Swords and samurai are synonymous with anime. There are dozens of spectacular series about warring nations and historical last stands where samurai hold the course of history in their hands. Much of the success of anime has the samurai genre to thank as the moving stories highly inspired by the works of Akira Kurosawa and Hiroshi Inagaki have made massive impacts on the community.

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The elegant and deadly movements made by the most skilled sword masters are brilliantly animated in series such as Rurouni Kenshin, and Sword of the Stranger. While there are many anime that have received worldwide acclaim, there are just as many that fall through the cracks and become overshadowed. Rare diamonds in the rough exist, waiting for fans to rediscover them so that they can return to their former glory. Here are some forgotten awesome anime about samurai.

7 Peace Maker Kurogane

peace keeper kurogane

Tetsunosuke was only a child when he witnessed his parents slaughtered right in front of him. The event shook Tetsunosuke to his core but also lit a grand ambition inside him. Tetsunosuke sought to become strong to avenge the death of his parents and prevent that sort of event from ever happening again.

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To exact his revenge, Tetsunosuke joined the Shensingumi, but with no talent for swordsmanship or killing, Tetsunosuke's goal seemed far from reach. Now, Tetsunoseke must fight the battle inside himself between never taking a life and protecting the Shensingumi like he swore to do.

6 Karas: The Prophecy

karas anime

Yousuke Otoha is dragged into a world he didn't know existed. The human and demon worlds have been clashing with one another for some time, an ancient being known as Yurine has kept the balance along with her faithful servant, the Karas.

Unfortunately, the current Karas has grown spiteful of humankind's disregard for his service and, because of that, has turned against his master and waged war on the human race. Yurine searches for a replacement, and now Otoha must face off against the former Karas and reestablish the balance before the human race is lost.

5 Shigurui: Death Frenzy

death feenzy anime

Shigurui is a spectacular tale in the samurai genre that follows two samurai separated by consequence. Set in the Edo period in an episodic adventure, Gennosuke, and Seigen revolve around each other's destiny until they come to face each other in a tournament where real swords will be used. Gennouske was one of the strongest swordsmen in his dojo until he lost his arm.

However, Gennosuke's determination knows no equal, and he pushed himself and adapted his style to fit his disability. Seigen is just as equally skilled as Gennosuke but is the polar opposite in moral opinions and personality. Seigen loses his sight to Gennosuke's master, and Gennosuke loses his arm to Seigen, which is what fuels their rivalry at its core.

4 Samurai Deeper Kyou

demon eyes kyo anime

Two legendary swordsmen meet on the battlefield, but before the final blow can be struck, the divine intervenes in the form of a falling meteor that devastates the battlefield. Kyoushio Mibu and the dreaded manslayer Demon eyes Kyou are never heard from again. Four years later, a lecherous rogue named Kyoushiro finds himself running from a bounty hunter attempting to bring him to justice for debt evasion.

The two are attacked, and Kyoushiro's body changes, and he dawns the personality of Demon eyes Kyou, trapped in the body of Kyoushiro Mibu. The two begin on a journey of rediscovering who they are and how to mend their situation.

3 Kurozuka

kurozuka anime

Kurozuka is an anime that meshes the samurai and anime vampire themes with a love story scattered across time. Kurou was a proud samurai who became chased by a vicious gang of warriors. He and his subordinate, Benkei escaped into a forest where they were granted shelter in a mysterious manner ruled by a beautiful madam named Kuromitsu.

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Upon receiving protection, Kurou and Benkei were warned never to enter Korimitsu's room. Due to an insatiable curiosity, Kurou peeked into the room and discovered Kroimitsu's secret, which lead him to a series of unfortunate events involving his death, the loss of his love, and betrayal.

2 Ronin Warriors

ronin warriors

Ronin Warriors is a shounen samurai anime series created by the Sunrise Animation Studio. The stories follow a group of young men gifted with powerful abilities on a mission to defeat an evil being known as Emperor Talpa.

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The Ronin Warriors were each given a magical piece of armor that gives them their abilities. Initially, these pieces of armor belonged to Emperor Talpa, and now he seeks to reclaim his lost possessions and conquer Earth. The Ronin Warriors must fight with every ounce of their strength in order to save the world and overcome the Emperor's evil plans.

1 Blade Of The Immortal

blade of the immortal anime

Blade of the Immortal is a cult classic that has seen its fair share of success but has recently fallen to the wayside in popularity. Blade of the Immortal follows Manji, a vile swordsman who is feared and looked upon in detest for his vicious crimes of murder.

Manji is cursed by a nun who has lived for nearly a century for the murder of one hundred men. Manji has been cursed with immortality, and the ability to heal any wound. Forced to walk the lands carrying the weight of his sins, Manji's only option is to kill one thousand evil men to atone for his wrongdoings.

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