10 Incredible Action-Packed Series To Check Out!
Samurai Champloo is a fantastic anime that mixes epic swordsmanship with funky music beats. It follows two swordsmen named Mugen and Jin who travel alongside a tea shop owner named Fuu to locate a specific warrior with a flower scent. It’s an incredible action series with great storytelling and splendid fights that will get you pumped and excited to see what’ll occur next.
Fear not if you’re having trouble finding anime similar to Samurai Champloo! We’ve discovered 10 alternate shows that’ll give you a similar experience as Samurai Champloo.
Additionally, for each anime we’ve reviewed, we’ve included a link that allows you to view our full thoughts about the series to see if it’s worth your time.
So without further ado, we present TV shows/anime that should whet your appetite when you’ve finished streaming Samurai Champloo!
Cowboy Bebop
Similarities – Characters, Action, Music Execution
Cowboy Bebop is a great sci-fi series. It’s from Shinchiro Watanabe, the same man who brought you Samurai Champloo. It follows a group of bounty hunters who travel through space to collect bounties, fight evildoers, and spend time with each other. It balances humor, action, and drama well and has an episodic narrative structure like Samurai Champloo.
Both anime have diverse soundtracks. Where Samurai Champloo is known for mixing swordsmanship with hip-hop, Cowboy Bebop overlays most of its scenes with an unforgettable jazzy soundtrack. Both anime’s soundtracks help bring their worlds to life and allow them to stand out from series that offer similar settings. Cowboy Bebop’s cast is just as entertaining as its fights.
Like Mugan and Jin, Spike and his friends have rich backgrounds, personalities, and skills. You’ll learn more about these characters as the series continues. In addition to having multiple twists to keep you on your toes, Cowboy Bebop is a great anime to check out if you love Watanabe and his team’s work on Samurai Champloo.
Ruroni Kenshin
Similarities – Themes, Characters, Action
If you’re searching for one of Shonen Jump’s best and most grounded samurai tales, Ruroni Kenshin’s worth checking out. This anime features a well-written protagonist, epic sword battles, and a great setting. In it, we follow Hitokiri. He’s abandoned his life of murder to pursue a more peaceful and heroic venture as Himura Kenshin. Later, he learns someone has taken his name and is committing crimes.
With his new female companion Kaoru, Kenshin vows to stop this fake Hitokiri once and for all. Like Samurai Champloo, Ruroni Kenshin’s sword fights are impeccable and well-animated. The sword battles not only reflect our protagonists’ skills, but it showcases their diverse personalities and values. Ruroni Kenshin and Samurai Champloo also tackle similar themes of honor and loyalty.
Kenshin, Mugen, and Jin are driven by their sense of honor and morality. They’ll put their lives on the line to protect those closest to them, allowing folks to grow attached to them throughout their series’s runtime. In addition to having some compelling and humorous interactions in their tales, Ruroni Kenshin is a great samurai anime to watch if you like Samurai Champloo.
Sword of the Stranger
Similarities – Samurai & Action
If you’re in need of a compelling samurai-slaying anime with great characters and beautiful animation, Sword of the Stranger is worth your time. This anime has clever writing, a sharp art style, and a powerful soundtrack. It’s set during Japan’s Sengoku period and revolves around Kotarou and his canine Tobimaru. They’re being hunted by assassins due to their petty crimes.
A ronin named Nanashi cares for the duo after their run-in with these assassins. Koutarou bribes Nanashi to lead them to a specific location, and we follow the trio as they embark on a perilous journey. Like Samurai Champloo, this anime employs a combination of traditional hand-drawn animation and modern digital techniques to create a smooth and vibrant visual experience for viewers.
The sword fights are well-choreographed in Sword of the Stranger. Its animation conveys the weight of each sword swing, making bouts feel extreme and exhilarating. Koutarou and Nanashi are great duos like Mugen and Jin. You’ll enjoy seeing how their relationship gradually improves throughout the story. Give this a watch if you enjoy samurai narratives with a strong set of protagonists.
Ninja Scroll
Similarities – Setting & Action
Ninja Scroll is a B-level anime done right. It lacks proper character development for its protagonists but makes up for it with great and fun gore-filled fights. In it, we follow Jubei, a wandering swordsman who likes tackling missions. His past is full of betrayal and sadness, and he refuses to dabble in political-related matters.
After meeting a female ninja named Kagero and getting poisoned by a government spy, Jubei must assist Kagero with her problems. Like Samurai Champloo, this anime takes place in feudal Japan and features skilled warriors navigating through a world full of violence and chaos. This anime takes pride in accurately depicting the culture and political landscape of the time period.
Samurai Champloo has a lighter tone compared to Ninja Scroll though. Furthermore, Jubei fights multiple demonic individuals, making his series feel more supernatural and less realistic than Samurai Champloo. Nonetheless, if you’re a fan of samurai anime and want something gorier, check out Ninja Scroll.
Dororo
Similarities – Setting, Samurai, Action
Dororo is a well-crafted anime from the late Osamu Tezuka’s catalog. It follows Hyakkimaru and a child named Dororo. The former wants to murder every demon on his path to becoming human again. Although he’s a merciless person, fans will adore his teacher-student relationship with Dororo. Like Samurai Champloo, this anime’s setting has a historical touch.
Both give accurate depictions of Feudal Japan and contain stunning environments and diverse cultures. Viewers can expect incredible sword fights in Dororo. Each battle Hyakkimaru has with his adversaries is well-choreographed. He fights to survive and protect like Mugen and Jin, and his opponents are equally skilled like the foes Mugen and Jin fight in Samurai Champloo.
Hyakkimaru is just as complex as Mugen and Jin. He has an intruiging backstory and the anime contains some delightful twists to keep the audience engaged and entertained. Dororo is a great supporting character like Fuu and will aid Hyakkimaru when he needs it. Give this anime a shot if you’re looking for a great remake of a beloved samurai gem.
Michiko to Hatchin
Similarities – Adventure & Stylized Settings
Michiko to Hatchin is an incredible action-adventure series with a South-American vibe. It follows Michiko, an escaped criminal who bumps into Hana, a girl who has problems with her abusive family. Michiko breaks Hana out of her imprisonment and the two embark on a journey through the sun-drenched land of Diamandra.
Like Samurai Champloo, Michiko to Hatchin presents its real-world-based locale in a stylized light. Like Samurai Champloo’s fun take on the Edo Period of Japan, viewers will love Michiko to Hatchin’s artistic take on Latin America’s cultural and societal aspects. Both anime use their characters’ journeys together to explore internal topics regarding redemption, self-discovery, and pursuing one’s goals.
Michiko and Hana’s journey will include some bits of action, but not to the same extent as Samurai Champloo. Nevertheless, each episode of this anime includes an intruiging side story that will entertain you. If you’re looking for action-adventure series with quirky characters, decent fights, and excellent music, Michiko to Hatchin should suffice.
Blade of the Immortal
Similarities – Samurai & Action
Blade of the Immortal is one of those series that starts slow but becomes something unforgettable by its conclusion. Its tale centers around Manji, a samurai who must murder many people if he hopes to die like a normal human. Like Samurai Champloo, this anime gives viewers another interesting take on feudal Japan. You’ll admire this anime’s rich structures and vivid portrayal of this era.
Both anime include amazing sword battles. Manji is as skilled as Mugen and Jin. You’ll love the variety of different sword techniques and styles he uses to defeat his enemies. The enemies in this anime are just as menacing as you can expect and carry rich personalities and backgrounds. Manji gets paired with a female named Rin. She’s just as entertaining as Manji.
While the animation isn’t the best at times, most scenes hold up well and should give you a joyous time. If you’re looking for another compelling action-adventure samurai series with hints of drama, check out Blade of the Immortal.
Megalo Box
Similarities – Action & Themes
Megalo Box might be a sports anime, but its gritty and innovative take on boxing will remind people of Samurai Champloo’s approach toward old-fashioned samurai flicks. Our tale follows Junk Dog, who competes in his world’s famed sport Megalo Box. It’s essentially boxing but people utilize mechanical limbs to fight. Everyone except for Junk Dog. Unfortunately, he loses every fight he’s in.
One day, Junk Dog meets the Megalo Box champion and gets inspired. He dawns the new name “Gearless Joe” and vows to defeat this champion to prove his worth. Where Samurai Champloo combines hip-hop with samurai action, Megalo Box mixes sports, action, and cyberpunk elements together to create a narrative that’s creative and fun to watch.
Both anime explore themes like determination, redemption, and the pursuit of one’s goals. You’ll admire Joe’s determination throughout the entirety of Megalo Box. Although he gets his bottom handed to him in nearly every bout, his urge to get stronger will motivate people to overcome their personal demons. In addition to having an excellent soundtrack that’ll get you pumped for its well-animated boxing matches, Megalo Box is a must-watch anime for those who need a motivational push.
Gintama
Similarities – Samurai, Action, Adventure
Gintama is a comedic gold mine that never ceases to make fans and newcomers laugh. In it, we follow the adventures of Gintoki and his comrades as they take odd jobs to make money. From fighting off extraterrestrial lifeforms to ruining nefarious bandits’ plans, Gintoki and his companion’s lives are never dull. Despite having more comedy variety than Samurai Champloo, Gintama has its serious side.
This anime knows how to swap between its humorous and mature tone naturally. Many viewers will be surprised how the show can genuinely transition from an entirely comedic chapter to one that delves deeper into the complexities of our character’s past and present lives. Gintoki has a dark past despite being a goofball and knows how to wield a blade as well as Mugen and Jin.
Furthermore, Gintama’s bouts are well-animated. Viewers will enjoy seeing characters using their weapons to fight off each other in intense combat. Therefore, if you’re okay with an anime with a stronger focus on humor, Gintama’s worth watching.
Samurai 7
Similarities – Samurai, Settings, Action
Samurai 7 is an intruiging anime that’s based on a classic Japanese film called “Seven Samurai” by Akira Kurosawa. It offers some nods to Kurosawa’s work but maintains an original feel. For those looking for a samurai anime with an easy-to-understand plot, well-rounded cast, and remarkable visuals, this is the anime for you.
Samurai 7’s set in a futuristic period where a war between mechanized warriors (Nouseri) and samurai occurred. Despite the outcome, the Nouseri continue to wreak havoc in multiple villages, including Kanna Village. This village is home to our trio of Kirara, Komachi, and Rikichi. They set off on a journey to find noble samurai who’ll help them defeat these rambunctious Nouseri.
Both anime offer epic portrayals of samurai. Every warrior in Samurai 7 is skilled and versatile. You’ll adore seeing how their distinct personalities clash on screen and how their shared view of heroism and nobility brings them together. In addition to taking place in similarly-themed settings and having noteworthy battles, Samurai 7 is an astonishing samurai series that will leave you satisfied.
So there we have it, our 10 anime/TV show alternatives to watch when you’ve caught up with Samurai Champloo!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!