Afro Samurai: Resurrection

Afro Samurai: Resurrection

Japanese film poster
Based on Afro Samurai by Takashi Okazaki
Screenplay by Yasuyuki Mutou
Josh Fialkov
Eric Calderon
Story by Takashi Okazaki
Directed by Fuminori Kizaki
Starring Samuel L. Jackson
Lucy Liu
Theme music composer RZA
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
Production
Producer(s) Shin'ichiro Ishikawa
Leo Chu
Eric Garcia
Arthur Smith
Samuel L. Jackson
Running time 100 minutes
Production company(s) Gonzo
Release
Original network Fuji Television (Japan)
Spike (USA)

Afro Samurai: Resurrection is a 2009 American anime television film sequel to the 2007 miniseries Afro Samurai. The film was shown on Spike TV on January 25, 2009. It stars Samuel L. Jackson who reprised his role and Lucy Liu as Sio.

Plot

The film opens in one dark and stormy night with Afro spending days of making wooden sculptures of people from his past and follows the rules of not wearing the No. 1 headband to fight. In his dream after fishing and while wearing the No. 2 headband, he kills two swordsman and a group of assassins on the bridge, and sees Rokutaro being crucified and losing flesh before Afro screams. After taking Afro outside to meet Sio who takes the No. 1 headband, Jinno opens the grave of Rokutaro and takes his remains. Sio tells Afro about her plans to resurrect Rokutaro so she can torture him for revenge against Afro for killing everyone. Sio also asks Afro to find the No. 2 headband to take revenge against her. Afro goes to "Lady's Luck Town" in the sexual strip club, to find Brother 1 confining to a standing wheelchair and Brother 3. Afro plays the dice game for information on the No. 2 headband, before Brother 3 cheats and Afro threatens him who identifies Shichigoro as the bearer of the No. 2 headband. Afro coincidentally kills the kidnapper of Kotaro and prompts Shichigoro to buy him a drink. Bound by honor, both men fight until Afro takes the No. 2 headband. Kotaro sadly vows revenge for Afro for killing Shichigoro. Afro confronts and destroys the three past masked android warriors, and revealed as part of Sio's original plan, while she restores to resurrect the mind-controlling Rokutaro as a killing machine. As Rokutaro strangles and apparently kills Afro, Jinno and Sio fight against Rokutaro who impales and kills them with the broken sword, before Jinno's cybernetic remains gives off an electrical surge which conducted through Sio's blood and restarts Afro's heart. Afro recovers and defeats Rokutaro, before he retrieves to wear the No. 1 headband, gives the No. 2 to Kotaro and tells him to challenge for the fight. After the credits, Takimoto meets up with Justice as a mysterious person.

Voice cast

Crew

Music

The RZA Presents: Afro Samurai Resurrection OST was released on January 27, 2009, two days after the film aired.

Releases

Spike TV would premiere the film on January 25, 2009.[1] It would be released on DVD on February 3, 2009.[1] It was available online through the PlayStation Store in May 2009.[2] The film also made a debut at the San Diego Asian Film Festival in October 16, 2009.[3] The film would be added to Funimation's YouTube stream, for the July 31-August 5, 2011 stream schedule.[4] For the United Kingdom release of Netflix, Resurrection was among one the initial titles for the January 2012 launch.[5]

DVD and broadcast scene difference

There are a few scenes in the DVD and Spike TV broadcast edition of Afro Samurai that differ completely from each other.

Reception

Zac Bertschy of Anime News Network stated about Afro Samurai: Resurrection that "it's a gorgeous film," with "incredible animation, spectacular action setpieces [sic] and a thumping score by Ghostface". Zac noted that the plot is just "window dressing" and that if it's about anything it's about "cool". Zac criticized that the film as just an excuse to string fight scenes together and that the farther it goes on it becomes clearer how "weak the writing is".[6] Hyper commends the anime for its art, saying, "stylised poses and sharp, dynamic visuals have long been a trademark element of this series, and they hold true [in the anime]."[7] In 2009, the film was the first anime to receive an Primetime Emmy nomination, but the American Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends won.[8] Though film's art director, Shigemi Ikeda, won a Primetime Emmy award for "Outstanding Individual Achievement In Animation".[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Afro Samurai: Resurrection's U.S. TV Premiere Dated". Anime News Network. 2 January 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "Afro Samurai Sequel Sold in PS Store & Air Master Streamed Online". Anime News Network. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  3. ↑ "Afro Samurai: Resurrection @ the San Diego Asian Film Festival". Afro Samurai.com. 13 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 April 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "North American Stream List: July 31–August 5". Anime News Network. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "More Anime Available on Netflix U.K.". Anime News Network. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  6. ↑ Bertschy, Zac (January 27, 2009). "Afro Samurai: Resurrection Director's Cut DVD". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Afro Samurai: Resurrection". Hyper (Next Media) (192): 89. October 2009. ISSN 1320-7458.
  8. ↑ "Foster's Home Wins Emmy over Afro Samurai: Resurrection". Anime News Network. 15 September 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Afro Samurai: Resurrection's Shigemi Ikeda Wins Emmy (Updated)". Anime News Network. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2013.

External links

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