Samurai Jack was one of those rare animated shows that felt like a game changer after seeing just one episode (like Batman the Animated Series or more recently Arcane). So great to see the art showcased here
It's absolutely true -- from the first time we saw it, there was something different and unusual happening here. The fact that they got away with it is kind of shocking.
Samurai Jack is my favorite show of all time! It's so wacky and original and colorful that it stands outside time, like an alien artifact. I was hooked from the first episode as a kid and blown away when I rewatched it in college.
It has the best sound design of any show I've watched. In "The three blind archers" episode, Jack blindfolds himself and then the black screen is slowly populated with sounds and pictures of birds (that gif on your article), deer, falling snow, a river... You get to to SEE the world through sound.
The "Samurai vs Ninja" episode uses just black and white to create a bizarre sequence of shifting shadows that is just unmatched. It's amazing how they set constraints for themselves that they push to the limits.
Tartakovsky's visual storytelling just kept getting more spartan and refined till he took it to a completely different level in Primal. I love Primal too, but Samurai Jack is just special. I love it so much, thank you so much for all the research - excited to check out all the influences here.
Thanks for this great comment! Totally agreed -- Samurai Jack is such a unique thing. The blind archers episode, the black-and-white one, the strange noir one with the robot. It's a list that goes and goes. Kind of shocking that they were given so much creative freedom and then were able to use it so brilliantly. Really glad you enjoyed the piece!
Love to hear that -- sometimes, it really feels like the show's had a larger impact outside the mainstream industry than inside it. Even Cartoon Saloon takes a lot of inspiration from Samurai Jack! It's great to see.
This piece really made Samurai Jack come alive for me - I love Genndy, but I'd kinda ignored this show since the immediate visual look is SO flat and SO abstracted, which can easily be dull and done wrong. Your breakdown here helped me see how it's so clearly done right, with the symbolic look distilling great filmmaking down to its core elements. I went back and watched the fight scene you mentioned and was floored by how much impact it packs into such a tight frame. Excited to watch more!
It's hard to describe how happy we were to read this comment -- our article opening up the series for you is just so wonderful to hear. Thank you for telling us, and hope you continue to enjoy the show!
Samurai Jack is one of my absolute favorite animated shows. The often sparse dialogue combined with cinematic action and absolutely gorgeous backgrounds set it on a pedestal that few shows before or since would ever achieve.
We admire the show so much. The more studying we do, the more of an anomaly Samurai Jack becomes. It's such a unique thing -- there's not really a single era of animation where it would "belong." Even the stuff most similar to it (Son of the White Mare, Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon, etc.) is very different from it. Just an awesome series.
I've never seen Samurai Jack but just seeing the backgrounds (which remind me of Eyvind Earle or Mary Blair) makes me want to go out and buy it all now.
I enjoyed Samurai Jack back when it first released. It was one of the best offerings on Cartoon Network and certainly the most original animation I remember from those days.
i remember this feeling. I was a kid, and I would feel sorry for Samurai Jack and how he is not able to go back to his real life. To evoke such feelings through the silence, the BGs and animation really talks about the quality this show was. Thank you for writing this piece.
It really does. There are so many episodes that have stuck with us -- the fact that a show like this could tell stories like the one where Jack reminisces about his past, for example, is wild. Thanks for the comment!
I loved this show growing up! The music was fun and the story was cool. It’s impressive that even as a young kid, it captivated me. Goes to show how good it really is.
Samurai Jack was one of those rare animated shows that felt like a game changer after seeing just one episode (like Batman the Animated Series or more recently Arcane). So great to see the art showcased here
It's absolutely true -- from the first time we saw it, there was something different and unusual happening here. The fact that they got away with it is kind of shocking.
Samurai Jack is my favorite show of all time! It's so wacky and original and colorful that it stands outside time, like an alien artifact. I was hooked from the first episode as a kid and blown away when I rewatched it in college.
It has the best sound design of any show I've watched. In "The three blind archers" episode, Jack blindfolds himself and then the black screen is slowly populated with sounds and pictures of birds (that gif on your article), deer, falling snow, a river... You get to to SEE the world through sound.
The "Samurai vs Ninja" episode uses just black and white to create a bizarre sequence of shifting shadows that is just unmatched. It's amazing how they set constraints for themselves that they push to the limits.
Tartakovsky's visual storytelling just kept getting more spartan and refined till he took it to a completely different level in Primal. I love Primal too, but Samurai Jack is just special. I love it so much, thank you so much for all the research - excited to check out all the influences here.
Thanks for this great comment! Totally agreed -- Samurai Jack is such a unique thing. The blind archers episode, the black-and-white one, the strange noir one with the robot. It's a list that goes and goes. Kind of shocking that they were given so much creative freedom and then were able to use it so brilliantly. Really glad you enjoyed the piece!
This is so awesome I loved Samurai Jack
Thanks very much! Glad you enjoyed the piece -- this series meant a lot to us back then.
love this show, and sharing with my kids. so many cool things about it. we enjoy unique things 😁
ejoying your substack very much 💜
Thank you! And it's awesome to hear that Samurai Jack is being passed down to new generations -- that legacy is living on.
Samurai Jack was one of those shows that kept me inspired to attempt animation in the independent sphere. Long live Genndy T.
Love to hear that -- sometimes, it really feels like the show's had a larger impact outside the mainstream industry than inside it. Even Cartoon Saloon takes a lot of inspiration from Samurai Jack! It's great to see.
The Breadwinner and the Secret of Kells are two of my favorite animated films to come out of that studio.
This piece really made Samurai Jack come alive for me - I love Genndy, but I'd kinda ignored this show since the immediate visual look is SO flat and SO abstracted, which can easily be dull and done wrong. Your breakdown here helped me see how it's so clearly done right, with the symbolic look distilling great filmmaking down to its core elements. I went back and watched the fight scene you mentioned and was floored by how much impact it packs into such a tight frame. Excited to watch more!
It's hard to describe how happy we were to read this comment -- our article opening up the series for you is just so wonderful to hear. Thank you for telling us, and hope you continue to enjoy the show!
Samurai Jack is one of my absolute favorite animated shows. The often sparse dialogue combined with cinematic action and absolutely gorgeous backgrounds set it on a pedestal that few shows before or since would ever achieve.
We admire the show so much. The more studying we do, the more of an anomaly Samurai Jack becomes. It's such a unique thing -- there's not really a single era of animation where it would "belong." Even the stuff most similar to it (Son of the White Mare, Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon, etc.) is very different from it. Just an awesome series.
Thank you for this piece 🩷 It is really a gift to get to learn more about Samurai Jack, one of the most inspiring shows ever
Very happy you enjoyed the write-up! It's one of those shows that holds up incredibly well -- in some ways, it's even better in hindsight.
You are doing God's work with articles like this!
I've never seen Samurai Jack but just seeing the backgrounds (which remind me of Eyvind Earle or Mary Blair) makes me want to go out and buy it all now.
Thanks so much! It's great that we could introduce you to the series -- hope you enjoy it if you end up checking it out.
I enjoyed Samurai Jack back when it first released. It was one of the best offerings on Cartoon Network and certainly the most original animation I remember from those days.
This is so good. Thanks for contextualizing and linking so much beautiful art!
Ah, thank you so much! Glad you liked it.
i remember this feeling. I was a kid, and I would feel sorry for Samurai Jack and how he is not able to go back to his real life. To evoke such feelings through the silence, the BGs and animation really talks about the quality this show was. Thank you for writing this piece.
It really does. There are so many episodes that have stuck with us -- the fact that a show like this could tell stories like the one where Jack reminisces about his past, for example, is wild. Thanks for the comment!
This is sooooo good :)
Thanks a ton! That's very kind.
I loved this show growing up! The music was fun and the story was cool. It’s impressive that even as a young kid, it captivated me. Goes to show how good it really is.
Absolutely! It's such a gem -- even now. Always nice to revisit a childhood show and realize that it actually *was* as good as you remembered.