Bakumatsu English Sub & Dub

About Bakumatsu

Meet Bakumatsu, an action, historical and samurai anime by Studio Deen (2018). Here is the premise in a nutshell. The setup: The Bakumatsu was an era in which the souls of young men burned with anxiety for their country's future. Takasugi Shinsaku, a soldier of fortune from Choshu, sneaks aboard a government ship with his comrade Katsura Kogorou in search of a mysterious "timepiece" with the strength to manipulate time that he fears the government wishes to.

Also worth knowing: Rather than allow such ability to fall into the wrong hands, Takasugi plans to destroy the artifact, but having obtained it, the artifact is rapidly stolen. However, when they arrive in the capital, they discover that the government has been overthrown and the deity Susanoo now reigns in its place. The streets of the town and the people in them are much different than Takasugi and Katsura remembered.

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Think of it as a pick for viewers who like fast, high-impact fights.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Studio Deen, which means the visual identity of Bakumatsu follows that studio's craft. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. With a 5.8/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. Released in 2018, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.