However, the storyline is not without its faults. In its twelve-episode lifespan, you get characters galore, yet little to no character development whatsoever. What I feel is a kind of minor setback is that for the viewer to get the most out of the anime he/she must be at least acquainted with the Sengoku period. However, it still manages a comprehensible storyline that, while often times easy to decipher, still makes you interested to see the outcome until the end. It definitely feels rushed, and it was kind of expected. The ending, while good, gave me a feeling of "That was it?" But admittedly, I would be lying if I said I wasn't satisfied, especially after seeing the credits at the ending.
The art style in Sengoku Basara is what I'd consider to be at least above average, though people may say that it is about as good as any other shounen series, but to that I say: xP The combination of high-action scenes with clearly super-human capabilities, combined with the sheer amount of bodies flying about as well as a touch of 3D here and there and you'll know where a good portion of the budget went.
The sound is very, well, manly. It sets itself up as an anime where there will always be some form of inspiration or epicness, and that is definitely prominent in this show. With beautiful works such as dai roku tenma ou to give you that sense of dread and fear for the protagonists and the absolutely inspiring vocal cues of BLAZE -Crimson Lotus- (especially its full, final version), it's definitely one of the parts of the show that really pull it off the ground, if not at least its saving grace.
The characters are a bit cliche, but for series based on a fighting game, that was to be expected. You will always have your naive, young protagonist (Yukimura), the cool, calm, collected, yet human rival (Masamune), a master/father figure (Takeda), and your all-evil, all-powerful enemy (ODA NOBUNAGA!!! (yes, you have to say it like that)). Oh, and don't forget the ninjas, other lords, the vagabond, the other soldiers, enemies, retainers, but to be more specifically, the Date 4 (you'll see what I mean).
All in all, Sengoku Basara is the kind of anime you would watch just for the sheer enjoyment of it. Like Gurren Lagann, it isn't something you ponder over, and like Gurren Lagann, it does try to make a more serious storyline, which is eventually thrown out the window (perhaps not as radically?) and brought back to what its good at: Old-fashioned Blades, Guns, and Explosions. It's an anime that is there to make you feel good, and make you feel like you want to be awesome, and in that respect, it succeeded, giving it an overall score of 8. Sure it may not be for those who want a serious amount of storyline and character development, but it is definitely worth at least watching, and for those who like watching anime for the sheer thrill of fighting, you will not be disappointed.
