"Samurai Champloo" (2004) "Samurai chanpurû" (original title), TV series 2004-2005

Directors:

Hirotaka Endo
Masato Miyoshi
(more)

Writers:

Kazuto Nakazawa (episode)
Keiko Nobumoto (episode)
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

11 January 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Death, betrayal, and... hip hop!

Plot:

Fuu, a waitress who works in a teahouse, rescues two master swordsmen, Mugen and Jin, from their execution to help her find the "samurai who smells of sunflowers."

Plot Keywords:

Samurai | Anachronism | Feudal Japan | Decapitation | Anime

Cast

Kazuya Nakai	...	Mugen (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Ginpei Sato	...	Jin (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Ayako Kawasumi	...	Fuu (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Steve Blum	...	Mugen (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kirk Thornton	...	Jin (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kari Wahlgren	...	Fuu (26 episodes, 2004-2005)

Series Directed by
Mamoru Hosoda		(26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Shinichirô Watanabe		(18 episodes, 2004-2005)
Hirotaka Endo		(5 episodes, 2004-2005)
Sayo Yamamoto		(5 episodes, 2004-2005)
Takeshi Yoshimoto		(5 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kazuto Nakazawa		(2 episodes, 2004-2005)
Masato Miyoshi		(2 episodes, 2004)
Akira Yoshimura		(2 episodes, 2004)
Shuko Murase		(1 episode, 2004)
Mitsutaka Noshitani		(1 episode, 2005)
Kei Tsunematsu		(1 episode, 2005)

Series Writing credits
Shinji Obara		(26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Shinichirô Watanabe		(21 episodes, 2004-2005)
Dai Sato		(4 episodes, 2004-2005)
Seiko Takagi		(3 episodes, 2004-2005)
Touko Machida		(1 episode, 2004)
Kazuto Nakazawa		(1 episode, 2004)
Keiko Nobumoto		(1 episode, 2004)
Ryôta Sugi		(1 episode, 2004)

Series Produced by
Hideki Goto	....	planning producer / executive producer: Geneon Entertainment (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Takatoshi Hamano	....	producer (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Shinichirô Kobayashi	....	planning producer (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Takashi Kochiyama	....	producer (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Sanae Mitsugi	....	planning producer (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Shirô Sasaki	....	executive producer / planning producer (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Tetsuro Satomi	....	producer (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Mami Okada	....	assistant producer (6 episodes, 2004)
Kaeko Sakamoto	....	producer (6 episodes, 2004)
Eric P. Sherman	....	producer (6 episodes, 2004)
Hiroe Tsukamoto	....	producer (6 episodes, 2004)

Series Original Music by
Force of Nature		(26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Fat Jon		(26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Nujabes		(26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Tsutchie		(26 episodes, 2004-2005)

Series Cinematography by
Kazuhiro Yamada		(26 episodes, 2004-2005)

Series Film Editing by
Shûichi Kakesu		(26 episodes, 2004-2005)

Series Art Direction by
Takeshi Waki		(26 episodes, 2004-2005)

Series Set Decoration by
Kazunobu Kawagoe		(5 episodes, 2004)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hirotaka Endo	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 2004)

Series Art Department
Mahiro Maeda	....	weapons designer (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Eri Suzuki	....	color key (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Toshiyuki Yamashita	....	graphic designer: opening credits (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Anna Tsubaki	....	artist: Ukiyoe (8 episodes, 2004)
Shinichirô Watanabe	....	storyboard artist (5 episodes, 2004-2005)
Sayo Yamamoto	....	storyboard artist (4 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kazuyoshi Katayama	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 2004-2005)
Akitoshi Yokoyama	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 2005)
Tsukasa Sunaga	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kazuki Akane	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 2004)
Masahiro Emoto	....	artist: Ukiyoe (2 episodes, 2004)
Takako Ito	....	color key (2 episodes, 2004)
Shuko Murase	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 2004)
Kiyomi Yamazaki	....	color key (2 episodes, 2004)

Series Sound Department
Pat Rodman	....	adr engineer / dialogue editor (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Mark A. Rozett	....	sound re-recording engineer (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Deb Munini	....	sound editor / dialogue editor (21 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kevin Patzelt	....	sound editor (10 episodes, 2004-2005)
Shigeru Fujibayashi	....	sound recording assistant (8 episodes, 2004)
Tsutomu Kashiwakura	....	recording director (8 episodes, 2004)
Shizuo Kurahashi	....	sound effects (8 episodes, 2004)
Toshiaki Oota	....	sound production: Boderline / sound production: Border Line (8 episodes, 2004)
Yukari Tobase	....	sound recording assistant (8 episodes, 2004)
Makoto Uchida	....	sound recordist (8 episodes, 2004)
Masashi Yabuhara	....	sound mix engineer (8 episodes, 2004)
Fujio Yamada	....	sound recordist (8 episodes, 2004)
Naoto Yamada	....	sound effects assistant: Sound Box (6 episodes, 2004)
Sean Foye	....	dialogue editor (5 episodes, 2004)
Masashi Hagiwara	....	mixing engineer (2 episodes, 2004)
Naoto Yamaya	....	sound effects assistant: Sound Box (2 episodes, 2004)

Series Special Effects by
Toshio Hasegawa	....	digital special effects: Marix (2 episodes, 2004)

Series Visual Effects by
Shuichi Kusamori	....	compositor: ending credits (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Mari Gomyo	....	compositor: Asahi Production (8 episodes, 2004)
Kanta Kamei	....	visual effects (8 episodes, 2004)
Fumihiko Morohashi	....	compositor: Asahi Production (8 episodes, 2004)
Minoe Ohkubo	....	compositor: Asahi Production (8 episodes, 2004)
Suguru Oidaira	....	compositor: Asahi Production (8 episodes, 2004)
Kenji Takahashi	....	compositor: Asahi Production (8 episodes, 2004)
Kazuki Watanabe	....	compositor: Asahi Production (8 episodes, 2004)
Kayoko Takaya	....	compositor: Asahi Production (7 episodes, 2004)
Toshio Hasegawa	....	digital special effects: Marix (6 episodes, 2004)
Shinya Ueda	....	compositor: Asahi Production (6 episodes, 2004)
Yuki Hama	....	compositor: Asahi Production (5 episodes, 2004)
Taeko Nihei	....	compositor: Asahi Production (5 episodes, 2004)
Yui Tanaka	....	compositor: Asahi Production (5 episodes, 2004)
Naoyuki Wada	....	compositor: Asahi Production (5 episodes, 2004)
Toshihiro Sasaki	....	compositor: Asahi Production (2 episodes, 2004)
Akiko Suio	....	compositor: Asahi Production (2 episodes, 2004)

Series Animation Department
Ken Koike	....	animator: opening credits (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Shuichi Kusamori	....	background artist: ending credits (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Shuko Murase	....	animator: ending credits (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kazuto Nakazawa	....	character designer / chief animator / ... (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Yoshimitsu Yamashita	....	animation director / key animator (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Takeshi Koike	....	animator: opening credits / key animator (8 episodes, 2004)
Ayari Wake	....	background artist: green / background artist: Green (8 episodes, 2004)
Michie Watanabe	....	background artist: green / background artist: Green (8 episodes, 2004)
Emi Hirano	....	key animator / secondary key animator / ... (7 episodes, 2004)
Miyoko Kohama	....	background artist: green / background artist: Green (7 episodes, 2004)
Eri Nakamura	....	background artist: green / background artist: Green (7 episodes, 2004)
Yukari Yasuda	....	background artist: green / background artist: Green (7 episodes, 2004)
Yumiko Ishii	....	animation director / key animator / ... (6 episodes, 2004-2005)
Hideto Komori	....	key animator / animation director (6 episodes, 2004-2005)
Chie Ohkubo	....	background artist: green / background artist: Green (6 episodes, 2004)
Sonomi Sugimura	....	inbetween animator / inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet / ... (6 episodes, 2004)
Jun Nakai	....	animation director (5 episodes, 2004-2005)
Naoko Nakamoto	....	animation director (5 episodes, 2004-2005)
Shinji Takeuchi	....	animation director / key animator (5 episodes, 2004-2005)
Moriyasu Taniguchi	....	animation director (5 episodes, 2004-2005)
Madoka Ozawa	....	inbetween animator / in-between animation checker / ... (5 episodes, 2004)
Takuya Suzuki	....	key animator / animation director / ... (5 episodes, 2004)
Tatsuya Suzuki	....	key animator / animation director / ... (5 episodes, 2004)
Masaki Yamada	....	animation director (4 episodes, 2004-2005)
Takashi Igari	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2004)
Hiromi Masuda	....	key animator / key animator: Ad Cosmo / ... (4 episodes, 2004)
Nariyuki Ogi	....	background artist: green / background artist: Green (4 episodes, 2004)
Tetsuya Wakano	....	key animator: Studio One Pack / key animator / ... (4 episodes, 2004)
Nobutaka Ito	....	animation director (3 episodes, 2004-2005)
Kazuhisa Asai	....	background artist: Green / background artist: green (3 episodes, 2004)
Hayato Hashiguchi	....	in-between animation checker / in-between animation checker: Emuai (3 episodes, 2004)
Ayako Ishihara	....	key animator: Studio One Pack / key animator: Studio Wanpack (3 episodes, 2004)
Kenji Kobayashi	....	background artist: green (3 episodes, 2004)
Yuichi Kuboki	....	digital paint artist / digital paint artist: Triple A (3 episodes, 2004)
Kenji Nishikawa	....	key animator / key animator: Ad Cosmo (3 episodes, 2004)
Taizo Yoshida	....	key animator / key animator: Ad Cosmo / ... (3 episodes, 2004)
Misao Abe	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Asako Aoki	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Takahiro Arai	....	inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet / key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Yuki Chika	....	key animator: Studio Moo (2 episodes, 2004)
Yûko Dangi	....	key animator: Studio Moo (2 episodes, 2004)
Yuka Dazai	....	digital paint artist: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Yoshinori Deno	....	inbetween animator: Emuai / inbetween animator: MI (2 episodes, 2004)
Hitomi Fujii	....	in-between animation checker: Emuai / in-between animation checker: MI (2 episodes, 2004)
Ayumi Fujishita	....	inbetween animator: Emuai / inbetween animator: MI (2 episodes, 2004)
Takayuki Gotan	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Keita Hagio	....	key animator: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Koji Hamaoka	....	digital paint artist: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Dai Hariki	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Takayoshi Hashimoto	....	key animator: Studio Moo (2 episodes, 2004)
Kaori Higashida	....	background artist: Green (2 episodes, 2004)
Hiroaki Ikeda	....	key animator: Studio One Pack (2 episodes, 2004)
Dai Imaoka	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Akira Ito	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Hirotsugu Ito	....	inbetween animator: Emuai / inbetween animator: MI (2 episodes, 2004)
Mitsuko Kanamori	....	digital paint artist: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Ayako Karatani	....	key animator: Studio Moo (2 episodes, 2004)
Hitomi Kashihara	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Rika Kato	....	key animator: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Hitoshi Katsura	....	inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Masakazu Kawazoe	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Katsunori Kikuchi	....	inbetween animator: Emuai / inbetween animator: MI (2 episodes, 2004)
Katsuya Kikuchi	....	key animator / key animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Kunihiko Kimura	....	key animator: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Ikuko Kitagawa	....	digital paint artist: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Shuuichi Kodama	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Megumi Koishikawa	....	digital paint artist: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Eiji Komatsu	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Atsushi Kosakai	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Manami Masuda	....	background artist: green (2 episodes, 2004)
Daisuke Mataga	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Susumu Matsunaga	....	in-between animation checker: Ad Cosmo / inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Kumiko Mizoguchi	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Hiromi Morikawa	....	background artist: Green (2 episodes, 2004)
Hisao Muramatsu	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Chikako Nakamura	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Kazuya Nakamura	....	inbetween animator: Emuai / inbetween animator: MI (2 episodes, 2004)
Yoshifumi Nakamura	....	key animator: Studio One Pack / key animator: Studio Wanpack (2 episodes, 2004)
Takahiro Nawa	....	in-between animation checker (2 episodes, 2004)
Motonori Nishibe	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Ayumi Nishigami	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Hidemi Nishikage	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Yohei Nishiwaki	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Shingo Oda	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Yuki Okada	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Hiromi Okazaki	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Mayu Saito	....	digital paint artist (2 episodes, 2004)
Yusuke Saito	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Youhei Sasaki	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Tomoya Sato	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Yûsuke Satô	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Yuji Shimada	....	background artist: Green (2 episodes, 2004)
Takako Shimizu	....	animation director / key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Mio Shinbo	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Kanta Suzuki	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Tsutomu Takahashi	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Yoshiyuki Takayanagi	....	in-between animation checker / inbetween animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Yuji Takeda	....	digital paint artist: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Satoshi Tanaka	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2004)
Yuki Terano	....	key animator / key animator: Studio One Pack (2 episodes, 2004)
Yuka Terasaki	....	digital paint artist: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Kentaro Tokiwa	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Akira Toya	....	inbetween animator: Emuai / inbetween animator: MI (2 episodes, 2004)
Eriko Uchiyama	....	inbetween animator: Emuai / inbetween animator: MI (2 episodes, 2004)
Mika Ueda	....	inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Masahito Wada	....	inbetween animator: Ad Cosmo (2 episodes, 2004)
Hiroyo Yamamoto	....	key animator: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Masakazu Yamazaki	....	key animator: Studio One Pack / key animator: Studio Wanpack (2 episodes, 2004)
Aya Yoshii	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gimlet (2 episodes, 2004)
Masaaki Yuasa	....	key animator (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Daisuke Imai	....	assistant editor (8 episodes, 2004)
Tomoki Nagasaka	....	assistant editor (8 episodes, 2004)
Shinichi Sugawara	....	video editor: Q-Tec (2 episodes, 2004)

Series Music Department
Yoshimoto Ishikawa	....	music producer (26 episodes, 2004-2005)
Toshishige Matsui	....	music production support: Clockwise (8 episodes, 2004)
Takamitsu Sato	....	music production support: Weed (8 episodes, 2004)
Masakazu Takeuchi	....	music production support: Libyus Music (8 episodes, 2004)
Afra	....	beatbox scratching: eyecatch (2 episodes, 2004)
Kento Sasaki	....	scratching: Force of Nature (2 episodes, 2004)

Series Other crew
David Fleming	....	subtitles: English language version / translation: English language version (8 episodes, 2004)
Hiroshi Kudo	....	production desk (8 episodes, 2004)
Takako Masaoka	....	public relations: Fuji Television / public relations: Fuji Televison (8 episodes, 2004)
Junichi Matsumoto	....	literature support (8 episodes, 2004)
Yoshimi Nakajima	....	production support: Bigshot (8 episodes, 2004)
Stephanie Takemoto	....	production assistant: English language version (8 episodes, 2004)
Shousei Ito	....	advertisement: Victor Entertainment (7 episodes, 2004)
Masanori Sugawara	....	advertisement: Victor Entertainment (6 episodes, 2004)
Kristal Harwood	....	production assistant: English language version (4 episodes, 2004)
Megumi Kunisada	....	production assistant: English language version (4 episodes, 2004)
Yoshihiro Watanabe	....	production assistant: English language version (4 episodes, 2004)
Ryosuke Inagaki	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 2004)
Masao Ito	....	advertising manager: Victor Entertainment (2 episodes, 2004)
Kazunobu Kawagoe	....	setting production (2 episodes, 2004)
Takanori Sugawara	....	advertising manager: Victor Entertainment (2 episodes, 2004)
Yoshihiko Tominaga	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 2004)

Production Companies

• Fuji TV
• Fuji
• Manglobe
• Shimoigusa Champloos

Distributors

• Victor Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (TV)
• Adult Swim (2005) (USA) (TV)
• AXN (????) (Spain) (TV)
• Cuatro (2006) (Spain) (TV)

Special Effects

• Asahi Production (visual effects)

Also Known As:

"Samurai chanpurû" - Japan (original title)

Runtime:

Japan:23 min | Japan:30 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | Dutch | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 | South Korea:18 | Australia:MA | USA:TV-MA | Argentina:18 | New Zealand:R13 (some episodes) | New Zealand:R16

Company:

Fuji TV

Trivia:

Steven Blum, Beau Billingslea, Wendee Lee and Melissa Fahn voiced the main cast for Cowboy Bebop as well as voicing in Samurai Champloo.

Quotes:

Mugen:Kiss my ass

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Boondocks: Guess Hoe's Coming to Dinner (#1.3)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Who's Theme

masterpiece

"Samurai Champloo" is perhaps one of the best shows in the animé genre that I've ever seen. It is the masterpiece born from the artistic mind of Shinichirô Watanabe (famous for his work in "Cowboy Beepbop"), Kazuto Nakazawa, and Mahiro Maeda.

Set in Japan's Samurai Era (1200's-1800's), this show tells the tale of three people: Jin, Mugen, and Fuu. Jin is a ronin (wandering samurai). Calm, cool, and skilled in the art of the sword. Mugen is hot-tempered and has a short temper, the exact opposite of Jin. When these two warriors are nearly executed, they are saved by a tea shop waitress named Fuu. In return for her help, the two warriors promise to help her find "the samurai with the smell of sunflowers." The two agree with Fuu, and they go on this journey, beginning an exciting adventure as well as long and fateful friendship.

"Samurai Camploo" is one of the best animations taking place in Japan of olden times, not to mention among the best in its genre. The animation is gorgeous. The lightning and shading is mesmerizing. Also, the painted backgrounds are lush and draws the viewer in. Watanabe really shows his skill as an animator in this one. The animation is one of the best features in this show. It has one of the best stylizations in anime. The atmosphere rocks.

The story lines, too, are great. Set in feudal Japan, this show does a great job of showing the life and times of ronin samurai at that time. From the the peasants, to the prostitutes, to the gangsters, to just about everyone, this show has a graphic depiction of Japan during its Samurai Era, when the warrior was the dominant force in everyone's lives. The show even goes to show what type of clothes they wore, what houses they lived in, and what food they all -- all accurately. Only the Japanese know how to portray their history graphically.

Speaking of graphic, this show in realistic in terms of real. It includes some profanity (although minor) and goes deep into the underground world of the brothels. In Japan, animation is for everyone, not just kids, and this show in very mature. Its story lines are very complicated. Its issues are deep and meaningful. At times, some episodes are dark, even showing death scenes and bloodshed, but this is exactly what makes this show cool.

Now, the soundtrack. "Samurai Champloo" features a hip hop and RnB soundtrack and incorporates some traditional songs. What makes "Champloo" so unique in anime is that it combines the modern with the olden, and this is why the show is cool. The hip hop beats in this period piece are nice to listen to and blends in with the Fuedal Japan setting. The word "Champloo" means mix, and this anime mixes the modern with the olden, from Jin having glasses, to the language of the characters; the people here (in the English version) speak in modern American slang and vernacular. And rather than downplaying the ancient feel of this show, this show still retains its olden times aspects.

"Samurai Champloo" is a must-see for all fans of this genre and animation in general.