2/13 ブログのポスト

 Samurai Champloo



Samurai Champloo is an incredible journey. From the director of Cowboy Bebop, an undeniable masterpiece, Samurai Champloo follows renegade swordsman Mugen, disgraced samurai Jin, and teenage girl Fuu. It depicts the Edo period around 80 years after the end of the Sengoku period but blends it with modern speaking and behavior. Like Cowboy Bebop, the series blends episodic storytelling with a main story through-line. The main story episodes are where this story shines, diving into the complicated pasts of the three main characters as they journey to find Fuu's father, the samurai that smells of sunflowers. The story deals with lost souls struggling to find any means of purpose in life as their roots in any particular person or place are cut continuously. While the often brash and headstrong characters keep the tone light for the most part, there is a strong philosophical basis within the show. The show is incredibly stylish with its blend of hip-hop and classical Japanese style. The now-defunct studio Manglobe created an art and animation style that perfectly matched the unique setting, and the wonderful soundtrack by legendary, late producer Nujabes and his frequent collaborator Fat Jon is both meditative and rebellious in a way that captures the gung-ho yet lackadaisical behavior of the show's characters.



Because the story tends to utilize so much modern slang and behavior, it is becoming easier for me to pick up on more casual modes of speaking. Granted, I would never use such crass and improper speaking in class, but it is interesting to see what casual vernacular is very interesting to see. The inclusion of Nujabes' work is also a valuable cultural introduction. I have watched this show many times, and I have been a huge fan of Nujabes' work since early high school. His work continues to greatly influence both Japanese and American hip-hop and R&B music.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10/24 ブログのポスト

Image
Summertime Render   This show is strange, complex, and entirely engaging. It tells the mysterious story of a man returning to his island hometown for the funeral of his childhood best friend. He realizes that things are more sinister than he initially thought when he learns that his friend's official cause of death was drowning but there were strangle marks found on her neck. After he is killed by someone who looks exactly like a close friend of his, he jolts awake a day before. The story then becomes a complex serious of jumps backwards in time as the main character gradually unravels more of the disturbing doppelgänger phenomenon that afflicts his hometown. A large event in the story revolves around a summer shrine festival to honor the local Shinto deities. The head of the shrine also helps the characters in the show to learn some of the island history linked to the mysterious events occurring. Through this, I was able to learn some of the duties of a shrine keeper as well as co...
Read more

10/10 ブログのポスト

Image
Mob Psycho 100 Season 3      This is the third season of one of the most acclaimed (and one of my personal favorite anime). Mob Psycho 100 tells the story of a socially awkward, middle school boy named Shigeo, who is often called by the nickname Mob. Mob was born with unfathomably powerful psychic abilities that can shape the world around him and allow him to communicate with spirits. After hurting his younger brother with these abilities in a no outburst as a child, he decided that he didn't care for his powers. In middle school, Mob meets the hustler Reigen Aritaka. Reigen runs a spirit consultation agency even though he possesses no real psychic powers. Reigen helps Mob come into his own and discover his worth as he faces potentially world-destroying threats due to his great powers. The show is incredibly funny, the characters are expertly written and incredibly endearing, and the animation quality is unmatched. It masterfully balances action, comedy, and heart.  ...
Read more

11/07 ブログのポスト

Image
 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners      This show is fascinating because it is based in a world created for an American table top game from the late 1980s which was adapted into a video game in 2020. The story takes place in Night Society, which is the 2070s equivalent to Los Angeles, and follows David Martinez, a poor teen who faces tragedy after tragedy and turns to a life of crime. David is a good could who was dealt a bad hand. In the 2070s people use cybernetic implants to make themselves stronger and their lives easier. As the jobs David and his comrades take on become more and more high stakes, David gets more and more implants. The characters are endearing and surprisingly deep for a 10 episode show. The story and world-building are near perfect. The animation by Trigger Studios, possibly the best animators in the current anime landscape, is the perfect cherry on top for this phenomenal story.      It was rather hard to make out words and phrases that I r...
Read more