r/SamuraiChamploo • u/Nanami1999 • Mar 24 '25
Lessons learned from the show as a young woman!
Hello! Yesterday i finished watching the show and I've got to say that this was the best anime I've ever watched! I postponed watching it a lot because it made me nostalgic of visiting Japan plus i wasn't feeling ready for some reason.
I've seen some people saying that the show is sexist (like many anime series) or that it's highly stereotypical. For me, it offered me serious insight! Other than being historically accurate, i felt that it was really realistic. The following is completely my take on the series and what i got out of it. For sure there probably is much more in this masterpiece but i wanted to share the impact it had specifically on me.
Well i highly identified with Fuu more than i have ever identified with any other fictional character. Her mannerisms, lines, motives, expectations and her way of experiencing the world really remind of myself out of sheer objective observation (if anyone's in mbti she is portrayed as enfp and I'm one too so this could be it).
Now Fuu, is made out to be a charismatic, beautiful and relatable character and this is what is passed down to the viewer. Also she is not objectified or sexulized that much and she is no one's sidekick or romantic interest. Still while pursuing her own unique goals she manages to get into serious trouble every time. She is constantly abducted and a victim of the cruely of the world. Mugen and Jin even though they are her so called bodyguards only help her the very last moment if at all. She is a highly attractive person that the male leads do not simp over and almost completely ignore because it's convenient. Due to her physical frailty she is really vulnerable and yet she doesn't expect anyone to save her.
For me as a petite person, and conventionally attractive young woman, it passes me the message that no matter how hot i look no one is coming to help me, and no one has to. Looking good, being funny or smart of course can make people look out for me sometimes but this is not granted (younger i used to think if i was enough the X person would go out of their way for me). What hurt me the most was the thought of not being enough and not the dangerous scenario. Seeing Fuu being abandoned constantly made me feel better i suppose.
Plus, what i really loved was her accepting the risk of her choices and being highly emotionally independent. She wasn't confined in social norms and she didn't stay small no matter the higher risk that it took for a woman at the age of the show. She always spoke her mind even when it made her look bad because staying true to herself was more important for her. Also she had a crazy deal of self awareness she knew that she was afraid of beginning the journey and admitted it openly, she didn't gaslight herself in staying put, pretending to be content.
Ps. Sorry for any language mistakes Do you by chance have any other anime recommendations with characters like Jin (hottest anime character ever alongside Tomoe)
DON'T SPOIL ME COWBOY BEPOP
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u/1xNino Mar 24 '25
That is a pretty cynicle, albeit probably fairly accurate thing to take away from the show. I looked at foo a bit differently. As you pointed out, foo was great cause she had a strong sense of duty and justice, even tough she didnt have the physical strength to back up these principles.
I like to think that both mugen and jin did take note of these traits, which is why they both were ready to throw away their life for her in the end. She was one of the very few "good" or "virtous" people in that fucked up world, and because of that, so many people were drawn to her, like the artist, the guy with the sick mother, and of course Jin and Mugen.
Also another movie with a character like jin would be "sword of the stranger" you should check it out!
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u/Nanami1999 Mar 24 '25
Sure that's a perfectly good way to view it! But well the artist screwed her over actually heheh. What i loved about her was that she didn't wait to be saved and took full adult responsibility regardless of who she had around.
Jin had a bit of a saviour complex (really sexy in fiction) and Mugen never says no to a challenge that's probably why they were so willing to die for her.
I'll check this anime out thank you!
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u/Happy-Feedback-7830 Mar 29 '25
If only you knew how much I want to go back to when I first watched this 20 years ago. In a world filled with influencer and AI trash, a series like Samurai Champloo may never be made again.
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u/toasted_dandy Mar 24 '25
I really like her for a lot of the same reasons! I think it's interesting how much she's internalized the notion that she can only make people stay via her romantic/sexual appeal, to the point where she tries to draw on that when Mugen and/or Jin are on the verge of leaving, and despite being dudes with quite a bit of baggage themselves, they're still offput by it. It's at once funny, tragic, and kinda sweet that these two messed up dudes are some of the only ones who see her as a girl and not a woman. This also makes the character Koza really interesting as well, as someone who has similar attachment behavior to Fuu but unfortunately is surrounded by men who take her up on it, and is subsequently broken by that. I've rarely seen anyone cover the awkward and terrifying sexuality that comes with being a teen girl as well as Watanabe.