Meiji Gekken: 1874

Meiji Gekken: 1874
Key visual
明治撃剣－1874－
GenreHistorical[1]
Created by
  • Tsukasa Sakurai
  • Naoki Tozuka
Anime television series
Directed byJin Tamamura
Produced byBen Cook
Written byNaoki Tozuka
Music byShūji Katayama
StudioTsumugi Akita Animation Lab
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkBS Shochiku Tokyu
Original run January 14, 2024 – March 24, 2024
Episodes10 (List of episodes)

Meiji Gekken: 1874 (明治撃剣－1874－) is an original Japanese anime television series created by Tsukasa Sakurai and Naoki Tozuka and animated by Tsumugi Akita Animation Lab. It is directed by Jin Tamamura and written by Tozuka, with Naru Nishikori and Masayori Komine designing the characters and Shūji Katayama composing the music. It aired from January 14 to March 24, 2024, on BS Shochiku Tokyu. Crunchyroll streamed the series as part of its Crunchyroll Originals label.[1]

Characters

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Shizuma Origasa (折笠静馬, Origasa Shizuma)
Voiced by: Yuichi Nakamura[1]
A former samurai of the Aizu Domain who embarks on a quest to locate his missing fiancée, Sumie Kanomata. He begins working as a rickshaw puller in Edo and then takes a position in the police force.
Kyōshirō Shuragami (修羅神狂死郎, Shuragami Kyōshirō)
Voiced by: Satoshi Mikami[1]
A proficient silver-haired swordsman who wears a patch over one eye. He was a Shounai Domain samurai, formerly known as Ikegami Souichirou. He joins the Moriya Clan to pursue his own agenda to take revenge on Buhei Hiramatsu.
Sumie Kanomata/Hinazuru (鹿又澄江／雛鶴, Kanomata Sumie/Hinazuru)
Voiced by: Tomoyo Kurosawa[1]
She is the sister of Shuragami's best friend who asked him to look after her. The sole survivor of a massacre of women by the samurai Masaomi Kuramoto during the Boshin War, she resurfaced later as the geisha and assassin Hinazuru to take revenge on the Meiji government for its atrocities during the Boshin War.
Senri Kuroki (黒木せんり, Kuroki Senri)
Voiced by: Lynn[1]
She is a spy working for the British government and poses as the red-haired reporter, Mary Blackwood.
Buhei Hiramatsu (平松武兵衛, Hiramatsu Buhei)
Voiced by: Kazuhiro Yamaji[1]
A fair-haired Western man whose real name is John Henry Schnell. He was an Advisor to the Aizu and is plotting to overthrow the government. He normally wears a head and face covering to disguise his identity and runs the local opium export business. He is also the overlord of the Moriya and Fujishima clans and their criminal enterprises.
Ryūzō Moriya (守屋龍三, Moriya Ryūzō)
Voiced by: Katsuhisa Hōki[1]
The scheming head of the Moriya Clan in business with Hiramatsu but also tries to cheat him. He employs Shuragami to do his dirty work which causes friction within his clan.
Toshiyoshi Kawaji (川路利良, Kawaji Toshiyoshi)
Voiced by: Nobuo Tobita[2]
The very principled Chief Superintendent of police who sees the potential in Shizuma and convinces him to join the police force.
Gorō Fujita (藤田五郎, Fujita Gorō)
Voiced by: Kazuyuki Okitsu[2]
A cold blooded and neatly dressed young man wearing round spectacles who works undercover for the Metropolitan Police. He is also an excellent swordsman
Koume (小梅)
Voiced by: Miyuki Satō[2]
The innocent friend of Hinazuru who has no knowledge of her past nor current mission.
Koto Nakazawa (中澤琴, Nakazawa Koto)
Voiced by: Mie Sonozaki[2]
She is a superb Shinchougumi swordswoman who uses a twin blade technique.
Junpei Midorikawa (緑川順平, Midorikawa Junpei)
Voiced by: Daisuke Kasuya[2]
Dario (ダリオ)
Voiced by: Ruriko Aoki[2]
A young archer who works for Shuragami.
Genshō (幻丞)
Voiced by: Takashi Matsuyama[2]
An old man wearing a hat who works for Shuragami.
Guen (愚円)
Voiced by: Takehiro Hasu[2]
A huge man who usually wears a fox mask and works for Shuragami.
Toshimichi Ōkubo (大久保利通, Ōkubo Toshimichi)
Voiced by: Shunsuke Sakuya[2]
Minister of the Interior of Japan, One of the three great nobles of the restoration.

Episodes

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No.Title [3]Directed by [a]Written by [a]Storyboarded by [a]Original air date
1"Tokyo"
Transliteration: "Tōkyō" (Japanese: 東京)		Jin TamamuraNaoki TozukaNaomichi YamatoJanuary 14, 2024 (2024-01-14)
Following victory over their opposition, the new Japanese government tries to hold onto power against pockets of resistance. A group of rebels attack and wound Iwakura Tomomi, the Minister of the Right. Rickshaw puller, Shizuma Origasa, is accused of being involved because the lead assailant, Takechi, rode in his rickshaw. Meanwhile, Kyoushirou Shuragami, attends a gambling session at the Douyama Clan's premises, also attended by Takechi. Shuragami causes a ruckus when he exposes them for cheating and when he is attacked outside, he and his small band teach the clan a lesson. While trying to clear his name, Shizuma confronts Takechi, impressing Chief Superintendent, Kawaji, who offers Shuragami a job in the police force.
2"Way of the Streets"
Transliteration: "Tosei" (Japanese: 渡世)		Jin TamamuraNaoki TozukaNaomichi YamatoJanuary 21, 2024 (2024-01-21)
Shizuma is having trouble settling into the policeman role, and gets involved in an altercation with some bullying Chindai military men. Shuragami looks to join the Moriya Clan but they turn him away. He wipes out the Douyama Clan to earn Moriya's respect and he joins them. A woman calling herself Mary Blackwood, an English reporter, interviews Takechi in jail where she extracts from him that a geisha supplied information about Tomomi's schedule and provided a pistol. In town, the geisha Hinazuru seeks more weaponry. Etou Shinpei, former councilor arrives in town to achieve a peaceful political solution, but the warrior class in Saga have taken up arms hoping he will led them against the government. Meanwhile, Shuragami offers to punish a Chindai who beat up a Moriya worker at the same time as the Chindai attack the police barracks to free one of their own. Shuragami and Shizuma find themselves fighting together against the Chindai.
3"Hunters"
Transliteration: "Karyūdo" (Japanese: 狩人)		Tomio YamauchiNaoki TozukaNaomichi YamatoFebruary 4, 2024 (2024-02-04)[b]
The episode focuses on the well-connected Zenbei Kuraya, formerly known as the samurai Masaomi Kuramoto. He has formed a "hunting club" and makes a pastime of killing women at night. Sumie Kanomata, now calling herself Hinazuru was the sole survivor of a massacre of women by Kuraya and his forces in the past. Shizuma find out about Kuraya's murderous activities and he and his friend Hidenobu Osanai go after Kuraya themselves without authorization. They come across Kuraya and his club hunting Hinazuru's friend Koume. Together with police reinforcements who arrive later, they capture Kuraya and his associates, however Kuraya is later shot and killed from a distance by Hinazuru. To close the chapter on "hunting club's" activities, the Goro Fujita is sent to kill the last remaining member as he flees by train.
4"Gekken"
Transliteration: "Gekken" (Japanese: 撃剱)		Yuuichi Abe [ja]
Michiru Itabisashi		Tokio NazukaYuuichi AbeFebruary 18, 2024 (2024-02-18)[c]
Shuragami is formally accepted into the Moriya Clan and is immediately tasked with representing the clan in the Gekkenkai, a fencing tournament using wooden swords. Meanwhile, Shizuma is assigned to collecting stray dogs for disobeying orders, but comes across the body of swordsman Tachibana Youjirou who had been invited to the tournament but was slain by someone with a twin swords technique. Shizuma is assigned to investigate the tournament undercover as a competitor. Hiramatsu is concerned that Moriya is cheating him on his opium export business and decided to punish him. He sends Dario, a young archer and the old man Genjou to ambush a cargo of contraband and frame the Moriya Clan for the attack. After the preliminary rounds of the Gekkenkai, eight contestants remain: Shizuma Origasa, Kyōshirō Shuragami, skilled swordswoman Koto Nakazawa who uses twin swords, the huge Kaijigorou Raigan, the westerner Blaze Miller, the middle-aged Koutarou Takarai, the experienced and fast swordsman Komasa Shimazu and the unassuming Goro Fujita.
5"Fight to the Death"
Transliteration: "Shitō" (Japanese: 死闘)		Yuuichi AbeTokio NazukaYuuichi AbeFebruary 25, 2024 (2024-02-25)
In the first round of the Gekkenkai, Shizuma faces Kaijigorou Raigan the ex-sumo wrestler, both armed with wooden swords. The swords break and are switched for steel swords with agreement by the contestants. When these are both broken, they fight with bare hands and Shizuma wins. The next match is between Blaze Miller who fights with a jumonji-yari spear and swordswoman Koto Nakazawa. He is overconfident and anxious to win, and is soon defeated by Nakazawa. Rain interrupts the tournament. That night, Hinazuru tries to poison Shuragami, but fails although Shuragami is slightly poisoned. The next day, Koutarou Takarai, armed with a sickle and chain faces swordsman Goro Fujita. Although Takarai has a more versatile weapon, Fujita manages to stab and kill him. Next, a slightly weakened Shuragami faces Komasa Shimazu, who although he is fast, is beaten by Shuragami's twin sword technique. Meanwhile, officer Makino has been hired to kill Shuragami and enlists the aid of Hidenobu Osanai to ambush him. The plan fails and Osanai is wounded by Shuragami but killed by Makino. At the Gekkenkai, Shizuma faces Nakazawa whom she defeats without drawing blood.
6"Surprise Attack"
Transliteration: "Shūgeki" (Japanese: 襲撃)		Michiru ItabisashiTokio NazukaNaomichi YamatoMarch 3, 2024 (2024-03-03)
Outside the Gekkenkai Nakazawa and Shizuma both admit they held back in the contest, and Shizuma confesses he is a policeman investigating a murder. Makino tells Shizuma of his friend Osanai's death by the sword of Shuragami and Shizuma angrily enters the Gekkenkai arena and attacks Shuragami. Shizuma is wounded but they are interrupted by Goro Fujita who claims Shuragami is his opponent and he eventually wins the bout. Koume finally finds Hinazuru and tells her that Shizuma is alive. Hiramatsu suspects that Shuragami is behind the conflict between the Moriya and Fujishima clans. Kurogi is discovered as she investigates the evacuation of monks who may be know the location a large quantity of gold, but is saved by Fujita. At the peace conference between Moriya and Fujishima, Hiramatsu exposes Shuragami's real identity, provoking an all out battle between Shirugami and Hiramatsu's men. Guen sacrifices himself to save Shirugami, and when Shirugami appears trapped with Dario and Gensho, Fujita bursts into the compound with a horse-drawn wagon to rescue them.
7"Fateful Bonds"
Transliteration: "Innen" (Japanese: 因縁)		Fumihiro UenoTokio NazukaJin TamamuraMarch 10, 2024 (2024-03-10)
After Fujita saves Shirugami, Dario and Gensho, Shirugami invites him to join them against Buhei Hiramatsu. He explains that six years earlier, after the Satchou Alliance defeated the Shogunate, the victors declared war on the Shounai and Aizu to extend their domination of Japan. The Aizu military advisor at the time was a westerner given the name Buhei Hiramatsu who suggested they seek the aid of the Prussian military and pressured Souichirou Ikegami's father into ceding the Enzo region controlled by the Aizu and Shounai in exchange. When they heard news aboard the Prussian ship that both clans had capitulated to the new government, Hiramatsu killed Ikegami and his retainers to keep the agreement secret and wounded Souichirou who fell overboard after losing an eye. He was rescued and later formed a band with Dario, Gensho and Guen. Fujita agrees to join him. Meanwhile, Shizuma learns that Sumie is alive and goes to find her but she has gone to the horse races with a gun, planning to murder Toshimichi Okubo.
8"Furious Clashes"
Transliteration: "Manjitomoe" (Japanese: 卍巴)		Yuuichi Abe
Kang Tae-Sik
Park Si-Hu		Tokio NazukaYuuichi AbeMarch 17, 2024 (2024-03-17)
At the racetrack, Sumie attempts to shoot Okubo in revenge for autrocities committed in "Boshin", but Shizuma leaps in front and is shot instead. There are explosions and Sumie escapes in the confusion. The police learn that Hiramatsu is behind the attack and plans to unite the Satsuma against the government. Meanwhile, Hiramatsu pleads with Katamori Matsudaira, the former Aizu domain lord, to lead a revolt against the government but he is noncommittal. While investigating a minor news story of a disappearing moon and a rain of wooden carp, Senri Kuroki comes across Moriya's drug factory, and finds Gensho inside who was captured while watching the building. Kuroki frees Gensho while Shuragami leads his small band in an attack on the facility. At the same time, Moriya's men take the contraband out in wagons and set the factory alight, attracting the attention of Shizuma and Makino. Shuragami fails to find Hiramatsu and as the survivors flee the burning building Shizuma accuses Shuragami of killing Osanai, but he in turn accuses Makino. When Shizuma confronts Makino, he stabs Shizuma who survives the attack and arrests Makino.
9"Night Skies"
Transliteration: "Yoruten" (Japanese: 夜天)		Park Jae-IkTokio NazukaYuuichi AbeMarch 24, 2024 (2024-03-24)[d]
Shizuma delivers Makino to police headquarters where Chief Superintendent, Kawaji informs him that Sumie shot at Okubo on orders from Hiramatsu and convinces Shizuma to rejoin the police force. Even though the former Aizu lord does not support him, Hiramatsu proceeds with his plan to overthrow the government. Mary Blackwood meets Fujita and in the woods to give him information about the planned revolt but they are seen by Dario who shoots Fujita with an arrow even though he has lost his right arm following the failed attack on Moriya's factory. Kawaji promotes Shizuma to first officer and Nakazawa decides to go back home and gifts one of her swords to him. Shizuma and a squad of police raid Hiramatsu' camp. Shuragami, Dario, Gensho also arrive, and Gensho uses his hallucinogenic smoke to frighten the troops, but Shizuma resists its effects and cuts Gensho with Nakazawa's sword. The dying Gensho sets off an explosion, killing himself and preventing the troops from following Shuragami. The British Embassy receives information which indicates that there will be an attack at night via hot balloon on the heavily fortified Imperial Palace. As night falls, Shuragami leaps aboard one of the balloons as they take off towards the palace and Shizuma follows them on foot.
10"The River Never Stops, Nor Carries The Same Water Twice"
Transliteration: "Yuku Kawa no Nagare wa Taezu Shite, Shikamo Moto no Mizu ni Arazu" (Japanese: ゆく河の流れは絶えずして、しかももとの水にあらず)		Pank San-HoTokio NazukaJin Tamamura
Yuuichi Abe		March 24, 2024 (2024-03-24)[d]
Okubo learns that the samurai Saigou was assassinated, presumably by Hiramatsu to stir up anti-government feeling among the Satsuma samurai. Meanwhile, as Hiramatsu's supporters drift towards the Imperial Palace in hot air balloons, Shizuma manages to climb aboard one, and Fujita brings down Moriya's balloon with an arrow. Shuragami forces Moriya to confess that Hiramatsu is waiting on a ship offshore for his men to return with the Emperor. However, the plan is foiled when Shizuma confronts Hiramatsu's men as they land, accompanied by Sumie. Kawaji arrives with more men and Shizuma grabs Sumie and flees with her, insisting that he wants to be with her for who she is. Moriya arrives back home to find only his lieutenant, Ginji Gotou, heavily bandaged from his severe burns, but he kills his disgraced leader. Shizuma and Sumie appeal to Katamori Matsudaira to not seek revenge for the Aizu, but they are interrupted by Hiramatsu's swordsman who fires a shot, killing Sumie just as Shizuma spears his sword into his assailant. Both Shuragami and Shizuma separately board Hiramatsu's ship, with Shuragami being attacked by an opium induced Gotou while Shizuma attacks Hiramatsu. They both defeat their opponents, and Shizuma tries to arrest Shuragami so they fight it out on deck. Hiramatsu's last act is to stagger out and shoot and kill Shuragami. During the closing credits, Koume shows her newborn daughter named Sumie, and Shizuma leaves the police force to find his own peace.

Easter Egg

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Each episode contains a code puzzle designed by Nick Tierce[a], with the last episode requiring the solutions to the 9 preceding episodes.

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.
  2. ^ Episode 3 was released on Crunchyroll a week before its broadcast in Japan, which was postponed on BS Shochiku Tokyu.
  3. ^ Episode 4 was released on Crunchyroll 2 weeks before its broadcast in Japan, which was postponed on BS Shochiku Tokyu.
  4. ^ a b Episodes 9 and 10 air back-to-back on BS Shochiku Tokyu.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Crunchyroll Original Meiji Gekken: 1874 to Premiere in Japan on January 14". Anime News Network. December 9, 2023. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i オリジナルアニメ「明治撃剣-1874-」1月14日スタート、中村悠一が元会津藩士の巡査に. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 1, 2024. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  3. ^ "Watch Meiji Gekken: 1874 - Crunchyroll". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  4. ^ "明治撃剣－1874－最終回ＳＰ「夜天」ほか". BS Shochiku Tokyu. March 17, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
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