If you said the phrase "hip hop ninja anime," I would assume you were talking about the 2007 series "Afro Samurai." That anime was so heavily promoted that it would be hard to remember that there were actually OTHER anime that fit that description. Over a decade later, "Samurai Champloo" (which broadcast a few years prior to "Afro") seems to have been remembered a little better. I'm not certain if it's the first fusion of American rap and Japanese samurai, but in my mind, I'll always think of it as the "OG" ("original gangsta," as the kids say).A lot was riding on this series, because it was directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, the same director behind "Cowboy Bebop." That show was a massive success in North America with mature audiences, and fans were eager for more. "Champloo" was released about six years later, and in many ways, it feels very similar to "Bebop," just trading in the sci-fi bounty hunter setting with feudal Japan. Watanabe would also take a break after "Champloo" for almost a decade, no doubt feeling pressure of being expected to make another familiar hit. But "Samurai Champloo" has enough style of it's own to feel original against "Bebop." In fact, it's one of the most stylish anime productions ever made.There is a story in "Samurai Champloo," but it is mostly left in the background after the first episode. But wow, what an episode! The first episode of "Champloo" is one of the best paced, written and directed opening stories in anime. It shows three unrelated individuals: a outspoken waitress named Fuu, a mongrel swordsman named Mugen, and a noble warrior named Jin. Each one seems unable to stand down, and this lands the two men into trouble, set to be executed for their behavior the next morning. Fuu manages to help them in a exciting escape, and in exchange, asks that they help her find a mysterious "samurai that smells of sunflowers." With no other clues, like a name or location, they wander Japan. Action and comedy ensues, from the people they meet and from each other. This sounds like a reasonable recipe for episodic success. However, no episode in "Samurai Champloo" comes close to living up to its perfect first episode. I admit, when first trying to watch the series, I dropped off after a few episodes, having to revisit it much later. The series lacks any real urgency, with each episosde being completely stand-alone, or sometimes in short 2-to-3-episode arcs. While the characters they meet are sometimes compelling, for the main cast, we only see them get into each situation because they were either looking for food, money or a place to sleep. As cool as they are, the three aren't particularly likable: Jin a strict in his rules, Jigen is a jerk, and at times, Fuu comes across as stupid. Fun for a comedy of errors, but when the story doesn't involve them very effectively, it feels like a long opportunity missed. And unfortunately, the show isn't as fun or wacky as it tries to be for most of the runtime (in fact, the stories are serious more often than funny).
If you aren't worried about wasting your time, "Samurai Champloo" is a reasonable way to spend it. It could have very well gone on for hundreds of episodes, although it's 26-episode count already feels long enough. Thankfully, the final few episodes brings the story back into focus, and while not quite as good as the first episode, it suceeds in being a thrilling and satisfying end with closure. In fact, I wonder if a strong film could be made by re-editing the beginning and ending episodes, ignoring everything in between: the average viewer wouldn't know anything was missing.But let's talk about the style. Characters are stylized, but during normal scenes, it isn't so extreme that one would get tired of it. Action scenes are well choreographed, taking advantage of the environment and distinct fighting styles. This was the first series by Studio Manglobe, and is an incredibly strong production, and it still stands up well as one of the best looking shows from 2004. Presented in widescreen, you could easily fool one to thinking it was made a decade later. Episodes are bookended by colorful graffiti-inspired art and animation, complimenting the music. The music is good, and thankfully, never overtakes the visuals, often being used deliberately to compliment the action (in the first episode, a clever editing technique mixes scratch sounds with fast-forward-rewind shots). The English dub is great (interestingly, Steven Blum, the actor for Spike in "Bebop," was again cast as the lead), and feels appropriate with the American-Asian style of the show. Honestly, "Samurai Champloo" is worth watching for the first episode alone. 2004 was a really strong year for anime, and had "Champloo" waited just another year (2005 seems really quiet by comparison), the show might have had a bigger following at the time. But years later, it's become a niche cult-classic for its decade. Watanabe did a great job, although he really should try to avoid ensemble comedy-adventures for something a little different.