Hello World! I know it’s been awhile since my last post. Had some craziness in my life but fret not! I am back, so let’s do this! On this edition of ICFN we have another one of my favorite anime, Samurai Champloo!
(From left to right)Mugen, Fuu, and Jin are ready to show you a side of old Japan you've never seen before...
Taking place in the Edo period in Japan’s history, Samurai Champloo is not your typical Samurai anime. The simplest way to describe Samurai Champloo is to take feudal Japan and throw it into a blender with a rap video. From the music used to the overall feel of the series, there is no series out there quite like Samurai Champloo. The series also isn’t shy about violence. With swords flying in every episode, the pints of blood that this show produces would make Mortal Kombat proud. As if you weren’t sold on the show yet, it was directed by Shinichiro Watanabe who also directed a little show by the name of Cowboy Bebop.
Beginning in a small town tea shop, we are introduced to the three title characters early on. Those characters being the female lead Fuu a young girl in search for the Samurai who smells of Sunflowers, Mugen a crass wanderer whose policy is slice first, don’t ask questions, and Jin(annoyingly pronounce ‘Gene’ in the dub) a near silent, more traditional swordsman. Now if you were to say that these characters have nothing in common…well you’d be right. One of the great dynamics of this series is the constant tension between the three characters. In fact int he first episode Mugen and Jin try to kill each other. Forced to travel together and into a vow not to fight by Fuu, the two swordsmen find themselves joining her in her search for the Sunflower Samurai.
One of the fun points of the series is also a bit of a pitfall, however. While the series has a number of fun episodes, offering a bit of comedic relief, I personally feel they are a bit too numerous. At 26 episodes, the series is great from beginning to end, though a few of those episodes could probably stand to be removed without effecting the overall plot. These comedic episodes certainly aren’t a deterrent to watching the series by any means, they just aren’t necessary.
Overall Samurai Champloo is a great action packed series that never disappoints from start to finish. The growth that each character goes through has you laughing, crying, and clinging to the edge of your seat. Following a series like Cowboy Bebop, one of the greatest anime of all time, is no easy task but in no way does Shinichiro Watanabe disappoint. I can think of no praise higher than saying that Samurai Champloo easily follows one of the best shows ever, and there by earns its place with it. Once again I find myself thanking Netflix for letting me watch this great series again.
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