As my first opportunity to talk about OPs, there really was no other choice than Samurai Champloo’s sublime Battlecry. Now I won’t lie, I’m a hip hop fan through and through. I know not everyone is, but even if you hate hip hop, there’s something truly wonderful about Nujabes’ musical masterpiece that headlined Shinichiro Watanabe’s stylish follow up to Cowboy Bebop.

Samurai Champloo detailed the lives and adventures of three vagrants in an Edo Japan unlike the one we’re familiar with. But at the same time that all of them could be classified as bums, each one of the three brought something different to the table. Mugen, the headstrong maverick, whom’s unorthodox fighting style led to some of the best choreographed fight scenes I’ve ever seen. The disciplined Jin, the hallmark of a dying era and a distinct contrast to Mugen. And finally Fuu, the lynchpin of the trio whom’s quest to find the Sunflower Samurai and her numerous blunders being the cause of the trio’s journeys and adventures in the first place.

While Samurai Champloo had a lot of great fights, hilarious moments with anachronism, and a variety of great and weird characters, what really sold Champloo for me was the soundtrack, done by the late musical genius, Jun Seba, better known as Nujabes. Say what you will of hip hop, there’s no denying Nujabes was a master of his craft, not just in the realm of hip hop, but music as a whole. The way his beats flowed, his incorporation of the piano, and the way he seamlessly merged hip hop with jazz created music with an atmosphere like none other.

Battlecry is not only one of his finer works, it also works perfectly as a song to introduce Samurai Champloo. Just like the show it’s opening for, it’s anachronistic, but stylish. It’s a hip hop song in which the lyrics are about the life of a Ronin. Just like the song, the anime itself is about the lives of three individuals who don’t belong anywhere in society. And the visuals are no slouch either. While listening to Battlecry, you’re presented with funky visuals combined with art direction inspired by traditional Japanese art, once again, hammering home the theme of Champloo: Mixing things up. It’s a perfect fit and one that not only highlights Samurai Champloo’s main points, but also introduces the amazing soundtrack you’ll be treated to for the rest of the show’s run.

When I listen to Battlecry, I can’t help but load up the rest of my Nujabes playlist. And despite how hectic life is sometimes, I just lie back and listen.