The anime is produced by Manglobe, which was famous for the production of "Samurai Shamploo".
"House of Five Leaves" is a story about a group of five robbers who kidnap people for a living in the Edo Era. Yet the story is not about kidnapping; nor is it about samurai or swordsmanship. It's about the people, their present and past, why they're in the gang, "Five Leaves", and why they quit being outlaws in the end.
The character design is one of the most bizarre I've seen in years. When I first saw the trailer, it was not simply "like-or-dislike". Actually I suddenly felt there's a very thin line between the two. But later I really grew on it. It certainly has the uniqueness that separates it from all the other animation. Yet it may be due to this bizarreness that the anime doesn't have a rating that it deserves—it's far underrated on myanimelist.com and anime news network and alike. However, if you like a mature story, and the Edo era setting, and if you could try to tolerate the weirdness you feel in the beginning, it would be an interesting and rewarding experience to get to know these characters in the 12 episodes.
Our protagonist Masanosuke is a ronin (i.e. a wandering samurai who has no lord). He's a kind, perceptive, smart and skilled swordsman, despite of the fact that he is shy and looks naive. Masa is the sort of person who just says whatever is on his mind without reservation, a man of honesty and integrity. It's weird that he's in the group, right? In fact, he was dragged into the gang by Yaichi without knowing it at first. That's the fun part. Masa doesn't need to do anything funny on purpose—it's inherent in his behavior. Surely he's not suit for this line of job, but at first Yaichi just thought it would be fun to have him there. Masa lost his job as a bodyguard thanks to his personality giving people an impression of being unreliable. Being jobless is one of the reasons he didn't choose to leave. "You hate the idea of doing bad things, but you need money. So you'll probably continue to put yourself in this vague emotional state, and join them in their activities. If the time ever comes that you want to be rid of that feeling, cut your ties and leave without looking back. That would be wise." That's the advice the elder Souji gave him, but Masa feels he has found friends whose circumstances he wants to get involved and share, so he eventually made the choice to stay.
The leader of the group is Yaichi, a charismatic person with composure. He always carries that pompous smile on his face, making you want to believe that he's not doing something bad when you see that smile, even when he says to your face, "I kidnap people for a living." Of course, he's hiding his past and pain behind that—it's calm because it's deep. Masa described him as "a little bit frightening. And constantly on guard. Yet...he's like...A leaf floating about on the river." Ichi has a five-leave maple scar from burns on his back. It became the signature of the gang; thus the name "House of Five Leaves."
Five Leaves were asked to kill the hostage in secret in their last case. "He's not from our master's linage, thus not the rightful heir."— a reason to abandon someone as blunt and cruel as before. "Perhaps Yaichi kept kidnapping people just to see that happen." Memories seep into our bones. Life is surely full of jokes, caprices and coincidences. We're the ones laughing and unfortunately the ones being laughed at as well.
The name Yaichi was borrowed from a person most important to him. Seinoshin, he used to be called, was an adopted heir of a prominent family until the birth of a son. He was discarded, as a victim of a kidnapping plotted by the mother. Although Seinoshin has known it all along, that he hasn't ever been accepted or acknowledged in that family, he didn't expect that they even wanted him dead.
Yaichi was the only person who cared about him and who he trusted; the steward who he was told to betray him,but who in fact died for him. He'll always remember, when Yaichi led him under an autumn flame maple when he couldn't help being depressed by the sneer of the mother. "Seinoshin-sama, please take a look.", he smiled and said, "It's truly elegant and gorgeous."
Five Leaves were asked to kill the hostage in secret in their last case. "He's not from our master's linage, thus not the rightful heir."— a reason to abandon someone as blunt and cruel as before. "Perhaps Yaichi kept kidnapping people just to see that happen." Memories seep into our bones. Life is surely full of jokes, caprices and coincidences. We're the ones laughing and unfortunately the ones being laughed at as well.
