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34 out of 35 people found the following review useful: A Truly Cinematic Cartoon, 19 January 2005 Author: Glen B.Wang (pip555@yahoo.com) from Malaysia
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!
31 out of 32 people found the following review useful: A brilliant production on every level., 10 August 2001 Author: Figaro-8 (greyfigaro@hotmail.com) from Columbia, SC
It seems that Genndy Tartakovsky was only getting warmed up with "Dexter's Laboratory" and "Powerpuff Girls". With those shows he proved he was a comic genius; with "Samurai Jack" he demonstrates that he is a genius, period. Every single aspect of the movie premiere is top-notch. Phil LaMarr is wonderful as Jack. James Venable's score beautifully captures the tone and has just the right mix of traditional Oriental and electronic sounds. I liked the fact that there did not seem to be any unnecessary dialogue (in fact several scenes--most notably the beginning--have almost no dialogue at all). The animation and backgrounds are very stylish and striking, and the filmmakers even allow the art to escape the confines of the square 1.33:1 TV ratio with some split-screen and widescreen shots used to great effect. It is my hope that the series continues to be as good as the premiere is. This will be on you "must-watch" list.
30 out of 31 people found the following review useful: A Godsend for American Animation, 12 August 2001 Author: trocoin from Worcester, MA
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.
29 out of 35 people found the following review useful: Brilliant, magnificent, imaginative, stunning, funny... Way too many adjectives left..., 26 October 2002 Author: hassenpheffer from New York City
I thought that America had no imagination left in the realm of animation. Yes, there's Disney and Don Bluth and Bakshi... But that was 'then'... I had no hope left... Then a teeny-tiny channel called "the Cartoon Network" appeared... Hmm... Dexter... Powerpuff Girls... Hmm... Then came a Samurai warrior... HOLY @#$%&*! Where did this come from? WOW! In the history of American animated TV series I have never seen such great craftmanship... The backgrounds are exquisite. Painted, airbrushed, computer-generated -I DON'T CARE!!! They are beautful. Not only in it's execution but it's scheer originality and beauty. The lack of symmetry and use of light and odd colors add to its uniqueness and effect. It adds so much to the wonder of the bizarre Aku-ruled Earth. ACTION! SO MUCH ACTION!!!! Wonderful, swift, exciting and technically magnificent. The fight scenes are choreographed wonderfully and just plain EXCITING!!! I've never said that about any animated show! Jack's eyes and movements flow sweetly and say so much. Very few cartoons come across so well (Ren & Stimpy is an exception) with such grace and simplicity without losing it's integrity. But the artwork isn't the end of it: GREAT WRITING!!! What's that? Writing? Wha? Yes. The terrific stories and engaging characters are just as electric and fresh as the artwork that represents it. Every time I watch an episode there is always something I don't expect. So much creativity pours from either the animator's pens or the writer's pens. BEST ANIMATED SHOW OF ALL TIME. Yes, even better than BATTLE OF THE PLANETS... well maybe... ;)
19 out of 19 people found the following review useful: The best thing to ever come out of Cartoon Network, 23 August 2006 Author: composer_mike from Edoass
-One of the many reasons why the show works for me is the silence factor because you hardly hear a long winded conversation from any of the characters. I think Aku is probably the only one that you can count on having a lot of dialog in the show where as Jack is a silent warrior trying his best to get back home. Everything is shown to you and done with facial expression rather than waste your time with characters making silly statements. The absence of music in a lot of the episodes also helps make it great because whiles the brief musical moments we get are great a bulk of the show relies on the natural sounds around us to sell the humor and the danger of Jack's current predicament. Jack himself is voiced by former "MAD TV" funny man Phil Lamar and he whiles he doesn't have the most lines the little he says is enough to make one sit up right and pay attention. The evil Aku is voiced by Mako and he is one voice you will never forget because he narrates the show's opening and usually has the most lines in the show.-The animation style is that of great art with its simple fashion that relies more on making a great looking anime that fits the tone of the world rather than making all the moves of the characters super realistic. It is done by the same guys behind "Powerpuff Girls" so expect to see a lot of bug eyed people and flat environments. Giving the animation a cinematic feel and helping the show feel like a little movie than a cartoon show is the camera angles which switches sides depending on what were suppose to be looking at. If were looking at a great space of land then we go super, super wide with more than half of the screen being cut off to ensure that you pay attention to what you're suppose to be looking at and when danger is abound we go to a closed box angle that makes you pay very close attention to the characters facial expression and what could possibly be behind them.-Most shows have a weak episode that you brush off as not being one of their best but I never had that problem with this show since every episode was a solid as a rock. You'd think the concept about a man trying to get home would run out of ideas after three episodes but this show just kept bringing the greatness and never for a moment lost its edge. Of all the great episodes of this classic my personal favorite ones are probably the episode in which Jack has to climb a very tall mountain in order to get to this next destination but before he does he gets into a fight one of Aku's boys which leaves him exhausted but through all that Jack still manages to get the courage to climb to the top only to find that there is more to climb. That pretty much captures the whole essence of the show and what Jack has to suffer through because just when he thinks he's overcome one obstacle there's another in his way but he never gives up or complains instead he just keeps on trucking.-Another one of my personal favorites is the one where Jack has to fight three ancient Egyptian creatures whiles trying to stay warm. After all is said done with that episode Jack just quietly goes back to trying to start a fire so he can stay warm again and through out that whole time there isn't loud glorious music when he's done nor does do we have dramatic camera angles of Jack celebrating but instead he just goes back to doing what he was doing before which is one of the reasons this show is so bleepin' awesome. The one with the Irish man that starts off as one of Jack's toughest opponent and ends being one of his best friends in the whole series is also a great one. The show never forgets about the guy because in later episodes he comes back and we even get to meet his less than lovely wife.-Usually great stories and entertainment of this caliber are reserved for Mature Japan anime but somehow this show captured all the greatness of "Bebop" and other great amines and made it kid friendly. There is a lot of action in each episode but they are done with cartoonish style that whiles looking cool as hell still manages to be not so extreme. Gendy Tartokosky *if I spelled that right* is a great example of why type casting is wrong because if you look at the stuff he's done in the past like "Dexter's Lab" and "Powerpuff" you'll dismiss him as someone that only did childish shows but he completely takes a different approach with this as he did with the "Clone Wars" series. Where as "Clone Wars" was more like taking on someone else's project this one this one is all 100% original and hopefully someday we'll get a live action version of "Samurai Jack". I have a "friend" who thinks he could do something special with the story.-It's hard for me to find anyone that doesn't like amazing show but I guess someone out there will manage to find something to hate about it.highest of recommendations
16 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Subtly brilliant, 12 June 2004 Author: StayinFrosty from Ontario, Canada
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".
17 out of 19 people found the following review useful: The Age of the Samurai has returned..., 25 March 2004 Author: dinoman214
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.
14 out of 17 people found the following review useful: If Kurasawa directed a cartoon, SAMURAI JACK would be it, 11 August 2001 Author: coverme6 from Allentown, PA
Rich in visual design, and with an dark, gritty atmosphere, SAMURAI JACK is a landmark cartoon in the making. It tells the story of a Japanese warrior with the unlikely name of Jack who undergoes some serious training to take on a ruthless wizard named Aku (which means "evil" in Japanese). Filled with hard-edged action (but with no grapic violence, since SAMURAI JACK is a product of the Cartoon Network) and a nifty storyboard that switches from feudal Japan to a BLADE RUNNER-like future, SAMURAI JACK is an animated revevaltion waiting to happen.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Long Ago In A Distant Land..., 21 February 2007 Author: zleverton from Canada
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.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful: "Gotta Get Back. Back to the Past, Samurai Jack. Hmm...Could Use a Snappier Theme Song!, 20 September 2003 Author: (robocoptng986127@aol.com) from U.S.A
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
[MAY BE SPOILERS] A very evil, shape-shifting wizard known as Aku, has plagued the land. He's like a cancer. Well, along comes just the cure...Samurai Jack! With him is his super Samurai sword. It's no ordinary sword. It was made by magic steel by some very powerful sorcerers. It is this sword and this sword alone that can harm Aku. Suddenly Aku tricks Jack and transports him into a world hundreds of years into the future. It is an enigmatic and quite bizarre world where Aku rules. Jack must use his training wisely to overcome any foe that comes to him if he is to return to his own time and vanquish Aku once and for all! Jack is confronted from all kinds of villains, like monsters, statues and robots and all the while, Aku keeps a close eye on him and jumps at every opportunity to make more trouble for him. I've recently began to view this show and it is pretty interesting. It's strange, as well as action packed. I'm hoping that some day Jack will finally get home and defeat Aku! Aku is just plain mean and isn't a very likeable character. Especially in the time he teased Jack with an open portal to go back home as he dangled it over Jack's head and no matter how high he jumped, he couldn't get through it. Another time, Aku got hold of Jack's Samurai sword and then chased him all over a graveyard trying to slice him to ribbons. But luckily it could not harm Jack, so he took back the sword and cut Aku down to size. Another time, Jack was in an arena surrounded by seven menacing bosses. He took them all out in a matter of minutes. How about the time he was in the forest and surrounded by thousands of robotic soldiers? No matter what, Jack can always get himself out of a jam. And each time he has the opportunity to go home, he misses it at the last minute, like a recent episode in which Jack has to reach a mountain top to go through a portal that leads back through time. Unfortunately the mountain top was hundreds of miles high and Jack and his friends were plagued by hundreds of killer statues. Jack gave up his ride home to help his friends. Aku isn't the only menace in this new world. Like the other night in which Jack enters this strange house and finds a stone wall where the doors and windows used to be. No matter what the obstacle, Jack can find a way out. I do hope that one day he does get back to his own time and kill Aku. If he did, that wouldn't have to be the end of the series. They could just create a new plot arc with new enemies for Jack to fight. I once heard of a Samurai Jack movie, but now I guess they aren't going to make one. Oh well. Anyway, Samurai Jack is from the guy who created Dexter's Laboratory which has recently turned very lame. They should cancel it. Genndy Tartakovski will soon produce a micro- series called Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which includes 20 three minute episodes. Three minutes? What can they accomplish in only three minutes? Oh well, I guess we'll have to watch to find out. In the meantime, I recommend Samurai Jack. If you liked Martial Arts cartoons and fighting and cartoons that aren't quite drawn to perfection, then Samurai Jack is for you.-
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