Warning: Spoiler for One-Punch Man Chapter #188 (JP)One-Punch ManThe latest chapter of the series introduces two new characters that seem to take a lot of inspiration from Shinichiro Watanabe’s classic anime Samurai Champloo, better known as the creator of Cowboy Bebop.
Chapter #188 (in Japanese numbering) of One-Punch Man focuses on the remnants of the Council of Swordsmen, who suffered some pretty heavy casualties during the battle with the Monster Association. The group’s eldest brother, Nichirin, is revealed to have survived, given a new prosthetic leg to replace the limb he lost, but he was joined by two children of fellow swordsmen. fell by himself. One of these never-before-seen characters bears a striking resemblance to Samurai Champloo’s bespectacled ronin, Jin, while the other has a unique design with a personality somewhat similar to Mugen from the same series.
One-Punch Man pays respects to the characters of Samurai Champloo
One-Punch Man isn’t above creating thinly veiled simulation characters from other anime and manga series, as can be seen with Garou’s apparent Vegeta-inspired look and behavior. The newly introduced character Shido, said to be the son of Zanbai, continues this tradition by borrowing heavily from Jin’s appearance in Samurai Champloo. He’s tall, with dark hair and a dark robe, easily recognizable by his glasses, just like Jin. Their personalities also seem to be quite similar, as Jin is a quiet, formal man and lets his sword skills speak for themselves.
The other character introduced, Yuta, is less obvious. Her appearance seems to be completely original and she wields dual swords, something none of the characters in Champloo can really do. What seems more reminiscent of that series is her behavior and dynamics with Shido, making her the wild member of the pair, much like Mugen is to Jin in Samurai Champloo. It remains to be seen exactly how this relationship will play out, but there’s no denying that Shido is the one making a direct reference to Jin. It’s a fitting inspiration for a character who currently has a role on the Council of Swordsmen, especially if the group is going to be a bit more focused in the near future, as it seems.
One-Punch Man keeps adding new elements to its story, and that’s good
At least, Shido doesn’t seem to be a parody of Jin, more like an homage to him, so Samurai Champloo fans can rest easy knowing that their blue samurai is still revered. important. Shido’s name is derived from a Japanese word meaning “path of chivalry”, a fitting description for Jin. EQUAL One-Punch Man continues to introduce new characters, the series is evolving in a whole new direction and these mentions of Samurai Champloo are just another sign that things are changing.