Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 26
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: May 20, 2004 to Mar 19, 2005
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.491 (scored by 15294 users)
Ranked: #522
Popularity: #16
Members: 21,805
Favorites: 1,199 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
action adventure comedy samurai |
SynopsisMugen`s a buck wild warrior - violent, thoughtless and womanizing. Jin is a vagrant ronin - mysterious, traditional, well-mannered and very strong as well. These two fiercely independent warriors can`t be any more different from one another, yet their paths cross when Fuu, a ditzy waitress, saves them from being executed when they are arrested after a violent swordfight. Fuu convinces the two vagrant young men to help her find a mysterious samurai "who smells of sunflowers." And their journey begins. This is a story about love, friendship and courage... NOT!
(synopsis taken from AniDB) |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Samurai Champloo
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Recommendations
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here are 2 good what i call 'old', 'classic' animes. cool stories and cool characters a must watch for any anime lover
Just read what the guys above me write.
There right^^
If you like Cowboy bebob then you will also like Samurai
Champloo for sure.
similar climate... but SC is better ;)
Samurai Champloo is like Bebop taking place in the 'Edo-Era'. Both are made with the same style of animeation, and both have their own music themes, Bebop(Jazz/Blues), Champloo(DJ-Mixing/Rap.) Both are highly entertaining filled with action, drama, comedy, ect.. all in the right parts at the righ time. You can't like one without the other.
Of course, Cowboy Bebop is very much related to Samurai Champloo. Both Spike and Mugen are very much alike, and it also has very many humorous/serious moments, exactly like Bebop.
Animes from the same directors. What Cowboy Bebop is to Jazz music is the same as Samurai Champloo to Hip Hop. Beautiful animation in both and very episodic.
Both anime include a group of odd characters, who eventually develope a relationship. The have the same writer and basically the same style. Samurai Champloo : Cowboy Bebop :: Hip-Hop : Jazz.
Both were created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe.
Same director, same story, same characters and very similar style.
Same style, same director, same type of characters.
Spike -> Mugen (whimsical and wild)
Jin -> Jet (level headed)
Faye -> Fuu (charming but deadly)
Same type of feel when it comes to all the random stories, etc..
has the same creator, and is a great follow up (new story). Not as great as the Cowboy Bebop but still head and shoulders above the rest.
Same Director, pretty much the spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop,completely different world/story, their main similarity is...the awesomeness of the music, other than that, it's totally different.
Not only is the director the same, but the artistic and character designs are very similar. The action scenes are very enjoyable as well, and have there fair share of funny moments as well as very serious ones. Chances are if you loved one or the other, you will easily get into the other one.
The music is a big influence for both animes. Hip Hop and Jazz. Same director, completely diffrerent settings. But they match up very well. You can't watch one without the other.
Although set in opposing eras, both have a strong musical theme weaving through the engaging journey of a group of accidentally travellers (for Champloo) / bounty hunters (for Bebop). Both series may seem episodic but every one is highly enjoyable. Plus all the characters have fascinating deep/dark backstories.
Created by the same guy, they have a similar feel in cast, dialogue, fighting styles, music, and artwork.
What the people above me said :D Adding to that; similar in storytelling, often episodic but in a good way.
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If you like detailed action sequences, intense swordplay, an alternate setting of feudal Japan and hip hop samurai, definitely give this one a try. Afro Samurai is shorter, more graphic, and may have darker tones than Samurai Champloo, both are very entertaining if you like less historically-inclined samurai anime.
Both of these have high level samurais shed alot of blood, also the animes contain blood, violence and a sex scene.
Very stylized action sequences. Both are samurai themed. Each has a very serious samurai as well as a more laid back, energetic samurai.
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Reviews
| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
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Sep 10, 200826 of 26 episodes seen 19 of 22 people found this review helpful The premise is simple, three complete strangers drawn together by fate to embark on a long, very parlous journey across unfamiliar territory. However, it's not the plot which makes Samurai Champloo note worthy, but rather the characters themselves. There is a very strong relate-ability present in the main characters Jin, Mugen and Fuu; no matter who the viewer happens to be it's a more than safe bet they will instantly find common ground with at least one if not all three. This element within it...'s self is the very one which drives the series forward, it offers added interest and added suspense as each of our three travailing companions find themselves in some rather tense situations quite regularly. The true paradox in Samurai Champloo is that it's actually the main characters' normality which makes them so extraordinary.
Jin is a quiet, very strong willed, mysterious man of few words and it shows through greatly in his swordsmanship. Gin fights the same way he lives, with decisiveness, with great resolve, and with honor. Jin is a man of tradition, and a man of respect. It comes as no surprise he isn't one to allow someone under his skin during the heat of battle, he remains un-rattled and content with his abilities even in times of great adversities.
Mugen can easily be considered Jin's polar opposite; unlike Jin, Mugen has no concept of reserve, always speaks his mind despite the outcome, he is an extremely reckless individual who is easily the most cut throat free spirit in existence. Mugen inadvertently thrives off of defying the laws and 'order' around him, but in reality he's simply seeking an opponent who he feels would prove as a worthy match for his skill and ability. There are some who claim they'd laugh in the face of death, Mugen would beat each and every one of you to it.
Fuu is unlike either of the two samurai who accompany her. Although she's a bit of a klutz and slightly clueless at times, Fuu proves to be a lot more cunning and determined than first impressions are willing to let on. Fuu is the type of girl who once her mind is made up, nothing except death could stop her from chasing and attempting to reach her goals and aspirations, but like everyone, some times she just needs a bit of motivation.
Samurai Champloo is able to excel where most other series fail, it's ability to balance both comedic elements with serious, very deep subject matter is a direct result of the characters themselves. Nothing seems forced, every line of dialog is believable, everything seems to fit with the personality, actions and dominate traits Jin, Mugen and Fuu possess; although most would think this should be expected, it's not an easy feat to accomplish. The multi dimensional perspective of Jin, Mugen, and Fuu's outward actions, as well as inner feelings more than make up for the lack of complexity in the story's plot. After all, who here hasn't seen an anime about samurai?
Most importantly this series left me fulfilled, it didn't leave any questions unanswered, and to me the ending, although somewhat anti climatic was in my opinion a more than suited one to close the final pages on what is one of my favorite animes of all time. You'll laugh, maybe even cry and through it all you'll enjoy every minute of it, and chances are you'll want to experience it all over again in the not to distant future. read more
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| Overall |
9 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
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Dec 16, 200626 episodes 65 of 78 people found this review helpful Samurai Champloo is the latest work from Writer/Director Shinichiro Watanabe, who is most recognized for his work on Cowboy Bebop. One of the very few things Champloo and Bebop have in common is their great scores. Champloo mixes two subjects which would never be put in one sentence together, western hip-hop and eastern samurai swordplay. Yet the mixture comes out with a brilliant result. The fights scenes are hyped up with the speed and flow from the music and come out magnificent. But... Champloo isn’t all about fighting. Many things happen along the road for the three main characters: Mugen, a rough mouth vagrant with a fighting style similar to capoeira with a sword. Jin, a quite and intelligent ronin who fights with deadly lightning speeds. And Fuu, the ditsy waitress that brings these two together in search of a samurai who smells of sunflowers. Between these three we see many moments of humorous antics, whether it's Mugen poking insults at her flat chest or Mugen and Jin’s constant attempts on each others life. Samurai Champloo is fueled by Action, Comedy, and Drama. Together with an original story Samurai Champloo has a unique spin on the old samurai era making it a great find for any fan of anime.
Story
The story of Champloo is an original work from Shinichiro Watanabe. The story centers on Fuu’s search for a samurai who smells of sunflowers. As the wanders continue on their travel they encounter many problems, mostly dealing with how to make money for their various expenses some times causing trouble for the three. In the travels many humorous things occur like Mugen entering a beetle type cock fight, Jin and Mugen’s adventure in to the red-light district, or the three entering an eating contest. As the three get closer to the samurai who smells of sunflowers, things begin to unravel leading the three to the most trouble they have ever seen.
Animation
Champloo has crisp clean stylistic animation. Characters are draw clean and clear with many details. The landscapes of Champloo are filled with beautiful shots of Japan’s country side. There are even a few scenes were the animation becomes only black and white and seem as they where draw straight from sketches to add to the scene. There is also one part were the colors and animation becomes so lively that it gives the impression of a whacked out hallucination.
Sound
The score of Champloo is what sets its self apart from any other anime in its genre. The background music is filled with urban hip-hop to give it a loose free flowing fill to it. A big portion of Champloo is focused on its original sound and it shows. For action scenes we get a fast flowing sound that gives the sword fights a more stylistic feel to them. For the more dramatic scenes we get deeper sounding background music. There are even moments during some flash back scenes were the music that we get to hear a rich Japanese sound to give a deeper feeling to it.
Characters
Samurai Champloo focuses around 3 core characters. Mugen is a straight loud mouth anti-hero. Mugen is the wild one of the group, always flying by the seat of his pants. Mugen also seems to have a problem with authority. Mugen is the first to draw and the last to leave a fight. Jin is a noble ronin in the search of a purpose. Jin although quite and wise, he too has some distaste with authority like Mugen, although with different reason mainly because he sees the one’s in charge as waste. Fuu is a young girl in the search of a samurai who smells of sunflowers, she keeps these reasons to herself for some reason. Fuu is clumsy and some times naive. Fuu is constantly being kidnapped even though she has two strong bodyguards. And for some reason she keeps a flying squirrel with her to help out sometimes.
Enjoyment
Any one who is a fan of samurai action will surely like Champloo. Filled with enough action to keep those hard core action fans at bay, Champloo sprinkles some comedy and drama on top. If you are someone who doesn’t like the hip-hop aspect of Champloo, then at least give it a try, you may be surprised. read more
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| Overall |
9 |
| Story |
9 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
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Apr 3, 200826 of 26 episodes seen 15 of 21 people found this review helpful Story:
The story has a main central plot. Two samurai (although I think Mugen shouldn't really be considered a traditional samurai) and a teahouse waitress meet and the swordsmen end up accompanying her on a journey to seek out the samurai who smells of sunflowers. However, each episode, or occasionally every two episodes, really has its own story, but still falls into the main storyline perfectly because these episode stories are really the stories of their travels.
...>
In the beginning the whole sunflower samurai thing was somewhat vague and unexplained, but the truth of it becomes revealed throughout the series. I think it was a great story that was well developed and the ending was actually pretty good in my opinion. It really didn't leave you hanging at all because the main storyline was entirely resolved (despite what the idiots who believe it wasn't resolved say.)
This story takes place in Japan's Edo Period (1603-1868,) however is really a revisionist historical series, meaning that the makers added some modern day elements that are anachronistic, predominately because the show contains hip-hop cultural attributes (i.e. break dancing, turntables, graffiti, Mugen's style, etc.) Also baseball did not arrive to Japan until 1878, ten years after the end of the Edo era, but the episode that contains a baseball game does fabricate a story that would make it possible. On the other hand, it does still actually show a lot of Edo historical aspects (such as the persecution against Christians, the nation's restriction of foreign affairs, Ukiyo-e paintings, and even a fictionalized version of a real life samurai (Miyamoto Musashi.) This blend of historical traits mixed with some modern themes makes the show very enjoyable.
Art:
Superb. The art style was very cool and the animation was nicely done. Consistently, throughout the whole series that is, the art was great, showing that they didn't slack off and really wanted to do a good job with this. The fighting scenes were brilliantly animated and always fluent, and the variety of camera angles and movements made it all very exciting.
Sound:
Yes, outstanding, definitely. The music is meant to reflect the hip-hop genre, and it does so very well. The OP is a cool song that fits the style as well as the samurai theme of the series. The ED is also a nice song for the show, and on several episodes there is an alternate ED, and then it goes back to the main ED, so the changes every once in a while are nice.
The background music is top notch, especially during the action sequences. The music gets you so into the feel of the battle and makes it quite exciting. The sound effects are awesome. In the middle of the episodes when that screen shows up that says Samurai Champloo (where like a commercial would usually be,) as well during the actual episodes when one scene changes to another, there are cool sound effects like turntables and such that further add to the hip-hop feel.
There's all this talk about the hip-hop, but maybe you don't like hip-hop. However, trust me, it makes the show so enjoyable and adds greatly to the overall feel of the show, generating a remarkable outcome.
Character:
The show primarily revolves around three characters: Fuu, Mugen, and Jin.
Fuu is a 15 year old girl who lost her mother to illness and was always told she never had a father. Thus, at the start of the show, she was alone working as a waitress at a teahouse. It is her goal to find the samurai who smells like sunflowers, for a reason I can't disclose because I believe it'd be considered a spoiler. She loves to eat despite her small stature often bickers primarily with Mugen.
Mugen is a swordsman who really helps give off the hip-hop feel. His fighting style incorporates a break dancing like art with swordsmanship, making it very cool, original, and enjoyable to watch. At the start of the show he's displayed as a lone wolf sorta guy who is a troublemaker always on the hunt for a tougher opponent. Anything about his parents or family is basically unknown to him, however the focal point of his history is revealed, which is enough to satisfy the viewer.
Jin is more of a classical, orthodox, and traditional samurai. He remains as a rather cryptic and sophisticated type of dude. Always being more calm and quiet, he differs greatly with Mugen, which is great. However, their sword skills are equal, and thus they agree that after their journey with Fuu is complete they would kill each other. Jin's history, like Mugen's, isn't given to you in its entirety, however I think more than enough is given about him, telling you basically what you need to know.
The contrasting personalities and styles of this trio makes the story extremely enjoyable because it always creates great comedy and humor. I think everybody could come to love these characters due to their separate traits. The supporting characters are usually pretty interesting and perform their roles nicely, all that is needed for a supporting character really.
Enjoyment:
Unique and top-notch samurai sword fighting mixed with other weapons such as kusarigamas and the occasional firearm. Great humor produced by three significantly different characters. A story that every episode keeps you occupied and drawn in. A wonderful soundtrack and magnificent artwork that boost the quality of the show.
What more could you ask for in a shounen series? It's a great action show that shouldn't be passed up, if anything simply for how incredibly enjoyable it is. read more
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Opening Theme"Battlecry" by Nujabes feat. SHINGO2 (eps 1-25)
Ending Theme#1: "Shiki No Uta" by MINMI
#2: "Who's Theme" by Minmi (ep 12)
#3: "YOU" by kazami (ep 17)
#4: "FLY [SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS]" by Tsutchie & fat jon (ep 23)
#5: "San Francisco" by Midicronica (ep 26)
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