Masanosuke Akitsu is having a hard time keeping his jobs because of his personality. Although he's a skilled swordsman, he freezes up in a crowd and cowers when everyone's attention is on him. The shy ronin meets his opposite while wandering around town. Yaichi, leader of the gang called Five Leaves, hires him as a bodyguard. He finds the gang's covert activities discouraging however and several times he tries to extricate himself from the group. However, the more he knew Yaichi, Take, Umezou, and Matsukichi, he becomes more attached to the gang. His fascination with Yaichi leads him to discoveries of the latter's past that strengthens his admiration for the gang leader.
The series has a very slow pace that matches the main character's personality. It takes a few episodes to establish the personality of each member as it is a character-driven story. There are also flashbacks in certain episodes that will only make sense as the story progresses. This is a different take of a typical "strong samurai". Masa doesn't flaunt his skills and he doesn't go looking for trouble. He's smart too. He uses his timid personality to accomplish his goals. The music and animation combine perfectly to create the intended mood in the series. I love the non-traditional animation. It adds to Masa's meek and harmless look.
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| From left: Matsu, Take, Masa, Yuichi, and Ume |
I'm giving Saraiya Goyou a 10 out of 10 rating.
