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Samurai Jack Season 5 |OT| But Yeah, I’m Thinking I’m Back.

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F

FlowersisBritish

fleurs n'est pas britannique
Ha! I remember being kinda down on the series in the beginning and people turned against me, calling me crazy. Well, look how the tables have turned! I actually turned around again and like this season by the end. Not perfect, but like an 8.5, which is very good.

I had so many mixed feelings about Ashi in the beginning, but she did grow on me. I think it was the one-offs, the episodes that felt most like "Samurai Jack" that turned me around on her as they go on kinda silly adventures. The ending felt kind of like a poor man's
Gurren Laggan
but at least it offered a conclusion. Though I didn't quite get over the mental hurdle of the papa/daughter feeling in the beginning to full blown romantic relationship. Also Jack shaving. That was probably the second worst thing in the series.

The worst thing I think was that I didn't swing around on was Aku. The entire season he didn't feel right. He felt.... off and I think it was in large part the different voice actor. Aku just didn't' carry the same charisma, the same dark silliness as he did before, which is a shame because this season felt like it should have been perfect for Aku to do some real evil.
 
D

dmshaposv

Member
You can't have a mopey Samurai Jack for the entire season. It would take away from being Samurai Jack and making into a different show instead.

I actually think it would be ridiculous to have punished Jack for too long. The season was his redemption so at some point he had to get out of it.

The seasons first 3 episodes were slower paced till they ramped up the pacing in the later half. This is a format most good S1/standalone series do. You could argue that the pacing as a whole for the season could be better but as it stands the story from start to finish ended very satisfactorily.
 
J

Jarmel

Banned
EmCeeGramr said:
Ashi: Jack... without Aku, I would have never existed. (whoosh)

Jack: No... her final words to me... were unnecessary exposition.

Emperor: Son...

Jack: Yes, father?

Emperor: Why did she call you "Jack"?

Jack: That's... oh whoops lol i never told my true love my name lmao
Click to expand...

I just watched the final episode and I couldn't stop laughing precisely because of that.
 
O

Otakumegane

Member
I would have enjoyed it much more if the season revolved even more on the daughters of Aku dying off one by one as episodes progressed (and which each death having the daughters figure out Aku's Powers) and Jack eventually realizing that they had no choice and made his effort to convert them and become worthy of the Sword in the process.

The first four episodes or so were the highlight of the entire series. After that is kinda just dropped.
 
J

Jarmel

Banned
Here's the thing, it's not even a good ripoff of Gurren Lagann. Nia's farewell is much more moving than Ashi who just gives off a line of exposition and disappears. Jack doesn't know about how killing Aku will make the future or Ashi disappear in advance so it just comes off as some casual byproduct rather than being a driving force in his later decisions. Hell, at least Nia survives through the wedding so there is a reason why Nakashima/Imaishi don't kill her off immediately after the Anti-Spiral is gone. Here Ashi doesn't even get down the aisle.

I absolutely hate the TTGL ending but damn, I now appreciate what it actually did right.
 
Astral Dog

Astral Dog

Member
FlowersisBritish said:
The worst thing I think was that I didn't swing around on was Aku. The entire season he didn't feel right. He felt.... off and I think it was in large part the different voice actor. Aku just didn't' carry the same charisma, the same dark silliness as he did before, which is a shame because this season felt like it should have been perfect for Aku to do some real evil.
Click to expand...
because he was depressed
 
J

Jarmel

Banned
I haven't even touched how Aku just rolls over at the end. Motherfucker you know he's going back in time and you don't jump in to intervene? wtf

Jack finishing off a weakened Aku was immensely unsatisfying. I was expecting a huge duel between the two and nope.
 
H

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
Jarmel said:
I haven't even touched how Aku just rolls over at the end. Motherfucker you know he's going back in time and you don't jump in to intervene? wtf

Jack finishing off a weakened Aku was immensely unsatisfying. I was expecting a huge duel between the two and nope.
Click to expand...

the question has never really been "can samurai jack beat Aku"

we know he can

he did in the very first episode of the show

the question was can he get back to finish him off
 
M

Moaradin

Member
Yeah, I'm not sure why anyone expected some big epic duel between them tbh. Samurai Jack destroys Aku in every fight they have. Aku has no chance if he has his sword. All he does in the entire series is turn into a bat and flies away.
 
D

Defect

Member
I only really had issues with the pacing in the last three episodes, moreso the finale but the entire season FELT like Samurai Jack. If anything the first three episodes felt less like it even though they were fantastic.

There's the delayed Ashi disappearing thing too but I'm not going to dwell on it. We would've been fine with it as kids if it ended this way back in the day.

Could've been better but in fine with it.
 
A

Azure Dream

Member
Jarmel said:
I haven't even touched how Aku just rolls over at the end. Motherfucker you know he's going back in time and you don't jump in to intervene? wtf
Click to expand...

It's possible Aku can't time travel himself, especially under his own power. He reaches into a Time Portal to grab Jack at one point, but that's it.

Ashi might've been a special case due to her parentage, but we see how that turned out for her.
 
B

B-Dubs

No Scrubs
Htown said:
the question has never really been "can samurai jack beat Aku"

we know he can

he did in the very first episode of the show

the question was can he get back to finish him off
Click to expand...

Yup. Jack had already beaten Aku in episode one, he just had to get back to finish the job. The series was always going to end with Jack jumping into the portal and popping out just after Aku sent him to the future.
 
K

KimonoNoNo

Member
B-Dubs said:
Yup. Jack had already beaten Aku in episode one, he just had to get back to finish the job. The series was always going to end with Jack jumping into the portal and popping out just after Aku sent him to the future.
Click to expand...
I had a chuckle at Aku's "You're back already".
 
B

Biske

Member
B-Dubs said:
Yup. Jack had already beaten Aku in episode one, he just had to get back to finish the job. The series was always going to end with Jack jumping into the portal and popping out just after Aku sent him to the future.
Click to expand...

It's pretty bad ass actually to realize that all his training as a boy, was on point and fucking worked.

Aku needed thousands of years to build up enough to fuck with Jack.
 
J

Jarmel

Banned
Azure Dream said:
It's possible Aku can't time travel himself, especially under his own power. He reaches into a Time Portal to grab Jack at one point, but that's it.

Ashi might've been a special case due to her parentage, but we see how that turned out for her.
Click to expand...

That's never explained in the show. It never sets up any ground rules and so we have a case where Ashi opens up a whole new set of questions. If they were going to go this route then they needed some extra lines either earlier or in this episode to explain why Aku never went back himself. They even clearly state that she has the same powerset as him so I guess he just rolls over at the end.
 
Ultimadrago

Ultimadrago

Member
I recently completed this. It could have used a few more episodes to have a slightly less speedy arc for the ending (and for Ashi's growth), but the focus and direction were on-point. In the end, I'm more glad it was shorter than longer. I really liked what Genndy was able to make out of this. It's my favorite season of Samurai Jack.
 
A

Admiral Woofington

Member
Defect said:
I only really had issues with the pacing in the last three episodes, moreso the finale but the entire season FELT like Samurai Jack. If anything the first three episodes felt less like it even though they were fantastic.

There's the delayed Ashi disappearing thing too but I'm not going to dwell on it. We would've been fine with it as kids if it ended this way back in the day.

Could've been better but in fine with it.
Click to expand...

as a kid I liked Adam Sandler movies and thought he was god's gift to this world. I don't trust Kid Woofington.
 
C

caliph95

Member
Defect said:
I only really had issues with the pacing in the last three episodes, moreso the finale but the entire season FELT like Samurai Jack. If anything the first three episodes felt less like it even though they were fantastic.

There's the delayed Ashi disappearing thing too but I'm not going to dwell on it. We would've been fine with it as kids if it ended this way back in the day.

Could've been better but in fine with it.
Click to expand...
Kid me would like anything not "boring" on the screen

Kid me was an idiot
Admiral Woofington said:
as a kid I liked Adam Sandler movies and thought he was god's gift to this world. I don't trust Kid Woofington.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't trust kid caliph either
 
T

Terareflection

Member
Ashi felt like just another plot device to further Jack's character rather than a deuteragonist.

My big disappointment, the show's at it's best when it's just action scenes. Anything plot related just moves too fast. far too convenient.

Still better than most TV though.
 
M

Mr-Joker

Banned
I just finished watching it and I have to say...I found it to be okay if not a little underwhelming.

My biggest problem is that it feels like they are trying to cram Jack's redemption, Ashi seeing the light, Jack and Ashi relationship and the showdown between Jack and Ashi all in one season.

We needed a few more episode to explore that angle with it leading up to Jack and Aku final showdown.

I also do not like how they pulled a half baked Gurren Lagann ending as not is it not done well but it just comes off as a jerk move after what Jack has gone through.

What they should have done is that Aku tell Jack that if he goes back in time and kill Aku then Ashi would have never been born and tries to bait him in giving up, but Ashi doesn't give Jack the choice and just sends him back with her in the future.

Jack fights Aku in the past, with Aku teasing Jack that he can send him to the future to be with Ashi with Jack struggling but ends up rejecting Aku's offer and defeating him. Jack then celebrates his victory while reflecting on his adventure in the future and saying thank you to Ashi for helping him.
 
C

caliph95

Member
Terareflection said:
Ashi felt like just another plot device to further Jack's character rather than a deuteragonist.

My big disappointment, the show's at it's best when it's just action scenes. Anything plot related just moves too fast. far too convenient.

Still better than most TV though.
Click to expand...
That comment is such a pet peeve of mine since it doesn't mean anything as most stuff are bargain procedurals and reality tv also low budget babysitters

Also i disagree since is the only one to have a proper arc in the show though i agree everything else felt rushed
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Visually I can say that Samurai Jack is the cream of the crop so in that way yeah it is better than most TV out there.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Admiral Woofington said:
If visuals outweigh everything else in terms of what you consider the best of tv, then I'm sure you'd think every KyoAni show is like the 20x better than the Wire.
Click to expand...

Did I imply as much? I just said it looks far better than a lot of shows out there.

Edit: I could have been clearer I suppose
 
M

Mr Swine

Banned
Was there ever explained why Aku was never killed and was just sealed away? Hell, Aku says that he cannot get killed by the sword in episode 1.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Mr Swine said:
Was there ever explained why Aku was never killed and was just sealed away? Hell, Aku says that he cannot get killed by the sword in episode 1.
Click to expand...

He is some small piece of primordial evil, guess you just can't kill that.
 
A

Admiral Woofington

Member
Mr Swine said:
Was there ever explained why Aku was never killed and was just sealed away? Hell, Aku says that he cannot get killed by the sword in episode 1.
Click to expand...

are we sure he wasn't being cocky in ep 1? I mean he's clearly terrified of the sword and sends Jack away then does everything in his power to defeat him when he doesn't have the sword.
 
E

Ecotic

Member
Mr Swine said:
Was there ever explained why Aku was never killed and was just sealed away? Hell, Aku says that he cannot get killed by the sword in episode 1.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's a big discrepancy, Jack's father clearly had him defeated and should have destroyed Aku with the sword the first time around if it was possible (and as Jack later showed, it was).
 
U

User 73706

Banned
Ecotic said:
Yeah it's a big discrepancy, Jack's father clearly had him defeated and should have destroyed Aku with the sword the first time around if it was possible (and as Jack later showed, it was).
Click to expand...

Well, Aku's citadel is the "source", right? A tree sitting at the heart of that hugeass primordial tar pit thing he was originally wrought out of? Maybe to permanently destroy his material form he had to slay Aku along with the source material, rather than just cutting him down somewhere else.
 
N

NastyBook

Member
What a shit finale that bit from a shit finale of a shit show.

Get fucked, Genndy. You fucking hack.
LLShC.gif
 
X

Xe4

Banned
RebelTaxi did a pretty good Review/Retrospect on the entire series. The whole thing is really good and I recommend watching all of it.

If you want to just watch the part about season 5, it's the second link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etFdSKRueRQ&ab_channel=RebelTaxi
https://youtu.be/etFdSKRueRQ?t=18m25s

I mostly agree with the season 5 thoughts. It was a bit too rushed, which was my major problem with it. Though it was a good ending, and wrapped up the series as well as any ending could. I'm very happy with season 5 overall.

NastyBook said:
What a shit finale that bit from a shit finale of a shit show.

Get fucked, Genndy. You fucking hack.
LLShC.gif
Click to expand...

lol
 
Reptars Revenge

Reptars Revenge

Member
Mannnnn how much better would have it been if Jack had found the portal and fought the Guardian. Then when the guardian was on his last legs, Aku came in with the cheap shot.
 
L

LucidMomentum

Member
mayl3 said:
Mannnnn how much better would have it been if Jack had found the portal and fought the Guardian. Then when the guardian was on his last legs, Aku came in with the cheap shot.
Click to expand...

An episode for that, an episode more for the final conflict, and then maybe an epilogue episode would have been nice.
 
W

Waddle Dee

Member
Saw the whole thing last night and I quite enjoyed it. Pretty much all the things previous Samurai Jack seasons excelled at this season did even better.

That said, Samurai Jack was never about an overarching plot and that really shows throughout S5. It's very rushed and the finale leaves a bit to be desired. It was still a lot of fun but I think the first 3 episodes were the strongest.

I think the biggest problem was the strong focus on Ashi. She's a good character in her own right but so much time is dedicated to her and the romance felt unneeded. The show did a good job of only showing blood when it really needed to and didn't feel forced but the same cannot be said about the gratuitous fanservice. I appreciate the thicc memes and the "gotta get back, back to the ass" posts that were created as a result but in the end it harmed the season.

In the end, I'm just happy we got a conclusion all these years later.
 
KarneeKarnay

KarneeKarnay

Member
I thought the ending was fine. A very adequate way to end the series. I was just hoping for more and I think that's what bothered most people.

I was hoping for a far much more climatic fight between Jack and Aku. Like Aku kills Ashi and Jack is possessed by a rage that even his allies fear, but in the moment he is about to strike Aku down, he realises that all it will do is put him back where he started. Aku realising that is hopeless agrees to send Jack to the past. Deciding that it has to end.

Jack kills Aku and the world is saved. He goes home, builds a momentum to Ashi and all the other who helped him. Grows old, has kids and then one final image of the sword resting against a tree alone.
 
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