Review of Samurai Champloo

Samurai Champloo doesn't take itself too seriously, and is packed with the kind of action you'd expect out of a show about ancient Japan. Lots of satisfying fights, and moments that will genuinely make you laugh. The main characters, who are all polar opposites of each other, are the centerpiece of the show with their genuine and often hilarious interactions. But as much as I enjoyed seeing them on their journey, I have to say that it wasn't enough to carry the show into 9 or 10 range. The ending of the show left a bad taste in my mouth, as if the creators struggledto close the series and went with some sort of "safe" ending that left nobody satisfied.

*spoilers

The main plot, if you would call it that, had Fuu searching for the "samurai that smells like sunflowers." I was expecting some sort of badass reason for her making the search the focal point of her life, but in the end we find out that it's her dad and she wants to punch him for leaving mom. Hey, I like shows that show how stupid and petty life can be sometimes, but the fact that it was "marketed" to the viewer throughout the show as something more epic left me with an intense sense of disappointment by the end.

Until the last few episodes to the ending credits, I was waiting for some sort of big reveal that would make the entirety of the journey feel less pointless and was sorely disappointed. It also disappointment me to see a number of side-plots and loose ends that were forgotten/ignored in the epilogue. A budding relationship between Jin and Fuu is simply cut off, and the subtle moments of tension are ultimately wasted for unsatisfying reasons. Shows like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood were masterful in the way they closed up all the loose ends by the final episode, making the ending truly satisfying. Samurai Champloo had an opportunity to do something similar, but fumbled.

And that's not mentioning the hilarious amount of plot armor at the end of Champloo, where both characters survive lethal stabbings/gunshot wounds and look better than ever as they walk off into the sunset at the closing credits. While I know that the show isn't supposed to be taken seriously, it bothered me that the final fights weren't won by cunning or willpower but rather by the ability to survive fatal wounds and magically heal limbs that were broken a few scenes earlier.

The show has strong similarities to Cowboy Bebop, but doesn't have the same level of refinement to it. The dialogue doesn't have the same philosophic edge to it, or realism. Mugen & Jin & Fuu are just not as good as Spike & Jet & Faye.

While I did focus a lot on the flaws of this show in the review, I'm not saying it was bad - anything but. You WILL enjoy Samurai Champloo if you like anime in general.