#Mugen samurai champloo series

In this respect, вЂњappropriationвЂќ or no, I think the use of the term for this anime seems quite appropriate, referencing the вЂњremixingвЂќ aspect of the style and approach of the whole show. Such as the ethnic makeup of the local Hawaiian community, which is a total jumble of people of Chinese, Japanese, Okinawan, Korean, Filipino, white, and Native Hawaiian descent, many of them containing a jumble of ethnic backgrounds within themselves individually. Then thereвЂ™s the use of the word вЂњchamplooвЂќ (гѓЃгѓЈгѓігѓ—гѓ«гѓј, chanpuruu), an Okinawan word meaning, essentially, вЂњall mixed up.вЂќ ItвЂ™s a word most commonly used to refer to stir-fry dishes, but I suppose it can be used to refer to anything thatвЂ™s a jumbled up diverse mix.

Finally, one last thing which is quite obvious: Mugen does not have an Okinawan accent, nor does he use any distinctively Okinawan words. We donвЂ™t see Ryukyuan swords represented all that often. More Chinese, like this? Or more similar to the Japanese swords? The myth of Ryukyuan pacifism вЂ“ and/or the influence of katate вЂ“ is too pervasive. But, I actually donвЂ™t know what a Ryukyuan sword would look like. MugenвЂ™s sword is curved like a samuraiвЂ™s blade, but it has a rather distinctive, or should I say unusual, style of hilt that definitely marks it (and him, by extension) as foreign. He has simple bands tattooed around his wrists and ankles, but Okinawan tattoos are generally known to have been worn by women, not by men, and featured certain patterns on the hands. His clothes, though not necessarily absurdly out of place for the period, do not strictly speaking resemble anything IвЂ™d associate with being distinctively Ryukyuan. In any case, getting to the point, even within the first ten minutes of the first episode, I can tell this much: I have yet to see anything from Mugen, anything about Mugen, that marks him as Ryukyuan in a historically/culturally accurate manner. But thatвЂ™s besides the point it fits in as a possibility, with just enough thematic accuracy to make the inaccuracies, the remixed/reimagined elements not seem too out of place. In historical fact, so far as I know, I have never heard of (read of) any Ryukyuans mingling in with Japanese society, as an independent traveler, as Mugen does. In making Mugen Ryukyuan, they make reference to something relatively obscure вЂ“ I wonder how many young Japanese really know anything at all about the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom, and its status relative to Edo period Japan. Mugen, one of the main characters, claims to be from Ryukyu, a brilliant touch I think in a show that makes reference to so many aspects of the Edo period, remixing them into something quite edgy.

#Mugen samurai champloo series

He also states that he would rather die fighting than be on his knees pleading for mercy.Д®ven with all of his faults, Mugen is capable for accepting people as comrades even if it's begrudgingly.IвЂ™d been meaning for quite some time to go rewatch the anime series вЂњSamurai Champloo,вЂќ with an eye specifically to how accurate the showвЂ™s depiction of Ryukyuan culture is. In regards to authority, Mugen absolutely despises it. Mugen is a sore loser who will go to great lengths to redeem himself from defeat. Along with his rivalry with Jin, Mugen is prone to gambling and taking on anyone else he deems strong enough. Mugen will take on any and all challengers since he's an extremely competitive person. He tends to pick petty fights, but loves the idea of fighting.

He is offensive, lewd, obscene, vain, temperamental and unhinged. Mugen is almost characterized as something of an antihero. Samurai Champloo follows the story of Mugen, a sassy and freedom loving vagrant swordsman Jin, a composed and calm rЕЌnin and Fuu, a girl who asks the two of them to accompany her on her quest to find the samurai who smells of sunflowers. First 4 Figures is proud to present the highly anticipated Samurai Champloo - Mugen statue.