House of Five Leaves (2010) - REVIEW

"Comparing the past to the present...I like the present better. I want to always be able to feel that way."

House of Five Leaves is a 2010 anime adaption of the manga of the same name, written by acclaimed mangaka Natsume Ono, who has also written works like Not Simple and ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. The anime adaption of House of Five Leaves was handled by Manglobe, a studio famed for their work on titles like Samurai Champloo and Ergo Proxy.

The story follows a dismissed samurai as he finds himself working as a bodyguard for a group of gangsters called the House of Five Leaves whose main source of income is found in kidnapping and collecting ransoms, though the reasoning for them doing so isn't quite what it seems.

It's a meanderingly told tale about a group of complicated people with complicated relationships and feelings, all buried deep down for complicated reasons. Each episode brings us deeper into their lives as the main character cautiously observes them all as he finds himself more and more entangled in their lives as criminals.

The series doesn't rush itself, or bloat itself with action - despite being a story about a criminal organization and a samurai, it's far more interested in slow walks and talking pieces. It's a quiet contemplation on how to atone for your past sins while simultaneously allowing yourself to live in, and enjoy, the present.

The hauntingly quiet nature of this anime, mixed with the subtle sound direction, incredibly tight dialogue, and the wonderfully surreal character designs from the original mangaka, Natsume Ono, all combine to ensure this thought provoking samurai tale lands itself in the Definitive Top 100 Anime of All Time List.

My Current MAL Rating: 8/10

Top 100 Contender: Yes

Current Top 100 Ranking: 35/100