The anime has the setting of the Edo time period of Japan and it is surprising how perfectly the Hip hop music matches with this kind of a setting. Not only the opening song, Battlecry gives you the elegant vibes, the other songs like Small Circle of Friends and San Francisco are just as catchy. Even the non-hip hop songs like Shiki no Uta, Who's theme and Obokuri-Eeumi in the Okinawan dialect give you the feelings of the 90s nostalgia. The OSTs which are played during the fight scenes or the deep conversations are really well made and perfectly suit to those respective scenes. Nujabes has been widely praised for the Samurai Champloo soundtrack and very rightly so. In terms of quality, this soundtrack is second to none(Okay, maybe second only to Naruto's). This anime has made me appreciate the Japanese Hip hop even though I have never found the conventional Western Hip hop interesting.
Having the setting of Edo Japan, the anime has several historical references. While there is some accuracy in it, most of it is just for fun. The story revolves around Mugen, Jin and Fuu as they journey across Japan trying to find "The samurai who smells of sunflowers." In their journey, they experience all sorts of crazy things, get into trouble and try to make money or find the means to survive as long as they are traveling together. As the show progresses, the mysteries of the characters' pasts are slowly revealed. The anime has a bittersweet ending. Once their motives are all achieved, the three characters go on their separate paths. Yet, it doesn't really intend to make us feel emotional. In an elegant manner and using the Hip hop style, they just ask us to carry on whilst playing the song 'San Francisco.'
The characters are so damn interesting. I was shocked to see the character of Mugen. It was nothing like any other main character. As a self-taught and ruthless swordsman, he just doesn't know how to hold back. Not only is he arrogant but always looks to pick up meaningless fights and wouldn't mind brutally injuring or killing others. His past is beautifully explored though. You would understand from where he got such beasty personality. Jin has noted that it is surprising how a reckless and impulsive man like him is still alive. Despite traveling together and having minimum hatred for each other, Mugen and Jin wish to kill each other someday. Despite Jin being just as cold on a contrary, he is much wiser and calculating samurai. Rarely losing his stoic exterior, he doesn't bother sharing his past, his motives, his mysteries or even his basic feelings with Mugen and Fuu. He does however manage to fall in love with a woman, who taught him how to cook Eel. Fuu, despite being cheerful and a foody woman, too has her own motives. In fact, the main storyline of this show entirely depends on what she is upto or on the factors responsible for her actions or decisions. Fuu seems to be much more sensible than Mugen and Jin, something that allows her to trick even such cold men and make them work for her.
Few episodes are only for the references sake. So don't be shocked when you see the main characters apparently dying just for them to appear well and alive in the very next episode as if nothing was happened to them. I am pretty sure most of the people won't take it positively. Nevertheless, the things that matter the most are fabulously done. For instance, the scene in which we see Mugen drowning and we get to see the glimpses of his past life. Not only was the scene emotional, nicely animated and perfectly executed, but the song Obokuri-Eeumi makes it look even more beautiful and deep. The action scenes are brilliantly choreographed as well. Some of those managing to trigger the characters' philosophies or deep thoughts really make the show look more interesting.
The elegance of Samurai Champloo has managed to amaze me and even the ending was done in such a way that the completion of the anime feels totally satisfying. I will praise it endlessly but on the other hand, I will also have no complaints if it doesn't have the season 2.
