Not too much to say, as episode 12 was just a recap episode. To be fair, it was a very innovative way to recap 11 episodes; still, I thought that Champloo was starting to get some momentum going and could have done without this episode. Anyway, Mugen and Jin find Fuu’s diary and [...]
The journey is delayed in town by several days of steady rain. Fuu takes a job as a waitress, and Mugen ditches his bodyguard job to try his hand at Kabuto (a type of horned beetle) Sumo gambling. Meanwhile Jin is tricked into a “cutting job” as an eel merchant. On his [...]
Poor and destitute once again, the trio shacks up with a monk and gets food and board in exchange for house cleaning. Jin seems to be pretty used to dojo servitude, but Mugen chafes under the monk’s orders. He decides to try to earn a hefty 10 ryo by capturing a criminal instead. [...]
Hakone is infamous as a checkpoint that is difficult to get past, and when the trio tries to sneak in with some badly forged passports, they are quickly captured and scheduled for execution. The only way they can earn a reprieve is if Mugen can deliver a severed head and return by sunset. [...]
Our trio is once again penniless and hungry, and so they pawn off Jin’s glasses for a bit of cash. In town, they encounter some serious nanpa, as an absurd yakuza-hip-hop-samurai named Nagamichi tries to win Fuu’s affection, and Jin & Mugen are seduced by an alcohol-loving temptress. In between rants about [...]
The team tries their luck at gambling, and come into a lot of money thanks to Momo’s last minute save. Unfortunately, the money is promptly stolen by a pickpocket, Shinsuke, who is trying to earn enough money to buy medicine for his sick mom. Things get even worse when he steals a [...]
The trio enters an eating contest thinking that it’s an easy way for free food. As it turns out, however, there is an entry fee, and Mugen impulsively bets both his and Jin’s swords (I think Fuu throws in a bright pink tanto…). Although Fuu displays amazing eating skills, she is defeated (due [...]
In their search for the sunflower samurai, our trio has problems paying ferry fare and so they are forced to scrounge cash as best they can. Mugen has some success beating up ruffians for small change, but he blows the whole thing on roasted squid on a stick (and who can blame him!). [...]
The whole yakuza story wraps up as things come to a head between the two clans. Mugen leaves when he finds that he’s there for intimidation and not for actual fighting. Plus those crabs are so tough to eat, what’s the point of sticking around? Back in town, Fuu escapes, but ends [...]
Tired of being hungry, dirty, and indebted to Fuu, Mugen and Jin make a break for it at a fork in the road. Poor Fuu is left in their dust, with only a flying squirrel to keep her company. Coincidentally, Mugen and Jin end up in the same town working for different Yakuza [...]
Episode 2 is a little more subdued, as SamCham does not trip all over itself trying to be hip-hop stylish this time. It seems that the guy who had his arm chopped off by Mugen wants revenge, and is willing to hire an interesting cast to help him. The most interesting one is [...]
Alright, I’m taking a deep breath. First things first: everything you have heard about this series being super stylish, and hip like Cowboy Bebop is true. At least in the first episode. The story starts off with Fuu-chan, a waitress at a tea restaurant, getting helped out of a rough situation by [...]
