List of Samurai Champloo episodes

Cover of the Samurai Champloo Blu-ray box.

The anime series Samurai Champloo is set during the Edo period. It follows a young woman named Fuu who hires two samurai, Mugen and Jin, after helping in stopping their public execution. The group is on a quest to find the mysterious samurai who smells of sunflowers that Fuu wishes to find.

The episodes of series were produced by Manglobe and written and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. The first episode premiered in Japan on Fuji Television on May 20, 2004 where it ran for 26 episodes until its conclusion on March 19, 2005.^[1] The episodes were collected in DVD volumes in Japan with the first one released on August 1, 2004 and the final and thirteenth on August 24, 2005.^[2][3]

Geneon Entertainment licensed the show for distribution in North America in June 2004.^[4] An English dub of the series premiered in the United States on Cartoon Network on January 20, 2005, moving to the Adult Swim anime block on May 14, 2005.^[5] The series was collected in seven DVD volumes released between January 11, 2005 and January 17, 2006.^[6][7] Funimation Entertainment also released a DVD box on May 24, 2011.^[8] Samurai Champloo debuted in Canada on December 24, 2006 on the digital station, Razer.

The episodes use six pieces of theme music. "Battlecry" performed by Nujabes and Shing02 is used for the opening theme for all twenty six episodes. "Song of Four Seasons (四季ノ唄 Shiki no Uta)" by Minmi is used for the primary ending theme, except for four episodes. Episode 12 uses Minmi's "Who's Theme" as its ending, episode 17 uses "You" by Kazami, 23 uses "Fly" by Azuma Riki, and the final episode uses the song "San Francisco" by Midicronica for its ending.

Episode list

First season (2004)

No.	Official English title Original Japanese title	Director	Writer	Original air date[9]	English air date[10]
1	"Tempestuous Temperaments" "Storm and Stress / Shippū Dotō" (疾風怒涛)	Shinichirō Watanabe[11]	Shinji Obara[11]	May 20, 2004	May 14, 2005
Fuu, a waitress who is being intimidated by the village prefect's son and his guard begs a 19 year-old Mugen for help. Across town, skilled ronin 20-year old Jin kills the prefect's bodyguards as they prepare to kill a peasant. Jin enters the restaurant, where Mugen mistakes him for the prefect's elite bodyguards and seeking a worthy adversary, engages him in combat. One of the prefect's son's guards sets the restaurant on fire and it burns to the ground. The local authorities capture both Mugen and Jin, who were knocked unconscious by coal gas, and sentence them to death. After escaping their execution with some help from Fuu, she asks them to join her on a quest to find a mysterious man who smells of sunflowers.
2	"Redeye Reprisal" "Veritable Pandemonium / Hyakkiyakō" (百鬼夜行)	Takeshi Yoshimoto[12]	Shinji Obara[12]	June 3, 2004	May 21, 2005
Following the previous episode, a bodyguard of prefect's son plots revenge against Mugen after he sliced off his arm in the restaurant. To do so, he convinces his large, ogre-like companion from his remote hut in the woods to kidnap Fuu.
3	"Hellhounds for Hire (Part 1)" "Tacit Understanding 1 / Ishindenshin sono ichi" (以心伝心 其之壱)	Shintaro Inokawa[13]	Shinji Obara[13]	June 10, 2004	May 28, 2005
Mugen and Jin, annoyed with Fuu's demands, disband the group at a fork in the road, each taking separate paths, unknowingly joining the ranks of two gangs involved in a conflict. Fuu is captured by yakuza and turned into a harlot and dice dealer, supervising the dice game between Mugen and Jin that ultimately reminds them of their promise and duty.
4	"Hellhounds for Hire (Part 2)" "Tacit Understanding 2 / Ishindenshin sono ni" (以心伝心 其之弐)	Hirotaka Endo[14]	Shinji Obara	June 17, 2004	June 4, 2005
A dice rolling contest will decide the fate of the gang warfare. Who will end up dying as a result?
5	"Artistic Anarchy" "Utter Indifference / Bajitōfū" (馬耳東風)	Sayo Yamamoto[15]	Dai Satō	June 24, 2004	June 11, 2005
Fuu models for ukiyo-e artist Hishikawa Moronobu only to end up targeted as a kidnapper group's next victim. Will the others be able to save her in time?
6	"Stranger Searching" "Redheaded Foreigner / Akage Ijin" (赤毛異人)	Akira Yoshimura[16]	Shinji Obara	July 1, 2004	June 19, 2005
The trio enters into an eating competition with Mugen and Jin's swords on the line. After a mysterious man wins the eating competition, they must find a way to get their swords back and save the mysterious man. Will they succeed?
7	"A Risky Racket" "Surrounded on all Sides / Shimensoka" (四面楚歌)	Takeshi Yoshimoto[17]	Seiko Takagi	July 8, 2004	June 25, 2005
While Fuu, Jin, and Mugen are going to get some soup, Fuu's purse is stolen by a thief in the town.
8	"The Art of Altercation" "Self-Conceit / Yuigadokuson" (唯我独尊)	Keiichi Sasajima[18]	Dai Satō	July 15, 2004	July 2, 2005
A singing swordsman hunts for Jin has been challenging any samurai wearing glasses he can find, accompanied by a beat-boxing duo of thugs. The question arises as to whether or not he will recognize Jin when he becomes infatuated with Fuu, for Jin has had to pawn his glasses.
9	"Beatbox Bandits" "Evil Spirits of Mountain and Stream / Chimimōryō" (魑魅魍魎)	Hirotaka Endo[19]	Dai Satō	July 22, 2004	July 9, 2005
Mugen, Jin, and Fuu need to cross a border so they purchase travel passes since they don't have any. When their passes turn out to be fake, the trio are sentenced to death. However, when the guards offer Mugen a chance to save his friends; if he can deliver an object through a forest full of bandits and return in time, Jin and Fuu will be spared.
10	"Lethal Lunacy" "Fighting Fire With Fire / Idoku Seidoku)" (以毒制毒)	Akira Yoshimura[20]	Touko Machida	July 29, 2004	July 16, 2005
Mugen faces the lethal challenge of a Shaolin-trained swordsman and proves equal to the test, while Jin gets stuck doing all the housework. Can Mugen defeat this trained swordsman or will he suffer from his mistakes?
11	"Gamblers and Gallantry" "Fallen Angel / Daraku Tenshi" (堕落天使)	Sayo Yamamoto[21]	Seiko Takagi	August 5, 2004	July 23, 2005
Jin comes to the rescue of a lady in distress. He falls in love and tries to rescue this woman from the hard life she has come to face. Will he save her and himself? In the meantime, Mugen trains a rhinoceros beetle for a bug fighting tournament in which he expects to win money.
12	"The Disorder Diaries" "Learning from the Past / Onkochishin" (温故知新)	Hirotaka Endo[22]	Shinichirō Watanabe	August 12, 2004	July 30, 2005
Mugen steals Fuu's diary that she has been keeping since they first started on their journey to find the sunflower samurai. The episode is a humorous recap on what has happened so far in Samurai Champloo as seen through Fuu's viewpoint, which is in turn criticised by Jin and Mugen. In the end, they find a note written by Fuu herself saying that she knew they would try and snoop into her diary, which enrages Mugen.
13	"Misguided Miscreants (Part 1)" "Dark Night's Road 1 / An'ya Kōro sono ichi" (暗夜行路 其之壱)	Takeshi Yoshimoto[23]	Shinji Obara	August 26, 2004	November 19, 2005
Mugen's past memories lure him back into his violent past; a pirate makes secret plans. And the lust for gold brings betrayal.
14	"Misguided Miscreants (Part 2)" "Dark Night's Road 2 / An'ya Kōro sono ni" (暗夜行路 其之弐)	Shukō Murase[24]	Shinji Obara	September 2, 2004	November 26, 2005
When Mugen finds out what the pirate was planning to do, he gets his revenge.
15	"Bogus Booty" "Through and Through / Tettō Tetsubi" (徹頭徹尾)	Kazuto Nakazawa[25]	Uwadan Shimofuwato	September 9, 2004	December 3, 2005
The shogun's prettiest ninja ends up giving Mugen an evening that he will never forget. Meanwhile, Fuu gets large from eating too much.
16	"Lullabies of the Lost (Verse 1)" "Idling One's Life Away, first verse / Suiseimushi hito yume" (酔生夢死 ひと夢)	Masato Miyoshi[26]	Keiko Nobumoto	September 16, 2004	December 10, 2005
Mugen, Jin and Fuu get into a quarrel and separate, and have unexpected encounters; new opponents appear, old grievances return, and Mugen and Fuu meet a mysterious archer.
17	"Lullabies of the Lost (Verse 2)" "Idling One's Life Away, second verse / Suiseimushi futa yume" (酔生夢死 ふた夢)	Hirotaka Endo[27]	Ryota Sugi	September 23, 2004	December 17, 2005
Jin ends a life he hoped to spare.

Second season (2005)

No.	Official English title Original Japanese title	Director	Writer	Original air date[28]	English air date[10]
18	"War of the Words" "Pen in One Hand, Sword in the Other / Bunburyōdō" (文武両道)	Sayo Yamamoto	Dai Satō	January 22, 2005	January 5, 2006
Fuu gets a facelift when kids trade in the sword for the graffiti brush; Jin keeps a promise to a long-lost friend and confronts the shock of the new, while Mugen learns to read and conquers a castle.
19	"Unholy Union" "Karma and Retribution / Ingaōhō" (因果応報)	Hirotaka Endo	Seiko Takagi	January 29, 2005	January 12, 2006
A cynical charlatan fleeces the hidden Christian flock, Fuu gets closer to the Sunflower Samurai, and a truth is finally revealed.
20	"Elegy of Entrapment (Verse 1)" "Generous Elegy 1 / Hikakōgai sono ichi" (悲歌慷慨 其之壱)	Takeshi Yoshimoto	Shinji Obara	February 5, 2005	January 19, 2006
Fuu, Mugen and Jin meet up with a blind girl who is a traveling musician. Because of her blindness, she is able to sense the emotions of the group. Is this girl more than just a musician?
21	"Elegy of Entrapment (Verse 2)" "Generous Elegy 2 / Hikakōgai sono ni" (悲歌慷慨 其之弐)	Akitoshi Yokoyama	Shinji Obara	February 12, 2005	January 26, 2006
Jin learns the Way of Water, a woman's sorrow comes to an end, and Mugen both gives and receives an assassin's last gift.
22	"Cosmic Collisions" "Anger Shot Toward Heaven / Dohatsu Shōten" (怒髪衝天)	Sayo Yamamoto	Dai Satō	February 19, 2005	February 2, 2006
On the way to Nagasaki the trio fall through a mine shaft. They're introduced to its charismatic owner and start working for a share of treasure. As the days drag on the things take a turn for the bizarre.
23	"Baseball Blues" "Heart and Soul Into the Ball / Ikkyū Nyūkon" (一球入魂)	Mitsutaka Noshitani	Shinichirō Watanabe	February 26, 2005	February 16, 2006
An American sea vessel arrives in town and a canny ninja-turned-team manager enlists our heroes to do battle with them on the field of honor...which in this case is a baseball diamond. Behold Mugen's pitching skills and tremble!
24	"Evanescent Encounter (Part 1)" "Circle of Transmigration 1 / Shōji Ruten sono ichi" (生死流転 其之壱)	Takeshi Yoshimoto	Shinichirō Watanabe, Shinji Obara	March 5, 2005	February 23, 2006
Fuu, Mugen and Jin have finally arrived in Nagasaki to find Ikitsuki island in search of the Sunflower Samurai. There seems to be one small problem that might keep them from getting there though. A group of assassins are following closely behind.
25	"Evanescent Encounter (Part 2)" "Circle of Transmigration 2 / Shōji Ruten sono ni" (生死流転 其之弐)	Kazuto Nakazawa	Shinichirō Watanabe, Shinji Obara	March 12, 2005	March 2, 2006
As Jin duels Kagetoki Kariya, the most powerful man in the shogunate, Mugen has to contend with three brothers who want his head.
26	"Evanescent Encounter (Part 3)" "Circle of Transmigration 3 / Shōji Ruten sono san" (生死流転 其之参)	Sayo Yamamoto, Shinichirō Watanabe	Shinichirō Watanabe	March 19, 2005	March 9, 2006
As Fuu finally confronts the Sunflower Samurai, Mugen and Jin face their ultimate tests. While Mugen must face the remaining brothers, Jin continues his battle with Kagetoki Kariya. And there's the small matter of their own duel.

References

General for staff members

• Official Samurai Champloo website

Specific

1. "Samurai Champloo Date set". Anime News Network. March 19, 2004. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
2. "サムライチャンプルー (1)". Amazon.com. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
3. "サムライチャンプルー (13)". Amazon.com. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
4. "Geneon Announces Licenses". Anime News Network. June 8, 2004. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
5. "Samurai Champloo and Paranoia Agent on Adult Swim". Anime News Network. June 8, 2004. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
6. "Samurai Champloo, Volume 1 (Episodes 1-4) (2005)". Amazon.com. June 8, 2004. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
7. "Samurai Champloo, Volume 7 (Episodes 24-26) (2005)". Amazon.com. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
8. "Samurai Champloo: The Complete Series (2005)". Amazon.com. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
9. "サムライ チャンプルー". Media Arts Database. Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
10. "Samurai Champloo on TV.com". TV.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2014.
11. "第1回　2004年5月19日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
12. "第2回　2004年6月2日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
13. "第3回　2004年6月9日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
14. "第4回　2004年6月16日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
15. "第5回　2004年6月23日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
16. "第6回　2004年6月30日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
17. "第7回　2004年7月7日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
18. "第8回　2004年7月14日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
19. "第9回　2004年7月21日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
20. "第10回　2004年7月28日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
21. "第11回　2004年8月4日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
22. "第12回　2004年8月11日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
23. "第13回　2004年8月25日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
24. "第14回　2004年9月1日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
25. "第15回　2004年9月8日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
26. "第16回　2004年9月15日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
27. "第17回　2004年9月22日放送　あらすじ". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
28. "サムライチャンプルー［セカンドシーズン］". Media Arts Database. Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved April 11, 2015.

External links

• Official Samurai Champloo web site (Japanese)
• Official Fuji TV Samurai Champloo web site (Japanese)
• Official Madman Entertainment Samurai Champloo web site
• Funimation Samurai Champloo web site