Sidetracked In Stores
Namco Bandai's video game adaptation of the feudal Japanese hip-hop adventure is here.
Published: April 12, 2006
It was already a weird enough combo; the folks behind Cowboy Bebop were doing a 180 from the futuristic outer-space tales that made them famous and were instead retreating to the past - more precisely to feudal Japan, dropping the jazz-infused Yoko Kanno tunes from Bebop for a hip-hop style that was even more heavily integrated into the style. Samurai Champloo couldn't be more different from Bebop.
Well, except for its popularity. The tale of two grossly different samurai - Mugen, a tempestuous, breakdancing smart-ass and Jin, his quiet Bushido-abiding counterpart - apparently resonated with the audience that readily gobbled up the episodes as they aired on Adult Swim. Tying the storyline together is Fuu, an adorable girl that saves both men from a local magistrate out for blood. With a coin toss, the three agree to help the girl track down a mysterious samurai who "smells of sunflowers."
Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked is something of a one-off "lost" episode (which makes sense, since most Champloo episodes are wrapped up in the 22 or so minutes they run for), where the trio travel to Ezo (Hokkaido of today) and, well, get into trouble like they do so well.
"With Samurai Champloo, we have created an inimitable fighting experience that lets players execute their preferred combo moves depending on the background tracks that they choose," proudly mused Yoshi Niki, business unit director from Namco Bandai Games of America. "By staying true to creator Shinichiro Watanabe's vision, we have crafted a game that truly integrates the code of the samurai and hip-hop culture."
Check out our preview of the game to get a better grasp of the fighting system and how the music from the show is integrated. Or, if you're not the reading type (but good work for getting this far), you can head down to your local games store and pick up a copy. It should be ready and waiting for you. We'll have our own review soon.
Well, except for its popularity. The tale of two grossly different samurai - Mugen, a tempestuous, breakdancing smart-ass and Jin, his quiet Bushido-abiding counterpart - apparently resonated with the audience that readily gobbled up the episodes as they aired on Adult Swim. Tying the storyline together is Fuu, an adorable girl that saves both men from a local magistrate out for blood. With a coin toss, the three agree to help the girl track down a mysterious samurai who "smells of sunflowers."
Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked is something of a one-off "lost" episode (which makes sense, since most Champloo episodes are wrapped up in the 22 or so minutes they run for), where the trio travel to Ezo (Hokkaido of today) and, well, get into trouble like they do so well.
"With Samurai Champloo, we have created an inimitable fighting experience that lets players execute their preferred combo moves depending on the background tracks that they choose," proudly mused Yoshi Niki, business unit director from Namco Bandai Games of America. "By staying true to creator Shinichiro Watanabe's vision, we have crafted a game that truly integrates the code of the samurai and hip-hop culture."
Check out our preview of the game to get a better grasp of the fighting system and how the music from the show is integrated. Or, if you're not the reading type (but good work for getting this far), you can head down to your local games store and pick up a copy. It should be ready and waiting for you. We'll have our own review soon.
