Samurai Champloo [PS2/JPN]

NCS Product Synopsis
Update: February 23, 2006
«©NCSX» Mugen is a radical samurai who slashes and break dances, not necessarily in that order, when attacking foes. His unlikely traveling companion is a proper ronin who observes the ways of Bushido, despite having no master, and all the edicts that fall under its auspices. The two warriors trail a woman named Fuu whose goal in life (or maybe just for now) is tracking down a samurai who has the scent of sunflowers on him. In a sequence near the beginning of the adventure, gamers see the sunflower samurai in a field of sunflowers but the sunlight puts a glare on his face... The two swordsmen are beholden to Fuu in a way because she helped them get out of a jam. That... and a fateful coin toss that Mugen nearly sent into orbit.

   NCS would describe Samurai Champloo as a 3D samurai rhythm action game. It would be routine fare were it not for the combination meter that's located on the top of the screen which indicates the available combos for either Mugen or Jin. The combos may be pulled off at any time. Mugen's movement and attack style are unorthodox to say the least - he mixes devastating swordplay with back spins where he rotates on the ground and then kicks out to blow back any warriors that might be closing in for the kill.

Jan Code: 4543112396433
Japanese Title: サムライチャンプルー

NCS Game Notes
* In the intro to the game, a stylized cinema taken from the animation series plays which depicts Fuu, Mugen, and Jin in polished and glossy CG. Along with familiar scenes such as Mugen yawning and Jin pushing up his glasses, Fuu pokes up with two shish-kebab-like food items but in her usual way, drops them on the floor. In another sequence, Fuu is tied to a wooden post and appears to be in need of rescuing. There's a stranger who appears in the intro who is a silver-backed player with big blue headache and slashing sword skills. After the intro ends, a guy shouts, "Samurai Champloo" while major static/scratching sounds as the title screen jiggles and breaks.

* CONTROLS
L-Analog / Movement
R-Analog / Toggle combo styles and music; push to bring up dual DJ deck
L1-Trigger / Guard
L2-Trigger / Reveal full menu indicators
R2-Trigger / Map and map toggle
X-Button / Jump
SQUARE / Attack ; press continuously to trigger combos as indicated on top indicator
TRIANGLE / Spinning attack ; used with SQUARE for combos

* Game options after pressing START are:
New Game: Start a new action adventure and play as Mugen or Jin
Load Game: Restore save data point from memory card
Option: Joypad configuration, Dual Shock, etc
Practice: Test your combo skills and chains with an opponent who doesn't press the attack but will attack if he's attacked first. Great way to learn the Champloo fighting system and hone skills.

* The top combo indicator basically lists which attacks may be triggered. For example the first combo is SQUARE followed by TRIANGLE, TRIANGLE. Pressing this button combination will send Mugen in a forward slash attack followed by a spinning slash and ending with a break-dancing spinning move where he twirls on his back and kicks out as he rises up from the floor. The second combo is four SQUAREs in sequence followed by three TRIANGLEs. As each combination button press is triggered, the combo meter lights up to show where in the combo sequence you're currently at. Attacks are very simple to pull off and chains are by the book. There are a few times when your orientation might need adjustment during the heat of battle but this is simple to correct and continue.

* In the Now Loading screen, a profile of Fuu is on the lower right screen where she's drinking a soda.and dressed in her trademark pink kimono. As the load bar reaches right, her face fills up with red as she slurps up the soft drink.

* All of the dialogue in the game is accompanied by spoken vocals by voice actors.

* When ninja are killed, they turn into blood red silhouettes which then shatter apart into bits of red blobs.

* Scene #0: Easy Come. Easy Go.
   The three travelers are walking when they spy someone standing in a field of sunflowers but the sunlight is glaring his face. The intro recounts the initial meeting between Mugen and Fuu and how Mugen and Jin originally got off to a flying start. As the three are calmly walking and chatting, their recent past doesn't seem so harsh since they're all basically friends now. More flashback and scenes from the animated series are shown albeit in CG rendered style. A map of Japan shows a trail going to Nagasaki and the camera takes in the three wanderers as they slovenly walk through a seaside town. They spy a ship and Mugen rushes to it and is halfway up the hull when Jin and Fuu spy someone poking Mugen with a stick perhaps in an attempt to dislodge him. Next the ship is shown sailing while seagulls trail its wake and progress. Realistic wave effects and the credit slowly flash on screen while the boat continues its way. The camera takes in views of the ship from multiple angles and occasionally focuses on the seagulls as they flap around in steady progression.

* In the next scene, its a snowstorm and Mugen and Jin are freezing while Fuu stares at something - the boat sails away and the three are in Ezo. As the snow continues to drop and the winds howl, the three are shivering as they walk across the vast white expanse. Mugen is dressed the worst for the weather since he's basically wearing shorts and a vest but the other two have kimonos on. In the middle of nowhere, ninja creep towards them, and leap into view as the three are surrounded. Mugen and Jin prepare for battle and attacks like hyenas. At this point, control is handed over to the player and various combination attacks may be pulled off. The ninja aren't very useful and they're broken apart with a few slashes and twirling kicks. A woman's voice sounds off and she appears amidst a column of light and is dancing in a sexy wavy way. She binds Mugen in another circle of light and sends a snake squirming down his throat - as he chokes and is writhing on the floor, he blacks out . Snow falls again and the camera checks out Mugen on the floor. A stranger walks towards him in the snow and.. TO BE CONTINUED appears.

* At this point, the results of your battle is ranked and scored. You're given the option to save your progress at this point.

* Scene #1: Watch for the Witch
   A pagoda-like tower is shown as sunset approaches and a narrator relates the tale and where we are at this point of the story. Fuu and Jin are sitting and conversing as hip hop music plays in the background. Camera cuts back to Mugen as he's sleeping and the silver-backed guy tending a fire speaks to him as he lays there. The two hold a conversation and silverback approaches closer before Mugen blacks out again.

* In the next scene, ninja wearing bird beak masks appear outside his igloo but he explodes from within and destroys the ice structure and faces his pursuers. Another battle starts and during attacks, there are times when the action slows to a crawl and one or four of the DS pad face buttons flash on screen. Press the button that's cued up and you'll perform a special kick attack or super slash attack on an enemy. Miss the cue and nothing happens or you'll get hit by a return blow from a ninja. As ninja are dispatched, coins may be picked up which swirl into a storm when collected.

* There are times when a fighter goes one-on-one against an enemy in a separate cut scene. A single button flashes quickly and if you're trigger-happy enough to tap the corresponding button on the joypad fast enough, you'll enter a short and fierce sequence where you smash the same button repeatedly to perform 100 hit combinations on the hapless target. We're routinely able to smack out 73 hits but we might need a turbo-fire joypad to smack the 100 mark. Miss the original cue however and you're booted out of the sequence and won't check a chance to mash.

* The first somewhat challenging battle takes place near the middle of level #1 where a bird beaked mask wearing man attacks Mugen with hand-claw attachments. There's a bunch of slow motion sequence events. After the encounter, Mugen watches the burning of a village below and leaps into action to battle the arsonist-cum-malcontents below. After beating them, the dancing witch appears again to torment Mugen. The silver-backed warrior from earlier intercedes against the witch and is about to slash her from behind when she teleports out of harm's way and bids both warriors adieu as she disappears in a column of purple light...

* In Mugen's story, he travels on a snowy environment. When he runs, he looks like a cross between a vagabond and MC Hammer. His arms pump up and down like a true dancer in need of the spotlight and his motion is like that of a man who is wearing uncomfortable wooden shoes. Since Mugen IS wearing wooden shows, they clack something fierce when they're pounding the pavement.

Scene #2: Hare and Hound
   Mugen is walking in a town when he passes a crowd gathered around a "WANTED" poster. He joins the crowd and a guy realizes that the WANTED man is him and cowers away. Mugen reunites with Fuu and Jin and the three are seated and eating snow-cones - Mugen has lime, Jin has lemon, and Duu is struggling with what appears to be strawberry flavor. As they scratch and scrape the ice with spoons, Fuu and Mugen are active and in motion but Jin eats like a proper statue with barely any movement. Fuu is the first to finish her snack and she tips it over to drink up any juice that has melted on the bottom of her cup... In the next scene Mugen enters a building and points his sword at a ghastly looking guy in a green kimono...

Conclude
* NCS consensus: Highly enjoyable fighting game that uses a nifty gimmick for the fighting action. Instead of mindless hack 'n slash, the attacks have a rhythm to them if you're willing to follow the beat meter on the top of the screen. After slashing a few times, they're second nature and you won't have to monitor the combo meter anymore to keep track of your attacks. Samurai Champloo is still a button masher but one that has a purposeful button mashing where directed button coordination will ignite sequenced attacks that are chained together.

* At the outset of the Samurai Champloo animation, Vagabond Mugen and Ronin Jin are about to be beheaded when their executioners give them a chance to express their remorse and beg for mercy. When snide remarks from the two don't exactly endear them to the mob, two killing strokes plunge downwards.... Scene shift to a day earlier where hip hop music plays and a busy street scene as cars flash across the screen. Scene shift and rewind to a quaint village where a rascal asks if the dumplings are ready yet. A waitress name Fuu rushes out and caters to the patrons. A couple of rough customers are practically molesting the girls they are with and are generally fouling the atmostphere. Fuu watches one of them knock over a mug of hot water on an old guy and she's about to attack when her fellow workers rein her back...

   In their first meeting, Mugen walks into Fuu's teahouse and asks for water. Just water. Fuu tells him that they don't serve customers who only order water. He then beckons her forward and asks for 50 dumplings and he'll roust out the rowdy customers for her. Fuu counters with 20 dumplings when a customer interrupts their reverie and asks for service. In her rush to provide waitress duties, she stumbles and splashes the magistrate's son with a drink. To make up for her clumsiness, he decides to take a finger or two and his roadies hold her down. As the ruffians are preparing for surgery, Fuu looks to the side and notices Mugen lounging on a table.

   Cut to a scene with Jin as he faces off against a bad magistrate and Yagyuu sword handlers. Jin eventually kills all three Yagyuu and puts a scare into the magistrate before walking off and collecting his "payment."

   Cut back to Fuu as she yelps out 100 dumplings. That gets Mugen shuffling over to the scene of the impending dismemberment and he drawls that 100 dumplings is still way too cheap for the price of the ruffians' lives...

   Eventually Jin and Mugen cross paths, battle, and are caught by the Magistrate. During their battle, a lunatic set fire to the teahouse which killed the Magistrate's scion and someone's got to pay.

QUESTIONS THAT NCS HAD WHEN PLAYING THE GAME
* Where do the ninja keep all those coins that they give up when they die? They don't have pockets and why would ninja need coins anyway? It's not like they're going to buy anything looking like that.

* How does Mugen keep his hair spiked up in feudal era Japan? What was his inspiration for the spiky hair?

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