beautiful Samurai

■Overview of the work

"Hyakka Ryoran Samurai Girls" is a TV anime series based on the light novel by Akira Suzuki. It aired from October 3rd to December 19th, 2010, and depicts the story of beautiful samurai set in the beautiful country of "Dai Nippon". It consists of 12 episodes, each 30 minutes long. It was produced by ARMS, produced by Hyakka Ryoran Partners, and directed by KOBUN.

■Broadcast information

"Hyakka Ryoran Samurai Girls" was broadcast on the following stations:

• Chiba TV: October 3, 2010 to December 19, 2010, every Sunday from 24:30 to 25:00
• tvk: October 3, 2010 to December 19, 2010, every Sunday from 25:30 to 26:00
• Teletama: October 4, 2010 to December 20, 2010, every Monday from 25:00 to 25:30
• TOKYO MX: October 5, 2010 to December 21, 2010, every Tuesday from 25:30 to 26:00
• TV Aichi: October 5, 2010 to December 21, 2010, every Tuesday from 25:58 to 26:28
• Sun TV: October 6, 2010 to December 22, 2010, every Wednesday from 26:10 to 26:40
• AT-X: October 11, 2010 to December 27, 2010, every Monday from 9:00 to 9:30

■ Story

The beautiful country of "Great Japan" has been invaded many times by the great powers that envied its beauty. However, each time, the guardian deities of Great Japan, the "Samurai", have stood in the way and protected the country. "Hyakka Ryoran" is a story of noble spirit woven by these beautiful samurai.

The time is a certain year in the Heisei Era. The Tokugawa Shogunate, which had ruled Japan for a long time, opened a huge school called "Buo Gakuen Juku" at the foot of the sacred Mount Fuji. The children of samurai families gathered there and studied hard and practiced martial arts every day to carry the next generation of Japan on their shoulders. Girls appear before Yagyu Muneo, a high school student attending the school and assistant instructor of the Yagyu Dojo. Yagyu Jubei, a girl who falls from the sky completely naked. Sanada Yukimura and Goto Matabei, who are on the Toyotomi side and enemies of the student council. Tokugawa Sen, also known as Senhime, the younger sister of the student council president, Tokugawa Yoshihiko, and Muneo's childhood friend, and Hattori Hanzo, a glasses-wearing ninja who is her attendant and the student council's disciplinary committee chairman. Beautiful samurai gather around Muneo. Is his meeting with these girls a coincidence? Or was it fate?!

The "black shadow that covers Japan" predicted by Yukimura, the "spirited abduction" that occurs at the same time as students disappear one after another, and the mystery of the girl "Yagyu Jubei" who fell from the sky. The intentions of Tokugawa Yoshihiko, the student council president who holds absolute power at the top of the school. And who is the sword princess [Master Samurai] who has saved Japan from countless crises with her absolute skills?! The encounter between Muneo and the girls marks the beginning of a new upheaval that will shake up the history of Japan! Now, the battle of the beautiful samurai begins!

■Explanation

The story of Akira Suzuki's swordsman girl going wild in a huge school, and the beautiful characters drawn by popular artist Niθ, have attracted attention as the light novel "Hyakka Ryoran" (published by HJ Bunko) commemorating Hobby Japan's 40th anniversary, which has been made into an anime. The story features samurai named after warlords and swordsmen from the Sengoku period, and beautiful swordsmen, engaging in dazzling and sexy action.

■Cast

• Jubei Yagyu: Aoi Yuki
• Muneo Yagyu: Daisuke Hirakawa
• Yukimura Sanada: Rie Kugimiya
• Tokugawa Sen: Kotobuki Minako
• Goto Matabei: Kobayashi Yu
• Hattori Hanzo: Goto Saori
• Kanetsugu Naoe: Aki Toyosaki
• Tokugawa Yoshihiko: Sakurai Takahiro
• Charles de D'Artagnan: Ami Koshimizu
• Yoshisen Yagyu: Kaoru Mizuhara
• Narration: Fumihiko Tachiki

■ Main staff

• Original author: Akira Suzuki
• Character design: Niθ
• Planning: Atsushi Iwasaki, Ryoji Sakakima, Kazuaki Morijiri
• Director: KOBUN
• Series Composition: Ryunosuke Kanetsuki
• Character design and chief animation director: Tsutomu Miyazawa
• Art director: Junichi Azuma
• Art setting: Eiko Tsunagashira
• Color setting: Abe Miyuki
• Director of photography: Shigeki Asakawa
• Edited by: Tagumajun
• Sound Director: Aketagawa Jin
• Music: Tatsuya Kato
• Music producer: Yoshiyuki Ito
• Music Production: Lantis
• Producers: Shinsaku Tanaka, Ryuji Sekine, Hisato Usui, Takuro Hatakeyama
• Production producers: Osamu Etchu, Kazuyoshi Ozawa
• Production desk: Shingo Chiba
• Setting Production: Atsushi Oka
• Produced by: Genco
• Produced by: ARMS
• Produced by: Hyakka Ryoran Partners (Media Factory, Hobby Japan, Shogakukan, Lantis, Movic, Zigno System Japan, Genco)

■ Main Characters

Yagyu Jubei <br> A mysterious beautiful girl who suddenly falls naked from the sky above Mutaka Academy. Although she has no memory of what happened before, she calls herself "Yagyu Jubei" and for some reason calls Muneo "big brother". She has a bright and innocent personality and is not afraid of anyone. Another personality awakens through Muneo's "sho" power (= kiss), and she unleashes a number of terrifying secret techniques. Her true identity is "Yagyu Jubei" who was reincarnated naked by Amakusa Shiro.

Yagyu Muneo <br> The (nominal) protagonist of the story. A high school student enrolled at Buo Gakuen. He is the next head of the Yagyu family, which has served as swordsmanship instructor for the Tokugawa Shogunate for over 400 years, and is the master of the Yagyu Dojo swordsmanship dojo, with first-class swordsmanship. He also excels as a commander, giving precise instructions in battle. He is kind to everyone and treats everyone equally, but he also has a strong will that refuses to give in to injustice.

Yukimura Sanada is the wisest general of the Toyotomi faction. He senses a sign that something dangerous is approaching Japan and warns the Tokugawa Student Council, but ends up on the Shogunate's wanted list for rioting. He is a confident man who is known for his arrogant behavior, but he has the intelligence and courage to match. He has a complex about his childlike appearance and wide forehead.

Tokugawa Sen (Princess Sen)
She is the younger sister of Tokugawa Yoshihiko, the student council president who rules over Buo Gakuen. She is also the vice president of the student council and the princess of the Tokugawa family. She is commonly known as Senhime. She is extremely ladylike and selfish, and a bit sadistic. Her naginata skills are of expert level. She also has an active side, as she notices her brother's plot and tries to investigate it. She is curious about her childhood friend, Muneo, but is at an age where she cannot be honest about it.

Hattori Hanzo <br> A member of the Student Council Executive Committee's Disciplinary Committee. A classmate of Muneo, he is also the much-talked-about class representative. A female ninja who wears maid-style combat uniforms, he leads the all-female Disciplinary Committee combat unit, the "Hattori Ninja Army." He serves Senhime, but seems to have some suspicious feelings for her that go beyond a master-servant relationship...

Goto Matabei <br> Yukimura's servant, he is always with him. He is a large man of few words, but is actually a man of great character who is very considerate of small details. He behaves sincerely towards his master, Yukimura. He is also good at cooking and has a domestic side. Although he is confused by the nickname "Beta-san" given to him by Jubei, he seems to like it quite a bit.

Charles de D'Artagnan <br> He is the Student Council Executive Committee Disciplinary Committee Chair. A kunoichi with glasses and wearing a maid-style combat uniform. He leads the all-female Disciplinary Committee. He is a germaphobe and has no immunity to obscene words and actions, and dislikes them. He has lesbian and masochistic tendencies. He is very loyal to Senhime, but he also seems to have some suspicious feelings for her...

Naoe Kanetsugu is a self-proclaimed warrior of love who believes in "love" and fights for "love". He is a childhood friend of Yukimura and seems to have a deep connection with him. He is a very earnest person, but his actions always go awry and he always makes mistakes. Due to Yoshihiko's schemes, he has been tricked into thinking that Muneo is a villain and challenges him to a fight. Although he is not very smart, he is a master of the "Naoe Style Battle Hammer Technique", which involves swinging a large hammer that is taller than he is.

Yoshino Retsudo (Gisen Yagyu)
Like Jubei, she is a mysterious girl who fell from the sky above the school. She has a sadistic and cruel personality. She is a beautiful girl with an eyepatch who is known for her extremely dangerous behavior, such as persistently seducing Muneo by telling him that she is her slave. Her true identity is the other half of "Jubei", who was "naked reincarnated" by Amakusa Shiro along with Jubei. She is an assassin sent by Amakusa to accidentally break the contract that was made with Muneo.

Tokugawa Yoshihiko <br> He is the student council president who rules over Buo Gakuen, and will one day succeed the Tokugawa family as Shogun of Great Japan. He is over 180cm tall, has long hair that reaches down to his waist, and is covered in flexible muscles. He pretends to be easygoing and elusive, but in reality he is a shrewd individual. Despite being a student, he is skilled in diplomacy with other countries. He is currently staying in Paris with D'Artagnan.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: My First Loyalty (2010/10/03)
• Episode 2: Nude Reincarnation (2010/10/10)
• Episode 3: The True Identity of the Sword Princess (Master Samurai) (10/17/2010)
• Episode 4: Hey, be loyal to me? (2010/10/24)
• Episode 5: The Warrior of Love Appears (2010/10/31)
• Episode 1: The Sea Monster Attacks (2010/11/07)
• Episode 7: The Shadow Covering Great Japan (2010/11/14)
• Episode 8: Slave of Loyalty (2010/11/21)
• Episode 9: The General's Return (2010/11/28)
• Episode 10: Prison of the Evil Eye (2010/12/05)
• Episode 11: A Samurai from France (2010/12/12)
• Episode 12: Goodbye Loyalty (2010/12/19)

■ Related works

• OVA Hyakka Ryoran Samurai Girls ~Otome♥Happy and Embarrassing Promise of a Soldier~
• Samurai Bride: A Profusion of Flowers
• Hyakka Ryoran Samurai Bride Short Episode
• A Hyakukaryoran Samurai After
• Hyakka Ryoran Samurai After Short Episode

■ Theme songs and music

OP1
・Last vision for last
Lyrics: Aki Hata Music: Noriyasu Agematsu (Elements Garden)
・Arrangement: Noriyasu Agematsu (Elements Garden)
・Singer: Hiran

ED1
・Love is all about you・Lyrics: Aki Hata・Composition: Koshiro Fukumoto, Dai Murai・Arrangement: Akira Takada・Singer: Samurai Girls ~Jubei Yagyu, Yukimura Sanada, Sen Tokugawa~ (Aoi Yuki, Rie Kugimiya, Minako Kotobuki)

■ Review

"Hyakka Ryoran Samurai Girls" is a work that features beautiful visuals, attractive characters, and a unique worldview. It maximizes the appeal of the original light novel and has succeeded in conveying its appeal to an even wider audience by making it into an anime.

First of all, the setting of the work, "Great Japan," is an appealing worldview that combines historical background with fantasy elements. The setting of a country ruled by the Tokugawa Shogunate is an irresistible element for history buffs, and the addition of the existence of samurai adds even more depth. In addition, the choice of a school setting gives it a strong youth drama element, drawing viewers in.

The appeal of the characters cannot be overlooked. In particular, the character of Yagyu Jubei is appealing due to the contrast between his bright and innocent personality and the other personality that emerges during battle. Each character is unique and adds excitement to the story, such as Yagyu Muneo's leadership and kindness, Sanada Yukimura's intelligence and confidence, and Tokugawa Sen's selfish yet active personality. Furthermore, the supporting characters such as Hattori Hanzo, Goto Matabei, and Charles de D'Artagnan are also appealing and support the story as a whole.

The story development is also one of the highlights. Various elements, such as factional disputes within the school, the mysterious "spirited away" incidents, and the dark shadow that hangs over Japan, are intertwined, keeping viewers from getting bored. The subtitles for each episode are also unique, giving a sense of how the story will unfold. There are many titles that catch the viewer's interest, such as "Nude Reincarnation" and "The True Identity of the Sword Princess (Master Samurai)," which builds anticipation for the next episode.

The work is also excellent in terms of visuals. Niθ's beautiful character designs and Arms' careful drawing combine to create beautiful images. The battle scenes in particular feature sexy action and brilliant swordplay, making them visually appealing. The color and art settings are also excellent, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the work.

The music also adds to the appeal of the work. The opening theme, "Last vision for last," is a song that symbolizes the theme of the work, with Hirano's powerful singing voice and Noriyasu Agematsu's composition matching well. The ending theme, "Koi ni Sesse Toryanse," is sung by Yagyu Jubei, Sanada Yukimura, and Tokugawa Sen, further enhancing the appeal of the characters.

■Recommendation

"Hyakka Ryoran Samurai Girls" is an attractive work with beautiful visuals, attractive characters, and a unique worldview. It is especially recommended for history buffs, fantasy buffs, and youth drama buffs. It will also be enjoyed by those who like beautiful girl characters and sexy action. In addition, there are plenty of OVAs and related works, so you can enjoy the worldview of the work even more deeply. Please give it a watch.