Samurai Champloo is one of the best action anime shows ever (at least in my opinion), and it’s returning after over 20 years as a live-action Netflix series from the studio behind the smash-hit live-action adaptation of One Piece. What’s more, original series creator Shinichirō Watanabe is on board.
The news comes via Variety, with One Piece Netflix creators Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements offering a few insights into how they got the original creator to offer his guidance.
“We had dinner with [Watanabe] in Japan and said, if we move forward on doing ‘Samurai Champloo,’ we really want you to be a part of the creative,” Clements tells Variety. “We were thrilled that he was willing to do that.”
Adelstein chimes in, saying that they’re carrying forward lessons learned not just from One Piece, but from their work as producers on Netflix’s ill-fated first attempt at a live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, which was directed by Watanabe.
“We’ve learned,” Adelstein says. “Having the creator there to bless the creative is really important.”
If you’ve never seen it, Samurai Champloo is a 26-episode series about three misfit adventurers – the stoic ronin Jin, outlaw swordsman Mugen, and jack-of-all-trades Fuu – who are drawn together into a web of intrigue and violence. It’s one of the most stylish anime of all time, with a stunning visual style bolstered by exquisite fight scenes and a driving hip hop soundtrack.
Around 2005 when it was airing on Adult Swim, Samurai Champloo was appointment viewing for my friends, back when streaming wasn’t an option. Given how successful Netflix’s One Piece has been, I’m hoping I’ll get to recapture some of the excitement of sitting in a basement watching the original anime on a huge old TV with my best pals.
No timeframe has been given for the Samurai Champloo adaptation. While we wait, check out our picks for the best anime to watch in 2026.
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