Top Ten Samurai Jack Characters

With Samurai Jack now over, I took a brief moment to reflect on both Season 5 and the previous seasons of Samurai Jack Seasons 1-4.

To which I compiled a listing of ten of the most memorable and favorite characters of mine.
These characters range from "One Time Only" to "Occasional Returns" to "One of the Main Characters."

You'll notice right off the bat that the main characters are in the top rung of the list; while near the bottom rung are characters that appeared only once or a few times.

Each character I selected has a reason for being in the spot I ranked them. And I shall go over each one individually right now and explain why I chose them to be on this list; and why they ranked at that certain number.

#10. - The Guardian: Appearing in the surreal and ambient episode 'Jack and the Creatures' from Season 3; this Morpheus inspired blue faced character was one of the few people other than Aku to give Jack a real hard time. Armed to the teeth with almost every weapon imaginable; his colossal strength and combat prowess proved too much even for Jack to handle. He ranks 10 on this list for being the one non-Aku or Aku-allied opponent that overwhelmed the great Samurai. But he ranks at the bottom of this list for making one of the worst calls in the series. His reason for not allowing Samurai Jack to use the time portal was that "He couldn't use it yet." Well why? Would we eventually get an answer?
Evidently not. Because in the ninth episode of Season 5; we see not only was the time portal destroyed (presumably by Aku), but so was the Guardian. Fans hoped he would return like so many of the cameos made by past memorable Jack characters. But the only thing we got were his shattered styling specs.
........Again, why couldn't Jack use it "yet?"

#9. - The Clenches: While technically two people; I put them together as the married couple who can't get along but work together to capture their quarry. Appearing in the western inspired episode that premiered prior to the amazing 'Jack and the Zombies' episode; the Clenches were a pair so polar opposite in looks and fighting you couldn't help but wonder how they even met to begin with. You have the tall muppet-looking Zeke Clench who looks like he's well into his 60's married to the younger and more attractive Josephine. At least they were married; apparently these two have restraining orders on each other where they cannot be "150 feet" from one another. Yet when it comes to trying to catch Samurai Jack they prove to be quite a lethal pairing; even managing to capture Jack. However; like most villains in this series, their pride and ego proves to be their downfall. If one of them hadn't been so greedy; this wouldn't have allowed Jack to rid himself of these quarreling bounty hunters. (Though he probably would've figured a way out anyway.) Josephine was voiced by the beautiful and talented Grey Griffin; then known as Grey DeLisle. And she takes that Southern accent to real extremes that really works for Josephine's character. IMO; Josie is still the most attractive female character in this series.

#8. - Demongo: Of all of Aku's minions; the one who gets the most fan love and fan service is the "Dealer of Destruction" Demongo the Soul Collector. Easily one of the most memorable opponents Jack has faced; Demongo's abilities were unique in that he ordered all the souls of thousands of warriors to do his bidding. And they were really a diverse cast of characters he had at his disposal. The five most notable were that of a titan, a knight, a tiger, a multi-armed warrior, and another samurai. Although Jack disposes of them; Demongo returns with vengeance by throwing all the skulls of his soulful prizes and releasing more diverse warriors: including a fat turtle reminiscent of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. When Demongo first appeared, his unique design of a flowing cape, lava-lamp like head and skull adorned body made him an instant favorite to the fans. So for years fans seemed to have built him up bigger than he really was. Which is why he ranks at Number 8. Demongo may look cool and has a wicked personality to boot. But his abilities suddenly become useless when Jack figures out how to get inside of him and release all the souls under his control. After that happens; Demongo is helpless. It's rather odd how Jack managed to get inside. But it ultimately proves that relying on people to fight your own battles is not always the best solution. Especially after his failure he is crushed by Aku......and then inexplicably returns for a brief cameo in Episode VI of Season 5. How he came back; we don't know.

#7. - The High Priestess: From a minion of Aku, to a worshipper of Aku. The High Priestess of the Cult of Aku is your atypical religious fanatic. Although unlike real-life fanatics, her cult actually stood within the presence of Aku and witnessed him first hand. So at the very least, they had reason to be devoted to their faith. But the Priestess's devotion to Aku is what twisted her into a monster. After drinking Aku's essence, she gave birth to seven daughter simultaneously. (Though as we've seen, that's nothing compared to how many babies the Scotsmans' wife popped out.) With these seven daughters, she raised them without compassion and without kindness. She subdued them to a brutal training regiment as well as instill into their fragile minds how "wonderful" the world was thanks to Aku. So yes; she essentially abused and lied to her own daughters in the name of her warped beliefs. The biggest test of all came when she commanded her daughters to go and "kill Samurai Jack" when they were old enough and properly trained. It is unknown howshe formed this cult or became its high priestess; but it is very obvious that it no doubt instilled a deep sense of hatred and wickedness into her heart. Voiced by Grey Griffin again; she provided the perfect voice for the High Priestess that was both calming and sinister. This was particularly true when she was very angry and fierce; going into full battle mode when she found that her last remaining daughter failed in her mission to kill Samurai Jack. In Episode eight of Season 5, she attempted to kill her last daughter (Ashi) for her failure. She made a perfect secondary antagonist for the Fifth and final season; putting her fanatical beliefs before her family.

#6. - X-9: What makes this character so gosh-darn memorable is the fact that he was the main character of his own episode with Jack being secondary. Previous episodes like "The Princess and the Bounty Hunters" as well as "The Birth of Evil Parts 1 and 2" also featured other characters as the main characters rather than Jack. And those were also very well done and excellent episodes! But what made X-9's episode stick out from all the rest was a combination of many things. First is X-9 himself. Although many people tire of these types as main characters; X-9's brooding nature and "silent gunman type" actually worked really well because he was based off a robot gangster/assassin that was previously shown in Season 1's "Jack and the Gangsters." His voice with that robotic pitch also added charm and flavor to his brooding nature. Secondly was his backstory. As a robotic assassin programmed with an "emotions chip" by a "funny scientist"; he began to feel wrong about killing those who opposed Aku. (Funny scientist is right as he resembled Dr. Clayton Forrestor from Mystery Science Theater 3000.) This led to a rather sweet relationship he had with a dog to which he affectionately refers to as "Lulu....Sweet thing." This leads to his motivation to kill Samurai Jack as Aku captures Lulu and holds her for ransom. So he's an anti-hero you side with given all his pathos. And finally, the soundtrack. The film noir jazz soundtrack to this episode is phenomenal. Soothing, reflective and just all-around well composed. This music is also X-9's taste as it is reflected by a CD he puts in at the beginning that plays it. Very reminsicent of my all-time favorite anime too: Cowboy Bebop. X-9 and this entire episode is one of the most beloved in the entire series. Barely any Top Ten Samurai Jack Episodes List excludes this from it.

#5. - Scaramouche: It was a tough call when it came to ranking the series two most memorable robotic characters. Both were dangerous assassins in their own right and both had interesting characteristics that separated them from most robots Jack sent to the scrap heap. But even though X-9's episode with the robot's complex motives and beautiful soundtrack is still among the best episodes in all of Samurai Jack; Scaramouche won out due to overwhelming personality. When comparing these two "antagonists"; it's like comparing Final Fantasy baddies Kefka and Sephiroth. While Sephiroth was the brooding soft-spoken type; Kefka was the loud boisterous type who was overly flamboyant and used colorful terminology. In a sense...X-9 was Sephiroth and Scaramouche was Kefka. And this is why Scaramouche ranks a little higher; he was just overall more animated and added a lot of dark humor to the new series. Like Kefka, he killed a lot of people just to get to one person but makes light of it talking lightly like none of these atrocities happened. He also uses a larger repetoire of arsenal than X-9; from swords, to a tuning fork that explodes with high sound waves. He even uses a flute to summon rock golems and scat-singing to cause his sword to move. Scaramouche was seemingly destroyed by Jack only to return as a hopping head in one of the series' funniest moments. Right down to when arrives to tell Aku that Jack lost his sword, to the moment he finds he was wrong and Aku instantly disposes of him Scaramouche no doubt became a fan favorite....in Season 5 anyway. Tom Kenny's Sammy Davis Jr. inspired voice fit this robot assassin perfectly. Which fittingly puts him in the number 5 position as one of my all-time favorite Samurai Jack characters....prior to listing off the next four who are considered main characters.
Oh yeah....he also gets bonus points for saying "Talking penis" in the series.
  Yeah; I did that babe! XD

#4. - The Scotsman: This giant Scottish monstrosity is probably Jack's closest friend ever since he was catapulted into the future by Aku. Equally a master swordsman; the Scotsman stark contrast to Jack served him as one of the best protagonists of the series. While Jack is refined and usually collected; the Scotsman is rather brash and impulsive. John DiMaggio's off-kilter personality was the perfect match for him to do The Scotsman. And while Jack never means to offend anyone; The Scotsman is a master "Insult Tosser." Among his most famous insults were the ones he dished out at both Jack and Aku. That being when he first met Jack on the proposterously long bridge both men were trying to cross; and fired a barrage of slurs that finally cracked Jack's usually calm exterior. The ones he dished out at Aku were in Season 5 when now an old man (leading an infinite army of "extra thicc" daughters) he confronts the Shogun of Sorrow and lets him have it with his mouth before Aku effortlessly zaps him into ashes. And yet the creators knew it would be too upsetting to let Scotty go out this way. So he was brought back as a ghost; and thanks to his "Celtic Magic" proved just as effective dead as he was alive. Prior to this of course, he was a joy to watch in the earlier seasons. So beloved was the first episode where Jack and the Scotsman go from enemies to friends; that he returned again and took Jack back to his clan in an attempt to save his wife. Again like the X-9 episode; this one has fantastic music with very catchy Scottish tunes. To meet the Scotsman's wife is a sight to behold; but she proves to be just as awesome. Aside from decimating entire armies of "Celtic Demons"; she also births quite a few daughters that we all see in Season 5. Another reason the Scotsman deserves to be high on this list; his family is an extension of his personality and equally as fun. And once again; the Scotsman proved so popular that he returned again for one of the series' few "two parter" episodes where he finds Jack without his memory and makes an attempt to bring him back to his senses. The creators knew fans loved the Scostman; and the fans knew the creators loved him equally too. He was too good for a one-shot character and remains one of the most beloved protagonists in the series next to Jack.

#3. - Jack: And of course that brings us to Samurai Jack himself. As an almost unofficial rule of thumb; the title character and main protagonist of a top ten list usually isn't in the number 1 spot. Jack himself gets the honor of being placed at #3. This is still quite a high spot on the list; as Jack is the noble and fearless warrior that inspires thousands to rise up against evil and hope for light in a dark cruel world. Jack is the protector of innocents you root for; and you want to see him triumph every time he faces an adversary. So why isn't he number 1? Well like most main protagonists, Jack is a bit too good for his own good so to speak. All too often his eagerness to help people either gets him in more trouble or distracts him from his ultimate goal of finding a time portal back home. The biggest example of this was "Jack and the Monks" where he had the opportunity to go home as the monks held off the overwhelming stone statue horde. The monks were ready to die with honor to let Jack right the pat wrongs. But instead; Jack stayed back and helped the monks survive and missed his chance to go back. All because in that moment he was "not ready to sacrifice himself like the monks were." Even the monks looked confused by Jack's logic. We were too.
But that doesn't take away from the fact Jack is still a great main protagonist of his own series. Phil LaMar provided the perfect voice for the calm warrior who would occasionally lose his cool when faced with true evil. But for me where Jack really excelled as a more complex and beloved character was in Season 5. Before Season 5; the final episode of Season 4 had Jack caring for a lost baby while inspiring the little tyke just as Jack has inspired other children and adults. But now as Season 5 began; we find it has been fifty years since that time and Jack has apparently lost his way. We see Jack's fragility when he was forced to take his first life. Normally he slashes robots; but inadvertently he has killed innocents. Now he is on the deep end; being haunted by his past demons/failures and an ever-present entity known as "The Omen" awaiting for Jack to commit ritualistic Sennpuku for his sins. This duality of Jack shows him lamenting over his own mistakes and feeling responsible for letting Aku's evil continue. He never rests on laurels nor does he bask in the adoration of those he had saved. He seems almost unaware of the tributes those under Aku's rule have built to him. And while that is indeed noble for a warrior like Jack to not accept tribute for his deeds; it also makes him unaware of all the good he has done. Thus he is thrust into despair and almost ends his life without realizing he is still the hope people cling to in a world ruled by Aku. This is where we see Jack's darker side; and it was one of my favorite aspects of his character to explore as Season 5 delivered more than I had hoped for.
And of course....He looked so much cooler with that wicked beard.

#2. - Ashi: You never would've guessed that as much as Season 5 continued the story of Samurai Jack; it would also be about one of the "Daughters of Aku." Prior to Season 5; most of us just assumed these Aku Cult-born killers were just another obstacle Jack had to overcome. I don't think any of us expected one of them to become a main character. Nor did we expect her to become good to a point that without her; Jack would have been lost forever. As Season 5 came to a close; Ashi skyrocketed to the Number 2 spot on this list for being such an amazing character that actually carried Season 5 just as much as Jack did. Like I mentioned; without her Jack would have never regained his composure and end his quest. The era of strong female protagonists has gone full-force these past few years. And Ashi is right there among them. Let's begin with how she was raised as a living weapon. Although her brutally regimented training from her mother was harsh and cruel, it also worked to her advantage when she faced anything from a perverted shock-fetishist to an entire "Orc Army." Even when she was Jack's enemy her skill with her Karasigama and being with her equally skilled sisters was a sight to behold. Which brings us to how she went from villain to hero. Naturally being raised all her life with the lies that Aku made the world beautiful; she utterly loathed Jack at first. But when Jack spared her life after killing her six other sisters; she learned the truth and eventually became his greatest ally. She was the only one who was more open to the beauty of the world than her six other sisters. It began with admiring the simple beauty of a ladybug; to witnessing how Jack inspired the world to resist Aku's tyranny. Now she was fiercely devoted to fighting for Jack than Aku. But it then developed from simple devotion to a romantic interest as she and Jack fell in love. This leads to perhaps why she is among the most important characters in the series. Some thought this shipping was just "fan service." But it turned out that without their love; Jack never would have completed his quest. For you see Ashi isn't just a metaphorical "Daughter of Aku"; but a literal one as well. So much like in the episode where Jack was infected with the "Aku Sickness"; Ashi is likewise affected by Aku being a part of her and is once again turned against Jack. Only with Jack and Ashi's love is Ashi not only able to free herself from Aku's control; but use his powers as well...creating the time portal Jack searched for so long. This then helps Jack go in back time, defeat Aku and save the future from him. Sadly as she was a part of Aku; she and Jack were never able to marry as she disappeared from existence along with Aku.
From enemy to hero; from minor character to main character...Ashi's relevance in Season 5 grew bigger and bigger until she became the crucial element Jack needed to go back to the past. Without her (and Jack's willingness to spare her life) Jack never would've completed his journey. She was the balancing point between good and evil to decide which of the sides would win.

#1. - Aku: A hero is only as good as his villain. And just like the Joker was to Batman; Darth Vader was to Luke; and every Final Fantasy villain was to its main protagonist....Samurai Jack's villain just steals the show! Aku; the "Master of Masters", "The Shogun of Sorrow" and "The Deliverer of Darkness" is not only the best character on the show; but one of the best villains in a cartoon show period. Voiced both by the current Greg Baldwin and the past master VA Mako; Aku's exaggerated villainous voice and equally villainous tendencies made him both an object of fear and an object of humor. The balancing act between making Aku both truly evil and outright hilarious was no easy task. But Genndy and his team met that challenge and made Aku quite literally overshadow Jack in terms of personality and flamboyance. His laugh is cliche, his overly elaborate ways of trying to kill Jack only to backfire is cliche, and his love for everything evil is cliche. He is a large giant shadowy cliche of all villainous tropes. And we love him for that! Because his design also compliments his exaggerated evil so amazingly well. The large horns, Oni-inspired faced and wicked claws allowed room for both Aku to stretch his destructive power as well as his humorous side. Obviously being the lord of the world while crushing all resistance makes hi man object of hatred; being a tall shadowy demon with flaming eyebrows doesn't help your case either. But Aku does have fans. I should know...I'm dating one. ;3 !
And there actually is quite a bit to love about Aku. Most people love to hate him; but admire both his design and over-the-top theatrics. The greatest villains in fiction has outlandish personalities. And Aku's are outlandish to a point where it almost seems random. This is especially true in Season 5 where we first see him getting out of bed, putting on his flaming eyebrows like contact lenses, and then later talking to a psychiatrist version of himself he created. For as much as he enjoys spreading darkness; like Jack he also has vulnerabilities. It seems he and Jack were at a stalemate at this point and both were under considerable stress and depression. Actually this is another reason I ranked Ashi so high in importance...she was either going to help Aku get rid of his Samurai problem or be the ultimate problem that would lead to Aku's downfall. Suffice to say; the latter happened. How Aku reacted to this summed it up perfectly. "....Oh no..."
And that's another reason why Aku is a great villain. His reactions. They make for some of the most hilarious faces in the entire series. Among some of my favorites includes his annoyed look his happy look and....this
The animators had a blast with Aku. They constantly comment how much fun he is to write for. Which is why for an Aku-less episode it must've been a challenge to write and keep it entertaining. But that's an another reason this show is so great. Even without Aku; the creators write some really damn good episodes.
But seriously most all episodes Aku is in; they are some of samurai Jack's best moments. Of particular notice are episodes like "Jack and the Zombies", "Jack vs Aku" and the prequel two-logy "Birth of Evil." All regarded as favorites in the series.
Itwas almost painful for Aku fans to watch him be defeated. But we all admitted it had to be done.
But regardless of his defeat; Aku left a lasting impression. He was among the biggest reasons Samurai Jack was so damn good. More than enough to earn him the number 1 spot of my favorite Samurai Jack character.
Though in all serious....I think my sweetest stills likes him more than I do. ;3

And there you have it!! I hope you all enjoyed Samurai Jack as much as I did.