Samurai Champloo was written and directed by Shinichiro Watanabe (who also directed Cowboy Bebop). It aired in Japan in 2004 and is 26 episodes long. This anime blends action and comedy as well as some kick ass Samurai fighting and its all set during Japans Edo period.
Now Samurai Champloo would have you believe that we have the Edo period to thank for today’s hip hop culture, Graffiti, hippies and the flower power movement, beat-boxing just to name a few. And who am I to say otherwise, ok sure those pesky school text books and historians would have you believe otherwise, but come on what do they know.
This anime is set around 3 main characters: Mugen, a 19 year old, outlaw who will fight anyone that looks like they might be a bad ass and has never lost a fight. Jin, a 20 year old, ronin who is very reserved but can kick ass when needed and has also never lost a fight. And Fuu, a 15 year old girl, who decides to look for “a samurai who smells of sunflowers” (her dad), after Mugen and Jin get the tea house she was working in burnt down. The 3 of them set out on this adventure after Fuu springs Mugan and Jin from Prison in exchange for them promising her that they will help her. They are always broke ass broke and wonder around Japan getting into trouble wherever they go.
I know I say this about a lot of anime but I loved it, sure there were a few episodes that I could have skipped, but all of them had me laughing my ass off. To top it off I loved the ending as well it was a well rounded anime and it had something for everyone. I had put off watching this anime for some time as it didn’t sound like it was my thing, but I was happily proven wrong. And if it hadn’t been for the fact that I had to give up the TV half the way through (so someone could play PS3 games) I would have watched it in a day. The animation is very good, the music is kicking, the jokes run right the way through, and there is a bit of a storyline hidden in there as well.