History Anime / SamuraiChamploo

* BizarroEpisode: Between the WhamEpisodes 20-21 and the GrandFinale of 24-26, we get an episode where the trio get caught up in a weird cult that turn out to be ancient zombies (and everyone probably dies) and an episode where the main trio play against Americans in baseball (and Jin and some of the extras maybe die). Neither episode is commented on when the next begins.

** An incident involving a burning field of pot, and maybe the episode where they ate mushrooms and were attacked by zombies, died, and got hit by a ''meteor''. "Maybe" because so far no-one has a concrete explanation for what the hell happened. Most believe the mushrooms they ate were bad. However, the fact that Fuu didn't eat any of the mushrooms and still saw the zombies shoots that theory right out the window.

* SnapBack: All three of the main characters ''die in an explosion'' at the end of Episode 22, complete with a resolute "The End." In the remaining four episodes of the series, this is never mentioned again. The general consensus is that they ate bad mushrooms and the whole episode was a hallucination, but considering Fuu never ate any and still experienced all the same things, this theory is shot.

* VomitIndiscretionShot: Some of the loser of the Edo eating contest.

* SnapBack: All three of the main characters ''die in an explosion'' at the end of Episode 22, complete with a resolute "The End." In the remaining four episodes of the series, this is never mentioned again. The general consensus is that they ate bad mushrooms and the whole episode was a hallucination.

* TheReveal: Though we don't know the full information behind the Samurai Who Smells of Sunflowers until the final few episodes, a lot is revealed in Episode 19, "Unholy Union." His name is revealed, [[spoiler:his status as a Japanese Christian]], and his relationship to Fuu [[spoiler:he's her father]].

* NotSoDifferent: Mugen and Jin. At first glance, they seem to be as different as night and day. Mugen's [[HotBlooded incredibly brash]] and [[BloodKnight always itching for a fight]], while Jin's [[TheStoic calm and composed]] and [[KnightInSourArmor an honourable warrior]]. Their colour schemes and general attitude [[RedOniBlueOni also reflect this]]. However, the two are a lot like each other than they'd like to admit, right down to both being morally ambiguous drifters and [[MasterSwordsman excellent swordsmen]]. Mugen claims to be a loner and hates everyone, but he already shows some heroic tendencies and concern for Fuu by the second episode. Meanwhile, Jin is actually rather cold, irritable, and even arrogant, especially in regards to Mugen. Both Mugen and Jin also enjoy the company of prostitutes (though Mugen enjoys them more so), both love to fight, and both [[{{Determinator}} never back down from a challenge]]. At the end of Fuu's quest, they both grow to become better people.

** An incident involving a burning field of pot, and maybe the episode where they ate mushrooms and were attacked by zombies, died, and got hit by a ''meteor''. "Maybe" because so far no-one has a concrete explanation for what the hell happened. Most believe the mushrooms they ate were bad. It's worth noting that Fuu didn't eat any of the mushrooms, and she still saw the zombies.

** "Beetle Sumo". It's really just two bugs on a rock trying to push each other off. But you throw in mood lighting and sparks when they push against each other...

** Mugen shows surprise when Jin latter pursues a prostitute, and explicitly states this was the reason.

* GamesOfTheElderly: The B-plot of an episode had Jin spend time gambling with an old man at a game of shogi while other old men watched in awe. This meets back up with the A-plot when it turns out Jin's opponent is also the head of a human trafficking ring Mugen and Fu have been having to deal with.

** Sara is a homage to the blind swordsman Franchise/{{Zatoichi}}.

* BrokeEpisode: One of the three major episode situations of ''Samurai Champloo''. Usually the responsibility for getting money/food/other necessary items fell on Jin; Mugen and Fuu forced him to pawn his swords at least twice, and his glasses once. However, in episode 11, Jin borrows at least one Ryō from Mugen (won it on beetle sumo wrestling) to "buy a woman", so it might be warranted in the rest of the series.
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: Mugen doesn't remember many of the people who come after him in the series in a rare heroic (sort of) example of this:

* BlindSeer: Sara shows some characteristics of this, especially when she defeats and nearly kills both Jin and Mugen with her spear skills.

* AxCrazy: The three brothers that wants revenge against Mugen, especially Denkibou.

The world of ''Samurai Champloo'' is deliberately anachronistic. Characters' costume design, attitudes and editing methods reflect heavily towards international hip-hop culture. Mugen fights in a style that resembles both Capoeira and breakdancing. Also, despite its alleged setting in the Edo period (though with a [[http://www.spookhouse.net/angelynx/comics/SC_dates.html wild mixture of historical events]]) many of the expressions used by the characters are modern slang or English-influenced. Regarding its storytelling and underlying themes, many elements hearken to modern day insights on the human condition and put through the unyielding taskmaster known as hierarchy, making for a juxtaposed drama comparing how life is not so much different as it was back in the peaceful days similar. Be it from government corruption, class separation, discrimination, advantageous abuse, and the criminal life, Fuu, Jin, and Mugen come to face some of the more unwholesome aspects of the Tokugawa Era brought to light, all while surviving its strict rule on society.

* KabukiTheatre: The trio attend a Kabuki play with Isaac Titsingh.

* JumpScare: Happens in [[spoiler:"Cosmic Collisions"]], right at the end of the closing credits.

* MrFanservice: Jin, [[http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/461/1210399367796750file.jpg when his hair is loose]][[http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/3426/jin42.jpg and he is not wearing glasses]]. Or even when [[http://oneirosia.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/samurai-champloo-samurai-champloo-0000000-0000-000.jpg he is]].

* BizarroEpisode: Between the WhamEpisodes 20-21 and the GrandFinale of 24-26, we get an episode where the main trio play against Americans in baseball (and Jin and some of the extras maybe die) and an episode where the trio get caught up in a weird cult that turn out to be ancient zombies (and everyone probably dies). Neither episode is commented on when the next begins.

* MistakenForGay: At one point, an old man comes across Jin in a {{hot spring|sEpisode}}. They have a (largely one sided) conversation about fireflies, until the stranger gives a suggestive smile and comments that sometimes the male fireflies can attract ''other'' male fireflies instead of females. Jin promptly excuses himself.

* YouWouldMakeAGreatModel: Subverted. The artist that approaches Fuu in this way is attracted to Fuu but turns out to be harmless. Doubly subverted. NotSoHarmless.

* AnimeAccentAbsence: Averted. Both the Dutchman in Edo and the priest in episode 19 have very, very bad Japanese pronunciation. In addition, the other Dutchmen actually sound (southern) Dutch rather than German like many "Dutch" characters in English works of fiction do.

* {{Narrator}}: Detective Manzo - a.k.a. "The Saw" - in three episodes.

* ImplausibleFencingPowers: Mugen and Jin both use them regularly, mostly of the "inhuman speed and precision" style (such as [[ParryingBullets cutting arrows out of the air]]), or one notable incident where the two of them simultaneously CleanCut through a pair of fruit stacked on Fuu's head, while both of them are blindfolded ''and hungover''. Individual enemies they face bring their own brand to the table: one channels KiAttacks through his sword and can kill people without cutting them, and another is a BlindWeaponMaster, for example.

* KiAttacks: With a twist: the main characters don't use them (save for Mugen on one single, lucky occasion), and your garden-variety bad guy doesn't, either. Only a handful of villains have them, and they're the toughest mofos in the ''Champloo'' universe.

* {{Bowdlerise}}: The original Creator/AdultSwim broadcast was edited to remove blood and nudity (especially in episode five, where the ukiyo-e paintings were edited to have nipples removed and the ones that depicted Japanese women getting raped were edited), and had swear words bleeped out with a record scratch effect (which most viewers claimed was a creative way of doing it, as it fit with the show's hip-hop aesthetic and wasn't as jarring as bleeping or muting, along with being more cost-effective than having the dialogue re-written to be less offensive and getting the voice actors in to record the new lines). This was back in 2006, and now that Creator/{{Toonami}} is back and airing shows that are much worse in terms of blood and cursing (still edited, mind you, but now able to get away with much more and nudity/sexual content is still a problem in some places). For the show's run on Toonami, it's aired uncut (or, at the very least, with as little editing as possible).

* PrecisionFStrike:
-->'''Jin''': To serve your lord and do his bidding, is that honorable? Even if that lord is an unimportant piece of ''shit''?