The enigmatic Yorishige (Yuichi Nakamura) faces his most unexpected dilemma in The Elusive Samurai, Episode 7. Children In Winter begins innocently enough, but slowly develops into something more sinister and sinister as the power of those Tokiyuki (Asaki Yuikawa) seeks to undermine once again increases. By adding new and formidable players to the existing threat, the series gradually raises the stakes until we can no longer fathom how Tokiyuki and his child followers can ever hope to stand up against this fearsome human force.

The Elusive Samurai, Episode 7 doesn’t dive directly into implied darkness, but doesn’t stray from it either. We know something’s wrong right away when Yorishige realizes he’s been put in one of his rare situations where he loses his prophetic gifts. This is already stressful for him, especially since he has to look out for Tokiyuki’s safety. However, things get even more difficult when Tokiyuki volunteers to patrol the area with his group. Yorishige is unwilling to reveal his current status so as not to cause panic among his people, but this means he resorts to desperate measures to convince Tokiyuki not to go.

It’s one of the funniest moments in the series, as Yorishige thinks about every possible event that could lead to Tokiyuki’s untimely death. From cold weather and hunger to embarrassment, he thinks of everything to provide him with enough protection. Although Tokiyuki is pleased that Yorishige cares, he goes along with the original plan and is willing to help in any way he can.

These humorous attacks are scattered throughout, The Elusive Samurai, Episode 7 continues to try to blend the comedy with the action. To some extent, it works. This is especially true of the fight scene between Kojiro, Ayako, and newcomer Fubuki. The latter is a dueling sword wielder who mistakenly believes Tokiyuki’s group means him and the city he protects harm. The fight is graceful and kinetic, accompanied by excellent lighting that bathes the ground in the colors of the sunset. But the greatest moment is when Tokiyuki, watching his followers fight, realizes that they have been coddling him while they were training together.

Tokiyuki’s kindness and freshness when fighting are shown throughout the episode, especially in flashbacks. There we see that Yorishige has placed a lot of expectations on Kojiro and Ayako’s shoulders. While Yorishige understands Tokiyuki’s particular strengths, he also knows that they are not enough to protect him. This is where the retainers come in, and it’s nice to see them finally get their own moment in the spotlight. Fubuki is also a strong addition, as he tells them that he is looking for a lord to help him pass on his tactical wisdom to others.

But before Fubuki can help Tokiyuki move forward, they must deal with a new soldier of Sadamune. The soldier is a former villain whose visual motif is an anthill swarming in the middle of his chest. Here we have to wonder how prepared Tokiyuki and co. really are. Even though six months have passed since the series began, they are all still children fighting an adult war.

And perhaps that’s what makes Children in Winter so grim. It’s not just the cold they face, but the deliberate cruelty of the world they live in. Fubuki represents a village of children who have lost their parents in battle, and while it’s heartening to see him at the forefront, it’s sad to think about why.

The Elusive Samurai, Episode 7 builds on an existing expectation of excellent animation. While it doesn’t have any big, dizzying moments, it does contain some stunning lighting. This lighting helps define the place and tone of a sequence. The lighting and the excellent score help to further define the episode, as things become increasingly immersive as the characters move through the landscape. What starts with light and energy as Tokiyuki and co. play on a frozen lake ends in tragedy as another village is lost.

With impressive images and overwhelming tension The Elusive Samurai, Episode 7 continues to raise the stakes. While Tokiyuki is developing his skills and leadership abilities, as the new villain shows, he is still clearly out of his depth.

The Elusive Samurai, Episode 7 is now available on Crunchyroll.