Review of Samurai Champloo

The aesthetics of Samurai Champloo are amazing. The art has a distinct style, and the animation is fluid and just awesome. The soundtrack, also, contributes to what makes Sam Cham special: that nifty fusion of traditional Japanese period and hip-hop. The only way it's a working mix is when the art and the sound are there together, making it, aesthetically, a tour de force. Samurai Champloo is a journey story, and because it's a journey story, the plot suffers. Fortunately, the premise is also simple: Mugen and Jin go with Fuu to find her sunflower samurai. Everything that happens from the first episode on is almostpure character development--and what development it is. I'm absolutely taken with how Mugen and Jin change from their initial characterizations of being both crazy and shut off to shaping themselves around each other and Fuu, to becoming used to having friends and belonging somewhere. It works so well because the things that happen to them are both unexpected and exactly what the viewer wants, and that makes Sam Cham a totally enjoyable viewing experience.