“Samurai Champloo” is an anime series that is the perfect mix of Feudal Japan and the culture of hip-hop music. It is created and directed by Shinichiro Watanabe who had also done the same with “Cowboy Bebop.” The name of “Champloo” means “chanpuru” which can be defined as a “mix,” “stir-fry,” or “freestyle.” It’s an interesting mix of the genres of action and samurai movies. The series seems to be strongly inspired by urban culture such as: hip-hop, rap, break-dancing, slang/ebonics, turntablism, and modernism. But the series still focuses on the element of the Tokugawa era. The time setting takes place a few centuries before the Meiji Restoration.
The series revolve around three people as they travel across Japan. Personality and style-wise, the three of them contrast from each other.
There’s Mugen who is a vagabond from Ryukyu or Okinawa. He is one of the most unorthodox fighters in all of Japan. He uses a special type of katana. Without the sword, Mugen uses a combination of breakdancing and Capoeira. His named is derived from Mugen which is Japanese for “infinite” or “endless.” He’s more of the ruffian and the street-fighter in Samurai Champloo. In the dubbed version, he is voiced by Steven Blum who also voiced the role of Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop.
Jin is a ronin who has a more refined style contrasting to Mugen. He’s the more refined swordsman that uses finesse. In combat, Jin uses traditional kenjutsu. Without the sword, Jin uses Jiu-Jitsu. He is voiced by Kirk Thornton in the dubbed version. This is one of the many works of anime that Kirk Thornton had worked along with Steven Blum.
The two of them are recruited by a feisty young girl named Fuu who’s about fifteen years old. She’s looking for the “Sunflower Samurai” or the “samurai that smells of sunflowers.”
The trio travels around Japan as they owe Fuu from saving them from execution. All three run into their own pasts along the course of the series when they try to find the samurai that smells of sunflowers. Despite the elements of modern and hip-hop culture, Samurai Champloo relies on the factual events in Edo-era Japan uch as the Shimabara Rebellion.
Most of the tracks in Samurai Champloo is compiled and sung by Japanese hip-hop artist Nujabes. Overall, Samurai Champloo is a very interesting series to watch despite some of the inaccuracies. If you enjoyed watching Cowboy Bebop, you may enjoy watching Samurai Champloo.
Steven Blum does an excellent job of voicing Mugen while Kirk Thornton does a great job of voicing Jin.