Samurai Champloo, ep. 22-26

[oyceter]

I swear I will post on non-anime/manga stuff after this.

Spoilers for entire series.

I'm not sure what to say, except this is a really good series, and it hurts in the best of ways and I'm tempted to go back to the beginning to watch it again.

The cracktastic nature of episodes 22 and 23 were slightly lessened by the fact that I was forewarned, although the magic mushrooms of Heike doom are still totally weird. Ditto with the random baseball episode (yes, I laughed my head off at the bad accents again, how did you guess?).

And then, oh!

The scene by the fireside, and Jin getting up later to find Fuu by the lake, and then Fuu leaving them? Waaaaah! There were so many times I was scared that Jin and Mugen weren't going to make it at all. I was pretty sure Fuu wouldn't die; Fuu is, after all, a survivor, but Jin and Mugen? After Jin fell into the water, I was sitting on pins and needles waiting for him to reappear, and then he did and let Kariya stab him! And Mugen!

And then I was scared when Jin and Mugen swung at each other that they might have hit. I do not trust this director to keep the characters safe. Thankfully, he does, because I don't think I could have borne it if he hadn't. And then the three part ways =(. I really almost expected Fuu to start walking off and for the other two to run after her, yelling something about her owing them food or something for the dirty trick she played on them. But I do think they'll meet again.

Comments

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I felt the same way about the last episode (s). Especially when that freak in the wheelchair shot Mugen-- I was sure he was dead. And yet it didn't feel like a cheat that they all made it. At that point I just loved them all so much it would have killed me if they hadn't.

I am certain that they all get back together. That's about the fourth time in the series that they part at a crossroad, and they never stay separated for more than a day or two.

Now you can read all my notes on the series-- they're in memories by the name of the show.

[oyceter]

I totally thought Mugen was dead after the guy in the wheelchair. And I was so heartbroken when they went their separate ways, even though I'm pretty sure they will get back together. It would have killed me if they had died, especially Jin! And eeeee I knew Jin would come back and help Fuu!

I also loved that moment between Mugen and Jin, when Jin tells him to go after Fuu, and the one where Mugen tells Fuu he won't die so easy.

I really want some tiny five minute episode clip of the two destroying Fuu's new bar or something.

I looked up your notes already!

[kintail.livejournal.com]

I've been watching Samurai Champloo for the past few weeks and just watched the last two episodes tonight, and reacted much like you did. I'd seen some people mention that they didn't like the ending, and the last time I'd heard that about an anime was about the ending of Ganketsuou, where the ending seemed to completely undercut everything that had been set up throughout the whole series, so I was expecting something pretty horrid.

Instead, I felt this ending was completely in keeping with the series, and it was so successful because it would have also worked and fit with series if they had died -- because so many of the episodes had us caring about one-time characters and seeing how unfair it was for them to die, but they died anyway, because that's the kind of world they live in.

If I hadn't felt that it would have fit with the story for them to die, I wouldn't have been so emotionally involved in what was happening. It's rare for that kind of series climax to work that well, for me -- usually I *know* they're going to make it through, so I watch the pretty (or not) action sequences without worrying, and therefore without being as affected by the near-misses and the presumed-dead moments.

Likewise, I might have been miffed about them parting ways at the very end if they hadn't parted ways just like that several times before, so it doesn't mean that they won't very soon be travelling together again.

The only part that messed with my suspension of disbelief was crazy-eyepatch-guy's weapon staying *that* sharp even after cutting through building posts and rocks, repeatedly. But that's a pretty minor complaint in the overall scheme of things. ^_^

*satisfied sigh*

[oyceter]

That's so interesting! My thing was while I was watching, I was so uncertain that Jin or Mugen would make it through alive. I basically watched on the edge of my seat, thoroughly convinced that they weren't going to make it.

While I think them not making it would have made sense in the story, it also would have totally broken my heart. I'm still rather amazed at how quickly I grew attached to all the characters!