Samurai Champloo Review
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 9:41 pm
Samurai Champloo...
... is a 26 episode series created by manglobe and the makers of Cowboy Bebop. Gone is the jazz and blues, replaced by old school pop and rap; it's the feudal Japan you wish you'd been apart of.
STORYLINE
Delinquent sword fighter Mugen, traditional samurai warrior Jin, and fifteen year old girl Fuu – a highly unlikely combination of travelers, are on a journey to find the a samurai that smells of sunflowers, the Sunflower Samurai they call him, who is somehow mysteriously connected to Fuu. During their journey they're faced with uncountable perils anywhere from bandits to artists to smugglers to the Oniwabanshu (elite, personal guardians of Edo Castle answering only to the Shogun).
ANIMATION
As expected from Shinichiro Watanabe, he's a director that only settles for the best. Great art, great coloring, great animation. Smooth an unique to its own, Samurai Champloo features a very wide variety of character designs ranging from simplistic to complicated which gives you a feel of diversity. It takes some getting used to though, I will admit that. The backgrounds and miscellaneous features that aren't in contact with the animation in the scene are no exception either and possibly even more detailed and beautiful. I must say I truly enjoy the coloring and lighting in this series most of all. It's simply beautiful.
MUSIC
“Battle Cry” by Nujabes feat.SHINGO2 (OP)
A song in which I still cannot get enough of. After learning the lyrics after several episodes I couldn't help but rap along with them as they busted out those rhymes. “The elements compose a magnum opus, my modus operandi is amalgam steel packed tight in micro. Chip on my armor a sign of all-pro.” It just goes on... And all those those words are real words too. I even looked them up! Sweet.
“Shiki no Uta” by Minmi (ED)
I wasn't nearly as interested in this song as I was the opening theme, but it's still a pretty song and melodic enough for it to get stuck in your head for hours on end. She just as a singing voice like that, but the song itself is also highly entertaining (if you know what she's actually saying) as it matches the feel of the show in a rather interesting way...
FINAL THOUGHTS
As much as I adored this series, I did find the ending a bit anti-climatic. I can't say exactly why for both the reasons of giving it all away and because I can't exactly put it into words either. I suppose I was looking forward to this really outrageously exciting ending, but all I got was and intensely entertaining ending... I'll let you ponder that one for a while
TOTAL SCORE: 9
If I had to choose a sequel to Cowboy Bebop, this would be my choice. Just as goofy, serious, and artistically beautiful as their previous work, Samurai Champloo is a joy and a delight to watch. You can never get enough of the characters, and with the storyline and art as they are it just sucks you in.
This is one to certainly watch and a good title to buy if you collect anime. This goes double for Cowboy Bebop fans.
... is a 26 episode series created by manglobe and the makers of Cowboy Bebop. Gone is the jazz and blues, replaced by old school pop and rap; it's the feudal Japan you wish you'd been apart of.
STORYLINE
Delinquent sword fighter Mugen, traditional samurai warrior Jin, and fifteen year old girl Fuu – a highly unlikely combination of travelers, are on a journey to find the a samurai that smells of sunflowers, the Sunflower Samurai they call him, who is somehow mysteriously connected to Fuu. During their journey they're faced with uncountable perils anywhere from bandits to artists to smugglers to the Oniwabanshu (elite, personal guardians of Edo Castle answering only to the Shogun).
ANIMATION
As expected from Shinichiro Watanabe, he's a director that only settles for the best. Great art, great coloring, great animation. Smooth an unique to its own, Samurai Champloo features a very wide variety of character designs ranging from simplistic to complicated which gives you a feel of diversity. It takes some getting used to though, I will admit that. The backgrounds and miscellaneous features that aren't in contact with the animation in the scene are no exception either and possibly even more detailed and beautiful. I must say I truly enjoy the coloring and lighting in this series most of all. It's simply beautiful.
MUSIC
“Battle Cry” by Nujabes feat.SHINGO2 (OP)
A song in which I still cannot get enough of. After learning the lyrics after several episodes I couldn't help but rap along with them as they busted out those rhymes. “The elements compose a magnum opus, my modus operandi is amalgam steel packed tight in micro. Chip on my armor a sign of all-pro.” It just goes on... And all those those words are real words too. I even looked them up! Sweet.
“Shiki no Uta” by Minmi (ED)
I wasn't nearly as interested in this song as I was the opening theme, but it's still a pretty song and melodic enough for it to get stuck in your head for hours on end. She just as a singing voice like that, but the song itself is also highly entertaining (if you know what she's actually saying) as it matches the feel of the show in a rather interesting way...
FINAL THOUGHTS
As much as I adored this series, I did find the ending a bit anti-climatic. I can't say exactly why for both the reasons of giving it all away and because I can't exactly put it into words either. I suppose I was looking forward to this really outrageously exciting ending, but all I got was and intensely entertaining ending... I'll let you ponder that one for a while
TOTAL SCORE: 9
If I had to choose a sequel to Cowboy Bebop, this would be my choice. Just as goofy, serious, and artistically beautiful as their previous work, Samurai Champloo is a joy and a delight to watch. You can never get enough of the characters, and with the storyline and art as they are it just sucks you in.
This is one to certainly watch and a good title to buy if you collect anime. This goes double for Cowboy Bebop fans.