Samurai Champloo

Samurai Champloo is the story of three misfits- a calm swordsman, an uncivilized criminal, and a young and optimistic waitress. The series is set in Edo Period Japan, in the late 1700s, when revolution is brewing, and government officials are suspicious or wandering swordsmen. Right from the beginning, the series claims no historical accuracy. The show is full of references to American pop culture, from rap music to spray paint tagging. As the characters progress on their journey, they tell their stories to one another and bond despite their differences.

Samurai Champloo is one of my favorite series. The characters are interesting, the story is compelling, and the episodes have a nice blend of humor and seriousness. I'm a fan of Kurosawa's films, and Samurai Champloo makes wonderful references to his films.

My Grade
Plot- A The story moves along at a good pace. Backstories are told in small hints and anecdotes rather than in large flashbacks. It's an interesting plot, even if some elements are anime cliches.
Characters- A+ I love the characters in this show. I know that a show is good when it makes me like a character I would normally hate (i.e. Fuu and Mugen).
Humor- A There's a good blend of humor and seriousness in Samurai Champloo. Some episodes are just plain silly, and some are very sad and dramatic, but usually there is a little bit of humor in dark places and a little drama in the humor. What I like most about the humor in Samurai Champloo is that it's not a bunch of one-liners or jokes. The humor comes from the irony of the situations characters find themselves in or from the strange quirks of the characters themselves.
Ending- A- The ending is epic, to say the least. It's a great end to a great story. I especially like the very end of the last episode. Some things about the ending, though, are a little predictable and unbelievable.
Dubbed or Subbed?- Although the dub for Samurai Champloo is good, I like the sub better (I guess that's the way I always am). There are some episodes (such as "Baseball Blues") where the show is much funnier in Japanese.

Who would like Samurai Champloo?
Although I haven't met anyone yet who doesn't like Samurai Champloo, I'm sure there are some people out there who don't. I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't like anime but likes Japanese history. Actually, I would even recommend it as an introductory anime for guys who think all anime is mechs and schoolgirls. Samurai Champloo doesn't have characters going "chibi". People who are afraid of the anime asthetic of spinning eyes and rivers of tears won't find any of that in Samurai Champloo. I also recommend it to people who like a very watchable, interesting series with great characters.

Reviewed by Supergeekgirl

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