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House of Five Leaves
One of a number of recent anime series to
be set in Japan’s ever-popular Edo period, House of Five Leaves
tells of a meek young swordsman named Masanosuke Akitsu, who is down on
his luck and desperately in search of work as a bodyguard. Though
skilled with a blade Akitsu is so socially inept as to be almost
unemployable, and is contemplating turning his back on samurai life for
good.
When recruited for a quick evening’s work
by the sardonic, charismatic Yaichi, Akitsu inadvertently falls in with
a gang of criminals known as the Five Leaves. Shocked to discover the
gang’s principal specialties are kidnapping and extortion, Akitsu is
torn between his loyalty to the bushido code of honour and the need to
earn a living. Meanwhile Yaichi sees real promise in the jittery
youngster, and isn’t about to let him go without a fight. But there’s
more to this story than meets the eye...
All the hallmarks of a great period piece
are present here in spades: wandering ronin, feudalistic lore, blood
rivalries, warrior codes, ruthless thugs. It’s all effortlessly held
together throughout the series 2-disc, 5-hour runtime by a consistently
simmering, intentionally languid narrative and an intelligent method of
exposition that more than rewards the viewer’s investment.
Stylistically the series also incorporates
elements of kabuki and woodblock prints into its backgrounds and
character designs, which are amongst the most unique of the genre. The
exaggerated faces are particularly striking, all stretched mouths,
elongated noses and sharp expressions of disdain - this isn’t a
particularly warm series visually, but it is one that’s surprisingly
easy to warm to. Moving very much at its own pace, brooding but never
moribund, House of Five Leaves is a masterful blend of intrigue,
moral contradiction, whimsy and melodrama, and a series that truly looks
like nothing else before it. |
