An animated saga of good versus evil
ThorBjorn | Minnesota | 08/03/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"On a bizarre, futuristic alternate Earth, a lone samurai armed only with the magic sword of his ancestors, treks through a savage world on his quest to return to his own time.
Samurai Jack fights his way through hordes of wierd alien warriors and criminal thugs, robotic armies, and dangerous monsters. He was the prince of a mythical Japanese kingdom in a previous time, liberating his nation from the enslavement of Aku (voiced by Mako), a powerful but buffoonish demonic being who is the embodiment of all things evil. Jack triumphs over Aku, but Aku cast a spell on Jack, sending him many centuries into the future. Jack finds himself in a nightmarish dystopian world subjugated by Aku's all-powerful totalitarian police-state.
Precisely WHY is this an excellent show for young people?
In this profoundly imaginitive series, Samurai Jack is a noble warrior fighting for the cause of justice, right, and good. He generously helps many oppressed people along the way, teaching them how to fight Aku's evil armies and gangs of henchmen. In the course of his quest, Jack frequently endures harsh ordeals of battle, deprivation, climate, and basic survival. He bravely stands alone against powerful adversaries who sometimes inflict grievous and brutal abuse upon him, forcing him to retreat and re-assess his strategy.
... But then Jack counter-attacks with new tactics and even greater resolve, and prevails against his opponents. He NEVER gives up!
Being a father, I have largely searched in vain for contemporary cartoons that have anything of substance, suitable for my child.
Children are exposed to quite a bit of nondescript meaningless trash, in animated form. Samurai Jack is a most welcome exception!
I find this to be a triumphant, intelligent, and truly worthy presentation of the heroic ideal for young viewers."
Samurai Jack - The Greatest Animated Series Ever!!!
Slick Jimmy | Utah | 08/21/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Samurai Jack!!! The Best Of The Best!!!
I have always loved cartoons, but in the past few years television animation has degenerated for the most part into inane nonsense with no real message or clever writing. There are exceptions however, and chief among them is the masterpiece of animation that is Samurai Jack.
This Emmy Award winning series is in my humble opinion, nothing short of the greatest animated series ever! Why Cartoon Network ceased its production of the show will always remain a mystery to me. I still think of it as a travesty of monumental proportions.
Each episode in this brilliant series is well written, and amazingly executed. This is not your basic slapped together Saturday morning cartoon. Samurai Jack is high art. There was never anything like it before on television, and there has not been anything to match it since.
Each episode has a theme and a message that can be translated into values and ethics that really matter in life; courage, honor, loyalty, generosity, tenacity, integrity, intelligence, humor, respect, beauty, magnanimity, and education are writ large upon the sandaled path of Samurai Jack's quest.
All of this is rendered in vividly astonishing and utterly unique animation that is cinematic and epic in nature, not to mention every frame could be made into a fine art print. Samurai Jack with his magical, ancestral katana in gripped firmly in hand, though alone in a world strange and unknown to him, he stands resolute and triumphant against impossible odds, striving ever forward to defeat evil, uphold justice and mercy, and return to defend his homeland from misery and destruction, thus saving the world from a future of bondage and terror.
If you want a magnificent piece of art and literature purchase this series.
'Nough said."
Samurai Jack:The Complete Seasons1-4 by Phil LaMarr,Mako
Ada Elba Mcallister | Savannah, Georgia | 06/02/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This a very thought out series.The animation and story different and innovated. I give it thumbs up."
Samurai Jack Happy!
Stacie G | Houston,TX | 11/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My 6 year old daughter, my husband and I all love Samurai Jack. I was overjoyed to see this set offered. Wonderful!!"