Anime Review: Samurai Champloo

[mindlesspuppet]

Anime Review: Samurai Champloo

This hip-hop anachronistic take on Edo Japan is still one of the best anime series of the last decade.

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[Irridium]

I remember seeing this on Adult Swim a couple of years ago.

It was good, not the best I've seen, but still pretty good.

...dammit, now I want to watch it again!
Well, its off to the store for me.

 

[sprout]

Samurai Champloo...love! This ended up being a /really/ good series. It had its odd moments, but all in all I definitely enjoyed it and would recommend others watch it.

 

[Armored Prayer]

Fun Fact:

If I recall, Champloo is slang for remix. So its pronounced Samurai Remix.

 

[Stormcloud23]

This was the only anime i ever enjoyed.

 

[GrandChristian]

YES !!! this is a great anime/manga wow i havent seen it in ages ive got the manga of it on the shelf gathering dust i really should read it again sometime also id recomend watching/reading it if your into anime/manga

 

[solsticesins]

I wasn't really impressed by the manga... but that's typically the case with post-anime manga releases. As an anime though, it's definitely one of the best samurai themed animes I've seen. The action is well animated, there's less of the retarded generic sword swinging / flash of light to mask the actual sword play, the majority of the fight scenes are actually choreographed and drawn out in full which makes it all that much more fun to watch, reminiscent of the fluid fight scenes in Bebop. Sure, the plot's a little lacking and the characters are generic set pieces, but they are generic for a reason, they're good and they work, so I hold no grudges against that.

 

[KarmicToast]

It's no Cowboy Bebop? I would say Cowboy Bebop is no Champloo...

 

[Casual Shinji]

I liked the episode with the Dutch gay guy.

So weird to here my own languish in a Japanese animation.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

I think the series used one too many "omfg he almost died" death bed moments, but there was a ton of clever stuff in there. Last sword fight was badass, right down to Mugen pulling a comeback move of DBZ proportions.

 

[Mstrswrd]

I actually am not fond of Cowboy Beebop. It just never really interested me.

Anyway, yeah, Samurai Champloo, aside from being a great anime, also has one of the better tie-in games (Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked). It's not perfect, but it's fun, and, just from the name, you know how easy it was to make it not have any effect on the anime itself, yet still tie in... much how some of the episodes work with each other.

 

[Grayjack]

I remember watching this a few years ago on Adult Swim. It was one of my favorites.

 

[Croaker42]

I love Cowboy Beebop. I had a great story and wonderfull sidetrack that pulled me in. This trys the same thing with one exception. I cant stand Hip-Hop, the story is really good and the characters are deacent, I just find it hard to get through the opening.

 

[7ru7h]

I love Cowboy Beebop. I had a great story and wonderfull sidetrack that pulled me in. This trys the same thing with one exception. I cant stand Hip-Hop, the story is really good and the characters are deacent, I just find it hard to get through the opening.

For the most part, I agree with you (I generally hate Hip-Hop/Rap music) but other than the opening and various wipes/scene changes, it doesn't have that much rap in it. That said, this has to be one of my favorite animes

 

[XSportSeeker]

Sorry, but I can't agree with that.
Don't get me wrong, I watched Samurai Champloo and like it a lot, despite thinking it still didn't get even close to Cowboy Bebop, specially music wise.

Now, calling it the "best anime series of the last decade"? No, DEFINITELY no. I don't think I can even rank it on my top ten list.

But oh well, opinions epinions

 

[mindlesspuppet]

Now, calling it the "best anime series of the last decade"? No, DEFINITELY no. I don't think I can even rank it on my top ten list.

Actually I said "one of the best anime series", shouldn't go chopping words off like that, it's dirty.

 

[A Weary Exile]

Samurai Champloo is one of the only anime I've ever liked because it had originality. The others would be Paranoia Agent and Evangelion (Best anime ever, though sometimes lacking in action.)

 

[Lusulpher]

I love Cowboy Beebop. I had a great story and wonderfull sidetrack that pulled me in. This trys the same thing with one exception. I cant stand Hip-Hop, the story is really good and the characters are deacent, I just find it hard to get through the opening.

For the most part, I agree with you (I generally hate Hip-Hop/Rap music) but other than the opening and various wipes/scene changes, it doesn't have that much rap in it. That said, this has to be one of my favorite animes

All of the BGM is RnB, Hip-Hop and Blues...with Hip-Hop rhythms and pacing. I play the soundtrack while replaying GTA: San Andreas.

Anyway, just like Cowboy Bebop it brings a foreign culture's art styles into Japan's near-homogeneous setting. The art is 10/10, the plot and characters are simple and pure, the music is haunting at times, and the ending is actually refreshing after all that the journey entailed.

And it entailed some raunchy, tragic stuff. They get a lot of character depth and detail but not much growth, and it works fine. "It is not about the destination, but the journey."

Watched it 3 times end to end, and always saw something I missed. Just like FLCL, another unique piece.