User Reviews

A few years prior to this day, I had yet to take a single glimpse on Samurai Jack. For some time, I heard people raving about its outstanding animation techniques, never seen before fighting sequences and humor. Curiosity and anxiety surrounded my mind, wondering if it really reached or even surpassed the standards set by Dexter's Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls. Incidentally, Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of this new show, has worked on the previous two before and based on my knowledge, his vision upon the animation industry is pretty unlike anything any other animators have seen before.

Not long after its first run, I managed to witness an episode of Samurai Jack on Cartoon Network in my aunt's house. In fact, in my first viewpoint, the show really seemed a bit simplistic, focused more on battles and at some points, a sense of humor to keep the audience's interest. Yes, it bears similarity to other Genndy's older works. However, I'm just talking to one of the episodes shown on the channel. Initially, the similarity ended when I began to watch the rest of the episodes.

The plot itself is quite simple: Samurai Jack (his original Japanese name remains a mystery) lives in ancient Japan where his homeland is being ravaged by a mightily powerful but weird-looking, sometimes insipid demon named Aku. Jack used his mystical sword to fight him and eventually he defeats him after a few bouts. But before Jack manages to destroy the demon once and for all, Aku casts a spell that sends Jack into the future, a time when Aku reigns supreme. Now, it is up to Jack to find a way to go back into the past by wandering around the futuristic cities, barren wastelands and ancient ruins inhabited by aliens and other bizarre creatures you haven't seen before and most importantly, meeting allies and friends (like the crazed muscular Scotsman) to give our struggling hero spiritual hope and motivation to reach his destiny (the maturity of Jack can be seen throughout the seasons, as he seems to be more confident and has the right to call himself 'The Legendary Samurai'. Something like that). The character designs and the environments are extremely odd in Genndy's favor but perhaps these are the reasons why Samurai Jack is such an appealing show to watch at. Firstly, unlike the typical Saturday cartoons we usually see, it is almost an ambiguous cartoon with really abstract elements (specially when you watch a peculiar episode for the first time ever). You have absolutely no idea what is going on there: the creatures, the aliens, the bizarre skyscrapers, the contraptions. They are all refreshingly cubic and bizarre and yet have a reason for their existence. Despite its subtle and uneven premise, Samurai Jack is simply a straightforward action show with easily identifiable objects (toon experts will know that for sure) and characters (its basic concept is mostly derived from the Star Wars universe, in which Genndy also directs under the name Clone Wars). At one case, some of the elements of Samurai Jack are derived from Akira Kurosawa's movies, anime (both state-of-the-art or cliché) and on another point, famous American icons and world cultures. Some even serve as a precursor to Craig McCracken's Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends with bits and pieces from Dexter's Lab and PPG. Sure, most of the episodes don't capture the scope of full-length movies but the slowness of its nature allows the audience to accept the fact that it almost feels like a movie, in a shorter form at least. If you ask whether the show's appropriate for kids, well, Samurai Jack is a surprisingly violent cartoon (that's beyond the boundary of Dex and PPG) but that otherwise proves that Genndy's skills to handle a particular context has matured.

What really fascinate me are Genndy's abilities to master the essential film-making techniques such as pace, flow, mise-en-scene and mood, smooth animation and most importantly, character appeal such as Samurai Jack himself. Some sequences are even squeezed in to a particular ratio aspect to provide a cinematic point of view as well as to increase the tension of a situation. Creative editing techniques also helps to build anticipation, fasten the pace of the action sequences (mostly beautifully choreographed despite the fact that they are just frames of drawings!) and create decisive matters as Jack faces frequent pandemonium. The artwork of the show is equally impressive albeit a bit kiddy oriented. That essentially leads to one of Genndy's strongest trademarks and principles: simplistic designs tend to have greater impact compared to realistic models (of 2D and 3D) by conveying constant exaggeration, ridiculous laws of physic and common sense and doses of good slapstick humor while maintaining its 'logical sense' without losing direction. The show's crystal clear colors and tones also manage to reflect the overall mood of a particular environment, whether you can feel the serenity of ancient Japan or the unknown danger of the dark and barren wasteland.

If it weren't for Genndy, cartoons cannot evolve into newer forms. If Gene Deitch gave birth to 'limited animation' via Gerald McBoing Boing, we all could say that, in my opinion, Genndy Tartakovsky gave birth to 'cinematic limited cartoons' or simply, 'Cinematic Toons'. I know these terms don't sound right to some people but through Samurai Jack, he has created something that proves to be revolutionary since the era of the Renaissance (Batman, DuckTales and Tiny Toons). Since then, Genndy Tartakovsky is now regarded as one of my most favorite 'heroes' of our time!

When I was first introduced to this show, I wasn't expecting to love it. I don't just love it, I adore it! I feared it wouldn't be my thing, but there are many reasons why Samurai Jack is worth seeing. The animation consistently is absolutely outstanding, the whole show is amazing to watch, whether it is the backgrounds, character features, special effects or the colours. The music is wonderful also, a perfect mix of oriental and electronic sounds really add to the authenticity. The story lines are superb and interesting springing from a great idea, and the writing is top notch, funny and intelligent. Likewise with the voice acting, with Phil LaMarr especially impressive in the title role. Overall, just a superb show, easily one of the better shows on Cartoon Network. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Samurai Jack is the quintessence of cartoon storytelling today. there is no two-ways about it.

let me break it down for you: Long ago in a distant land, Aku, the shape-shifting master of darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil, but a samurai warrior wielding a magic sword stepped fourth to oppose him. before the final blow was struck, Aku opened a portal in time, flinging the samurai into the future, where Aku's evil is law. now the samurai seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Aku.

the first story involves the samurai landing in the future, he is given a name by some enthusiastic street-urchins (Jack), and finds himself in a rough bar filled with belligerent aliens and talking dogs. these dogs are in desperate peril, and seek jack's help in a very obvious reference to Akira Kurosowa's masterpiece The Seven Samurai.

as the series continues, Jack's quest becomes less a focal point of the story, and more a vehicle for various short stories. great storytelling needs but three things: a setting, a protagonist, and a goal. Jack uses this idea to exploit a formula of diversity. anything the animator/writers throw on the wall, generally sticks. the ambiguity of the show allows for a free-form format that has made shows like Cowboy Bebop and Justice League Unlimited fellow masterpieces of the serial animation format. stories range from horror, science fiction and fantasy, to comedy, Wu shu, drama, noir, giant robo and epic action.

Jack is a child of a lot of inspiration, things like Star Wars and Akira Kurosowa are obvious influences, but the works of Marvel and DC comics, as well as the work of graphic novelist Frank Miller are all very apparent references. (infact Miller's acclaimed graphic novel Ronin is very similar in plot to Samurai Jack, and there is an entire episode based upon the premise of 300, another Miller book which has also become a Hollywood film.)

Jack is, by all means, an action show. in a given show there is maybe 10-15 minutes of action in a 24 minute episode, however in later seasons, the formula of Jack as an action show recedes heavily, and the show becomes more of a sampler-plate of creativeness. the stories are as charming and moving as they are diverse and epic.

Samurai Jack is a brilliant show, it's influences are long-spread and it will undoubtedly be remembered as a staple of artistic television.

Samurai Jack has something sorely lacking in American animated entertainment - greatness. Not since the Batman series, or perhaps ever, has a American cartoon flaunted such daring visual bravado, intelligent cinematic storytelling, intense action, and a revolutionary spirit so confidently - it's a warmly welcomed shake-up to the monotonous humdrum continuum of TV animation in this country. Genndy Tartakovsky (creator of Dexter's Laboratory) has captured lightning in a bottle with his latest brainchild, and in doing so has demolished the mold for cartoons both present and future. Indeed, calling this show itself a cartoon seems somehow disrespectful and stereotypical. Here, the freedom allowed by the medium brings the story of Jack and his vendetta against a millenial nemesis named Aku in the far future feverishly to life. Every background, set piece, character, and detail are all strikingly imagined, almost shocking in their originality. The minimalist nature of the animation itself gives the program a unique and powerful vitality, and the abstract and sometimes surreal stylization is unlike anything ever seen in cartoons. Tartakovsky avoids the clunky and often lifeless quagmire of more detailed and lifelike approaches to action animation and instead opts for he intensity and impact of a comic book in motion, and the results are both awesome and beautiful.

More than anything else, Samurai Jack truly feels like a work of art, like something that is crafted rather than produced. It's a testament to the fact that animation in the U.S. can be cutting edge, revolutionary, and mature. Truth be told, I haven't been excited about a new television program in quite a while. Time will tell, but Samurai Jack seems destined for masterpiece status - not only here in America, but quite possibly worldwide.

Samurai Jack is a masterpiece, through and through. Even if I disagree with some of the show's narrative decisions, especially toward the end, none of that detracts from what this show represents. The feelings that this show produces are unreal; both viscerally and emotionally. One minute it shows you an absurdly well-conceived, well-choreographed fight scene, one that's subtle and refined well above the level of your average cartoon, and the next it will make you experience something deeply felt and immerse you Jack's plight. You just end up wanting so badly to see him finally lay the final blow in the show's outstandingly cruel (and wickedly hilarious) villain Aku and return to his time.

No piece of western animation has, in my eyes, matched Samurai Jack's sheer level of immersion, entertainment, and emotional appeal, putting it just ahead of Bojack Horseman, Daria, and Futurama in my eyes.

Samurai Jack is better than any fake anime you've ever seen. This is one of the most underrated series. Anime makers will never be able to reach the level of Samurai Jack in terms of writing, music, calm atmosphere, wako, and other great factors. This is not an exceptional ending. Samurai jack deserves more support

Samurai Jack is the definition of an action cartoon series.

It shows a magnificent samurai, dubbed the name Jack, on a journey to return to the past after he is sent to a dark and unwelcome future run by his archnemesis, the dark shape-shifting wizard Aku.

Along the way, he helps restore order to the forsaken wasteland run by evil controllers in often incredibly action-packed, or otherwise hilarious, ways (in one episode, Jack is turned into a rooster and is forced to take part in cock fighting--which is actually legal during that time).

Genndy Tartakouvsky is an animation genius, coming out with ideas such as Dexter's Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, and the micro-series Star Wars: Clone Wars, which has a second season coming up. The artwork for Samurai Jack is beautiful and the battle scenes are well-thought and brilliantly drawn. The adventures that Jack goes through can be sometimes funny, but still are always action packed. The ideas for Jack's adventures are brilliant as well.

Overall: solid storyline, brilliant characters, well-thought adventures, beautiful artwork, and even more brilliant action.

Rating: 10 out of 10. This series rocks period.

Samurai Jack is definitely a classic cartoon, but it has some serious flaws that I think many people are just turning a blind eye to. The first two seasons especially have some very egregious problems, specifically with the animation.

In the first two seasons, the animation is especially choppy and stilted. The animators decided to go style-over-substance in many of these early episodes, using changing frame rates, slow-mo, and other stylistic choices hoping to mask the long portions of reaction-shots, very choppy and non-fluid motion, and almost uncanny movements (or lack thereof) by the characters. That is to say nothing of the character design. I think many are ascribing the geometric body shapes and odd proportions undeserved artistic merit, not to mention the uninspired designs for a myriad of villains and aliens. Not to say that the show is artistically bankrupt, but sometimes it seems obvious that it's not trying as hard as it could.

The episodic structure is a little grating at times, with some continuity ignored. Some of my least favorite episodes are Jack vs. Mad Jack; Jack, the Woolies, and the Critchellites; Jack Learns to Jump Good; and especially Jack vs. the Five Hunters. They all have some problem that I've mentioned here.

So, how could I give all these gripes about a show and still rate it an 8 out of 10? In the third season, the animation gets a significant upgrade, and that also improves the action. I think it was some of those early season 3 episodes where I could really catch the vision of what the creators were trying to do with the show. As I said before, the show is far from artistically bankrupt, and some of the show's best episodes are also from those first two seasons: Jack and the Three Blind Archers; Jack and the Scotsman; Aku's Fairy Tales, among others. The show also had some great comedy. Mako's voice acting (which was probably around 60% of all the voice acting in the show) was tremendous, and the soundtrack was truly superb. I think the show really does hold up as a classic, but there are some errors that are overlooked. Also, season 5 is a beast unto itself, very different from its original run, but inheriting its predecessor's quality.

Intro: Samurai Jack was not a show I grew up watching. I didn't start it until after the fifth season. However, just because I wasn't a long time fan, doesn't mean I can't watch the show, and love it for that matter. And when I watched it, it became my favorite animated series of all time.

The Story: Samurai Jack centers around a samurai named Jack, who is lost in the future. After the demon Aku, sent him there, after the samurai nearly took his life. In the future, Aku rules all, and Jack had to find his way back to the past, and prevent this timeline.

Samurai Jack is one of the most creative shows of all time. From it's meshing of so many different genres, such as, science fiction, fantasy, action, adventure, comedy, and animation. To the original take on the fish out of water story. With interesting characters, surprisingly descent comedy, and entertaining stories.

The Characters: I enjoy the characters, all of them are interesting and go through changes, and have their own complete stories.

Let's start with Jack. Jack: is the hero of the story, lost in a time he isn't fimiliar with. And it's very easy to mess up this kind of character. However, this show makes him both interesting, and likable. Jack is a man willing to save people, that it's a flaw. Like the time there was a time portal, but if he went in, he wouldn't be able to save someone. So, he ended up saving the monk, and loosing his opportunity to go back.

Another flaw is that Jack can often let his anger get to him, when under stress. Which adds an element of relatability. Jack, is one of my favorite protagonists of all time.

Although I love Jack, Aku's my favorite character. He's both threatening and hilarious. From the great vocal performance by Mako. To the great screen-presence, Aku is just fun to watch.

He's the ruthless dictator of Earth. And man, does he pop off the screen his great design, and of course, performance and writing, as I mentioned before.

I love Aku. And he's one of my favorite villains of all time.

The Animation: The animation of this series, is simply beautiful to look at. Well drawn, wonderfully rendered, and smooth movements: allowing for great action scenes, and stunning visuals. Look at it, and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

Conclusion: I don't know what I prefer, Samurai Jack, or Death Note. But it's definitely in my top 3, and basically a perfect television show. There's so much I didn't talk about. But to cut it short, this show's worth watching. I've seen every episode at least 5 times, and I don't regret a thing.

The visual style of the animation is bold and angular which makes everything feel very harsh. This series has a great blend of old samurai fighting, futuristic setting and evil magic. It is both imaginative and thrilling.

I remember back when this show first premiered over a decade ago and being swept away by how incredible it was. All I needed to see was the first couple of episodes to get hooked to this show. I think the best thing is probably the animation. I noticed and recalled the animators saying that they flat out omitted the usual black lines and simply show the bare colors. It was a pity this show ended before reaching an actual conclusion...that is until now over a decade later! I am simply overjoyed this show is finally back and there's probably no better time, seeing as how we're in a golden age of animation with this decade.

Possibly the most fascinating thing about this show is how epic it is but yet how it manages to be fairly minimal. What I mean is that there's tons of great action scenes to spare and a huge scale of fighting, but yet there's only about two or three characters in the entire show! The main character Jack and his archenemy Aku. That's really all you need to know. Episodes always brought something different to the table with fantastic robot and creature designs. I hadn't even heard of the voice actor Mako before this and am sorry that he passed away before this show continued.

It really does have a bit of everything. Some of the episodes seem a bit out of place. A couple don't fit much into the continuity and were more like self parodies. In a show that works wonderfully serious, the more light-hearted stuff works surprisingly well. As someone who watched a lot of "MadTV", it was weird for me to not recognize Phil LaMarr's voice. It's so wonderfully graceful. This show is basically just a beautiful montage of wonderful action scenes with perfect atmosphere. It may not have the most characters, but works great with what it has. ****

It's a good show I like it but it gets boring sometimes. My favorite season is season 5, I think it was a great way to finish this series . My least favorite season was season 2, I think that it was the most boring season, they were some good episodes that save it from being a bad season. Season 1 was a great start for this series and I kinda felt the same with the other seasons I didn't mentioned. Overall a good show I love alot about this show is just boring sometimes, and the animation can seem a little dated that's all.

seriously this thing is stupid. i just cant bring myself to believe that ANYONE would like this junk... its either that there's no plot or the plot is just a dragging line of nonsense made so that they could make more episodes. its this samurai who got sent into the future and then had to kill robot ants and stuff and in the end has to kill an "evil black guy" . every episode he kills some robot army whos "lazers" just wouldn't hit him. there's no real action either, just showing this guy's sword swinging and then a pile of dead "bleeding" robots(how do robots bleed???). its got nothing "samurai" about it... the graphic suckes too. "original", but sucks. well if ur a jerk u might at least enjoy laughing at how stupid this cartoon is...

One of the things that sets Jack apart from other animated action series is its use of subtlety. Though full of scenes of intense action, there are also long stretches with no dialogue, using imagery to tell the story. The art direction is excellent. Some viewers find the characters have a strange graphic style but it works well in the context of the strange world where Jack finds himself.

I especially like the use of different sizes of wide-screen to aid in the story-telling. A full-frame scene will shift to different ratios of widescreen to emphasize images such as a great distance between two characters or to focus on one's eyes. The series also includes subtle humour (note again, subtlety), such as Jack dressing up as a teenager to infiltrate a rave party or accidentally being transformed into a chicken!

Phil LaMarr is excellent as usual as Jack and Mako is the perfect voice for Aku. Those who dismiss it as an anime rip-off should consider the difference between "rip-off" and "inspired by".

When you watch a movie like Shichinin no Samurai, Spartacus, or one of the contemporary ones, The Lord of the Rings, you get the feeling that is so genuine, so imposing that you sense the change of your heart rate, in the scene of Aragorn's Speech at the Black Gate for instance. Samurai Jack, simply gives you the same emotion, and thrill for every single episode of it.

Even in the episodes that the cartoon does not sustain any concerns about giving messages, the show excites you and makes you feel wonder about it. Scenes presenting a minimalist description with all details and the objects used intentionally are so realistic, and more than being realistic, so appropriate, and just. Basic elements like evil and good, justice and injustice, past and future, conventionalism or tradition and modernism or mechanization are presented so inventive, since you expect nothing more than originality from a cartoon, this show is exact and complete. Samurai Jack is also entertaining, as a cartoon should be, containing absurd comedy elements that are situational.

If I had a chance to turn a cartoon into movie, that cartoon would definitely be Samurai Jack, yet, maybe the perfection of the show is due to its type and drawings. So, just enjoying the show as it is, is the best chance to have.

I remeber watching Samurai jack everyday on tv and it was the best time of the day, each episode makes forget everything around you and just watch the episode it makes you go to a good mood that you cant discribe. Brilliant work.

Samurai Jack is one of the greatest pieces of art out there. Every episode is just so good. Samurai Jack is a lonely samurai thrown into the future by Aku, the main villain. That is the intro and the premise of every episode. Artistically the action is superb. In many episodes you can see small hints and homages to other action movies or classics. Every episode is like a different movie such as dramatic story, gripping action, kung fu movie, or classic children's story.

Growing up Samurai Jack was one of my favorite shows. That means a lot because I believe it was the Cartoon Network golden age, in roughly 2000 to around 2005. They had a strong lineup with Toonami and many DC animations such as Batman, Justice League, and Superman. But I always liked Samurai Jack the best. I aspired to be like Samurai Jack.

I loved this as a Child and rewatched the whole series as an adult. Still no TV show is on par with this masterpiece. In fact the show was better watching it as an adult. I would have to say the best episode is "Samurai VS Ninja" S4 E1.

I REALLY love Samurai Jack. It is among my MOST favorite animated show from the 2000s. I'm a 2000s kid, and I love this show. I know Genndy's other show Dexter's Laboratory didn't become as funny as it used to be when later Loud House creator Chris Savino took over, but it can still be entertaining. However, Samurai Jack is Genndy Tartakovsky's best show ever. Samurai Jack is absolutely flawless!! It used to be one of Cartoon Network's best shows of all time, NOW it's become Adult Swim's BEST show of all time. Yes, because Adult Swim gave Samurai Jack one more season! Samurai Jack DEFINES Cartoon Network AND Adult Swim. The action sequences were awesome, the animation was awesome, the characters were awesome, everything about Samurai Jack was awesome!! I am so glad Adult Swim is giving Samurai Jack a proper conclusion.

This is probably the best cartoon series I know or have ever watched. Every episode is a beautiful piece of artwork, the accompanying music adds mountains to the flavour. Highly recommend every person who loves manga or animation to watch this.

I know I am going to get a lot of hate for this review, but here goes...

I never watched Samurai Jack as a kid, but I often saw it was on Cartoon Network. I just preferred watching things like Ed, Edd and Eddy, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Cow and Chicken and a whole host of mindnumbing cartoons. Samurai Jack always came across as too serious for my childish mind. However, at the ripe old age of 25 I decided to embark on the quest to watch this, since it was notably commissioned for an extra season in 2017.

I am going to divide this review in two parts: seasons 1-4, then season 5 on its own (as will be made clear). The story follows a samurai trapped in the future by an evil 'Aku', and the series follows his quests the defeat said evil. Seasons 1-4 attempt to show this, with each episode focusing on a minion sent by Aku, an entirely different villain, or Aku himself. Whilst I appreciated the journey Jack was going through, it felt somewhat lacklustre. As the series progressed, it felt less and less like Jack would ever truly face Aku and complete his objective. I won't spoil things for you, but I must say I felt deflated as each episode went by without ever feeling Jack would get back to the past.

The positives of seasons 1-4 are numerous. The animation style is excellent and original. Like in Dexter's Lab, the creator of Samurai Jack gives the protagonist and villain simple and sharp features which distinguishes them from everyone else. The backdrops are well thought out and you can see the effort that has been put into it. The voice acting is great, when it is there. One of the things people love about this cartoon is that it is the lack of a need for speech that makes this cartoon so excellent. I (controversially) disagree. A lack of speech makes it quite boring because not a lot actually happens in each episode. Having a few episodes being like this would have been great. But every episode? I remain to be convinced.

The other gripe I have about seasons 1-4 is that it doesn't really have a target audience. It is too dark and 'adulty' for children, yet it is too slow-paced and soft for adults. If it had a bit more action or adult themes I think it would have been more entertaining for people of my age.

Now onto season 5, an entirely different beast. Unlike seasons 1-4 where each episode is standalone and doesn't feel like it is going anywhere, season 5 is the complete opposite. You get a core plot to the series and it is a good one. The animation remains crisp and even improved from seasons 1-4. You even get more dialogue between the characters, including Jack. What I loved most is that it finally decided to become an adult cartoon. The plot is dark, yet interesting and the action is finally what I was hoping for. Overall, season 5 is what I had wanted from seasons 1-4 and then some.

All in all, Samurai Jack is not a bad cartoon, but it just isn't truly standout. Seasons 1-4 have a storyline that doesn't really satisfy the audience's need for a core plot or a sense of finality. However, season 5 makes up for this, making it the best season of the series. I would recommend you watch this film if you enjoy watching manga or other cartoons aimed at adults.

After the success of Dexter's Lab, Gendy decided to create something more daring. Samurai Jack remains his crowning acheievment, which ran 20 years ago and lasted 4 years until a cliffhanger finale in 2004 that would soon be resolved in 2017.

The visual style of Tartakovsky is of course stunning. Every scene and every shot is like a piece of art. The action is presented like Asian martial arts, the scenes follow each other almost like a dance.

Content-wise however, frankly I must say I found the series a little disappointing. When I watched the pilot episode, it seemed to promise a little more than the rest of the series could offer. I liked the historical setting and the mythological story of the first episode. I also liked the the future setting of the rest of the series. However, my complaint is that the plots of the episodes seem a little trivial. Every episode a new enemy is battle, with little connection between the episodes.

Still, visually it's one of the most stunning animated series I have seen.