Yasuke

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Apr 29, 2021
Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9

Critic Reviews

  1. The Daily Beast
    Reviewed by: Nick Schager
    Apr 30, 2021
    90
    At once familiar and novel, it remixes disparate parts into a coherent whole, providing a new twist on the archetypal samurai hero. Not to mention that, when it gets down to fighting business, it downright slays.
  2. Salon
    Reviewed by: Melanie McFarland
    Apr 30, 2021
    80
    There are far worse critiques a show can sustain than the observation that there's not enough of it, or that it stuffs too many attention-grabbing elements in too small of a space. It simply means "Yasuke" would be better if there were more of it, and either by accident or intentionally Thomas and his collaborators leave enough about this hero shrouded to make room for that to occur.
  3. Decider
    Reviewed by: Brittany Vincent
    Apr 30, 2021
    80
    The first episode does an excellent job of hooking you in, but it’s the gorgeous animation, fantastic dubbing, and excellent music that’ll keep you coming back for more. If you’ve been looking for a reason to return to the feudal era of Japan, consider this your sign.
  5. RogerEbert.com
    Reviewed by: Robert Daniels
    Apr 27, 2021
    80
    “Yasuke” hits the spot for any anime lover while offering new subversions to the samurai genre. It raises questions regarding racism and sexism. And it never shies away from real ruthlessness. While the story features a few too many dots that need connecting, “Yasuke” connects in every other way for maximum bloody impact.
  6. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Niv M. Sultan
    Apr 26, 2021
    75
    For all its gore, Yasuke is, at its core, a comforting fairy tale about good versus evil. Though unconcerned with the motivations of megalomaniacs, it conveys the true function of institutional power: to engorge and exert itself.
  7. Paste Magazine
    Reviewed by: Austin Jones
    Apr 29, 2021
    67
    While liberal with its influences (Dororo and Samurai Champloo come to mind), the show sometimes struggles to find its own individual identity. Fans of the Castlevania anime will notice Yasuke follows a similar formula, jampacking its short-form season with gradually bigger (leading to gargantuan) enemies until an explosive final battle. Nevertheless, the show is certainly worth watching if just for its sumptuous animation and impeccable score.

Awards & Rankings

79
#79 Most Discussed TV Season of 2021

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 23
  3. Negative: 6 out of 23
  1. timdrake25
    May 12, 2021
    10
    The action scenes are gorgeous but don't overshadow the story. They do enhance it in my opinion. I enjoyed the characters and none of themThe action scenes are gorgeous but don't overshadow the story. They do enhance it in my opinion. I enjoyed the characters and none of them felt overly stereotypical. It's definitely a show you have to pay attention to… Full Review »
  2. Rpg89
    May 8, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. One of the best anime watched in a long time. People hating this maybe racist or something else in between.… Full Review »
  3. HipLogic
    May 2, 2021
    7
    While deeply flawed, Yasuke is still worth your time (especially for those who miss the style and vibe of Nujabes/Samurai Champloo and AfroWhile deeply flawed, Yasuke is still worth your time (especially for those who miss the style and vibe of Nujabes/Samurai Champloo and Afro Samurai)

    I’ve seen a few different criticism for this movie that I’ll address in order fairness/relevance.

    Unfair criticism: Getting this out of the way since I’ve actually seen people comment on different review sites this as a ‘bad’ thing, so I feel the need to address it—yes, this is an anime that has some themes that deal with class and race. Since Yasuke is the only black samurai of record (as of this review, anyway) that’s pretty important to the story. For most, I assume, that’s the draw of the anime.

    Fair criticisms: The pacing is too fast. The narrative lacks focus (I didn’t know the stakes soon enough, needed better villain introduction/development, I didn’t know why I should root for Yasuke/Saki outside of the fact that their main characters, etc.), and it doesn’t develop the relationships it should, so there’s a lack of payoff in the conclusion.

    Why you might still want to give it try: The animation is truly top-notch. The character designs and the fight animation is on the level of Samurai Champloo and Afro Samurai. Further, the OST is clearly influenced by Nujabes, but does a great job of tailoring it’s sound to aid in creating this stylized, very interesting world interpretation of feudal Japan. Fly Lo created something special with his work on this OST. When it comes to style, this anime is trendsetting. What it doesn’t know in story, it truly makes up for with its style and vibe.

    The sum of all parts equates to a wonderful and well worth your time audio and visual experience that endures through a weakly written narrative.    … Full Review »
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