Review of Samurai Champloo 1

Introduction

Shinichiro Watanabe is probably better known in the West for the work he did on the Animatrix, producing A Detective Story and Kid`s Story for the Matrix animation spin-off. However, he is also responsible for one of the best anime of recent years, Cowboy Bebop. He took a rather hackneyed genre, the spaceship based sci-fi and gave it a fresh and original twist. The characters had dimension, the worlds were exciting and the stories compelling. All this was wrapped up in a jazz bebop soundtrack courtesy of Yoko Kanno that made Cowboy Bebop the series to talk about. Now Shinichiro Watanabe turns his attention back to the feudal period of Japan when Ronin Samurai roamed the land, when the sword ruled and honour was a fading memory. He takes a genre that has been explored many times before, and infuses it with a healthy dose of… Hip-hop! Given this and his eye for characterisation, Samurai Champloo has been a series that I have been looking forward to eagerly. MVM now release Volume 1, containing the first four episodes in the series.

Ep 1. Tempestuous Temperaments
Corruption is rife in a town where the Governor terrorises its inhabitants. Fuu works in an inn that the Governor`s son patronises with his gang. Ronin Samurai Jin doesn`t appreciate the Governor`s methods, or his goons and he shows his contempt in a most brutal fashion. Another wandering swordsman decides to have some fun with the Governor`s son and his gang, which conveniently gets Fuu out of a sticky situation. It`s when the two fighters meet that they get into trouble. Wishing to find out who is superior, the inn is destroyed and they are both caught and sentenced to death. Fuu, who is now out of a job makes a deal with the two captives, she`ll help them in escape, if they put aside their rivalry long enough to help her find a Samurai who smells of sunflowers. Only Fuu`s escape plan could use a little work.

Ep 2. Redeye Reprisal
An ogre is terrorising a community. The inhabitants are looking for someone to deal with their monster infestation, and it`s fortuitous that Mugen, Jin and Fuu are in the area, as well as light on cash. It seems like an easy job, but there is a familiar face behind all this, vengeance lies at the heart of it all, with Mugen the target. Meanwhile Jin has troubles of his own with an itinerant assassin, and Fuu is off getting acquainted with the ogre.

Ep 3 & 4. Hellhounds For Hire Parts I & II
Fuu is still trying to keep Mugen and Jin from killing each other long enough for them to fulfil their promise to her, which is when they both split up and vanish, leaving her in the middle of nowhere. Mugen is the first to enter a town where two rival Yakuza gangs fight for supremacy, with the hapless residents caught in the middle. Mugen`s unique talents and uncompromising attitude get him noticed by the head of the Nagatomi gang, and soon he is in gainful employment as an enforcer. A little while later, Jin shows up in time to help out a member of the rival Kawara gang and is quickly hired as a bodyguard. The two gangs get wind of the talented new recruits, and it seems inevitable that both Mugen and Jin will be at each other`s throats yet again, which is when Fuu shows up just in time to be pressed unwillingly into service at the local brothel. With Kawara on one side, Nagatomi on the other, it seems that it will all end in a bloodbath, but rather than live up to the old ways, Nagatomi is willing to be civilised and settle their differences by some gentlemanly gambling.

Video

Samurai Champloo gets a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer from MVM. The image is clear and sharp throughout, and the immaculate transfer does the splendid world design and distinctive characters full justice. This is an action packed show, and the swordplay is brilliantly realised, with both of the main characters having their own individual styles. The world design is worthy of appreciation, with the environments enhanced by some lush and vibrant backgrounds.

Audio

You get a choice of a DD 2.0 and DTS Japanese, as well as a DD 5.1 English dub. Listening to the Dolby Japanese track, I found it to be a straightforward stereo track, with a fair bit of separation, and putting the music across well. I spot-checked the English track, and found that the soundstage opened up well with the surround track, although the show remains predominantly front-focussed. It`s an excellent English dub, with the actors suiting their characters perfectly. Dubbing has certainly come a long way since the early years of anime. You can watch the show with the signs translated, a translated English subtitle track, or no captions at all.

Features

The simple menus are well laid out, although there was a typo (as well as one in the subtitles), but the first volume of Samurai Champloo is disappointing when it comes to extra features. You get a `Battlecry` promo video for the show, as well as two brief teaser trailers. Finally there are trailers for R.O.D The TV and Gungrave.

Conclusion

Samurai Champloo has the most stunning opening episode I have yet seen in anime. It hits with the force of an earthquake and grabs the attention, never letting it go. Of all the episodes on this disc, Tempestuous Temperaments is the one that is most infused with the hip-hop style, with some creative editing and scene changes to the sound of scratching turntables. The episode successfully introduces its main characters, setting out their individual personalities with immediate strength. Mugen is the uneducated wild man, a natural talent with the sword and an athleticism that makes him look like he is breakdancing rather than fighting. Jin on the other hand is fastidious, controlled and elegant. It`s no surprise that the two rub each other the wrong way. Fuu is the sparky young waitress who enlists their aid, she`s self assured and quirky and it`s easy to see that she will be the glue that binds the mismatched group together. The first episode is fast paced, exciting and brilliantly written, telling an entertaining tale in an original way.

The first episode essentially told the three different character stories and intercut between them, putting Mugen, Jin and Fuu together at the end of the show. The quick and innovative storytelling style came from that, and it`s understandable why it isn`t carried on to the rest of the series. It`s a shame though, as I felt something unique had been lost as the subsequent episodes on this disc followed a more conventional storytelling style. They also lose something in terms of originality, though I must stress that they are no less enjoyable for that fact. Redeye Reprisal is perhaps the weakest episode on the disc, although coming straight after that stunning opener, it would be hard pressed to live up to it. It`s a simple tale of monster terrorising a community, and our heroes being hired to deal with it, but getting caught in a trap instead. It`s fine as character development, but little more. The two-parter that completes this disc, Hellhounds For Hire is a much more fulfilling story. It throws our heroes into the classic Yojimbo plot, with a healthy dose of Sergio Leone in the characterisations to boot. The story develops well over the forty minutes and doesn`t fail to entertain.

While the stories may have a historical setting, the characters are distinctly contemporary in style and outlook. The strength of the show lies in its distinctive characterisations, deft touches of comedy and some razor sharp dialogue. This disc is worth it for the opening episode alone, and while the subsequent stories don`t quite live up to the promise of that first twenty minutes, they are still utterly enjoyable. Fun, and action packed, I haven`t the slightest idea of which direction Samurai Champloo is heading in, but I am avidly looking forward to finding out.