The Ending Of Yasuke Explained
The newest Netflix anime, "Yasuke," may feature robots and magic, but the titular protagonist at the center of the story was, in fact, an actual person. The opening shot of the first episode of the anime (you know, once you get past the big sci-fi battle) is based on an actual historical event where Nobunaga asked Yasuke to decapitate him as he performed seppuku. Shortly after, Yasuke was exiled, and no one really knows what happened to him after that fateful event.
The new Netflix series envisions a bold, fantastical mission Yasuke embarked on where he tries to escape the violent life he left behind. The show picks up with the samurai, voiced by Academy Award nominee LaKeith Stanfield, as he encounters a mother, Ichika (Gwendoline Yeo). Ichika dies trying to protect her daughter, Saki (Maya Tanida), who has strange, powerful abilities. A lot of supernatural threats are after the girl, and while he's haunted by his past, Yasuke overcomes his trepidation to become the hero he was meant to become.
In just six episodes, the first season covers a lot of ground, especially during the final moments. Here's what you might've missed while watching the ending of "Yasuke."
Yasuke dies (and comes back to life)
A lot of bloodshed occurs throughout "Yasuke," and it all culminates with the Black Samurai himself sacrificing his life in the battle against the daimyo (Amy Hill). There's a hole right through him, so it's clear he's pretty dead ... that is, until Saki takes a page out of "Pokemon: The First Movie" and revives him using her tears. Throughout the season, we've seen the extent of her powers of telekinesis as she's able to create shields and manipulate objects using only her mind. But this is the first time we've ever seen her resurrect the dead, implying that there's a lot more to the girl than meets the eye.
Yasuke seems more surprised than anyone to see that he's returned to the land of the living, and during his final few moments on the battlefield, he watches as the daimyo slowly perishes. The daimyo is the second primary antagonist we see in the series after the priest bites the dust, so now, that slot is wide open for someone to come and fill the void in Season 2. "Yasuke" hasn't officially been renewed yet, but seeing as how they brought the titular samurai back as opposed to leaving him dead, it opens the doors for more adventures as opposed to ending the show as a miniseries.
We've only seen the beginning of Saki's powers
The entire plot's set in motion when Saki's powers come to light. A lot of very bad people want to get their hands on her so that they can rule over Japan, but they're not prepared for her true force and her skilled companion. As the daimyo dies, she comments on Saki's true power, which she now seems to have a better handle on after seeing the doctor. But it all comes with a price as the daimyo states, "Soon you will want more and more. So much that it will take the whole world to sustain you." Saki declares she'll never become evil like her because she has her friends by her side, but who knows what the future could hold?
After Yasuke drops Saki back at her village, he says that he's prepared to go out on his own. Perhaps the second season will pick up years later when Yasuke runs into an old friend, namely Saki, whose powers have escalated to where she now poses a threat to the planet. It would definitely make for an emotional reunion if Yasuke suddenly found himself with the choice of whether or not to take down Saki for good. There's obviously no way of knowing if that's the direction future seasons will take, but it's clear the writers have left the doors open for Saki to continue playing a large role in this series if they want to pursue it.
And remember what the daimyo said in an earlier episode. It was only a matter of time until an equal to her own power rose to the surface. Will something else have to emerge that will equal Saki's tremendous capabilities?
What's going on in the post-credits scene?
After you finish the final episode, you may notice that Netflix doesn't cut to another show immediately. That's due to a post-credits scene that gives Yasuke closure and ties up some of the loose ends. Through flashbacks, we learn that Yasuke killed his friend, Natsumaru (Ming-Na Wen), in the field of combat with her own katana. He kept this weapon with him throughout his life, and when Nobunaga dies by seppuku, Yasuke uses the katana to decapitate him to end his suffering.
This katana is kept hidden initially, but after he and Saki contend with magic users and robots, he realizes he'll need all the help he can get. He takes it out of commission, and once they defeat the daimyo, he meets with a man by a monument. It turns out to be the brother of his old friend, Natsumaru, whom he saved at the seaport earlier in his life — we saw a flashback for this earlier in the series. He returns Natsumaru's sword to him, believing he's the one who should rightfully have it. And when the brother asks him how his sister died, he responds, "She died with honor."
Through this exchange, he conveniently leaves out how he was the one who ultimately killed her. Again, one could easily see a scenario where this plot thread gets picked back up in future episodes. There could even be a story where the brother learns the truth and hunts down Yasuke, wanting to kill him with the very sword he used to end Natsumaru's life. But for now, Yasuke is at peace. There's a big, vibrant world out there, and if Netflix wants it, we could be seeing a lot more of the samurai in the future.