It’s this simple. If you dig Afro Samurai then you will absolutely love Samurai Champloo on Blu-ray from FUNimation. This three disc set contains the entire Samurai Champloo series with a ton special features and while it compares to Afro it stands so well on its own. The mixture of style and action has not been seen on this level since Cowboy Bebop (look it up, buy it) and while the PlayStation 2 Samurai Champloo outing was solid it cannot hold a flicker against the raging inferno that is Mugen, Jin and Fuu’s journey. What’s it all about …
The Story – Fuu is searching for the samurai who killed her father, the one who smells f sunflowers. Her search takes her to new locations where she takes odd jobs to support her search. One such job leads to a life changing encounter with wondering swordsman Mugen and silent ronin Jin. The two make a deal to stick with Fuu as she frees them from execution. The two agree to help as long as they get to finish their fight against one another. As the journey goes the past of all three comes to the surface and the action heats up.
This is just the beginning of the story as there is so much more, so many encounters, enemies, mysteries and fights to be had. The inclusion of hip-hop music and themes adds a layer of coolness that makes this more than a samurai anime. The story never gets boring or dull; it never slows down right until the end when you’ll be left wanting more. Action, action and more action is just the beginning of this stylish anime. It’s funny too, way too funny at times.
The Design & Animation – Totally the strength of this series is its unique design which brings in a funk, hip and hop that makes Samurai Champloo so unique and fun. The characters look great and the action is just superb. Settings are pulled from historic Japan while the character designs will sparks memories of Cowboy Bebop. The animation flows, fights feel like choreographed dances that sate the hunger of any action fan.
Why Gamers Should Care – PS2 adventure aside this series rocks. Afro Samurai saw great success (still does) in both anime and gaming and was right on time. Samurai Champloo was just a bit ahead of its time in its decent, not great, PS2 outing that got nowhere near the pub as Afro. The series on blu-ray should not be missed as it’s a great distraction from gamers time action gaming and will totally get them geeked to login and go crazy in their favorite game. Gamers should care because this is visual Red Bull, action over the top that will get the blood flowing.
Overall, Samurai Champloo is a great series and getting it all in one collection on blu-ray is a must even for fans who own the DVD collection (sell it on eBay). The bonus content includes concept art and opening music, trailers and a bumper gallery which shows off the style. That is just icing on one delicious, action filled cake.
