Review - Samurai Champloo Volume 4
Reviewed by Richard Brownell on 9.26.2007.
Score: 10/10
Mugen, Jin, and Fuu. Their names are not as well known in the anime community as their predecessors from the same creators, Spike, Jet, and Faye. But the more of Samurai Champloo I watch, the more I think maybe they should be. Mugen and Fuu have perhaps too great a similarity to Spike and Faye but the show is still very much its own and a great one at that.
Volume four contains episodes 13 to 16. Though Samurai Champloo is a very episodic show, volume three closes with a handy recap of everything that came before it. So volume four is a fresh start to the second half of the show. It's a fitting time to get into a deep multi-part episode.
This two parter, "Misguided Miscreants," is possibly the best we've seen of Samurai Champloo thus far. Focused mostly on Mugen, it tells the story of his run-in with friends from his past. They are pirates now and have what could be the biggest heist they've ever pulled. But they need Mugen's help to pull it off. Two key characters are introduced for this story, the leader of the pirates and his more subdued sister. The sister has aspirations of leaving the thieving life to be with Mugen now that show knows he's still alive.
The story told in "Misguided Miscreants" is not only longer than the normal Champloo episodes but also deeper and more fulfilling. It's filled with emotion and action that is reminiscent of some of the best Cowboy Bebop episodes. One sequence in particular has a traditional-sounding Japanese song playing during a montage of flashback scenes. It's not quite as perfect as the song sequence in "Ballad of Fallen Angels," but it's damn close. Everything from the music to the colors to the plot twists makes "Misguided Miscreants" a great story within the overall Champloo story.
After such a deep and fulfilling story, the show takes a sharp turn to a more comical story where Mugen is trying his hardest to get laid. He paid good money at a whorehouse so you wouldn't think it would be so hard, but circumstances are not in his favor. He has managed to get himself knee deep in money counterfeiting operation. The remaining episode is actually the first episode of another multi-parter. It takes yet another u-turn back to a more serious plot, this time with a bit more focus on the elusive sunflower samurai as well as taking a peak into Jin's past. He's been largely a mystery up to this point, so some history is welcome.
Samurai Champloo is, of course, as much about the style as it is about the story, characters, and action. Never once in the show have I questioned the idea of merging a samurai story with hip-hop and urban styles and a bit of humor. It's a combination I wasn't really sure about but continues to impress me. The show is halfway over and shows no signs of losing its style nor its substance. I still recommend anybody even semi-interested in the show to check it out.
Dub Quality
There are a few more songs sung by voice actors in this DVD. As usual, listening to these songs translated into English and done by the English voice actors is just not a good idea. I'm not sure if any localization studio could truly do justice to some of the wacky songs done in this show. That said, the English dub is still quite good, so you could definitely keep listening to it and just switch over when you reach those songs. You will know when you get to them.
Special Features
DVD Features
· English Dolby Digital 5.1
· Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0
· Japanese DTS 5.1
· English Subtitles
· 16x9 Anamorphic Widescreen
· Conceptual Art
· Scene Access
· Geneon Previews
