Samurai Jack The Complete Series
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 15
Running Time: 1374 mins
Release Date: Out Now!
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes
There are some series you can get into and enjoy while there are others that due to their animation style take a bit of getting used to. Samurai Jack might be one where the style may detract from how good the story is.
The emperor narrates the story as it unfolds in almost like an Asian puppet theatre where an evil entity called Aku pushes it's way through the earth to terrorise period Japan. When it looks like Aku might overpower their people, the emperor decides to take matters into his own hands going deep into the mountains, he seems the help of three monks who have a sword forged he can use to destroy Aku and save their land.
In true anime style Aku is defeated and all is well, yet Aku returns when the emperor is much older and takes his son when he is at his most vulnerable. What Aku doesn't realize is his son has been training with him since he was a boy and later, after he had been kept in a kind of underworld hell, he has grown strong enough to be able to take Aku on and save his father.
I personally couldn't get my head around the animation style as I felt it didn't fit the story, the story I liked as it is a traditional one full of adventure, danger and action which is the usual shonen fare, yet it is the style of animation that holds it back from being easy on the eye.
The style reminded me of a woodcut, or puppet theatre and I hoped it would look better than it did. Aku has many abilities; ones that can have him absorb a series of arrows fired at him, then fire them back at his enemies. He can shoot fire and energy bolts, so he shows how powerful he is and how powerful the emperor's son must become to defeat him. To take the samurai and traditional theme further, his son trains under a sensei deep in the mountains of a remote part of Asia which reminded me a great deal of the Street Fighter anime series.
Bonus Material:
Creator Commentary Episode 7
The Making of Samurai Jack
Creator Commentary Episode 25
The Martial Arts of Samurai Jack
Lost Artwork Gallery
The Evolution of Jack!
Pitch Movie XCIV
Pitch Movie XCVI
Pitch Movie XCVIII
Pitch Movie XCIX
Pitch Movie C
Summary: This will interest those out there who like different styles of anime series!
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