A live-action adaptation of Samurai Champloo is currently in early development. According to Tomorrow Studios, the company behind the live-action One Piece, producers want the original creator Shinichiro Watanabe to be involved in the project.
Producer Becky Clements told Variety that the team recently had dinner with Watanabe in Japan and invited him to participate in the creative process if the project moves forward.
The series is still at an early stage, so many details are not confirmed yet. However, Clements said that music will be an important part of the adaptation, just like in the original anime. The studio also plans to work with a major recording artist to define the show’s sound.
Tomorrow Studios learned from its past experience with the live-action Cowboy Bebop, which was cancelled after one season. In comparison, the success of One Piece showed the importance of involving the original creator in the project.
The original Samurai Champloo anime aired in 2004 and was directed by Shinichiro Watanabe at Manglobe. The series mixes samurai action with hip-hop culture and remains a popular title among anime fans. Crunchyroll streams the series and describes as follows:
Mugen is a ferocious, animalistic warrior with a fighting style inspired by break-dancing. Jin is a ronin samurai who wanders the countryside alone. They may not be friends, but their paths continually cross. And when ditzy waitress Fuu gets them out of hot water with the local magistrate, they agree to join her search for the samurai who smells like sunflowers.
Source: Variety
