One of the most universally popular and admired animes of recent years was Cowboy Bebop, a futuristic western with complex, entertaining characters and an amazing jazz and blues soundtrack. The movie version was even given a modest theater release in the states. So the creators of that show has to do something to either top themselves, or go in a completely different direction. With Samurai Chemploo they actually try to do both, strangely enough. Fuu is a young girl working in a tea shop somewhere in Japan during the 19th Century. A series of converging events land her in the middle of a duel between two rogue samurai, traditionally trained Jin, and the violent thug Mugen. She strangely manages to recruit them in a long journey to find a specific man, a samurai who smells of sunflowers. Along the way they encounter a variety of people and situations, and kind of gives a historical look at the Japanese culture of the time, involving the Shogunate and the influx of western influence. But there is no mistaking this as a historical piece, as it routinely breaks into modern rap and hip hop style music and dancing, with some animation exaggerations that make it comparable to the Looney Tunes. But the comparison to Cowboy Bebop is unmistakable. All the characters are unique creations, not archetypes or retreads, but distinct human beings who always behave as their personality dictates. Jin is a minimalist, saying what is needed to be said and anything else is punctuated by a soft, 'Hmmm.' Mugen is probably the star of the show, yet he is a loudmouth, speaks his mind, which is usually a swear word, and is actually an efficient slacker. Fuu is a very peppy and energetic girl, who manages to cope well in the foreign situations she is put in, and can talk her way out of and into anything very subtly. Another distinction is the way the music is integrated. The episodes in general have a more classical Japanese music soundtrack, the rap is usually in the more comedic episodes. But often a point will be given by a long period of no dialogue and only a distinctive song is played while characters go on with their lives. You learn what everyone is thinking, and it gives the audience time to let it settle in. The action is also a significant highlight. Every battle is distinctive, smooth, and perfectly paced. They move with superhuman speed, but is still grounded in real life and battle tactics. Mugen is especially enjoyable to watch, as he utilizes break dancing-like moves and often doesn't even need to use his sword. As a whole, the show is a treat to watch under different reasons. The quirky humor will thrill some people and turn-off others. That is the reason many Americans do not appreciate anime, because the visuals and comedy are sometimes culturally specific and very strange to foreigners. But the action is crisp and the characters can hold their own separately. What more can you ask for?
Review of Samurai Champloo
Samurai Champloo
(2004–2005)
A crazy mix of every genre that surprisingly works, but not for everybody
25 May 2006