Review of Samurai Champloo: Volume 5

Introduction

From Shinichiro Watanabe the creator of the sci-fi Cowboy Bebop, comes a show where he 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 for which I have been eagerly awaiting. Volume 5 of this series arrives for review, with our heroes getting closer to Nagasaki and the conclusion of their journey.

Former waitress Fuu wants to find a nameless Samurai who smells of sunflowers. To that end she has recruited a couple of itinerant warriors, the wild and undisciplined Mugen, and the more refined and precise Jin. The two fighters` first encounter resulted in them trying to kill each other, and it`s only because Fuu saved them from an execution that they reluctantly put aside their rivalry long enough to help her. This fifth volume from MVM contains four more episodes, beginning with the conclusion to a nail-biting cliffhanger.

17. Lullabies Of The Lost, Verse 2
Mugen`s been mistaken for a dangerous fugitive, and it`s only after he`s cut through a few dozen of the guards that he clears up the misunderstanding. Apparently they are searching for a dangerous fugitive, a man who kills indiscriminately. Mugen just sees that as a challenge. Dangerous fugitive Okuru is at that moment tending to Fuu, who he has just fished out of a river. Meanwhile Jin is having his own problems with a young warrior from his old dojo.

18. War Of The Words
Street gangs and graffiti aren`t just a modern problem, as Mugen, Fuu and Jin find out, when they walk into the middle of a turf war. Jin takes the opportunity to pay respects to an old sensei at his dojo, but finds it has been taken over by his duelling sons. When Mugen sees that this battle is being fought with words, words daubed over the nearest convenient wall, it may be time to learn how to read if he is to rise to the challenge.

19. Unholy Union
Christians are being persecuted in Japan, but there is a foreign freedom fighter named Xavier III intent on protecting the faithful and spreading his own interpretation of the Word. When Fuu provides sanctuary to a girl running from two armed men, she learns that the samurai that smells of sunflowers may have something to do with the secret cult.

20. Elegy of Entrapment, Verse 1
Taking shelter at an inn during a rainy night, the three travellers encounter a travelling singer named Sara. Mugen takes an instant shine to the blind performer, and the three agree to accompany her as she heads south. Sara reveals her past to Fuu as they get to know each other, but when Sara asks for a favour, it means Fuu will have to say good-bye to one of her protectors.

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

A jacket picture, DVD credits, and trailers for Burst Angel and Samurai 7. More appropriate to the release is a typically irreverent promo reel for the second half of the run, as well as a gallery of conceptual art, with 11 character designs.

Conclusion

Samurai Champloo doesn`t really have much of an over-arching story. That has never really been the point of this stylish and entertaining anime, but in this volume, the focus finally shifts to Fuu`s search for the samurai that smells of sunflowers, and we finally learn what he means to her, and an inkling of why she wishes to find him. There is also a hint of storylines being played out, and the beginning of a build up to the resolution. Still Samurai Champloo hasn`t really been about the destination so much as the journey, and the characters receive greater prominence than the overarching story. It simply doesn`t matter that the stories rarely focus on the point of their excursion through Japan, as the individual episodes are so engaging. With central characters like the self-assured and quirky Fuu, the ill-spoken wild man Mugen, and the fastidious and elegant Jin, it`s very easy to become engrossed in their hard, although occasionally anachronistic world.

We begin this volume with the second half of a two-part story, and it is a satisfying conclusion to the cliffhanger set up at the end of Volume 4, with plenty of action and drama. Comedy plays a more prominent role in War Of The Words, with the sight of graffiti and the associated chavs in historical Japan making for an entertaining anachronism. There`s even an Andy Warhol type figure looking for the ultimate in street style thrown into the mix. This episode provides the sort of tongue in cheek hilarity that makes Samurai Champloo stand out. Unholy Union sees our heroes wander into one of those religious cults that always get its comeuppance at the end. Here the faith of persecuted Christians is abused for financial gain. There is that anachronistic delight to be had with this episode once more, but more prominent is the revelation of what lies behind Fuu`s search. Finally, we end on another blasted cliffhanger, one that will have me wearing down my fingernails until the final volume. You`d think that by now Mugen, Fuu and Jin would have realised that while they inevitably get into trouble together, the trouble they get into when the separate is an order of magnitude worse. But once again, the three decide to go their separate ways, albeit at the behest of an enigmatic woman. Fuu also has to confront her feelings for her protectors.

Samurai Champloo has turned out to be one of the best anime releases of the year, with consistently diverse and entertaining stories, high production values, and three marvellous main characters. With each successive volume, my admiration for this series increases, and I begin to regret the inevitable final episode even more. Judging by the series thus far, it`ll have to be something special indeed to maintain the high standards. If you invest in one anime series this year, invest in Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig… Ok, if you invest in two anime series this year, make sure one of them is Full Metal Alchemist? Oh Good Grief! 2006 is replete with must have anime, and Samurai Champloo is just one more series that it is worth making your bank manager weep for.