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While the classic series often tops conversations about the top anime ever made, its artistic counterpart, the iconic series, merits similar acclaim. The impact of this samurai saga remains relevant today, most recently in Sony's premier Ghost line.

A Deeper Homage

This month's the new sequel, the successor to the original PlayStation 5 exclusive, enhances its homage to samurai films with the inclusion of the classic film mode. This option offers black-and-white visuals, vintage film look, and retro audio effects. New options include the intense director mode, which enhances visual clarity and heightens violence and filth; and the anime-inspired mode, featuring a chill beat soundtrack crafted under the anime director’s vision.

For those intrigued about the latter, Watanabe is the mastermind behind the jazz-infused Cowboy Bebop and the hip-hop-fueled Samurai Champloo, among other prominent anime.

Fusing Past and Present

Watanabe’s 2004 show the groundbreaking series blends historical Japan with urban culture and modern sensibilities. It chronicles the improbable team of the wild swordsman, a untamed and erratic warrior; Jin, a calm and disciplined wandering warrior; and Fuu, a brave young woman who enlists them on her mission to find “the mysterious sunflower samurai.”

While the soundscape is ultimately his design, much of Champloo’s music was influenced by Japanese hip-hop producer Nujabes, who tragically left us in 2010 at the young age of 36. Nujabes deserves his recognition alongside Watanabe when it comes to the music the anime is famous for and references in Ghost of Yotei.

Style Mixing

Much of what made Samurai Champloo shine on the Adult Swim lineup was its smooth integration of hip-hop and Eastern traditions. That combination has been a staple in urban art since the classic album in 1993, which itself was inspired by an entire generation being raised on action cinema with Bruce Lee and the iconic actor.

For many, the programming block and Samurai Champloo served as an entry point to lo-fi/experimental hip-hop, with artists like Nujabes, Shing02, and Flying Lotus, the last one of whom went on to score the Netflix anime the historical series.

Visual Flair

Visually rich, the series' intro sequence introduces the protagonists through kindred animals in the scene — Mugen struts like a rooster, while Jin moves with the composed, fluid style of a colorful fish. Although the show's main trio are the focus of the series, its secondary characters are where the deep emotion of the anime lies.

There’s thief Shinsuke, who has a tragic tale of perseverance in episode 7, and another character named the guard, whose encounters with the wild swordsman impact him greatly that he ends up in his memoirs years later. In the eleventh episode, “Gamblers and Gallantry,” Jin falls in love with a married woman sold into prostitution named Shino and aids her flight from a red-light district.

A Unified Narrative

At first glance, the complete show appears to tell a episodic adventure of the group's travels to encountering the Sunflower Samurai, but as the series unfolds, events from previous episodes begin to merge to form a unified story. Every interaction our main characters undergo along the way has an impact on both the characters and the overall narrative.

Historical Roots

The series also draws from Edo-period history (the same setting as Yotei), interpreted by Watanabe’s artistic lens. Occurrences like the historical uprising and places such as the Hakone Checkpoint (which the character guards) are integrated into the story.

At the start, traditional painter the historical figure is featured and temporarily obsesses on the female lead as his inspiration. After she declines his offer, his work later ends up with the hands of the Dutch artist, who, in Champloo’s creative version, is motivated to create his renowned still-life pieces.

Enduring Impact

All of these elements tie directly into the anime's soundtrack, giving this samurai story the kind of distinct identity that other projects have long sought to emulate. Series like Afro Samurai (featuring Wu-Tang’s RZA), Tokyo Tribe, and Yasuke all sought to mirror its blend of style and sound, but with diminishing returns.

Ghost of Yotei has the opportunity to take over from Samurai Champloo concluded, igniting a new wave of inspiration much like the anime once did. If you’re playing the game, it’s recommended revisiting Champloo, because without it, there’d be no “Watanabe mode,” no wave of hip-hop-infused anime, and no continuing impact of Nujabes, from which the legacy stems.