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Jack Into Cutting
Edge Animation Every once in a while, a program breaks through the moldy layers of recycled television premises with a concept so strikingly original that viewers cannot help but take notice. The Cartoon Network's new action/adventure series Samurai Jack is just such a show. Though Samurai Jack is not without shortcomings, it is so breathtakingly and comprehensively innovative that the show is an absolute must-see, if only to redefine one's notions of what cartoons can and cannot do. Samurai Jack tells of an evil shape-shifter named Aku who descended upon the land and began to wreak havoc. A valiant samurai warrior was about to vanquish him in battle when the devious Aku opened a time portal and thrust the samurai into the future, where Aku reigns supreme. The samurai is dubbed "Jack" by the local people he inspires through his continued battles against Aku's forces of evil. It is an intriguing premise, but the plot is really of secondary consideration when watching this show. The most immediately amazing aspects of each episode are the painstakingly crafted backgrounds, which detail autumn forests, sweeping plains, and seedy villages with a vivid intensity beyond anything a cartoon series has accomplished before. The characters themselves are highly stylized, but rather than adopting the anime style so common to current cartoons, creator Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter's Laboratory) has forged a new unique style by combining ancient Japanese art, the realism of Japanese samurai cinema and the traditional disproportionate characters of cartoons. The result is a distinct visual mix of fantasy and reality. Samurai Jack is also revolutionary in the presentation of its material. Most cartoons move the story along rapidly, presenting gags or action at a basically non-stop pace. Samurai Jack takes every opportunity to build atmospheres and create moods. Like an Akira Kurosawa film, long, lingering shots allow the viewer to soak in every inch of the beautiful frame, which is so cinematic in nature that it is occasionally letterboxed as not to omit a fraction of the animator's work. This type of pacing is a treat for animation fans, but it may frustrate younger viewers seeking some action. Another unique but potentially vexing aspect of Samurai Jack is the sparse amount of dialogue spoken in a typical episode. Jack himself is the strong, silent type, and there aren't any recurring supporting characters to speak of, so entire segments can go by with nary a word spoken. Most of the dialogue takes place during the least-inspired moments of the show, when Jack recalls his martial-arts training. His mentor, the same type of stereotypical Asian elder viewers have seen since Kung Fu, espouses equally stereotypical wisdom in the form of Confucious-like proverbs. Other problems with Samurai Jack result from its futuristic setting. The world Jack travels looks like feudal Japan, not a futuristic metropolis. At times, it seems like the writers and animators are actively ignoring the notion that Jack has traveled forward in time- warriors use swords and bows and arrows, and there are little other indications of progress to be seen. Some of Jack's enemies are lifelike robots, but that is likely just a convenient method of removing bloodshed from the program for the benefit of the younger audience. Finally, the trance/hip-hop soundtrack is completely inappropriate for the show. It gives musical sequences a disturbing echo of anachronism. Bearing the aforementioned shortcomings in mind, Samurai
Jack probably isn't for everyone. However, viewers who approach Samurai Jack with an open
mind will be greatly rewarded with a meticulously prepared and utterly unique program. |
