Review of Samurai Champloo

Samurai Champloo is a show that I like a lot, but at the same time could have done so many things to make me like it even more. There are some serious bright spots, though. For one, the main cast of Fuu, Mugen and Jin are phenomenal, they work off of each other incredibly well, and each has a distinct personality and role in the group. Additionally, I like that they never really become buddy-buddy until the very end of the show; these characters by virtue of who they are would naturally not always get along, and I appreciate that the show forgoes corny messages aboutfriendship in favor of having a constant group tension that is often played for laughs as well as motivating some of the conflict that keeps the show going. The soundtrack is another highlight, with an astonish number of fantastic tracks that range from upbeat, jazzy hip-hop to mournful traditional Japanese folk songs. Just an incredible selection of tunes from start to finish. Between the great characters, the fantastic soundtrack, and the excellent visuals that produce some smooth, dynamic fight scenes, this show exudes pure coolness in a way that few can pull off.

Now the weakest part of Samurai Champloo: the story. I'm not opposed to episodic shows that don't focus on a main plot all the time, but too many of these episodes miss the mark for me to say with confidence that it has a consistent story, and some of the episodes I found to be downright boring. But when the show turns out a good episode, it's really good, and the weak episodes are still passable enough for them to not really effect my enjoyment, mostly because the characters are so good that I always love to watch them, even in a story that's not the best. I think tightening up some of these episodes and adding some variety to their setup could've worked wonders for the show, but the end product is still great.

I'd also like to add that I love the open-ended finale and the message of "it's not about the destination but the journey" that could easily be hamfisted but is instead quite beautiful. 7/10