Samurai Champloo vs. Cowboy Bebop

[Tommy]

I find these series directed by the same person do be similar the same ways Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are similar:

-Same type of plot in a different time period
-A classic tale of good prevaling over evil
-An evil dark lord with an amazingly large army
-Christopher Lee

Which do you like better?

(I haven't seen Much of Bebop, but I'm aware of it's victory.)

EDIT: Darn, I had planned to make this a poll. Oh well.

[Radical Dreamer]

...Similar plot? Bebop is about bounty hunters...Samurai Champloo is about samurai. I'm missing the similarities here. XD; And good prevailing over evil...I'm thinking of about 10 other anime at the moment that convey that message better than both of these combined.

Anyways, Bebop wins. Definitely. For one, I can't stand Samurai Champloo. I never found myself even wanting to be attached to any of the characters, and since I already don't like the hip-hop style, it had a place at the bottom of my list of enjoyable anime reserved since it started. I never kept up with the story, mainly because the plot, characters, content, etc. didn't interest me in the least.

As for Bebop, it's one of my favorite anime of all time. All of the main characters are lovable; I often have a hard time choosing a favorite (it's a toss up between Spike, Faye, and Ed, at the moment). The setting intrigues me, as does the story and plot; I like jazz, and I like the almost "film-noir" feel it gives. It's funny, has a good balance between drama and action, and has an ending that will not be soon forgotten (it remains one of my favorite endings as well, though not my most favorite).

So yeah, Bebop definitely wins. Because it's just cooler.

[RedMage]

Bebop is the greatest anime ever made.

Champloo is a strong series but not even close to being a challenger.

Bebop had a terrific ensamble cast centered around a protagonist who was both amusing and compelling. Champloo's characters are less likable. As a protagonist, Mugen is just too much of a one-note musclehead to carry the series.Fuu just barely manages to avoid crossing the line from being annoying to the other characters into being annoying to the audience. Jin is cool, but you can only do so much with the brooding, silent type.

Bebop had a unique style and artistic vision which it followed without shoving it in the audience's face. Tell somebody its about space bounty hunters, it sounds rather generic and shallow. Champloo is both blessed and cursed with a "gimmick" that is, in theory, much more distinctive: Hip-hop samurai. Champloo's anachronistic theme walks a tightrope between being amusing and irritating and definitely would have become tiresome if they'd used it the slightest bit more than they did.

I'll actually rate the two about dead even in terms of plot strength. Both are basically episodic series with main storylines that only resurface occasionally. As episodic series, both inevitably have some episodes that are weaker than others, and some that make no pretension of being serious and serve no purpose other than comic relief. However, Bebop is more consistent through its entire run than Champloo is and Bebop's comic relief episodes tend to be funnier and more entertaining than Champoo's, which can just be horrendously stupid (consider the homosexual Nipponophile Dutchman episode), not to mention poorly timed (consider the zombie episode and the baseball episode back-to-back just before the finale).

Finally, Bebop ends stronger than Champloo does, though it may be because of Bebop Champloo had the conclusion it did.

[SPOILER]Bebop ends with the "breaking of the fellowship" beginning as Ed and Ein head off for parts unknown and Faye almost leaves as well, then has Spike and Julia reunited only long enough to be torn apart once more. This sets the stage for the final dissolution of the group as Faye comes as close as she can to admitting her feelings for Spike just before he leaves for his "last one to die loses" final confrontation with Vicious. A melancholy ending, even a depressing one, but completely compelling.

Champloo, on the other hand, has its own version of the Spike/Julia reunion as Fuu finally finds her father only to have him be killed a few minutes later. But perhaps because the Sunrise team didn't think fans would tolerate another ending as unhappy as Bebop's, this is as deep into pathos as the Champloo finale dips. Mugen and Jin manage to survive incredible injuries and be just fine after a little rest one more time (something both they and Spike do through the course of their respective series), and everybody on the core cast is perfectly fine when things wrap up, even if there is a bittersweet "breakup of the band" here, too.

There may be those who found the Bebop ending too much of a downer who prefer Champloo's conclusion, but in my mind there's no question is the more compelling endgame.[/SPOILER]

And neither is there any question in my mind about which is the superior anime.

[GrubbTheFragger]

Bebop hand down.

[Kkun]

Bebop FTW. Let's look at the episodes Mushroom Samba, Sympathy For the Devil, Jupiter Jazz 1 and 2, Jamming With Edward, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Real Folk Blues 1 and 2 as examples of Bebop's fantastic, wonderful amazing....ness...........look, Bebop is really good.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Bebop for me, even if I love Samurai.

[uc pseudonym]

I could make this a poll, but only if people really want that. Personally, I doubt there's anyone question about which would win.

For myself, I think they are closer than some people think. Not because I think Samurai Champloo is under-rated, but because I think Cowboy Bebop has reached the icon stage where it is declared to be better than its actual worth. Ultimately, I liked both series but will probably never watch either again.

My initial reaction was to say that Bebop had better dialogue, but after some thought I'm not so sure. However, I can definitely say that as far as personal preference goes, I liked Bebop's better. More characters with dry wit, and I just like Jet's lines in general.

I'll actually rate the two about dead even in terms of plot strength. Both are basically episodic series with main storylines that only resurface occasionally. As episodic series, both inevitably have some episodes that are weaker than others, and some that make no pretension of being serious and serve no purpose other than comic relief. However, Bebop is more consistent through its entire run than Champloo is and Bebop's comic relief episodes tend to be funnier and more entertaining than Champoo's, which can just be horrendously stupid (consider the homosexual Nipponophile Dutchman episode), not to mention poorly timed (consider the zombie episode and the baseball episode back-to-back just before the finale).

I essentially agree with everything I just quoted.

Regarding the endings, in all honesty I didn't particularly like either. Both had their moments (Spike's "bang" and some of the fights in Champloo) but in the end I didn't find them satisfying. Involving until the very end, certainly, but I was left with the slight sense of emptiness.

[mitsuki lover]

It's an even tie.I think the reason people are voting for Bebop over Champloo is that it's been on a lot longer and has gotten more of a fan following than Champloo.
If I really had to pick one over the other and was trying to be totally impartial though I would be in the minority and pick Samurai Champloo.The reason being there is more of an overall story arch going on and so you get to know the characters a lot better.

[starwarsboy90]

I've seen and watched both fo them through. I like Samurai Champloo, but I absolutely love Cowboy Bebop, since it was the very first Anime that I got into and has an amazing plot!

[Tommy]

I like Mugen's personality more than Spike's. Sure, Mugen has a pathetic outlook on life, and he is a potty mouth, but that makes him funny.

[GrubbTheFragger]

I like Mugen's personality more than Spike's. Sure, Mugen has a pathetic outlook on life, and he is a potty mouth, but that makes him funny.

and that comes back to you not seeing much of Cowboy bebop since that is Spikes personality almost exactly. Spike pwns

[Snow White]

I learned from Spike how to drive comfortably- "you have to be like water".
I think Shamploo is Okay, but I like Bepop though because Bepop has better art (and not that much sex either.)

[RedMage]

I learned from Spike how to drive comfortably- "you have to be like water".

I'd never considered that principle's applicability to the task of operating a motor vehicle, but I shall attempt to keep it in mind both as I struggle to run faster laps in GT Legends and get my license.

[mitsuki lover]

I have to say one of the reasons I like Samurai Champloo is the ending to the episode where Mugen and Jin are looking through Fuu's diary and when they come to the end of it she basically admits she made most of it up 'cause she knew they were going to take a peek.That was pretty hilarious.

[Sami_jane]

I find these series directed by the same person do be similar the same ways Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are similar:

-Same type of plot in a different time period
-A classic tale of good prevaling over evil
-An evil dark lord with an amazingly large army
-Christopher Lee

Which do you like better?

(I haven't seen Much of Bebop, but I'm aware of it's victory.)

EDIT: Darn, I had planned to make this a poll. Oh well.

hmm i dont really see the same plot as each other...just b/c cowboy beebop is bout bounty hunters and samarai champloo is bout traveling across the land to look for one guy. but either way i do suppose that the rest is kind of similer. lol

[RedMage]

I have to say one of the reasons I like Samurai Champloo is the ending to the episode where Mugen and Jin are looking through Fuu's diary and when they come to the end of it she basically admits she made most of it up 'cause she knew they were going to take a peek.That was pretty hilarious.

You could see it coming a mile away, though.

[mitsuki lover]

Yes,but that still didn't negate the fact that when it happens it was totally hilarious.
Personally though I don't see any similarity in the characters in Cowboy Bebop and
Samurai Champloo.

[uc pseudonym]

hmm i dont really see the same plot as each other...just b/c cowboy beebop is bout bounty hunters and samarai champloo is bout traveling across the land to look for one guy. but either way i do suppose that the rest is kind of similer. lol

They are similar in the sense of a rag-tag group of characters traveling with a vague purpose and constantly being poor and hungry.

Personally though I don't see any similarity in the characters in Cowboy Bebop and
Samurai Champloo.

Really? The correlation isn't absolute, but there are some definite parallels in appearance and general temperament:
Mugen = Spike
Jin = Jet
Fuu = Faye
Sunflower Samurai = Ed (kidding, kidding...)

[RedMage]

Mugen is Spike minus the intelligence and Fuu is Faye minus the sex appeal. I really don't see much similarity between Jet and Jin.

[mitsuki lover]

Faye and Spike are a lot more cynical than Mugen and Fuu,the fact is Fuu comes across as totally naive at times.

[Bap]

With what little I've seen of both anime, I think I like Samurai Champloo better. D: Because I've seen the Mushroom Samba episode, and everyone seems to really like that episode [And the part with Ein is pretty cute. xD; Where he's like.. hiccuping or something. D:] but I just didn't like it as much as other people seemed to have. u_u

Samurai Champloo got old after a while... But I dunno, there's just something about it I like better. xD The fight scene in the first episode was something I really liked. 8D

[RedMage]

With what little I've seen of both anime, I think I like Samurai Champloo better. D: Because I've seen the Mushroom Samba episode, and everyone seems to really like that episode [And the part with Ein is pretty cute. xD] but I just didn't like it as much as other people seemed to have. u_u

Don't make a judgment based on "Mushroom Samba." It's just a throwaway, comic relief (dare I say "filler"?) episode. People go disproportionately ga-ga over it, but it's very far from the best Bebop has to offer.

[rocklobster]

Aw, I like that ep.
Anyway, Champloo's all right, but certainly not the best Shinichiro Watanabe has done thus far. I did find parts of it amusing, though, especially the completely impropable baseball episode (my fave!).

[mitsuki lover]

Apples and Oranges really.

[Sami_jane]

Faye and Spike are a lot more cynical than Mugen and Fuu,the fact is Fuu comes across as totally naive at times.

lol she come across like that MOST of the time in my opinion. :p

[Bap]

Don't make a judgment based on "Mushroom Samba." It's just a throwaway, comic relief (dare I say "filler"?) episode. People go disproportionately ga-ga over it, but it's very far from the best Bebop has to offer.

Ah, 'kay. I'll keep that in mind if / next time I watch Cowboy Bebop. 8D

[uc pseudonym]

I really don't see much similarity between Jet and Jin.

At the same time, I don't see too extensive dissimilarities (and they're the characters left over from the obvious parallels, discounting Ed). Both of them are somewhat more quiet than the other characters, have dark hair, and come from a more formal background (so I'm positing that policemen = samurai). Of course, there are differences as well, but I was only drawing general comparisons.

[mitsuki lover]

However Jin does come from a more formal time.

[rocklobster]

What would really be funny is if Mugen was Spike's ancestor. They even have the same VA!

[Tommy]

[quote="Radical Dreamer"]...Similar plot? Bebop is about bounty hunters...Samurai Champloo is about samurai. I'm missing the similarities here. XD]

The good vs. evil thing are the similarites of Star Wars and LOTR.