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While the classic series often leads discussions about the top anime in history, its spiritual sibling, Samurai Champloo, warrants equal acclaim. The legacy of this historical epic continues to echo today, most recently in Sony's major Ghost franchise.

Enhanced Tributes

This month's Ghost of Yotei, the sequel to the original PlayStation 5 exclusive, enriches its tribute to Japanese period dramas with the inclusion of Kurosawa Mode. This option offers grayscale imagery, vintage film look, and old-school sound. Additional modes include Takashi Miike Mode, which focuses the view and heightens violence and filth; and the anime-inspired mode, featuring a chill beat soundtrack shaped by the creator's direction.

For those curious about the second one, Watanabe is the visionary responsible for the jazz-heavy Cowboy Bebop and the urban-music-inspired Samurai Champloo, among other celebrated anime.

Fusing Past and Present

Watanabe’s classic 2004 anime the groundbreaking series combines historical Japan with hip-hop culture and modern sensibilities. It chronicles the unexpected group of the wild swordsman, a reckless and spontaneous swordsman; Jin, a reserved and formal ronin; and Fuu, a brave young woman who recruits them on her quest to find “the samurai who smells of sunflowers.”

While the soundscape is fundamentally his creation, much of Champloo’s music was shaped by renowned musician Nujabes, who died in 2010 at the age of 36. Nujabes merits his flowers alongside Watanabe when it comes to the sound the anime is known for and honors in Ghost of Yotei.

Artistic Blending

Much of what made Samurai Champloo stand out on the Adult Swim lineup was its perfect fusion of urban music and Asian culture. That combination has been a fixture in the music scene since Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 1993, which itself stems from an whole cohort being raised on action cinema featuring Bruce Lee and the iconic actor.

For many, Adult Swim and Samurai Champloo served as an introduction to chill beats, with producers like Nujabes, the rapper, and the electronic artist, the last one of whom went on to compose for the Netflix anime Yasuke.

Artistic Narration

Stylized and symbolic, the series' opening introduces the leads through kindred animals in the visuals — the wild one struts like a chicken, while the disciplined one moves with the calm, graceful demeanor of a koi. Although Champloo’s protagonists are the highlight of the series, its side players are where the real soul of the anime can be found.

There’s pickpocket the young character, who has a tragic tale of perseverance in a specific installment, and another character named Yamane, whose encounters with Mugen affect him so deeply that he ends up in his writings years later. In the later chapter, “Gamblers and Gallantry,” Jin develops feelings with a married woman sold into prostitution named the female character and aids her flight from a red-light district.

An Interwoven Tale

At initial view, the full season appears to tell a fragmented story of the characters' quest to encountering the Sunflower Samurai, but as the series unfolds, incidents from past chapters begin to interconnect to form a single, cohesive narrative. Every experience our main characters experience along the way has an influence on both the characters and the main plot.

Historical Roots

The series also incorporates historical happenings (the same era as the game), interpreted by Watanabe’s imaginative take. Events like the feudal conflict and settings such as the security station (which Yamane watches over) are integrated into the story.

In the beginning, traditional painter the historical figure appears and temporarily obsesses on Fuu as his subject. After she turns him down, his work later ends up with the hands of the Dutch artist, who, in the series' fictional history, is inspired to create his famous sunflower paintings.

Lasting Influence

All of these components tie closely into the anime's soundtrack, giving this warrior tale the kind of unique character that other productions have long attempted to capture. Series like Afro Samurai (featuring Wu-Tang’s RZA), Tokyo Tribe, and Yasuke all attempted to mirror its fusion of music and visuals, but with varying success.

Ghost of Yotei has the chance to pick up where the classic anime left off, triggering a fresh surge of inspiration much like the anime once did. If you’re starting the game, it’s worth watching the series, because without it, there’d be no “Watanabe mode,” no wave of beat-driven series, and no lasting legacy of the producer, from which the influence stems.