Thirteenth direct-to-video Scooby-Doo film produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword was (thus far) the final production animated in the same style as What's New, Scooby-Doo?; in addition, this film featured Casey Kasem's final performance as Shaggy Rogers. It was produced and completed in 2008, but held over to early 2009 for release (presumably so its' sister movie, Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King, could be released first for the Halloween season.)
So, we have the Scooby Doo Gang coming to Tokyo, Japan so Daphne can compete in a martial arts contest at a prestigious school. Before heading to the school in a fully functioning robotic plane, they meet up with Daphne's friend Miyumi, who is also a student. However, at the tournament, Mr. Takagawa, the curator at a Tokyo museum of ancient history, tries explaining to Mirimoto, the head of the tournament, that an ancient evil known as the Black Samurai has risen, and will be after a scroll in the school known as the Destiny Scroll. That night, the Black Samurai and his ninja robots attack during a feast, stealing what he thinks is the destiny scroll, but is actually only a copy.
Now, there is a race between the gang and the Black Samurai. After Velma solves the riddle of the scroll, they realize they must get to an ancient sword, known as the Sword of Doom before the Black Samurai.
This is a list of examples of Tropes that this films provides:
- Armor-Piercing Question: When Shaggy and Scooby meet the Green Dragon and attempt to enlist his help, he initially refuses. Shaggy asks him if he's scared of fighting the Black Samurai. This prompts the Green Dragon to get off his ass.
- As Long as It Sounds Foreign: Some Japanese names (Miyumi, Mirimoto and Sojo) actually don't exist.
- Badass Bystander: The samurai sushi chef turns out to be a samurai himself and a useful ally in the final battle against the Black Samurai.
- Brains and Brawn: The antagonists of the movie (at the least the ones who aren’t The Black Samurai): Manipulative cunning Miss Mirimoto (brains) and stoic but strong and intimidating Sojo (brawn).
- Captured by Cannibals: The gang get captured by a cannibalistic tribe at the Temple of a Thousand Steps.
- Cast as a Mask: The Black Samurai is voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson, with his dying unmasked self voiced by George Takei.
- Cat Fight: A cat fight happens between Daphne and Miyumi.
- Character Catchphrase: When the robot ninjas attack, all the members of the gang say their catchphrases, except for Fred, who lampshades that he still doesn't have one to go with reaction scenes.
- Convection Shmonvection: The path to the gate of fire ignores the heat affecting the surrounding air.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Checkout that fall Scooby and Shaggy take when the robot ninjas attack!
- Darker and Edgier: Even though Scooby and Shaggy get into plenty of wacky antics, the Black Samurai is genuinely a conquering villain that intends to outright kill those who resist him even if he never says it, certainly tries to do it in the sword fight with the duo, and Miss Mirimoto outright plans to Take Over the World with the Black Samurai and her robot ninjas at her side. Unlike most of the franchise's hijinks, the villains actually attack the heroes, and physical violence is inflicted on a number of the robots in kind. And once the Ronin is freed from his curse of the Sword of Doom, he physically dies on-screen, albeit peacefully.
- Delightful Dragon: The Green dragon is a benevolent and heroic character, as is the tradition of most East-Asian dragons, he not only fought and defeated the evil Black Samurai previously in his youth but he also aids Scooby and Shaggy to battle the Black Samurai again.
- Demoted to Extra: Fred, Daphne and Velma, for the most part. As is with the late-2000s direct-to-video Scooby-Doo movies, the three play a much smaller role than they usually do; the movie primarily focuses on Scooby-Doo and Shaggy.
- End of an Age: Some fans felt this way about Casey Kasem's retirement from voicing Shaggy.
- As well as the last time the movies will use the style of What's New, Scooby-Doo?.
- EMP: Velma and Kenji use one to knock out the ninja robots. They underestimated it's power and caused a blackout in Tokyo.
- Everything's Better with Samurai: Samurai are a major part of the film.
- Evil Is Not a Toy: Miss Mirimoto was foolish to believe that the Black Samurai would serve her after she releases him. He even lampshades it before knocking her out.
- Expy:
- Miss Mirimoto is a Gender Flip version of Mr. Han.
- Three of the tournament competitors are based off a few Mortal Kombat characters, with changed ethnicities.
- Eyepatch of Power: Sapphire Sonja is a martial artist who has an eyepatch over her right eye.
- Go-Go Enslavement: Miyumi, Daphne and Velma when captured by the cannibals are put into skimpy tropical outfits. But there are no female members of the tribe.
- Gone Horribly Right: The EMP causes a blackout in Tokyo. And also the real Black Samurai.
- Gratuitous Japanese: Fitting for the setting, some characters use it, although Kenji and Matsuhiro stand out the most.
- Heel–Face Turn: Miyumi turns against Miss Mirimoto in the end.
- Honor Before Reason: Miyumi sides with Mystery, Inc. after recognizing that Miss Mirimoto does not care for honor.
- Lava Surfing: Used by Shaggy and Scooby to get through the Gate of Fire, which is a lone gate sitting in the middle of a lava current. How it is still standing is the effects of Convection Shmonvection, mentioned above.
- Luminescent Blush: Daphne does this when Miss Mirimoto compliments her skills after competing against Miyumi.
- Magic Skirt: Miyumi's skirt stays in place during her battle with her sensei.
- Mecha-Mooks: The main minions are robot ninjas.
- Parasol Parachute: Scooby and Shaggy use a paper umbrella to first fly, and then parachute. It works fine till Scooby tries climbing on top of it.
- Real After All: The Black Samurai the gang first encounter appears to be just Sojo in a costume, but Miss Mirimoto ends up summoning the real Black Samurai.
- Rolling Attack: During the attack on the karate school, Scooby and Shaggy temporarily become sumo wrestlers and roll over the top of the robot ninjas.
- Same Language Dub: In the European release, Shaggy was voiced by Scott Innes instead of Casey Kasem.
- "Scooby-Doo" Hoax: Well, it worked. Sojo's impersonation was merely part of a ruse to summon the real Black Samurai by manipulating Scooby and the gang.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: The Black Samurai's soul is said to be sealed in the Sword of Doom. This is the truth, and he's released at the end of the film.
- Sealed Good in a Can: The Green Dragon does this on himself before the final battle, entering the Sword of Fate to give Shaggy and Scooby an edge against the Black Samurai. Presumably, he stays in there.Green Dragon: I shall be with you always. Guiding the sword, from within.
- Seashell Bra: Daphne and Miyumi are forced into wearing coconut bras and seashell bras respectively after they are captured by the natives.
- Shout-Out: The cannibals are dressed in masks and get-ups that resemble what was worn by San in Princess Mononoke.
- Stylish Protection Gear: Mystery, Inc. don karate uniforms with trim that matches the colours of their usual outfits. Plus they have one that fits the dog.
- Took a Level in Badass:
- This is one of the Scooby-Doo films where Scooby and Shaggy are the main characters. And the only one of the films where they ride a green dragon with the Sword of Fate to a battle between them and an ancient terror.
- Also Daphne, having gone from the danger-prone kidnapped Girly-girl to an expert martial artist.
- Tragic Villain: NOT The Black Samurai per se, but his original form, the Ronin. The Sword of Doom was created by an evil apprentice swordsmith named Muramasa who offered to craft a sword for the samurai in half the time rather than the full year that his master, Masamune, took to complete his sword. The evil apprentice took advantage of the Ronin's desperate desire to be a great warrior and managed to pass his evil into the blade, which then went on to corrupt the Ronin and transform him into The Black Samurai. After being reduced to a feeble old man, the Ronin actually thanks Scooby and Shaggy for breaking the Sword of Doom, freeing his true spirit of the sword's curse before he dies.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Miss Mirimoto was last seen being pushed away and knocked out by the Black Samurai. Though she and Sojo were likely arrested afterwards.
- Xenafication: Daphne is suddenly revealed to be a kick-ass martial artist in this movie.
