Review of Samurai Champloo

Most anime that becomes popular in the west are somewhat lacking in social commentary on Japanese culture and history. Indeed, Fullmetal Alchemist is more German than Japanese in most respects, Naruto, though certainly uniquely Japanese with its references to historical and mythical ninjas as well as Shinto mythology, was lacking in any social commentary, and shows like Shingeki no Kyojin are remarkably European in setting. Samurai Champloo is an exception to this rule in that it contains heavy references to Japanese history in order to drive home social commentary about modern Japanese culture. Shinichiro Watanabe’s, of Cowboy Bebop fame, second major series is set inlate Edo-era Japan in which social change was being driven by increasing pressure from the west to change, and several moments in Samurai Champloo reflect this and analyze how modern Japan is continually being shaped by this clash of cultures.

The series starts out with a young girl named Fuu working in a tea shop who spills tea on a samurai customer, then a rambunctious samurai (actually, he isn’t really a samurai due to his lower class status) named Mugen who rushes to her defense. Mugen also picks a fight with a quiet, reserved ronin named Jin, and the two proceed to destroy the tea shop and kill the magistrate’s son. They are sentenced to death, but Fuu saves the two on the condition that they help her find “the samurai who smells of sunflowers.”

Despite its incredible social commentary and great potential for plot development and characterization, however, Champloo ultimately falls flat in these departments. The plot’s pacing is very unevenly distributed, with virtually no advancement from episodes two to twenty-two then suddenly rushing the overarching plot to climax and conclude in the final episodes. Indeed, Champloo almost fully lacks a plot for the majority of the series and embraces a quasi-episodic format. This, of course, isn’t necessarily a bad thing; after all, episodic anime are often among the best such as Mushishi. If Watanbe had stuck with an episodic series or had opted for a more western plot-driven anime, Champloo could’ve been much more successful; however, ultimately the series can’t make up its mind as to whether it is plot-driven or episodic, and that detracts from its artistic quality significantly.

The characters are also heavily lacking in this series, for similar reasons to the plot. The only three major reoccurring characters throughout the entire series are Mugen, Fuu, and Jin, none of whom are very well-written or compelling. Fuu often comes off as helpless, whiny, and selfish, and her motivations are not explained at all until the very end of the series. Jin is almost completely flat and lacking in personality, though he does have a far better developed backstory than Fuu; unfortunately, this is revealed in somewhat of a contrived manner only through dialogue and flashbacks in the middle of a battle, which gives him the feel of a bad shounen character. Mugen is the best developed of the three major characters, with his backstory revealed slowly throughout the series in a believable manner and the most likable personality of the three. He also is the only one who’s somewhat dynamic, starting out completely selfish and moving towards a bit more empathy by the end. However, his and Jin’s motivations for going on the journey are not very well explained and it’s somewhat not believable that they would embark on such a journey and stay with it for so long in the first place. Despite the problems with the plot, some of the episodes are simply incredible in terms of plot and social commentary, particularly the one about the gay Dutchman, and the one revolving around St. Xavier’s followers.

What Champloo lacks in the traditional elements of (western) storytelling, it more than makes up for in its execution, in directing style, animation, and soundtrack. Watanbe has truly cemented himself as a master of cinematography with the innovative camera shots, transition sequences, and battle scenes. It is remarkably difficult to find a well-directed sword fight in any film or television series, however Watanbe was extremely impressive in his directing of the fight scenes, particularly near the end. Further, the pillow shots that transition between scenes are often as gorgeous as they are innovative. The overall mood and aesthetic of this series is absolutely the main reason for its draw. The plot could be way worse than it is to the point of being abject garbage, and I'd still say it was above average for its animation and tone.

The animation to Champloo is also significantly above average. The background sets are a gorgeous style that manage to be both impressionistic and realistic at the same time. Unfortunately, some of the character designs are over-detailed and poorly animated, particularly most of the middle-aged male side-characters throughout the series. However, its inconsistent quality in character designs is more than made up for in its background sets and the fluidity of motion in the battle sequences.

The soundtrack is one of the most notable features of this anime. It mostly consists of anachronistic hip-hop beats by Japanese rapper Nujabes that contrast with the historical setting of the anime. The anachronism, however, works and connects modern Japanese culture’s interactions with the west with the clash of cultures experienced late in the Edo era. Though the hip-hop references within the show can sometimes become a little overbearing (characters beatboxing and an episode about tagging were not necessary), but the soundtrack is overall among the best all-time in anime. The introduction song, “Battlecry,” is particularly noteworthy for its great rapping akin to Rakim Allah or Nas and addictively good hip-hop beat.

Overall, Samurai Champloo is definitely a good anime. It certainly lacks in terms of plot and character development, but the incredible artistic decisions make it well worth watching. This is a prime example of a subpar plot executed to perfection. Further, though this isn’t primarily a comedy, it can occasionally be hilarious and is thoroughly enjoyable. But the best element of this anime, by far, is its commentary on modern Japanese culture, particularly with respect to religion and sexuality.

Overview:
Plot: 5/10
Characters: 4/10
Art: 10/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Overall: 7/10