Samurai Champloo
Reviewed by Dan Peterson |
| Synopsis |
| From the makers of Cowboy Bebop comes the tale of two warriors, Mugen and Jin, who meet up with Fuu, a young girl who searches for the samurai who smells like sunflowers for reasons unknown. Mugen is a rash vagabond, Jin is a cool samurai, and Fuu is a cute girl whom people try constantly to deflower. It’s a simple premise for the plot, but it works. |
| PLOT: 85% |
| Once again, I’m not big on episodic plots, but Champloo can be at times so funny that it makes up for the fact that there are no major arcs in story. An episode where the day is saved by marijuana is particularly funny, as is an episode with a gay Scandinavian (don’t ask). In this anime, it seems that plot is secondary and style is primary, a philosophy I would have detested before seeing this show. Still, the plot pulls its punches well and leaves you guessing until the end of each episode. Good, not so clean, fun! |
| CHARACTERS: 90% |
| Truly, they are the pride and joy of the show! Mugen is so violently hedonistic that he’ll give you chills, Jin is a calm badass who is rarely phased by anything, and Fuu is…well, up to the point I’ve seen she’s been pretty much just annoying. Because the characters are so important, the character development proceeds slowly, allowing one to learn more and more about the characters each episode but never giving away too much about one character’s backstory at a time. This results in some of the best developed characters I’ve seen…but then, what else would you expect from the people who brought you Cowboy Bebop? |
| ART: 95% |
| Absolutely awesome! The show’s artistic drive is amazing, from the way each character is drawn to the beautifully rendered fight scenes. The lighting on the show adds great effect, and the entire world feels fluid. All in all, the best art I’ve seen from an anime, and the best style besides. |
| SOUNDTRACK: 95% |
| The hip-hop sensibility of this show seems out of place at first, but it grows on you to the point that you really love the soundtrack. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found myself singing the theme song to this show randomly, but it’s been more times than I’d like. A great soundtrack polishes off this great show and adds an awful lot to the style and surroundings of Champloo’s world. |
| CONCLUSION: 90% Overall |
| If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing out. |
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