When it comes to fundamentally superb Anime series, Samurai Champloo has got it all. This hip-hop infused samurai series blends music, history and humor with enough blood to make “Shogun Assassin” jealous. For many Anime purists, when they hear the voice-over and translation of an Anime series, they quickly balk at the appalling Americanized version – filled with
bad edits and poor voicing. Samurai Champloo, however, is without a doubt one of the best translations of an Anime series into the English language, complete with hip-hop soundtrack.
“Samurai Champloo: The Complete Series” features all 26 samurai slashing episodes to make you scream “Oh Shit, yo!” Mugen is the gritty street urchin, whose natural talent for the sword easily bests some of the greatest swordsmen of Japan. Jin is a ronin, who adheres to the old ways of the samurai but has a mysterious past that has left him without a house. When the two master swordsmen cross paths, they vow to kill each other. Unfortunately, a run in with the law stops their blood lust in its tracks. Fuu, a young waitress, decides to save them from captivity as long as they promise to help her find the samurai “who smells like sunflowers.” The group’s journey is entertaining from beginning to end. Each moment is filled with action, wit and a “shit-load” of swordplay.
The story takes place towards the end of the samurai era, before Commodore Perry arrived and just after Baseball was finding its way in the world. There is even an entertaining filler episode that features the Japanese playing the Americans in baseball. By this time, the unlikely allies of Mugen and Jin have become unconscious friends. The historical events mentioned in Samurai Champloo even include a cameo by the infamous swordsman Musashi.
Stylistically, Samurai Champloo also features transitions and story moves that simulate a record scratching on video. Starting at episode 1, you will see several scenes that shift to the sound of a turntable-scratch. This nice video-dj style works well for the series, and boosts the entertainment value.
Although light on DVD bonus features, each DVD in the 6 disc series comes with an artist bio from the creators of Samurai Champloo. I was surprised to see this since most Funimation DVD series releases only feature textless songs and trailers at best.
Samurai Champloo: The Complete Series is one Anime Series that kicks butt every time you watch it. The release is priced at $69.99 and worth every dollar.
source: buzzfocus.com
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