Samurai Jack has grown from simply an animated show to a media brand with a game that is true to its source material, feature-length movies, and even a board game. In fact, Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie is arguably the best Cartoon Network original movie to this day.
But despite all the praise it receives, the show could well be overrated to an extent. There are some obvious flaws it has that even diehard fans are ready to point out at any time. Yet, to truly understand Samurai Jack's worth, both the good and the bad needs to be taken into account.
10 Overrated: His Apparent Invulnerability Lowers The Stakes
Jack has had both victories and defeats throughout the entirety of the show with his ultimate goal being to defeat Aku. But even though he has suffered a lot and had to heal his wounds multiple times, he sometimes seems to be too invulnerable.
He has to fight so many villains along the way that he should have been dead even before he reached the middle of his journey, but he survives nonetheless which can make it seem unrealistic at times.
9 Underrated: Excellent Villains, Especially Main Antagonist Aku
Samurai Jack has a variety of amazing villains that fans love gushing about. From the mischievous Sirens to the android Scaramouche, there is always someone Jack needs to fight along the way— and it's not always easy for him.
But what really makes the show engaging is its main villain, Aku. The way Jack and Aku are constantly battling and the fact that Jack's main goal is to kill Aku are the reasons why the show works so well.
8 Overrated: The Long-Awaited Fifth And Final Season Was A Disappointment
One of the biggest issues that can arise with a long-running show is that quality can decline over time. Similarly, Samurai Jack's fifth and final season, airing a whopping 13 years after the fourth season, is often considered to be worse than the first four.
Many fans still believe it was rushed to an extent and didn't feel as good as the previous seasons. Moreover, there was a lot of fan service which can often work against the show instead of making it better.
7 Underrated: Overall Consistent Quality With No Truly Bad Stretches
That being said, Samurai Jack is still one of the most consistent series when it comes to quality. Even when the fifth season and the first four seasons are compared, there is not that much of a difference in their quality.
Character development is very consistent too which prevents the show from stagnating. In other words, it manages to reinvent its characters without making a step backward.
6 Overrated: Jack's Relationship With Ashi Felt Forced And Underdeveloped
Throughout the entire show, Jack is constantly portrayed as a noble and wise man who has a lot of experience and knowledge that make him so serious. Perhaps that is exactly why his relationship with Ashi is not loved universally.
Some fans believe there wasn't enough time for the relationship to truly develop which makes it seem a bit forced and rushed. In addition to that, Jack behaves like a kid around Ashi several times which is very unlike him.
5 Underrated: It Was Funnier Than It Gets Credit For
Samurai Jack is one of those shows that looks tough and brutal with its dark and gritty atmosphere and lots of fighting. However, it is also a very funny show.
The humor is not the regular in-your-face kind that is obvious to audiences of all ages. Instead, it is more subtle and requires the viewers' attention to really grasp it and enjoy it.
4 Overrated: Jack Himself Is A Tough Character To Love
Even though Samurai Jack receives a lot of praise from most people who really get into it, a fairly common complaint is people saying they had trouble getting into it when they watched the first few episodes— and often, the reason for this is Jack himself.
Jack is not the kind of character anyone will love instantly. He can seem a bit boring at first becomes of how stoic he is at times. After all, he is a samurai. That's why the show is definitely not for everyone.
3 Underrated: Brilliant Action Sequences
First and foremost, Samurai Jack is an action series. It relies on impressive battles and fighting even though it uses humor to keep the audience's attention. And yet, the show's action is largely underrated.
All the action sequences are brilliantly choreographed with the animation style enhancing their impact. They are entertaining and engaging and never fail to be impressive even as the show progresses.
2 Overrated: The Final Episode Felt Rushed And Unsatisfying
Just like the complaints about the rushed season five, the reviews for the finale of the show were mixed, to say the least. The creator Genndy Tartakovsky confessed that the ending was conceived long before they reached it, but that didn't make it any more accepted by the fans.
Many viewers were frustrated by the way it erased nearly everything that happened to Jack. Some found it illogical, others simply wanted a happy ending, and many more were very disappointed. Another common complaint was that the story the finale tried to tell was simply too ambitious for a single episode of a half-hour TV show, and should've been a two-parter or even a film.
1 Underrated: Truly Unique And Gorgeous Animation Style
But even with a controversial ending, Samurai Jack has always been regarded as an outstanding show worthy of viewership no matter what.
To some extent, this was the result of the animation that was so unique and beautiful. The show never changed its animation style like some other cartoons have, ensuring that this beauty was preserved until the end.