REVIEW: ‘Shine On! Bakumatsu Bad Boys,’ Episode 1 – “Deceive! The Shinsengumi of Criminals”

Shine On Bakumatsu Bad Boys is produced by Geno Studio. In Feudal Japan, a lone fighter named Ichibanboshi searches for the masked samurai that slew his family. But when the authorities apprehend him for fighting in public, it appears that the young man’s time on this earth is over. But rather than lose his head, he is brought in on a secret. Seven of the leading keepers of the peace in Kyoto, known as the Shinsengumi, have been killed by a mysterious assailant. Now, desperate to maintain control of the city, the sole surviving commander has turned to seven criminals, including Ichibanboshi, to restore the ranks of this elite force in Shine On Bakumatsu Bad Boys Episode 1.

While the concept behind this series feels pretty outlandish, the show leans into this energy with its eclectic cast of misfits that have been gathered to fulfill the roles of Kyoto’s keepers of the peace. A true “Dirty Dozen” style group, from out-and-out psychopaths to stone-cold killers, this group will clearly cause as much trouble as they’ll solve. But for this episode, at least, the show does a decent job of playing the various personalities off of each other well. It establishes several personality clashes that could prove to be fertile storytelling ground for the series going forward. The only personality of the bunch I truly struggled with, unfortunately, is the main character Ichibanboshi.

Shine On Bakumatsu Bad Boys Episode 1‘s lead is the classic stubborn, I listen to know one and yell really loud when I don’t get my way, kind of anime protagonist. He’s not nearly as tough as he wants everyone to believe he is but refuses to listen to a thing anyone tells him. It feels like the show is going for a dashing, headstrong type of proactive hero but instead delivers an obnoxious brat. But the show does hint at him perhaps being more than he initially appears to be. So with a bit of luck, it will find a way for him to grow out of his poor first impression.

The visuals not only deliver some stylish action but also use some subtle details to make the art stand out a little bit. Most notable is a sort of graininess the art has overlaid on it. This small touch creates an added feeling of age to the visuals, helping to seal the show’s placement in the past. Also used to great effect are the show’s pronounced lines. While not as bold as My Hero Academia, the line work here lands in that same vein to a similar effect. Though this episode does add different colors to some of its line work, differentiating it from the former and helping the lines blend with the art and mood of some shots while still serving their function to keep the visuals crisp and clear.

When all is said and done, Shine On Bakumatsu Bad Boys Episode 1 gets off on a solid foot. With a colorful cast, interesting premise, and memorable visual style, the show largely get off on the right foot. As long as it can manage to make the protagonist a bit less abrasive, it could yet produce a strong series.

Shine On Bakumatsu Bad Boys Episode 1 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.