Samurai Champloo

Let me start off by saying that this is easily my favorite anime series so far. I think that it has successfully beaten out Trigun, which is a big deal for me. Samurai Champloo is simply beautiful.

The story is set in feudal Japan and follows three unlikely protagonists (Has there ever really been a "likely" protagonist? I've never heard that phrase.) on their quest to Nagasaki  to track down the legendary samurai who smells of sunflowers. Obviously, the story is a lot more convoluted and complex than that, but that's the run down. The three protagonists (Mugen, a wild criminal swordsman with a mysterious past; Jin, a cool and collected samurai of dangerous caliber; and Fuu, a young girl who stumbles upon the two during a bar fight) are all very interesting in their own right, and manage to fit into archetypes while still being refreshing and deep and avoiding cliche. The character development in the show is very well done, and I found myself to be very emotionally involved in the characters' stories and personalities by the end of the series.

The animation in the show is superb, demonstrating a fluidity of motion that many other anime lack, while still remaining detailed and stylized at every turn. The animation is also very consistent, with very little chibi-style break away scenes or ridiculous facial expressions and things of the like. These things certainly have their time and place, but the atmosphere of Samurai Champloo, while still being lighthearted and exciting, is serious overall, and I'm glad they avoided said exaggerations.

Now, for the music. Oh my goodness, the music. The soundtrack is what makes this show. The show takes place in feudal Japan, but incorporates elements of modern Japanese hip-hop culture throughout. This is reflected by the brilliantly composed downbeat instrumental hip-hop soundtrack that plays incessantly throughout the show. I don't know how to explain why this works as well as it does, but there is a magnificent synergy between the two themes that one would not expect. 

The show is just great. It's one of the few things in my life (media-wise, at least) that I have stepped back from immediately upon completion and thought, "I want to do that again."

Verdict: Highly, highly recommended