Japanese readers already know Tokiyuki dies at 29. Does that change how you watch the anime?

Been reading The Elusive Samurai since the anime was announced and one thing that doesn't come up much in English discussion: Japanese readers already know how Tokiyuki's story ends.

The real Hojo Tokiyuki was executed in 1353 at around 29 years old. This is just documented history, not a spoiler. Japanese readers who know their medieval history bring that to every chapter.

There's actually a word in Japanese for the emotional experience this creates: 判官贔屓 (hougan-biiki), roughly "sympathy for Yoshitsune," describing the specific feeling you get watching someone exceptional fight hard and lose anyway. It's a recognized aesthetic category in Japanese culture, not just a personal reaction.

The result is that Japanese readers aren't watching Tokiyuki's escapes as pure victories. Every time he survives, there's this layer of "but I know where this ends" underneath it. One Japanese fan described it as: knowing the history makes every escape bittersweet rather than just exciting.

I find that a more interesting way to read the series honestly. Does knowing this change anything for anyone else, or do you prefer going in without it?