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The Samurai Champloo anime is a masterpiece in demonstrating how to take a lot of classic tropes from the medium and twist them to create something really unique. Fuu, Mugen, and Jin, three common wanderers in Edo period Japan, are great characters who push the boundaries of the anime genre, and they do so in less than thirty episodes, which was a massive achievement back in the day.
The Samurai Champloo anime has, therefore, aged particularly well. While the series takes place in the Edo period of Japan, it focuses on exploring a lot of different concepts, such as one's identity, what it means to be a minority, and the value of the personal journey. As Fuu, Mugen, and Jin travel across old Japan, the viewer can see a lot of different characters and, in only a handful of episodes, feel immersed in this fascinating world.
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Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Samurai Champloo anime.
The Samurai Champloo anime chronicles the adventures of an unlikely trio in Edo era Japan
Where to watch
The good news for new viewers is that there are several platforms streaming the series. However, the best choices for the vast majority of people are Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Funimation, with the first one being the go-to choice for most anime viewers all over the world.
The series only has 26 episodes, which is very good news for people who are not sure if they can commit to a longer series, making Samurai Champloo all the more accessible. Considering that Masaru Gotsubo's manga only had two volumes in 2004, it makes sense that this anime isn't very long.
What to expect
The big selling point of the Samurai Champloo anime is how director Shinichiro Watanabe, of Cowboy Bebop fame, pushed the genre and didn't care about traditional conventions of Japanese culture. Most of the series has a lot of influence from hip hop (Watanabe's favorite music genre), LGBTQ+ representation, foreign characters, and a lot more. These factors give the story a much more unique feel, when compared to similar concepts in the anime industry.
Fuu, Mugen, and Jin are just regular people who meet during a brawl in a small town, with the first being a waitress who ends up tagging along in their journey. They are not the "chosen ones" and neither do they accomplish grand deeds during the series. Instead, they just explore and often end up getting involved in numerous crazy adventures.
Further, the final portion of the story also brings to surface a lot of different themes, such as Fuu's father and his connection to key plot elements and Mugen and Jin's rivalry.
Most fans always mention Mugen and Jin's rivalry as an important point of the series, and it makes sense as they literally meet each other in the anime while fighting. Sure, they eventually become friends and travel together, but most of the series shows how they have this itch to scratch when it comes to a second combat. However, it is something that isn't resolved until the end of the series, and that too through Fuu.
Final thoughts
The Samurai Champloo anime has great action, solid animation, a trio of main characters who are as underrated as they are great, and an extremely solid pacing that makes it quite easy to digest.
Watanabe created one of his most underrated storytelling projects with this series, and it is a shame that it doesn't get the credit it deserves.
