Anime Information

Forums

Okay, WHO in the right mind didn't see that coming?

What the hell do you mean reincarnations? They were alive when Ogen and Danjo were alive...

Very predictable ending but I kind of liked it. Soo sad :'(

I enjoyed this show as an action movie. It is a sort of high quality entertainment. Each ninja assassin has a unique killing ability and seems formidable. However, being attacked their weak points tactically, they lose their lives. The settings of their powers are well-balanced to make the story thrilling.

Since the show is aimed to be an action movie, it doesn't put emphasis on the theme and thus the way of the ending so much. But, for example, it is possible to read it as follows;
Life forms or groups maintain their strength with the adaptability acquired from the diversity. Sometimes we fight with the similar classes that scramble for our share and the foreign ones that threaten us, sometimes we take in them both. If "contention and selection" and "integration and sublimation" bring life to the next phase, hatred and love never die from the world. Race, gender, class, society, nation, religion, organization, and so on; The collisions among the different attributions are inevitable. Hatred begets hatred and sometimes hatred controls our actions. The stories based on such a notion can be seen in all ages and countries. This show is one of them. Watching the show, you may ridicule characters' action as absurd. However no one can escape from the same absurdity, because the theme is universal.

You can see anything you like through shows. I enjoyed the virtual death games played by characters in this show and we don't nip the buds of the diversity today, too.

Oboru is such a dumb bitch. So she gets most of her people killed either by not acting, or by acting stupidly, then of course she kills herself. She essentially loses the war for her people in multiple ways and still the Iga win, thanks to Gennosuke. He was literally the only character left with powers, but now he's doomed his people. There are two whole villages of ninjas with no powers, and now one ( the Iga) is favored by the shogun. Since no other character in the entire series had the "pacifist to the point of being unable to function" mindset of Oboru and Gennosuke, I think it's safe to say the Koga are screwed.

Gonzo sure did/do love their Romeo & Juliet endings. First Chrono Crusade, then Basilisk and finally with an actual R&J adaptation in the form of RxJ. It was the only available ending that wouldn't ruin the entire story, though. They couldn't just run off together and risk the wrath of the government falling on both of their villages for disobeyng orders and they loved each other too much to kill one another. When they were placed in a situation where they had to duel to the death, their options were severly limited.

This is my third time through Basilisk, having already watched it once and read the manga. I was aware of what was and wasn't added in by Gonzo, this time around.
I felt the boat section lasted far too long thanks to the needless backstory of the buff Kouga character. I also didn't care much for Hyoma getting his own little half an episode backstory, or Tenzen's backstory being explained without being explained. But, once again, I found myself impressed by the subtle characterisation differences made to Saemon's character (after he killed the two female Iga ninja)--those two 'after kill' lingering moments being my favourite parts of the show. And I'm always game for some sword fighting between the hero (Gennosuke) and villain (Tenzen) getting inserted.

There needs to be more survival anime in existence. HotD is so popular because it's one of the few survival anime out there, rather than because of the boobies alone. Basilisk is everything Naruto's Sasuke Rescue arc would've been had it featured adult characters and not had any deus ex machina saving, or orange ninjas.

Well, that certainly was sad. Though, it's not like I didn't imagine it'd end like that; of course, keeping the condition(s) in mind, that was basically the only thing they both could've done. Die, side by side, that is.

The main thing I'd like to point is that I can't believe how unfair this series was; unfair to both the protagonists, unfair to both the clans, unfair to all the clansmen, unfair to everyone except the ugly shogunate. I mean, c'mon, they all had their dreams, they all wanted to live, even though the clans had their ill-wills against each other. Both the protagonists were right on their part to stop that unnecessary grudge and therefore make both the clans join up. It was the right thing, yet, the shogunate had something else in mind; they wanted to see which clan would mean to choose next successor! WHAT? Are you fucking kidding me? Jesus, that's one of the worst ways to choose a successor, if you ask me. Inhumane, too.

Well, keeping that aside. I was constantly entertained throughout this series, whether it be through action, characters, soundtrack or stupidity. I was constantly entertained, yes. All the people who say Naruto is the best Ninja anime, well, check out Basilisk. You'd get a stroke! It's phenomenal, rather the ninjustu techniques are phenomenal. The characters were likable, too. I guess all the characters had their moments and every single one of them earned a special side in my heart. Though, some characters weren't given much showtime, still, the recap episode showed how they actually were before the alliance got nullified. I mostly liked Hyouma's character. he animation and soundtrack were consistent, too. Gonzo did a nice job, I must add. The opening and ending themes were beautiful. The characters were nicely designed and the backgrounds were beautifully illustrated, thus the artwork was great.

All in all, the anime earned itself an 8 and got a special place in my heart.

It was the 1st episode for starters.
I mainly agree with you on your review here.
I would think that Ogen and Danjo saw Oboro and Gennosuke as a flinch of hope for the future of the two clans, for a chance to settle the old feud and make so that peace would be the only outcome of their original meeting.

The show, I would say all in all should deserve a 6 on a dice for sure. As many(most) shows about, it got it's flaws and such but nothing that would make myself roll the dice a 2nd time.
As many others have said as well, I also would say the last episode were the one that really got to me. Bittersweet, yet beautiful ending with the couple taking off to the world beyond,together. Could not have asked for a better ending considering that the culture back then combined with the character those two showed me.
Gief more shows like this.

It was so predictable. I knew from the beginning even tho i prayed and hoped that the two of them wouldn't end up dying arm in arm like Ogen and Daimyo did.

But no, they do.

Why did the entire series have to be nothing but death, love and sex. T_T

I cried.

It was nice way to sum up the story... too bad nobody punched the kid's assistant/babysitter/mother ?

no matter how many times i watch the series i always end up crying at the last episode. i will remember both of u gennosuke & oboro forever .. thats the least thing i could do for giving us such a great series

no matter how many times i watch the series i always end up crying at the last episode. i will remember both of u gennosuke & oboro forever .. thats the least thing i could do for giving us such a great series

At first, the cliched storyline with the ultra obvious foreshadowing in the first episode and the one trick pony ninjas, kept me from fully getting into it but eventually it actually started grabbing my attention. Some died way too fast (Okoi), some just died way too slow (Slime guy). It reminds me of some hardcore live action medieval japan drama rather than some super ninjas series. Love it though, most of the characters were fleshed out, it wasn't just infinite shurikens and lots of talking fighting, and it wasn't a purely wrong or right story.

I had the feeling everyone will die in the end. Well, the whole show was brutal and bloody so it's nothing to be surprised about. In general the show was good, I enjoyed the huge amount of fights, it was a great watch.

woah, i think last show I watched I commented on the episode discussions recently after you.. Im trying to think of what it was though.

anyways, IMO I didnt like the ending too much. Over all, it was a fitting end to the anime. But I just didnt enjoy the ending too much. Like someone said, they could've died in a more fitting or robust way. OR, they couldve tried staying alive haha. Overall, I enjoyed this anime. The action was great and it was just what I was looking for. Something bloody and a lot of fights. I felt they enphasized on character building too late though, like in the beginning it was mostly fighting and they tried to get us to bond with the characters in a backwards sense, almost trying to make us feel bad for most of them after they were already dead. Like they kinda went the sad/drama route a little late after it seemed like they werent going to so much. Normally, the beginning episodes are the boring ones that make us feel bad or relate to the characters later in the show when things go crazy. I feel it was a little backwards in this sense. Not completely, but still.

A good watch regardless

Hey guys, if you think the ending or the whole anime or I don't know what looked like Romeo & Juliet, consider something being in Oboro and Gennosuke's shoes.
Everyone who helped them, their comrades, were willing to kill themselves for them. They all together started something, even if it was unfair. Even if they didn't know the reason why they had to kill each other, they started it. How could Oboro and Gennosuke abandon this thought while everyone was killed for their sake? It was predictable yes, but it still was beautiful. It was predictable, but I stsill cried a Hell lot. Predictable or not, they were both very conscious people and couldn't let their people's lives and deaths go to waste. I personally admire them for that.