"A man with arms which can kill people like puppets is not aware that he himself has already become a puppet." In this short hand-drawn silent animation, a wandering samurai learns this lesson firsthand.Along his travels, the samurai comes across a straw dummy at the base of a tree, with a sword lodged in its body. Upon drawing it out, the samurai learns that the blade is imbued with magic, and immensely powerful. The power comes at a price, though, and wielding the blade begins to slowly drive the warrior mad. He now has a choice to make: remain himself, or sacrifice his sanity for ultimate power?
Muramasa has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 村正, Muramasa
Genres: Japan , Drama , Past , Samurai , Martial Arts , Historical , Horror
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Top 5 Anime Like Muramasa [2025 List]
5. Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls
Jubei Yagyu, Hanzo Hattori, Yukimura Sanada, Sen Tokugawa, Kanetsugu Naoe, and Matabei Goto. In the alternate world of Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls these are not the legendary samurai of history. They are scantily clad young ladies living in an age where the Tokugawa shogunate remained in power, and all of them have been sent to Buou Academic School in order to hone their battle skills.
Muneakira Yagyu, master of the Yagyu dojo, is the only one who has the ability to take these warriors to the next level, making them into master samurai. Once he unlocks the hidden powers of Jubei with a kiss, the rest of the girls will set their sights on attaining that power for themselves.
Together with his new group of master samurai, Muneakira will rebel against the school's student council, who have tasked themselves with oppressing students in this hectic world.
Samurai Girls has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 百花繚乱 サムライガールズ, Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls
4. Sword of the Stranger
In the Sengoku period of Japan, a young orphan named Kotarou and his dog Tobimaru steal from unsuspecting villagers in order to make ends meet. However, Kotarou is forced to remain on the run when he finds himself being hunted down by assassins sent by China's Ming Dynasty for mysterious reasons not involving his petty crimes.
Fortunately, the duo run into Nanashi, a ronin who has taken refuge in a small temple, when Kotarou is attacked and Tobimaru poisoned. Although the samurai saves the helpless pair from their pursuers, he feels that there is no need to help them further; but when offered a gem in exchange for his services as a bodyguard, he reluctantly accepts Kotarou's offer of employment—just until Tobimaru is healed and the two reach their destination. As the three set out on a perilous journey, it soon becomes evident that their path is riddled with danger, as the Ming Dynasty has now sent a terrifying swordsman after them to capture Kotarou and fulfill a certain prophecy.
Sword of the Stranger has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: Stranger: Mukou Hadan, ストレンヂア -無皇刃譚-, Stranger: Mukoh Hadan, Stranja
3. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan
In the final years of the Bakumatsu era lived a legendary assassin known as Hitokiri Battousai. Feared as a merciless killer, he was unmatched throughout the country, but mysteriously disappeared at the peak of the Japanese Revolution. It has been ten peaceful years since then, but the very mention of Battousai still strikes terror into the hearts of war veterans.Unbeknownst to them, Battousai has abandoned his bloodstained lifestyle in an effort to repent for his sins, now living as Kenshin Himura, a wandering swordsman with a cheerful attitude and a strong will. Vowing never to kill again, Kenshin dedicates himself to protecting the weak. One day, he stumbles across Kaoru Kamiya at her kendo dojo, which is being threatened by an impostor claiming to be Battousai. After receiving help from Kenshin, Kaoru allows him to stay at the dojo, and so the former assassin temporarily ceases his travels.Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan tells the story of Kenshin as he strives to save those in need of saving. However, as enemies from both past and present begin to emerge, will the reformed killer be able to uphold his new ideals?
Rurouni Kenshin has finished airing and it has 94 Episodes. It is also Known as: るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚-, Samurai X
2. Gintama'
After a one-year hiatus, Shinpachi Shimura returns to Edo, only to stumble upon a shocking surprise: Gintoki and Kagura, his fellow Yorozuya members, have become completely different characters! Fleeing from the Yorozuya headquarters in confusion, Shinpachi finds that all the denizens of Edo have undergone impossibly extreme changes, in both appearance and personality. Most unbelievably, his sister Otae has married the Shinsengumi chief and shameless stalker Isao Kondou and is pregnant with their first child.
Bewildered, Shinpachi agrees to join the Shinsengumi at Otae and Kondou's request and finds even more startling transformations afoot both in and out of the ranks of the the organization. However, discovering that Vice Chief Toushirou Hijikata has remained unchanged, Shinpachi and his unlikely Shinsengumi ally set out to return the city of Edo to how they remember it.
With even more dirty jokes, tongue-in-cheek parodies, and shameless references, Gintama' follows the Yorozuya team through more of their misadventures in the vibrant, alien-filled world of Edo.
Gintama' has finished airing and it has 51 Episodes. It is also Known as: 銀魂', Gintama (2011)
1. Samurai Champloo
Fuu Kasumi is a young and clumsy waitress who spends her days peacefully working in a small teahouse. That is, until she accidentally spills a drink all over one of her customers! With a group of samurai now incessantly harassing her, Fuu desperately calls upon another samurai in the shop, Mugen, who quickly defeats them with his wild fighting technique, utilizing movements reminiscent to that of breakdancing. Unfortunately, Mugen decides to pick a fight with the unwilling ronin Jin, who wields a more precise and traditional style of swordfighting, and the latter proves to be a formidable opponent. The only problem is, they end up destroying the entire shop as well as accidentally killing the local magistrate's son.
For their crime, the two samurai are captured and set to be executed. However, they are rescued by Fuu, who hires the duo as her bodyguards. Though she no longer has a place to return to, the former waitress wishes to find a certain samurai who smells of sunflowers and enlists the help of the now exonerated pair to do so. Despite initially disapproving of this idea, the two eventually agree to assist the girl in her quest; thus, the trio embark upon an adventure to find this mysterious warrior—that is, if Fuu can keep Mugen and Jin from killing each other.
Set in an alternate Edo Period of Japan, Samurai Champloo follows the journey of these three eccentric individuals in an epic quest full of action, comedy, and dynamic sword fighting, all set to the beat of a unique hip-hop infused soundtrack.
Samurai Champloo has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: サムライチャンプルー, SAMURAI CHAMPLOO
