What stood out to me the most—and which is becoming somewhat rare in recent anime—is the emphasis on strategic fighting. The battles rely more on clever strategies than sheer power and strength, which I found refreshing. The characters are well-written, the animation and art are beautiful, and the music is great. Aza is my favorite character; I even wish he were the main protagonist. However, Gabimaru is also fantastic, especially with his wholesome attachment to his wife. He has a fish-out-of-water feeling, which adds depth to his character.
That said, the show isn't without its flaws. The monologues can be a bit cheesy, and the characters often reacting with shock to ordinary dialogue is an overused anime trope that needs to be retired. The flashbacks also suffer from this, making it hard to care about the deaths of certain characters. Trying to evoke sympathy for the sexist samurai who suddenly shifts from attempting to kill a female character to saving her when a giant appears was not successful. Additionally, the subplot involving a 17-year-old wanting to marry a 12-year-old was disturbing and unnecessary.
Overall, it's a solid anime with some great elements, despite its shortcomings.
