One Great Panel: The Elusive Samurai

Chop that head off, young man.

The Elusive Samurai has been on my reading list forever, so finally I just dropped everything and started reading and… I forgot what else was on my list because I’ve been so captivated by this series.

This panel we’re going to look at is essentially the definition of one great panel. Artistically brilliant—and intentionally so—as well as monumental to the story in terms of plot, character and what this story is capable of.

The panel is Chapter 3, page 20. I’m sharing the whole page, because the panel spills over, and you need to see it all, because I said so.

Context: Tokiyuki, our young hero, has just seen his entire clan destroyed by someone he trusted. He is able to flee (his special skill) with the help of a random temple attendant and three kids who become his retainers. But Tokiyuki’s treacherous uncle (who is being beheaded here) has followed and is looking to bring his nephew back to garner favor with the new leaders of Japan. Unfortunately for him, he underestimated not just his nephew, but his nephew’s allies.

Okay, so artistically, you will notice some creative flourishes that make this panel even more masterful than it already was. For starters, the feathers seen in the panel hearken back to a previous artistic choice to depict Tokiyuki with wings, to emphasize how adept he is at evading his enemies. Here, those feathers fall, as if having been shaken loose by the action of swinging his sword like he never has before.

Similarly, the uncle is depicted as a devil, or Oni, if you’re into Japanese lore like I am. He has previously been shown as such, emphasizing his terrible qualities, and I find such meaning in him being shown as such here, because as an uncle, Tokiyuki probably would not have killed him. As this devil though, twisted by ambition, he has become something else.

Lastly, the sweeping strike of the blade taking up the entire page. Any guesses why that means so much? Because it is the most important image on this page. More important than who he’s killing or anything else, the fact that he’s doing it at all is a huge growth moment.

In terms of the plot, this is the first major obstacle Tokiyuki has to face and, not for nothing, it’s a substantial threat that came about suddenly and—at least for me—unexpectedly. I didn’t anticipate him having to behead his uncle in chapter three, let alone being found at all. It stamps a dramatic conclusion on this early threat, as well as establishing just what this story is capable of.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure how graphic the story would be, or if they’d allow this young boy to do much killing but here, right away, we’re clued in on what can and will happen. To reference a past article here at MangaCraft, it expands the boundaries of the story, and in this case, it works so well to establish a baseline.

In terms of character! Oh, the creme de la creme. This panel is a gold mine for all the characters involved, including those we don’t see. For the uncle, obviously, it shows his final and conclusive transformation from a retainer and uncle to this treacherous devil. For the three friends of Tokiyuki that aren’t pictured here, who led the uncle to this position where Tokiyuki could defeat him, this is proof to them that Tokiyuki can do it. But it’s so important that they aren’t in this panel, because this needs to be Tokiyuki’s moment, and his alone.

For Tokiyuki, this panel is everything. It’s his resolution to fight back. It’s his hidden strength and determination. It’s his willingness to grow. It’s his complete and final removal from the Hojo clan that used to be his family. It’s his first step forward.