The premise is simple, it's a largely episodic series about three youngsters travelling together in samurai era Japan to find one of those samurai. Only one of them, Fuu, wants to find him, while the other two, Jin and Mugen, are indebted to her but really just want to fight to see who's the tougher bastard. Like Bebop, they're usually scrounging for their next meal, and they always find a way to get into trouble - running into a hidden Christian community with a crooked preacher, being hunted down by another swordsman, getting caught up in a gang war and illegal gambling ring, the list goes on. Each episode is quite unique, so you don't have to worry about things getting boring. The time period is interesting and really beautiful to see explored, with a few modern twists thrown in for a great style.
Without a doubt, the first thing to point out about this show is the animation value. It's superb. The fight scenes are a treat to watch, as well as all of the character design and background art. Visually, this show is a feast.
What really keeps the show together is it's soundtrack, which is almost to the same incredibly high standard as Cowboy Bebop's was, this time using experimental hip hop. I wasn't a hip hop fan going into this, I thought it was a dull genre of music that just wasn't for me, but I don't even leave the house without Nujabes on my phone now. Just name an emotion and there's a track on here that'll make you feel it, and feel it hard.
The story itself is good, however it's the characters that keep it fresh and interesting. Jin is reserved and moral, Mugen is outlandish and a thug, while Fuu is the naive one who keeps the group together. Initially, they can barely stand each other, but as the story progresses, you really get to see them bond and develop, becoming large parts of one another's lives. But don't think they're humble enough to admit it. I'll admit, there are two pretty lame filler episodes right before the final arc, but they're so eclipsed by the ending that they're quite easy to overlook and forget about. What really wraps this up in a neat little bow is the talent of the english dub, each character sounds exactly like you'd expect them to.
Great animation, great sound, great vocals, wonderful and memorable characters, if this isn't ticking off any boxes on your list there's something wrong with you. If you haven't seen Samurai Champloo, you've missed out on probably the strongest show from 2004. This isn't another Bebop, but it really tries to make itself rather than riding on coat tails. Just remember, you're on that journey with them, and the destination really isn't that important, what matters is what you do getting there.
