15 January 2010, Singapore – Even as the Brazilian art of Capoeira demonstrates how far the fusion of dance and martial arts can go, to weave hip hop beats and breakdance moves into samurai fights of 17th century Japan will need a real stretch of the imagination. Yet Shinichiro Watanabe, director of classic hit anime series Cowboy Bebop pulled off the unlikely mix and in doing so, created an utterly cool anime series unlike any other in Samurai Champloo.

Premiering 27 January 2010 and airing Wednesdays 8pm across Asia on Animax, Samurai Champloo spins together exciting samurai swordfights and slapstick comedy in Japan during the Edo period, with today’s hip hop culture. Rap, breakdance, turntablism, slang, graffiti and hip hop music along with many other intriguing anachronisms make up the anime series’ signature incongruous, irreverent yet silky smooth style.

Samurai Champloo follows brash vagabond breakdance-styled fighter Mugen, whose path and sword crosses with those of stoic and formidable bespectacled vagrant samurai, Jin. Fighting at a teahouse, both are arrested by the authorities before 15-year-old ditzy waitress Fuu helps them escape. To repay Fuu, both fighters set aside their mutual enmity and reluctantly join her on a curious search for an enigmatic ‘samurai who smells of sunflowers’. Action and comedy unfold in equal measure as an unlikely friendship blossoms among the trio on a journey of discovery across feudal Japan.

Look out for the many fun and interesting references to modern hip hop culture feature throughout the 26-episode Samurai Champloo period anime series. ‘Gangsta’-like characters spot rings, earrings and piercings of contemporary designs, as well as period garb with clan emblems resembling brand logos of today’s most popular streetwear. Mugen, Jin and Fuu even get dragged into a game of baseball – and baseball was actually invented an entire century later – in a fight for honour against a group of hostile Americans who lands on Japanese shores.

As if he travelled back in time to Japan in the Edo period, Mugen stands out with an all-action fighting style that combines breakdance spins and flips with punches, kicks and swordplay; a modern, baggy, hip hop-style pair of bermuda shorts, and a reckless attitude. On the contrary, Mugen’s nemesis Jin is a cold, aloof, calculated and highly-trained swordsman in traditional samurai garb, as the perfect spoil to Mugen. However, Jin does don a pair of slick designer-style glasses with tinted lenses that is definitely centuries ahead of its time! Finally, Fuu is the cute, silly and amusing go-between to ensure Mugen and Jin do not kill each other, and she holds the key to finding the mysterious ‘samurai who smells of sunflowers’.

Just as jazz and blues tunes defined director Watanabe’s old western themed Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo stands out from the use of cool hip hop and rap beats as musical themes, in stark contrast to the story’s historical period setting. As turntable scratches mark transition of scenes, contemporary Japanese hip hop performing artistes including DJ Tsutchie, Fat Jon, Nujabes and Force of Nature contribute cool and funky musical tracks to make Samurai Champloo a slick anime that departs from tradition and breaks convention.

Produced by Manglobe (Ergo Proxy, The Sacred Blacksmith) anime studio, Samurai Champloo is an all original anime creation by director Sinichiro Watanabe. The anime series has gone on to inspire a manga series of the same title, and a spin-off Sony PlayStation 2 brawling game entitled ‘Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked’. Samurai Champloo also follows Watanabe’s directorial efforts in ‘Kid's Story’ and ‘A Detective Story’ instalments of the Animatrix, the anime series spin-off of the Wachowski brothers’ sci-fi worldwide hit movie franchise The Matrix.

For a decidedly different and unique anime experience, expect the unexpected in the hilarious, action-packed, irreverent and cool samurai anime series with a hip hop twist in Samurai Champloo, premiering January 2010 on Animax!

Samurai Champloo premieres 27 January 2010 Airing Wednesdays 8pm (SEA/PH) / 7pm (WIB) on Animax