Essential viewing. 10/10. It is not just a cartoon. It is a myth.
Aku is hilarious. He is melodramatic, petty, and easily frustrated. When he tries to destroy Jack and fails, he throws a tantrum like a spoiled emperor. Yet, his laugh is genuinely chilling. He represents hopelessness. He is the evil that has already won. Watching Jack frustrate Aku every single episode is the simple, satisfying engine that drives the show. Samurai Jack - Season 1 is a relic in the best sense of the word. It trusts its audience to keep up without being spoon-fed. It treats animation as a cinematic medium, not just a product for kids. Samurai Jack - Season 1
Tartakovsky, a disciple of animation giants like Chuck Jones, understands "slow." In an age of quick cuts, Jack holds on wide shots. You watch a tiny, robed figure walk across a massive, alien desert. You watch rain fall on a futuristic city. You watch the samurai stand perfectly still before striking. Essential viewing
It is a show about loneliness, honor, and the struggle to keep fighting when you are displaced in time. Whether you are watching for the first time or the tenth, the pilot episode—where Jack stands on a cliff overlooking a corrupted city—hits just as hard. It is a myth
Have you watched Season 1 recently? Did the Scotsman steal the show for you, or the blind archers? Let me know in the comments.
There are cartoons you watch because you’re bored. Then there are cartoons that feel like a meditation. Samurai Jack - Season 1 falls squarely into the latter category.