SamuraiChamploo

Fans of Cowboy Bebop and The Animatrix have been anxiously awaiting the premiere of Shinichiro Watanabe's newest effort, Samurai Champloo, on Adult Swim. The first episode didn't disappoint, I'm happy to say, and from what I've read from folks who have seen later episodes, this series will just get better and better.

Seamlessly blending hip-hop music with crisp, artsy action sequences, Watanabe brings his characters to life with an irreverance best captured in the show's opening sequence: "This work of fiction is not an accurate historical portrayal. Like we care. Now shut up and enjoy the show." Original music by Force of Nature, Fat Jon, Tsutchie, and Nujabes drives the show on a frentic pace, but the animation crew has no trouble keeping up with the score.

Historically accurate or not, Samurai Champloo is set in the Edo Period of Japan, when Samurai stood at the top of the social hierarchy. Mugen is a brash, self-trained young warrior who fights with a unique breakdance style of fighting. Jin is a more traditional Samurai - quiet, calculating and controlled. These two polar opposites are bound to get into conflict, but before they can fight each other they meet up in the first episode with Fuu, a young waitress who saves both their lives.