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I'm not much of a hip-hop fan (I'm a hater, just hatin'), so I avoided watching Samurai Champloo despite the many recommendations for it that came my way. The few clips I had seen of the series had annoying (for me) background music and weird art, so that was that...or so I thought. Destiny arrived in the form of a bout of severe bronchitis that left me stranded in bed with nothing to do for a week and a half. Since I had exhausted all other options for entertainment by that point, I reluctantly decided to go for it with Samurai Champloo, which had to beat staring at the ceiling, right?
Other fans of the series won't be all that surprised to hear that I was hooked from the very first episode I saw, notwithstanding the fact that the opening song made my eardrums bleed and still does. I really (really) do not like hip-hop, but I LOVED the way that it is incorporated into this series. Samurai Champloo would not be what it is without its musical and hip-hop influences, so I decided to suspend my judgments and go where it took me, which is a classic chanbara jidaigeki with all of the usual suspects - Fuu, the naive and feisty waitress with just enough street smarts to keep her alive (but not out of trouble); Jin, the ultimate traditional swordsman and warrior; Mugen, the wild-haired ronin from Ryukyu, with his exceptional natural talents and battle instincts; and the colorful side characters who float in and out of the episodes. At the time that Samurai Champloo was made, hip-hop was a battle cry for a new Japan, while nothing is more traditionally appealing than the jidaigeki (which in itself is a vehicle to criticize government abuses and corruption). To put the two together and tell these stories is truly inspired.
"Tabi ni deru" or going on a journey is a classic Japanese cultural element that is central to why Samurai Champloo is structured the way that it is. The belief that you grow exponentially as a human being through travel is so fundamental to the way that Japanese experience life that many televisions specials are based upon sending a celebrity on a "Journey Of Discovery." I have actually seen a special in which a boy-band member travels to the absolute sticks in the Chinese countryside to learn how to make fried rice. This kid is from a famous studio that takes young people from their families and raises them to be stars, usually from a ridiculously early age. I am sure that having money, fame, and fortune is nice work if you can get it, but seeing him bloom like a flower under the caring eyes of his host family, who were as far from the glitz and glamour of his life and career as you could possibly get, was kind of...special (sorry). I found it touching to see how he experienced the poverty and emptiness of the countryside contrasted with the warmth and kindness of the Chinese family who took him in and not only taught him about making fried rice, but a lot more about the richness and value of human connections. Yes, he grew exponentially. Meanwhile, I, as a member of the audience, honked in a tissue whispering "it's...beautiful...", and I also gained some excellent tips on making fried rice! Win-win, my friends - food for the body and food for the soul. That's why we have these episodes in Samurai Champloo that seem to be connected by nothing, but there is a major life lesson in every single one. Oh, it's not heavy-handed by any means - blink, and you'll miss it. These human elements, done with a lot of delicacy, are what make Samurai Champloo so amazing.
The music...is...incredible. I'm ranting, but traditional singing (Ryukyu-style - somewhat like sean nos) and shamisen have its moments here, along with Nujabes and Minmi's "Shiki no Uta" (lyrics that brought images of Japan to life behind my eyelids, so beautiful). The ending credits of the episodes are full of hints about Fuu, sepia-toned and nostalgic, which kept me guessing on her bizarre quest, which at first struck me in the same way as it strikes Mugen and Jin, Fuu's unwilling companions. She's searching for the Samurai that Smells of Sunflowers - whaaaat?? I've got sunflowers in my garden, and they don't smell like anything - which is kind of the point. Please just watch it if you've come this far - I'd have to write a book to explain the story without spouting spoilers left and right. You'll get what Fuu is looking for. And what Jin is looking for. And what Mugen, who is determinedly not looking for anything, finds, despite himself.
There is so much going on in this series that I often return to watch it just one more time and go away thinking on what I saw. Don't let the sword fights and non-stop action fool you. Samurai Champloo is a brave piece of social commentary on persistent and deep-rooted beliefs that are part of traditional Japanese society and are often widely and uncritically accepted by people who ought to know better. Like what? Well, the status of women is a very big one, and so is xenophobia (Mugen is from Ryukyu, and I cannot tell you how many times that I have had people tell me in all seriousness that people from Ryukyu are not really Japanese, with the implication that they are ever so slightly inferior), and let's not forget the episode with the eating contest, and the "why" behind the story of the Samurai Who Smells of Sunflowers - you don't have to agree or disagree, by the way, it's just put out there for you to see and think about.
I enjoyed all of the episodes, but the ones that especially stood out for me were the two Misguided Miscreants ones, which tell of Mugen's past; the two Elegy of Entrapment ones in which our friends meet Sara, the blind shamisen player; and the last three, called Evanescent Encounter, which end the series. Just wow.
I'm sorry I wrote a book instead of a review, and thank you for reading it! I hope you will give Samurai Champloo a shot, and enjoy it as much as I did.
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Samurai Champloo: The Complete Series
Mugen is a fierce animal-like warrior with a unique Bboying (break-dance) inspired fighting style. Jin has a more traditional style but don’t think of this as a weakness because his skills are amazing. The two contrasting samurai warriors are far from friends, yet their separate paths seem to cross anyways. Mugen is wandering aimlessly through the city when he stumbles upon a teahouse where he meets Jin and Fuu (A ditzy waitress, but don‘t think she doesn‘t have anything hidden up her sleeves). Fuu convinces them both to come with her in search of a mysterious samurai that smells like sunflowers and their journey begins. This modernized hip-hop tale breaks the barriers of the common, historical, samurai anime.
This is exactly what I was looking for
I was initially very skeptical about purchasing this set because the price seemed a little too low to be true. And there were reviews for the blu-ray set but I didn't see any for the dvd set. I received it and was pleasantly surprised. It was exactly what I wanted. Super pleased with this!! Couldn't be happier!! There are 7 discs and all 26 episodes. Highly recommend! If you're a little scared about buying this, like I was, don't be. It's awesome!
Top reviews from other countries
Alex
Me encanta que podemos comprar buenas animes en Amazon.
Reviewed in Mexico on July 1, 2022Hadouken
Fantastic mix of Samurai / Hip-Hop & Historical Culture all in one!
Reviewed in Canada on June 6, 2020