Review of Samurai Champloo

[TL;DR: You know what this is, a classic from Shinichirō Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop and Space Dandy fame. There is really nothing like it out there. Just watch it. Regardless if you think it's good or bad. If even so you can say you did. You won't regret it.] "This work of fiction is not an accurate historical portrayal. Like we care. Now shut up and enjoy the show." This message is literally how Samurai Champloo starts, and gives you a good idea just what you are in for. I didn't care to watch Samurai Champloo for the longest time, mainly because everyone said different, very conflicting thingsabout it. An Edo era samurai story, a show about graffiti punks, zombies, a weird baseball match, a journey of three bickering strangers, religious persecution, how one guy discovered his favorite hip-hop artist from this anime, etc. It all sounded like a crazy jumbled mess akin to FLCL or Excel Saga. After so many years, I do have to admit: I was wrong. See, the thing about preconceptions and expectations is that it usually leads to disappointment, one way or the other. I know now I was a colossal fool not watching this gem until now.

Time. Anachronism. Samurai Champloo is not just a story, it's a juxtaposition of different time periods, states of culture, society and people. It does something very rare that is just taboo for anime, or really any Japanese cultural work: a critical, sarcastic take on Japanese history and culture. The action-packed journey of Fuu, Jin and Mugen is really just a vessel to explore the different cultural aspect of Japanese history. See, the Edo era is one of Japan's most treasured historical times. They can't stop gushing how great it was to be alive back then. The era of peace after the warring states period where Japanese society advanced incredibly fast, the beautiful art, clothes, music, incredible craftsmanship, engineering, modern cities, the honorable samurai, world-renowned martial arts that train the body and the soul, etc. Even today museums and historical sites are chock full of Edo era treasures, works of art, buildings. They are really proud of that stuff.

Sure enough, the Edo era was just the best time to be alive...if you were a rich noble of the top 10%. For everyone else, it was fucking awful. Samurai Champloo showcases the less sunny side of Japanese history you don't get to see in documentaries or tourist pamphlets. The strict social hierarchy that clearly separated the haves from the have-nots, the former cruelly threading on the latter with impunity. The rampant corruption and tyranny, where the government was only interested in keeping themselves in power and crime families warring for local control, not afraid to use any and all methods to achieve their goals. Where samurai were not as much noble, honorable warriors but only just tools for the rich and powerful to deal with their "problems". Where selling women to be sex slaves to pay for their husband's debts, rampant xenophobia and violent religious persecution were just the tip of the iceberg.

Not only is all this carefully hidden in metaphors but also juxtaposed with modern day society through anachronistic bits, "blink and you missed it" little nudges, and sometimes very in-your-face splashes. Naturally, people in old-timey Edo didn't wear sunglasses or punk jackets, didn't beatbox, spin bars or breakdance out in the street, didn't have piercings or splash graffiti all over Hiroshima Castle, but this culture vs. counter-culture clash is the point of the whole series, the old vs new, how things changed in hundreds of years and also didn't. It's really interesting to catch all these carefully constructed undertones and see the not-so-hidden messages the creators of show are sending...

OR

...you can just enjoy the journey and hijinks of three unlikely travel companions in their quest to find the samurai who smells of sunflowers.

The beauty of Samurai Champloo is, that it can be enjoyed on so many levels. Either take in the societal and historical critique, enjoy the story, the characters and the awesome action scenes, the incredible art style and animation that hasn't aged a day, or just relax to the sound of instrumental atmospheric jazz/downtempo/urban hip-hop from Nujabes, the only actual anime that featured his unique style of music before his tragic death in 2010.

One thing is for certain, you'll most likely find at least something to like about Samurai Champloo. It's one of those classics that you shouldn't miss if you like anime. And who knows, maybe you'll find something special you'll remember for a long time.

Thanks for reading!