Mirza Aaqib Beg
Developed by Manglobe, ‘Samurai Champloo’ is an adventure anime series that centers upon Fuu, a young girl who is looking for the samurai who smells like sunflowers. Luckily, one day she meets, Mugen and Jin, who are extremely dexterous swordsmen, and makes a deal with them that eventually brings the three together in search of the mysterious samurai. The show follows the eccentric trio who embark on an epic journey full of sword fights, action, comedy, and adventure.
The cult classic, despite being very old, remains one of the best anime ever made, so it isn’t wrong for its fans to want to see more shows like it. If you too want to experience the same thrill and action that you have experienced in ‘Samurai Champloo,’ then we have a few recommendations for you. Most of these shows like ‘Samurai Champloo’ can be watched on Netflix, FUNimation, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.
5. Trigun (1998)
Vash the Stampede is no ordinary man; he is a notorious mass-murderer who leaves a trail of devastation and misery wherever he goes. Something as minor as looking him in the eye can be off-putting for Vash, who can flatten entire cities with little effort. Interestingly, Vash claims that he has never taken anyone’s life. Milly Thompson and Meryl Stryfe, two insurance agents, follow Vash around in his journey across the planet Gunsmoke. However, the life of the trio soon takes a dark turn as they confront assassins who push Vash to the extreme. ‘Samurai Champloo’ fans who love the episodic adventures of the three friends who face challenges at every corner in their journey must watch ‘Trigun,’ which captures the adventures of Vash and the two insurance agents.
4. Cowboy Bebop (1998 – 1999)
Now, ‘Cowboy Bebop’ is not a story of samurais like ‘Samurai Champloo.’ Instead, it follows bounty hunters (Cowboys) who help the Inter Solar System police to maintain peace and harmony in the galaxy. Spike Spiegel and his partner Jet Black are two such bounty hunters who live aboard the ship Bebop and chase bounties to collect rewards. On their usually lonely journey, they end up meeting Faye Valentine, Welsh Corgi, and Edward Wong.
As the story progresses, the members of the group confront dark truths about their past life. Although ‘Cowboy Bebop’ is quite different from ‘Samurai Champloo’ in most aspects, but both shows have the influence of a similar genre of music. They have the same director, so it isn’t strange that ‘Cowboy Bebop’ gives off ‘Samurai Champloo’ vibes and has a similar tone.
3. Gintama (2006- 2018)
When “Amanto” (aliens) attack, Edo’s shogun surrenders even though the samurai are ready to fight the aliens. Instead, he ends up signing a contract with them which prohibits people from carrying swords. Although the aliens take over everything and confiscate swords, there are still people in Edo who have the heart of a samurai. Gintoki Sakata is one such idiosyncratic samurai who does odd-jobs to pay his bills. Along with Kagura and Shinpachi Shimura (his apprentice), he creates a group known as Yorozuya.
As the story progresses, Gintoki and his friends run into trouble as they fight against the evil antagonist, the immortal Utsuro, and his forces. Just like ‘Samurai Champloo’ in which the three friends often confront different problems together, ‘Gintama’ also has a somewhat similar plot. Moreover, both shows have samurai as their main characters.
2. Afro Samurai (2007)
At a very young age, Afro has the misfortune of watching his father die. But unlike any other ordinary child, he does not let it break him. Instead, Afro plans to confront Justice (his father’s killer) and take back the number one headband that was once his father’s possession. When he finally obtains the number two headband several years later, he realizes the weight of the title. He now not only has to defeat Justice but also defend his headband from others who want to challenge him. ‘Afro Samurai’ is a revenge story unlike ‘Samurai Champloo,’ but the fans of the latter can still enjoy similar action and fight scenes.
1. House of Five Leaves (2010)
Just like Jin from ‘Samurai Champloo,’ the protagonist of ‘House of Five Leaves,’ Masanosuke Akitsu, is also a rōnin. Although he is a very dexterous swordsman, Masa’s employers often dismiss him because of his unreliability. When he is at the worst point in his life, Yaichi hires him as his bodyguard. Unfortunately for Masa, his new job is not something that he can be proud of. As he gets to know more about Yaichi’s illegal and unethical activities, he soon finds himself questioning his beliefs. ‘House of Five Leaves’ has the same type of action and fights scenes that ‘Samurai Champloo’ fans love. Moreover, there is also a lot of crime in the series, something Fuu and her friends sometimes involve themselves in.
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