Custom Image by Ana Nieves
Published Apr 12, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT
Branson is a Senior Writer for ScreenRant. Anime has been a major part of his life since he was able to raise his hands in the air for a Spirit Bomb. As a journalist, Branson focuses heavily on listicles and op-eds detailing the industry's greatest shonen series.
The early 2000s changed the West forever. It was the first decade that anime started to creep into the mainstream, and its effects are still being felt today. Without series like Cowboy Bepop, Sailor Moon, or Dragon Ball Z, anime wouldn't be the same, especially in the Americas.
Out of every early 2000s anime series, Samurai Champloo might be the most influential in one key aspect: music. Legendary anime creator Shinichiro Watanabe regards an anime's sound or score higher than nearly every other person in his position, and it affected one of the most legendary musicians of all time.
The Weeknd recently joined Crunchyroll as a presenter for their 2026 Anime Awards, and he had something deeply moving to say about the creation of his persona. Without Samurai Champloo, The Weeknd wouldn't be the artist he is today.
The Weeknd Joins the 2026 Anime Awards as a Presenter
The Weeknd - "Blinding Lights" (Republic Records) Crunchyroll is the biggest name in anime in the West, bringing some of the best anime series of all time to the United States, Canada, and more. Anime has been growing in the Americas, and Crunchyroll has been a major part of that. The streaming service is hosting its annual anime awards ceremony and has gotten one of the biggest names in music to come present.
The Weeknd will present the Anime of the Year award to the winner among the following nominees:
- Dandadan Season 2
- Gachiakuta Season 1
- My Hero Academia Final Season
- Takopi's Original Sin
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- The Summer Hikaru Died Season 1
The Weeknd will be presenting the Anime of the Year award to one of six incredible contestants, arguably the single most prestigious award of the night. It's an exciting moment for everyone, and it wouldn't have happened without one outlandishly provacative and thoughtful anime series.
The Weeknd Says: "Without [Samurai Champloo], House of Balloons Wouldn't Exist"
The Weeknd was a fan of both hip-hop and anime early in life, but it wasn't until his teenage years that he saw the two blended together so masterfully. Samurai Champloo doesn't just incorporate hip-hop: it celebrates it.
Cowboy Bepop is an ode to jazz in the same way Samurai Champloo is a parade of all things hip-hop, and it's so good at blending music and anime that it changed the way The Weeknd saw music forever.
"The fusion of a samurai story told with auteur precision, paired with the sounds of Nujabes, Fat Jon, and Force of Nature was nothing short of transformative." - The Weeknd
Samurai Champloo's influence lives on more than two decades after its finale. It's an all-time great and a series that is nearly required viewing for anyone who considers themselves a fan of anime.
The Weeknd is arguably one of the most influential artists of the last decade. He is currently the second-most popular artist in the world with several songs that have acquired billions of streams. He's the king of a new kind of dark, melodic music that the world didn't know it needed, and it all started with Samurai Champloo.
English (US) ·