#tsutchie

Released: 2004

Literature has this thing called the literary canon. I believe anime has the same thing, and that Samurai Champloo is a required member of the anime canon.

Set during an Edo-like period our three main characters, Fuu a tea waitress looking for a guy who smells of sunflowers, Jin a morally picky samurai, and Mugen who basically does whatever he feels like.  This anime is a real treat. The plot moves forward at a nice pace. The side tracks are secretly tied into the whole story. Plus the humor is timeless. It’s anime craftsmanship at its finest and the easiest example is the music.

This anime features the styling of the legendary Nujabes. He’s often accredited as one of the founders of low-fi music. "Battlecry" by Nujabes feat. Shing02 is the opening. It’s one of the most iconic songs in anime. I’ll add a side track story down below about this song. “四季ノ唄" by MINMI is the ending for most episodes. Some episodes have their own endings like 12 with "Who's Theme" by MINMI, 17 with "YOU" by kazami, 23 with  "FLY [SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS]" by Tsutchie & fat jon, and 26 with "San Francisco" by MIDICRONICA. I would love a second season of this anime, but at the same time I don’t. I want a second season that’s as good as the first. However, that can be difficult for anime to do, see One Punchman and Promised Neverland for example of what not to do. So, I understand why this anime won’t be continued.

Samurai Champloo’s stellar soundtrack featured renowned hiphop and jazzhop artists like Nujabes, Fat Jon, Tsutchie and Force of Nature. And I think it aided Lofi in kicking off with its chill beats. So...

Both Lofi girl and Fuu are connected to chill Hiphop beats.

Both girls also have brown hair done up in a ponytail.

But did you know Fuu had an orange striped cat as a child? It’s shown in the ending credits. Lofi girl also has a striped orange cat. 

This is now my headcanon.