Review of Samurai Champloo

It's another one of those shows man. I knew going into this that the creators of Cowboy Bebop were behind this, so I had a good idea of what to expect. I think I was also able to enjoy it the whole way through due to the fact that I was expecting an episodic adventure, rather than a continuous, plot-driven story. In many ways it's similar to Bebop, but it also sets itself apart in interesting ways, never feeling like a copy of Bebop's success. There are so many things I want to touch on, like the hilarious ways the show juxtaposes the samurai culture againstthe modern elements that are sprinkled throughout the show, the amazing animation, the perfect ED, and the score, but what really sticks with me now as I'm sitting here having just finished the show, is the way the creators have mastered the ability to capture the everyday interactions of characters and authentically depict what it's like to spend time with someone. You get to know each of the character's quirks, learn about their faults and strengths, and see these characters slowly grow to understand one another. It's this gradual growth in all of the characters that makes it so hard to let the show end. Although the endings in Bebop and Champloo are nothing alike thematically, they both carry the same amount of emotional weight that is extremely hard to replicate. The fact that the creators have gotten me twice, even when I was expecting it on the second time is commendable.

At the end of the day, I can't really say I'm a fan of episodic shows, but the fact that they keep winning me over in the end has to say something at least. This is definitely going to stay with me for a bit.