In Samurai Champloo's case however, it works amazingly well and I can even say it adds to it's strenght.
This series is made by studio Manglobe, which also made the amazing classic Cowboy Bepop (which is also mainly episodic) and it's recent mediocre Gangsta. Unfortunately, studio Manglobe has become bankrupt and it is very saddening to know that they could be never making such classics again.
I can fairly say that Manglobe outdid themselves this time with Samurai Champloo. There is a reason why I immediatly put this series in my favorites list. It has a perfect balance of great comedy, amazing characters/development, serious situations/fights and a good overall story/direction.
The story in itself isn't very thrilling or deep if Samurai Champloo aimed to be a story driving series. However, in a mainly episodic series, the story is just right to keep the viewer interested without being too complicated. This isn't a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but it does it's job in giving the characters a reason to keep fighting and keep moving in this Edo-styled world.
Aside from the main story, the individual episodes are very well done story-wise. It varies from extremely funny, to very sad and it never bores the viewer. There are also some twists in certain parts of the stories which keeps you interested.
Considering it's a series that dates back to the year 2004, the art is still up to par and it is beautifull to look at. The characters are nicely animated, the fights are fast-paced and amazing to look at. The backgrounds are mostly well done, but it could have been a bit more detailed for me sometimes. The animation is overall very fluent and it is hard to criticize it.
I really appreciated the descision that they made regarding the sound. The opening is very different from the normal Jpop songs, and the added hiphop elements in there made it a very memorable series. You don't see this very often and you will probably see it never again in a series centered in the Edo-period.
The voice actors for the main characters are pefectly chosen. They all feel so natural and it would be weird without those voices. If you can achieve that, than your doing your job right.
The characters are the series biggest selling point. You have the airheaded and big breast loving Mugen, who likes to eat, fight and have sex. You have the quiet and samurai-like Jin, who can have a fun side aswell. At last you have the young, eccentric and loudmouthed Fuu, who is actually the most serious one of them all when it comes to the normal things.
All three of these characters work really well together and add alot of seriousness and comedy to the series. All three have a sad past and the series gives them enough time to develop.
The side characters are also really well done, every mini-arc has loveable characters who you can really feel for.
I would definitely reccomend this series solely on all the characters.
I would never have thought that I would enjoy this series as much as I did. I kept wachting episode after episode, because everything just worked so well. I wanted to see how the main story unfolded, but the part that I liked most where the funny episodic stories in which the side-characters shined the most. I can never get enough of Mugen, Jin and Fuu and I was sad that the series ended.
Overall, the story is good and compelling for an episodic series. Each episode has an intersting story and great characters to go with it. Our main cast is just so fun to be with and you feel like your going on the adventure with them. The hiphop elements really gave this series some uniqueness and it didn't felt out of place at all. The art was very well done and the fight scenes were amazing and fluid.
This series in on par with the highly praised classic Cowboy Bebop and I would reccomend this series to anyone who likes a funny, but also serious series with great fights and a certain uniqueness to it.
Don't let the term 'episodic' scare you, just like it did to me. If you finally decide to watch it than you will have an amazing time ahead of you.
