Warning: I wrote this at midnight while emotional, so this is a mess.

I don't think a written review can do justice to how much I love this show. The main flaw I can think of is the ending, which is by no means bad, I think it is a superb send-off, but doesn't feel as truly impactful as it should be (however my pretentious ass will argue that that is the point), mainly due to the antagonist just being no different from the levels of great as the episode to episode characters. Apart from that slight blemish, everything else about this show is close to perfect. The show oozes personality and style which, while admittedly dated, is extraordinarily enjoyable and adds a lot to the vibe the show is going for, that of a journey with friends. The soundtrack is spectacular, really helping fights seem more like dances (much like what Mugen's fighting style is based off) and gives a feeling like going on a long car journey with friends while blasting the radio and enjoying each other's company. I can't think of a show which encapsulates the feeling of 'it's about the journey, not the destination' more than this. I was moved to tears on many occasions with the episodes stories, and by the fact most stories are self-contained it allows a lot of interesting events and characters to appear. The animation is consistently very good and stylish, however it reaches another level during some climatic events (especially in the latter half of the show) which almost transform into realistic and gritty which make a lot of scenes absolutely outstanding. The main cast was wonderfully diverse, and it is captivating watching the relationship between these people naturally grow with a realism I have seen no other anime do. For the sake of relative brevity, I will stop gushing here, however I would like to go on a little rant about the ending, so...

!!!THE REST OF THIS CONTAINS HEAVY SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING!!!

Jesus. Basically, take all the positive things I said, and you will find it here. While I did say the ending villains were not anything amazing, they did the job in setting up a great send off. Jin's sword fight on the docks was very well done, especially with him loosing, however that is weakened when it is found out he survived. Mugen's gruelling fight in the wrecked building was one of the most impactful events I have ever seen, the sheer grittiness of the fight perfectly countered the more honourable fight of Jin. Fuu meeting the samurai was sad and short, which while I can see how that would seem anticlimactic for some, I thought it was very fitting. After all the fighting has finished and a broken Mugen and Jin lay on the beach before lunging at each other to fulfil the promise they made which is then cut short by the breaking of the swords upon each other. Again, I could see how that could come across as anticlimactic as it is over so quick, but I thought it was fitting.

To explain why I think these things that for some are flaws, for me are positives, I must become a bit of a snob and try and explain my point. So, sorry for the next part of this review.

I think these things are deliberately set up to invoke a feeling of brevity, especially the scene with Fuu and her father. Samurai Champloo is a show about the journey three people of very different backgrounds take together. The ending was not the point. We as the audience spent hours with the group and felt like we were travelling with them. We felt the emotions of the other character's past and the struggles they face. The ending is supposed to feel like an abrupt stop to our travels. It was never about that, It was about the journey it took to get there. This for me is solidified by the final scene. It is notable that none of the main three die, they all walk away from each other after their journey, a reminder that this absolute rollercoaster of emotions was just based on a coin flip and a sense of duty from being a samurai. This was just a chapter in their lives, and seeing this group separate after spending so much time with them invokes a feeling almost like a breakup. I didn't want the journey to end. I wanted to spend more time walking around with them and continue being friends, but it has to end at some point.

I feel Mugen really made this apparent with his final line of the show, ''what did we even go on this trip for?'' Which I think hit way harder on me than it should have.

While Cowboy Bebop focuses on the past of the characters, Samurai Champloo focuses on the future, moving forward with your trauma and getting closure. Which is why watching the gang separate to progress to their future was much more impactful than a hypothetical ending which involved death. Samurai Champloo is my favourite show for giving such a vivid sense of a journey with friends and moving on, which came at a point in my life where I really needed that kind of story. I absolutely adore this show.