Meiji Gekken: 1874

Shizuma Origasa, once a renowned samurai in the Aizu Domain, has fallen on hard times following his home region's crushing defeat against the new imperial government. To make ends meet, Shizuma now works as a rickshaw puller in Tokyo. Meanwhile, he tirelessly searches for his missing fiancée, Sumie Kanomata, the younger sister of his close friend Gennosuke, who had entrusted Shizuma with her safety in his final moments.

After foiling an assassination plot, Shizuma is hired by the police force, and he uses this opportunity to further his pursuit of Sumie. However, he soon lands in a whirlpool of political conspiracies involving government loyalists, persistent rebels, cunning courtesans, meddlesome foreigners, and even a mysterious yakuza member, Kyoushirou Shuragami.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Shuragami, Kyoushirou Main

Mikami, Satoshi Japanese

Origasa, Shizuma Main

Nakamura, Yuuichi Japanese

British Ambassador Parks Supporting

Bifu, Hitoshi Japanese

Makino Supporting

Yasuda, Rikuya Japanese

Ookubo, Toshimichi Supporting

Sakuya, Shunsuke Japanese

Guen Supporting

Hasu, Takehiro Japanese

Midorikawa, Junpei Supporting

Kamejirou Supporting

Toki, Shunichi Japanese

Tanba, Masahiro Supporting

Nakamura, Kazumasa Japanese

Takechi, Kumakichi Supporting

Yamada, Hiroki Japanese

Cook, Ben Producer

Yoshida, Masaru Assistant Producer

Tamamura, Jin Director, Episode Director

Kameda, Ryouji Sound Director

Reviews

Aug 10, 2024

captainkunnka

Recommended

Disclaimer: I do not recommend this show to people who consume vast amounts of meida. The plot is convoluted, and you need to be in the right headspace to follow it.

The complex political plot was by far my favorite part of the show. In an era of blunt and crude anime, this subtle storytelling felt truly refreshing. The multiple factions are characterized reasonably well, though, I admit, some aspects could have been explained better. As someone who hates unnecessary flashbacks and showrunners treating viewers as idiots, this was right up my alley. The characters are somewhat caricatures, but still fun, and I appreciate that the ... show didn’t shy away from killing them off, even if their deaths sometimes felt unnecessary or failed to make me care.

While I enjoyed everything connected to the Civil War itself, the MC's storyline failed to grip me. His relationship with his fiance, a crucial plot point, is simply not shown. The show’s focus on the plot over character relationships, while probably necessary (and resulting in a truly engaging plot) led to their romance feeling hollow. Other characters suffer for it, as well. For example, characters will abruptly change their stance in case it's to move the plot forward. The show has a "it's not important how something happened, but that it happened" philosophy, and it shows. Characters are caught and need to escape? Introducing, forced deus ex machina! The large wooden doors of the mansion are closed, and our main cast is trapped? NO WORRIES! ENTER THE IRON HORSES! THESE ARE COMPLETELY NORMAL HORSES, EXCEPT, FOR PLOT REASONS, THEY CAN BREAK THROUGH LARGE WOODEN DOORS LIKE IT'S NOTHING! WHY USE CANNONS WHEN YOU HAVE THIS LIVING, BREATHING BATTLE RAM?

As for the characters, I simply did not like most of them, and couldn't connect with their arcs. The MC is your generic blend of compassionate and cool. He is not openly OP, but he has an abundance of MC energy. He has smug one-liners for every occasion, he's wise when he needs to be, stupid as a joke if he needs to be, trauma to make him cool, and so on. He can throw a sumo wrestler twice his size, if he loses a battle it's because he lost on purpose, blah blah blah. I simply don't like characters like this. Then, we have his fiance. As I said, we don't know much about her, not much is done with her character in general, and her bond with Origasa is zero. Edgy boy and his squad was meh. Look, I'm human, and I know how to have fun. I see a white-haired samurai with an eyepatch doing cool stuff with a sword, I'll watch it. But it's not peak writing or anything. His squad's motivations are a bit odd, they're mostly together because they're indebted to edgy boy rather than believing in his cause, which kinda weirded me out. Main villain was cool, his henchmen weren't. I don't think the anime gets what makes someone resonate with a character.

Side plots, like a random tournament arc and everything connected to edgy boy's squad, felt out of place and added little value to the overall story. MC has some police missions early on, which follow your basic tropes. Unreasonably evil soldiers abusing their power, MC is pure-hearted. That sort of thing. The detective subplot pays off in the very end, but it can be frustrating to watch at times. The humor was scarce, yet hit-or-miss, with some jokes feeling forced. Thankfully, the fan service was minimal, save for one awkward moment that felt out of place.

The dialogue can be quite blunt at times, and then surprisingly subtle at others. Whenever I enjoyed the show, it was usually during these conversations. The world-building was decent, explaining the political landscape within Japan and its alliances effectively. The show could have used a rundown or two, but, as I said, this is right up my alley.

Visually, the show ranges from average, to occasionally good, to almost distractingly bad. The music was great, sound design was solid, with voice acting generally strong, though I wasn’t fond of Origasa.

Overall Enjoyment: 7.0/10.
I watched this show at the perfect time - when I hadn’t watched anything in a while, and my mind was clear. If you consume a lot of media, you might find the plot too convoluted to enjoy. The political plot was brilliantly crafted, and it's a shame most will fail to appreciate it. Don't expect much from the characters, though something brilliant might just sneak up on you.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Feb 8, 2024

perseii

Mixed Feelings

Well-written

Preliminary (4/10 eps)

This show is decent historical fiction in the vein of Golden Kamuy, with a really interesting setting and a sprawling plot. It is just threatening to buckle under the weight of its own ambition and weak production value. While it is not a show for everyone, I am shocked at how few people are even throwing a glance at it as it is airing (Winter 2024).

The early Meiji period setting is one of the most exciting times in Japanese history and the best thing this show has going for it (it is in the title, after all). A civil war has just ended. A ... new government has been established, but its authority is still in doubt. Modernization continues at a relentless pace, and many people feel left behind. Western colonial powers are fighting for control of Japan. Crime and corruption flourish. I find all of this fascinating, and it's easy to see why this is a popular setting for period action dramas (Rurouni Kenshin, Like A Dragon: Isshin!, The Last Samurai, etc.).

We get to see a good variety of characters with many different backgrounds and (hidden) motivations. Even the main character is a rickshaw puller making ends meet while hiding his past as a samurai of a fallen clan. The characters are (mostly) grounded and have realistic goals; no cute anime girls or a kid with a sword and a dream. The show still has fun with outlandish character designs, like the one-eyed swordsman with long silver hair and dual katanas. Some characters fare less well; several women share a simple "geisha in kimono" look and are difficult to tell apart (just take a look at their thumbnails in the "Characters" section here on MAL).

Unfortunately, these characters, while interesting in concept, are closer to cardboard cut-outs than actual people. They are almost always either in the thick of action or "talking business", and they don't get a lot of time to show off their personalities and emotions. We do learn about the main character a bit more, namely his personal quest, his can-do attitude, and his good old-fashioned sense of duty and justice. Some viewers may find him uninteresting, but I think he's fairly charming and a good lead for this type of story.

The actual story itself is, as of Episode 4, something of an ambitious mess. In addition to the large cast, there are simply too many factions, shifting allegiances and plot developments to keep track of. Every episode just feels packed to the brim (this show does not have an OP and still runs a full 28 minutes). I am not sure if the Japanese audience finds these story points familiar, but other viewers might have a hard time if they do not know much about the history. I have read only a little about this period before, and I think I am just barely keeping up.

It's tough to say whether the show will tell a coherent overarching story. At the moment the show seems content to throw characters into cool situations and introduce new ideas. We get to see stuff like one-man yakuza raids, an assassin that uses hallucinogenic gas, and a mixed martial arts tournament. The show does not cut loose into full insanity and comedy, however (like Golden Kamuy does), leaving the show feeling a little safe and dull. This is all decent fun, but I am hoping the slowly-building conspiracies and conflicts pay off in future episodes.

The production quality is not the best, but I get the impression that the studio is doing the best they can with very limited resources. The animation in character interactions and fights is not exactly smooth, but creative and expressive in places that counts. There are some shots that are visually striking, thanks to impactful camera angles and lighting. Overall, the production is doing a decent job of supporting the story and the atmosphere, even if it just does not have the level of polish that would turn heads.

It has been a solid start so far, but with an uncertain future. Like Golden Kamuy, it has a fascinating setting, cool characters, an action-packed story, and even inconsistent production quality. If you really enjoy historical fiction or are interested in the time period, you should definitely give this show a try. If you can enjoy a dizzying plot with interesting ideas, and can overlook some thin character work and roughness in quality, you may enjoy this show.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Mar 17, 2024

KANLen09

Not Recommended

Meiji Gekken: 1874 - Thank effing God that we're done with Crunchyroll and their absconded Originals branding.

I love history...when it comes to anime, and Japanese history is FLOODED with stories like these that adds the animation element and makes the entire product interesting. Shows like mangaka Satoru Noda's Golden Kamuy and the modern original interpretation of Hideo Furukawa's The Tale of the Heike into Heike Monogatari, those shows are truly standouts when the topic of history or historical elements are the core function of the stories directed to the people. Japan itself has fought many valiant battles outside of its home country, as well as ... within, which showcases the legendary stories ranging periods to the scenarios themselves, one of which is the Meiji Restoration which dates 1868 and beyond.

And this is where Meiji Gekken: 1874 stands in its influence as a show where:
1) Like Golden Kamuy, it has a historical profile to stand and tell its own interpretation of the story, and;
2) Like Heike Monogatari, only have its MC and other significant characters be the original element to add to the twist while staying true to the historical events taking place.

The problem of this show is just one: it's "Everything, Everywhere, All at Once" but 100 times worse with so many flaws hindering at one straight-lined (but made rather complex for some reason) plot.

The MC of Meiji Gekken, the former Aizu Domain samurai Shizuma Origasa, he stands alone as the plot device, within a civil war of unrest (the Boshin War) that has now passed into peacetime in Edo, to find his lost fiancée named Sumie Kanomata. And just like any upstanding citizen, he works his way up from being a rickshaw puller, and then into the police force to get a better lead on Sumie. On the other hand, there is another story going on, but bigger than Shizuma's: Kyoushirou Shuragami, whose Shounai Domain origins as a samurai, this is his alias in the Edo times to scout out an enemy that he has been tracking for quite sometime, which this enemy wants to shake the foundation of Meiji-era Japan to be ruled by foreigners, at a time when opium was readily the most valuable business trade. Both former samurai of their respective origins going on about their quests, soon comes to a head when their circumstances collide, involving the police force (which is governed by the Meiji government through the Metropolitan Police for censorship) and rival clans which Kyoushirou infilrated to get information on his enemy. But wait, there's one more small, but significant route to the end game: the British government and their illusive spies, of which Senri Kuroki a.k.a Mary Blackwood is one to investigate on the surrounding Edo happenings. And like both Shizuma and Kyoushirou, her investigations collide together with both samurai when there's treasure found that links back to Kyoushirou's enemy: Buhei Hiramatsu, overseeing the Moriya and Fujishima clans of which he uses them as part of his criminal enterprise, that the former clan is where he temporarily stays until he gets a lead to progress further.

Just look how unnecessarily complex the above plotline is, though the complete picture is still drawn out like a simple puzzle piece.

For one, let me just do the homework for you if you still have that confused look on your face:
Shizuma:
- Fiancée Sumie Kanomata, alias Hinazuru for her assassin duties for revenge on the Meiji government from the atrocities of the Boshin War, who interacts with Koume as an innocent party
- Chief Superintendent Toshiyoshi Kawaji, who recruits Shizuma to the police force
- Kyoushirou Shuragami, formerly known as Ikegami Souichirou when he was betrayed by Buhei on the process of signifying Japan and Britain together in terms of trade business

Kyoushirou:
- Buhei Hiramatsu, main enemy who dons a foreign-like look as a cover
- Ryuzo Moriya, head of the Moriya Clan who took him in whilst his business with Buhei, going back and forth on business trade
- Retainers of mage Gensho, archer Dario and giant-build Guen who followed him on his conquest to kill Buhei

Senri:
- Goro Fujita, undercover Metropolitan police for the Meiji government

Unfortunately, this "larger than life" story plot has too many things going against it:
- The flow of the anime, which (due to the show airing on the rather obfuscated broadcast TV station BS Shochiku Tokyu) has inconsistent run times based on the episode's content, ranging from your usual 24 minutes to a full half-hour timeslot, which causes an inverse reaction that was considered part of the taboo of anime pre-mid 2010s.
- Unless you're on the analytical side, every episode just gets insane with what is just supposed to be a simple plot device, made difficult to understand what is actually going on, right until the final moments where the story actually clicks. Almost like a forced ending...
- The characters are all one-note characters, acting out of their livid dreams (Shizuma) to pursuing revenge (Kyoushirou), and the kinda "necessary but necessary" side plot to rare treasure findings (Senri). The story...works, but you'll be lucky to do a character and story timeline to pace what the hell is the anime conducting its own pacing.

Being a remnant of the Crunchyroll Originals branding, this show was the last of its initial batch of shows announced back in February 2020 with its mix of Japanese and Western animation medium, and if you know your history well, you already know how the entire branding went in a blaze of fire with its "overpromise and underdeliver" philosophy. And with the production of this show simultaneously changing hands until its "Last Man Standing" studio of Tsumugi Akita Animation Lab to finish things up, the entire show had seemingly been curse-inducingly D.O.A-ed before it ever got to the finish line. For reference, this studio with its small staff headcount only digital handled in-between and key animation at best, and Meiji Gekken may have been the project that threw their current projects out of whack, but only minor.

Even the staff team is also disappointing. Director Jin Tamamura may have always been in the anime directorialship chair in the mid-2010s until the fall from grace with Fall 2018's Akanesasu Shoujo (heck, Fall 2017's Imouto sae Ireba Ii. was a great show that he directed as well), it's clear that no one in the industry wanted him as he laid dormant until now with his team from Tsumugi Akita Animation Lab, including Naoki Tozuka as series composer. I'm genuinely worried for next season's Tensei shitara Dainana Ouji Datta node, Kimama ni Majutsu wo Kiwamemasu a.k.a I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability, if Meiji Gekken: 1874 showcases part of what the studio is worth with both director and series composer, and not in a good way.

Also, there is music, but only the OST. No OP/ED themes for a rather unconventional show, I can take that every once in a blue moon. But seriously, it's lackluster.

If anything, Meiji Gekken: 1874 is just as fascinating as a note piece in Crunchyroll's now beleaguered and infamous marketing, which continues to this very day. The entire show is quite a mess, though if you're up to the challenge, be my guest.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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	Poll: Meiji Gekken: 1874 Episode 10 Discussion KANLen09 - Mar 17	23 replies	by SuperAdventure »» Jul 24, 6:07 PM
	Poll: Meiji Gekken: 1874 Episode 9 Discussion KANLen09 - Mar 10	10 replies	by SuperAdventure »» Jul 24, 4:51 PM
	Poll: Meiji Gekken: 1874 Episode 8 Discussion IzanaSolos - Mar 3	11 replies	by SuperAdventure »» Jul 23, 7:29 PM
	Poll: Meiji Gekken: 1874 Episode 7 Discussion IzanaSolos - Feb 25	12 replies	by SuperAdventure »» Jul 22, 7:38 PM
	Poll: Meiji Gekken: 1874 Episode 4 Discussion IzanaSolos - Feb 4	10 replies	by SuperAdventure »» Jul 22, 6:04 PM