Review of Samurai Champloo

Before I get into this review, I'd like to say that I won't be drawing any comparisons between Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop. While the two shows do indeed bear similarities, I would like to judge Champloo based on its own merits, and how it holds up as its own standalone work. Hip-hop. Samurai. Two cultural icons that wouldn't look out of place on entirely opposite ends of a spectrum, yet the two mix with an explosive level of flair in Samurai Champloo. Right off the bat, the quirky, hyperactive direction and slick soundtrack left a huge impact on me. Champloo is a show that pridesitself on its unusual premise: samurai travelling through what feels very much like a modern remix of Japan's Edo period.

Every aspect of this show packs a punch. The overarching story is simple, yet drives the characters forward and comes to a satisfying conclusion once all is said and done. The art is striking, with thickly drawn character outlines helping them to pop out against the beautiful backgrounds. The music: punchy, funky and most definitely catchy. All these elements combine to create a series that is consistently hilarious, intense and dramatic.

Samurai Champloo has a largely episodic structure, with the majority of episodes telling a story that is mostly unrelated to the journey of our main characters, but more often than not each of these tales is bookended by the trio's search for the samurai who smells of sunflowers. Very rarely did I feel as though the show was dragging its heels, and even when certain episodes lagged behind in terms of character progression, the comedy and action certainly helped to put it back on track.

Every one of the stories told in Champloo has a clear purpose. It's going to make you laugh, shout and sometimes even cry and it's going to do it with a certain passion that I've yet to see in any other piece of media.

The episodic structure inherently brings with it the issues of inconsistency. Some episodes were not as memorable as others. I sometimes felt as though the animation quality dipped, particularly in the mid-section of the series, which is where many common complaints lie. But every journey has its ups and downs and Samurai Champloo never lingers too long on any one point for negativity to get you down.

To conclude, I recommend Samurai Champloo to anyone, as no matter what you're looking for in a show, it will provide it in some form. It's a special sort of a Jack-of-all-trades: proficient in all and a master of most. Definitely check this one out.