AllMovie

Mugen and Jin may both be warriors but that is where their similarities end. Mugen is an unshaved, unwashed, sarcastic opportunist who looks like a slam-dancer when he fights. Jin is a solemn, traditional samurai who fights with quick, quiet grace. These two fighters would like nothing more than to fight to the death but after a surprise rescue from execution by a flighty waitress named Fuu, the two agree to stave off killing each other long enough to return the favor by helping her find her mysterious "samurai who smells of sunflowers." Samurai Champloo marks Shinichiro Watanabe's first full-series directorial follow up to his 1998 hit series Cowboy Bebop. The show features the same trademark use of slick, dry humor and stylistic musical themes except this time, the music is hip-hop rather than jazz. The rap theme pulls this anime out of the traditional samurai genre, exploring a wild new take on old ideas.