Samurai Champloo

I decided that I had to start one of the new anime series eventually, and thus watched the first five episodes of “Samurai Champloo”. It seems good fun, is rather bloody and foremost stylish. But that is also one of the problems I have with it: It seems to be tailor-made for the American market. Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe (of “Cowboy Bebop” fame) and outfitted with — sometimes fitting and sometimes forcibly overlaid — hip-hop music, the character designs are very reminiscent (but not as radical) as the Animatrix’ “The Kid” with its very slender limbs.
I have to say the animation is awesome enough to make me keep watching it, but I sincerely hope that there will be a properly engaging story-arc rather sooner than later… A trio of two different (and averse) but equally capable samurai and the reconciling quota-female is not the most ground-breaking of story ideas.

9 thoughts on “Samurai Champloo

  1. Marc

    I watched the first 5 episodes by now.

    After I watched episode 1+2 I was deeply impressed by the style of the anime, especially those rewindscenes.
    the next episodes offer a little more story and less fighting/style (although it is enough to keep watching ;)… yeah, but the story wasnt that overwhelming at all and it didnt bring any clues to the main part of the story (samurai with scent of flower).

    But, still… the style of the anime is kinda different from what i watched the last months, and so i’ll keep watching and hoping that story and “art” involves.

    btw. what is this for a site?^^ (i was just googling and ended up here… but i think i am intelligent enough to understand this site..;)

  2. Jeannie Lee

    I’ve seen the 9 episodes out right now. It isn’t bad, but it’s not all that great either. The storyline
    is off; so far, all I know is (**potential spoiler if u havent seen yet**) they’re searching for the
    “sunflower samurai” and Jin has killers after him because of a past deed…. It is different from the
    anime that most normally see, so I do recommend watching at least a couple episodes just for the feel…

  3. Michael Daniels

    Samurai Champloo is no more tailored to Americans than Cowboy Bebop was. Seen the first 12 episodes and the exact plot is not clear, but neither was Bebop’s at this point (remember how late Vicious came into the picture?). Characters are still getting established, but each of the one episode vignettes reveals a bit more about them.
    The animation, as has been noted, is amazing and the integration of hip-hop is done very well.
    All in all, this is nothing new for Wantanabe, but it is worthy of the Bebop legacy.

  4. [maven]

    Remember Cowboy Bebop episode #5? There’s a lot of plot in there (and as you noted Champloo doesn’t have one — “Sunflower Samurai” — as of now). I like Champloo, but it seems more like a reinvention of the concept of Cowboy Bebop without any back-story to speak of.
    And you’re telling me, that a show pre-licensed by Pioneer / Geneon and co-produced by Hideki “Henry” Goto is completely ignorant of the Western market?

  5. Jaydee Ken Olivares

    X)Nice animation and action scenes, this kind of anime is a must to all those who like samurai’s hehehe…. i also like another anime which is samurai 7 much more advance yet great action scenes. Samurai Champloo offers new ideas that will thrill ya……. Keep creating animes and i will gruadually support ya…

  6. kit

    hmm, contrary to some of these ideas i thought that champloo does reuse bebop’s ideas a lot, but i think it is in some ways better. the episode about roco (bebop) in comparison to the episode about.. the thief boy forgot his name (champloo_ are nearly identical, but the way they have the family members find out are beautiful in their respective rights. i personally really look forward to samurai champloo (yes i am also a huge fan of both jazz and hiphop). who knows why i like it. people claim to have liked bebop so much because of the jazz, maybe they can’t find that similar value in champloo. the hiphop isn’t groundbreaking or anything, but really i think it’s just meant to emit a few laughs here and there, and otherwise, i still think they’re both masterpieces in characterization, and they both have that bittersweet feel about them. oh, and one more thing. i am eagerly awaiting episode 18 in january, and abhor samurai 7. sorry for the long response post.

  7. Verse

    I have watched the first 20 episodes and I think that its HELLA TIGHT. The overall styte of it is enough to watch it over and over. I can’t wait till the last 6 episodes come out, so we can see what the Samurai that smells like Sunflowers looks like.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *