Review of Samurai Champloo

Samurai Champloo is weird, but it works. It was pretty innovative for its time. The no-nonsense fight scenes stood out. I'm a sucker for unique character designs (urban feudal fashion), and the soundtrack introduced me and many others to the world of lo fi and chillhop before we even understood what it was. Even though a main goal is presented in episode one, the show feels more like a slice of life until everything hits the fan in the last six episodes. The plot frankly takes a jarring and unexpected twist on a social/philosophical concept that was not foreshadowed (unless I missed it). I loved thepersonality clashes of the trio and watching them evolve from strangers to friends they trust with their lives. When the journey came to an end, I was distinctly left with the feeling of wistfulness.