Afro Samurai

This article is about the anime and manga series. For the video game, see Afro Samurai (video game).
Afro Samurai

Volume one of the Afro Samurai manga remake, first released in America by Tor Books and Seven Seas Entertainment.
アフロサムライ
(Afuro Samurai)
Genre Chanbara, science fantasy, avant-garde, black comedy
Manga
Afro Samurai!
Written by Takashi Okazaki
Published by Self-funded dōjinshi
English publisher

Demographic Seinen
Magazine Nou Nou Hau (dōjinshi)
Original run September 1999 – May 2000
Volumes 1 JP, 2 NA
Anime television series
Directed by Fuminori Kizaki
Jamie Simone
Produced by Koji Kajita
Taito Okiura
Arthur Smith
Alex Gartner
Charles Roven
Written by Tomohiro Yamashita
Yasuyuki Muto
Derek Draper
Chris Yoo
Music by RZA
Studio Gonzo
Licensed by Funimation NA
Madman Entertainment AUS
Network Fuji Television
English network Spike NA
Adult Swim (UK & Ireland)/Bravo (British TV channel) UK
MTV/ABC2 AUS
Original run January 4, 2007 – February 1, 2007
Episodes 5
Anime film
Afro Samurai: Resurrection
Directed by Fuminori Kizaki
Jamie Simone
Produced by Shin'ichiro Ishikawa
Leo Chu
Eric Garcia
Arthur Smith
Samuel L. Jackson
Written by Takashi Okazaki
Yasuyuki Mutou
Josh Fialkov
Eric Calderon
Music by RZA
Studio Gonzo
Licensed by Funimation NA
Madman Entertainment AUS
Released January 25, 2009 NA
February 3, 2009 JP
Runtime 100 minutes

Afro Samurai (アフロサムライ Afuro Samurai), also written AFRO SAMURAI, is a Japanese seinen dōjinshi manga series written and illustrated by manga artist Takashi Okazaki. It was originally serialized irregularly in the avant-garde dōjinshi manga magazine Nou Nou Hau from September 1999 to May 2000. Inspired by Okazaki's love of soul and hip hop music and American media, it follows the life of Afro Samurai who witnessed his father (owner of the No. 1 headband) being killed by a male gunslinger Justice (owner of the No. 2 headband) while he was a child. As an adult, Afro sets off to kill Justice and avenge his father.

The Afro Samurai dōjinshi was adapted into an anime miniseries by Gonzo in 2007, along with the television film sequel Afro Samurai: Resurrection in 2009, which gained two Emmy nominations, for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation, which it won and Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or More). After the release of the anime series, Okazaki remade the original Afro Samurai dōjinshi into a two-volume manga. To be only released in North America, Tor Books and Seven Seas Entertainment licensed the title and published it under their new Tor/Seven Seas imprint.

In addition to the success of the anime series, Afro Samurai has also been adapted into a video game and an upcoming live-action feature film. For the TV series and the film, two soundtracks by the RZA of Wu-Tang Clan have been released as well as a profile book in Japan.

Plot

In a futuristic yet feudal Japan, it is said that the one who wields the Number 1 headband is the fiercest fighter in the world and shall possess god-like powers. The only way to obtain the Number 1 headband is to challenge and defeat the current wearer in combat. However, only the Number 2 can challenge the Number 1 whereas anyone can challenge the Number 2. Thus, whoever wears the Number 2 will face a constant struggle. In the mountains, Justice, the owner of the Number 2 headband fights with Afro Samurai's father Rokutaro as the owner of the Number 1, and kills him by beheading him and claims the Number 1. Afro witnesses the fight and vows revenge against Justice who tells him to seek him out when he is "ready to face a god".

Years later, Afro is the current Number 2 and a master swordsman who travels his way to Mount Shumi to find Justice, he recalls his journey from a frightened young boy to a master samurai. Along the way, Afro defeats and kills the "Empty Seven Clan", and their various agents, robots and assassins, including a robotic Afro. He also confronts his vengeful childhood friend Jinno (who survived in their past). The flashback reveals that Afro's childhood samurai teacher called the Sword Master wears the Number 2 headband, before Afro meets and confronts him. They are both attacked and killed by assassins, leaving Afro, Jinno, Otsuru (Okiku) and their master survived. As Afro kills their master and claims the Number 2 headband, Jinno blames him for revenge and falls from the cliff. Back in the present day, Afro discovers that there are other headbands in existence, ranging to an unspecified higher number and sees that the corpses of those who wore them are skewered throughout the room, where he defeats Justice and takes the Number 1 headband, before all headbands disappear. Afro returns and lives in the mountains, and confronts Jinno who is adorned with every headbands in existence for revenge.

However, the story changes for Afro Samurai: Resurrection, when Jinno takes Rokutaro's remains, and his sister Sio takes the Number 1 headband and asks Afro to find the Number 2. After killing Shichigoro who has it, Afro confronts Sio for resurrecting Rokutaro who apparently kills Afro, and causes Jinno and Sio to fight Rokutaro who kills them, before Jinno's electric contact on Sio's blood saves Afro who kills Rokutaro and takes both headbands. After giving Shichigoro's son Kotaro the Number 2 headband, Afro wears to keep the Number 1 on his own.

Production

Takashi Okazaki started drawing African-American characters on items like Kleenex boxes when he was a teenager, inspired by his fondness for hip hop and soul music. He also drew ideas from American media and their depiction of Japanese culture.[1] Takashi started combining elements of samurai into his work, eventually developing the design for Afro, which was also based in the legendary black samurai Yasuke who existed during the Sengoku period of Japan. Okazaki began writing the original dōjinshi, then called Afro Samurai!, when he and his friends started independently publishing the art magazine Nou Nou Hau.[2] The preparatory "issue 0" of Nou Nou Hau was released in November 1998 with Afro Samurai artwork featured on the cover.[3] Takashi Okazaki wrote the entire manga in the English direction, with elements from English and Japanese comics. He also used Afro Samurai for a cat food advertisement in the last pages of his manga book.[4] In addition to the anime production, Okazaki re-made the dōjinshi, with much better art skills.[4] At the Japan Society from March 13 to June 14, 2009, original Afro Samurai dōjinshi artwork (as used on issue 0 of Nou Nou Hau) was showcased at the KRAZY!: The Delirious World of Anime + Manga + Video Games exhibition.[5]

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Takashi Okazaki, Afro Samurai was originally published in the self-funded Nou Nou Hau dōjinshi magazine.[2] First appearing in issue 0, the dōjinshi version was first published from September 1999 to October 2000.[3] After the release of the anime version, Takashi Okazaki recreated the original dōjinshi.[4] Although the recreation of the original manga was created in Japan, it was first published in the United States by Seven Seas Entertainment and Tor Books in two tankōbon volumes.[6] As a special supplement, thumb-nail sized clips of the original dōjinshi were shown at the end of the first volume.[7] The English release of the manga was Tor Books and Seven Seas' first publication under the newly formed Tor/Seven Seas imprint.[6] The manga was also released in Italy through Panini Comics' manga publishing division Planet Manga, starting on April 9, 2009.[8] The manga was released in one volume in Japan on December 18, 2009. The limited edition came with all the issues of the original dōjinshi included in a separate volume.[9]

No.TitleRelease date ISBN
1Nothing personal...it's just revenge.September 2008[10]ISBN 978-0-7653-2123-7
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4
  • Chapter 5
  • Translation Notes
  • Supplemental Material
After witnessing his father beheaded by Justice, Afro with the No. 2 headband sets forth to avenge his father's death. On his way, he encounters and kills several foes.
2Death isn't the end...it's only the beginning.February 2009[10]ISBN 978-0-7653-2239-5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7
  • Chapter 8
  • Chapter 9
  • Chapter 10
  • Honorifics Guide
  • Translation Notes
  • Creator Interview
Afro kills Justice to take the No. 1 headband and challenges to reconcile with Jinno.

Anime

One of Okazaki's friends decided to make action figures based on the character, which were released in small amounts. After the action figures were created, a producer from the Japanese studio, Gonzo, happened to find them and thought of an animated TV project based on the series. The anime took three years to develop, and in the three years the studio also created a trailer, which happened to fall into the hands of Samuel L. Jackson.[11] It was announced that the series would be a five-episode "creative collaboration", between Samuel L. Jackson, Takashi Okazaki and Gonzo, with a music score by hip hop artist The RZA from the rap group Wu-Tang Clan.[12][13]

In 2006, it was announced that Funimation acquired the rights to the anime series which would premier on Spike TV (now simply known as "Spike") later that year, and that Jackson would voice Afro.[14] Afro Samurai debuted on Spike TV, on January 4, 2007.[15] The series' worldwide premiered on Spike TV's website where they streamed the first episode online. On May 3, 2007, the series premiered on Japanese television, in English with Japanese subtitles, and for the first time completely uncut.[16]

On May 11, 2007, Funimation released the first Afro Samurai DVDs at Anime Central, at their own booth, the regular Afro Samurai: Spike Version and the uncut Afro Samurai: Director's Cut. Both DVDs were released to the public on May 22, 2007.[17] On September 4, 2007, all five episodes of Afro Samurai were released on iTunes. To promote this, Funimation released eight custom designed iPods by Takashi Okazaki.[18] In 2008, Funimation released the Afro Samurai anime series onto Xbox Live in high definition format and also debuted on Blu-ray Disc in that year.[19][20] Also in 2008, Afro Samurai was shown at the German Film Festival in Germany.[21]

# Title Original air date
01 "Revenge"
"Number Two"  		January 4, 2007
As a boy, Afro witnessed Justice beheading his father and wears the No. 1 headband. As a man, he has the title of No. 2 and sets out on his journey of revenge. 
02 "The Dream Reader"
"OKIKU"  		January 11, 2007
Afro relives his harsh past through his dreams when he is discovered by an old friend, Otsuru (Okiku) at a riverbank who tends to his wounds. In the present day, she attempts to rape and kill Afro, but betrays The Empty Seven Clan that killed her. 
03 "The Empty Seven Clan"
"THE EMPTY SEVEN CLAN"  		January 18, 2007
As The Clan of the Empty Seven continues to put pressure on Afro, he battles and kills them. 
04 "Duel"
"KUMA"  		January 25, 2007
Jinnosuke (Kuma) fights with Afro about the consequence lesson of choosing revenge over family and what it really means to wear the No. 2 headband. 
05 "Justice"
"JUSTICE"  		February 1, 2007
After killing Justice to take the No. 1 headband, Afro reconciles and battles with his childhood friend Jinno. 

Films

In an Associated Press interview in 2007, Okazaki confirmed there would be a sequel to the anime series, and that it would be aired on Spike TV.[22] In 2008, the sequel was announced to be a television film, Afro Samurai: Resurrection, with Lucy Liu and Mark Hamill joining the cast.[23] Hip hop artist The RZA also came back to provide the soundtrack for the movie. Afro Samurai: Resurrection debuted on Spike TV on the night of January 25, 2009.[24] On July 16, 2009, Afro Samurai: Resurrection was nominated for an Emmy in the "Outstanding Animated Program (for programming one hour or more)" category in the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards and the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. At the Emmy awards, Afro Samurai: Resurrection lost to Destination Imagination, a TV movie based on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.[25][26] The art director of Afro Samurai: Resurrection, Shigemi Ikeda, won an Emmy for his work on Resurrection, which is the first ever awarded for work on a Japanese-animated production.[27] Afro Samurai: Resurrection was the first Japanese anime to be nominated for and win an Emmy.[26] Late 2009 also saw the release of Afro Samurai: Complete Murder Sessions on Blu-ray and DVD. A 4-disc collection of both Afro Samurai Director's Cut and Afro Samurai: Resurrection, together in one complete boxset.

Announced at the 2006 Comic-Con, a live action version of Afro Samurai was said to be in the making.[28] On July 21, 2011, Gonzo K.K. announced that Indomina Group had obtained the rights to produce the film, with Samuel L. Jackson, Jasbinder Singh Mann (Indomina Group Vice Chairman and CEO), Shin Ishikawa (Gonzo Studios) as producers; Eli Selden of Anonymous Content as executive producer.[29][30] Production, however, stalled when Indomina Group suspended North American operations and shut its US office.[31]

Video games

In 2005, Gonzo had awarded Namco Bandai Games exclusive rights to publish two Afro Samurai video games, as announced that year.[32] The debut trailer of the first game was released at the company's Editor's Day presentation.[33] Afro Samurai was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on January 27, 2009.[34][35]

Soundtracks

Wu-Tang Clan member RZA produced the soundtrack for both the Afro Samurai TV series and the TV movie sequel Afro Samurai: Resurrection.[24][36] The first soundtrack for the anime series, The RZA Presents: Afro Samurai: The Soundtrack was released on January 30, 2007 by Koch Records (now known as E1 Music).[37] The second soundtrack for the TV movie, The RZA Presents: Afro Samurai: Resurrection: The Soundtrack was also released by Koch Records on January 27, 2009.[38]

Voice cast

Crew

Reception

The Afro Samurai manga series has received generally positive reviews from critics. Scott Green, writer of the Anime AICN segment of Ain't It Cool News said that the manga "is a work of design" and that it "utilizes the medium to which it is applied as a platform rather than as an ends unto itself." Scott notes that Okazaki does not have a "head for manga as a storytelling form" and that the "manga labors to show off Okazaki's design."[39] Anime News Network reviewer, Carlo Santos stated about the anime that "like most typical action-adventures, the story starts out slow and only picks up toward the middle and end when the blades really start flying" and that "Afro Samurai is hardly a complex story" and that it only has "a handful of characters and a straightforward beat-the-next-guy plotline". Carlo Santos also noted that "the original Afro Samurai manga is pretty lousy" and that Takashi Okazaki often gets lost in "incomprehensible scribbles" and "style over substance."[40] Volume 2 of Afro Samurai also charted 147 on ComiPress' "Top 250 Manga Volumes" of February 2009.[41] The Blu-ray release of the anime series charted #16 on VideoScan's Blu-ray charts.[20] In January 2009, IGN ranked Afro Samurai 90th on a list of the top 100 animated series, saying that the over-the-top violence and quirky story and characters made the show enjoyable [42]

References

  1. ↑ 木﨑文智監督、岡崎能士(原作者)インタビュー (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  2. 1 2 Epstein, Daniel Robert; Takashi Okazaki. "Afro Samurai: Takashi Okazaki Interview". 670 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10012: UGO.com/UGO Networks, Inc. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  3. 1 2 "NOU NOU HAU vol.0". Kugelblitz. 2005–2006. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 Okazaki, Takashi (February 2009) [2009]. Arnold, Adam, ed. Takashi Okazaki: The Man BEHIND the 'Fro. Afro Samurai 2 (1 ed.). Seven Seas Entertainment. ISBN 978-0-7653-2239-5. OCLC 223883056. 52-Uz2WVpVwC. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
  5. ↑ Aoki, Deb (2009). "Afro Samurai by Takashi Okazaki". About.com. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  6. 1 2 "Tor Books Partners with Seven Seas to Form New Manga Imprint and Announces Publication of Afro Samurai". ComiPress. December 8, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  7. ↑ Okazaki, Takashi (2009) [2009]. Arnold, Adam, ed. Afro Samurai, Volume 1. Afro Samurai 1 (1 ed.). Seven Seas Entertainment. ISBN 978-0-7653-2239-5. OCLC 248983719. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Afro Samurai 1 (Di 2)" [Afro Samurai 1 (of 2)] (in Italian). Viale Emilio Po 380 41126 Modena MO Italy: Panini Comics/Panini SpA. April 9, 2009. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  9. ↑ "【アフロサムライ】AFROSAMURAI特別限定版(岡崎能士)[PCN掲載1月号]" (in Japanese). Parco. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  10. 1 2 "Afro Samurai" (PHP). Seven Seas Entertainment, LLC. 2004–2009. Retrieved November 2, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Afro Samurai Vol 1". 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010: Macmillan. 2009. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
  12. ↑ "Afro Samurai Press Release". Anime News Network. May 5, 2005. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
  13. ↑ "The RZA Gets His Afro Samurai On". Anime News Network. June 2, 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  14. ↑ "Funimation Acquires Afro Samurai". Anime News Network. February 27, 2006. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
  15. ↑ "Afro Samurai Hits Spike TV on January 4". Anime News Network. October 31, 2006. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
  16. ↑ "Afro Samurai to Air on Japanese TV in May". Anime News Network. March 8, 2007. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
  17. ↑ "Funimation to Sell Advance DVD Copies at Anime Central". Anime News Network. May 11, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  18. ↑ "Funimation Puts Afro Samurai on iTunes, Gives Away Custom iPods". Anime News Network. September 1, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  19. ↑ "Free Bakugan #1 on iTunes; HD Afro Samurai on Xbox Live". Anime News Network. February 29, 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  20. 1 2 "VideoScan: Afro Samurai Debuted on Blu-ray at #16". Anime News Network. September 10, 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  21. ↑ "Eva:1.0, L, Afro Samurai to Run in German Film Fest". Anime News Network. August 8, 2008. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  22. ↑ "Afro Samurai Creator Takashi Okazaki Confirms Sequel". Anime News Network. October 25, 2007. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  23. ↑ "Lucy Liu, Mark Hamill Join Afro Samurai: Resurrection (Updated)". Anime News Network. July 24, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  24. 1 2 "Afro Samurai: Resurrection Movie Debuts Sunday Night". Anime News Network. July 25, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  25. ↑ "Afro Samurai: Resurrection TV Film Nominated for Emmy (Updated)". Anime News Network. July 16, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  26. 1 2 "Foster's Home Wins Emmy over Afro Samurai: Resurrection". Anime News Network. September 15, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  27. ↑ "Afro Samurai: Resurrection's Shigemi Ikeda Wins Emmy (Updated)". Anime News Network. August 27, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  28. ↑ "Comic-Con: Live Action Afro Samurai". Anime News Network. July 22, 2006. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
  29. ↑ "INDOMINA AND SAMUEL L. JACKSON TEAM FOR LIVE ACTION "AFRO SAMURAI" FILM". 2011-07-21.
  30. ↑ "アニメ『アフロサムライ』ハリウッド実写化始動！　サミュエル．L．ジャクソンがプロデューサーに決定！アニメ『アフロサムライ』ハリウッド実写化始動！　サミュエル．L．ジャクソンがプロデューサーに決定！" (PDF). 2011-07-21.
  31. ↑ Yamato, Jen (January 30, 2013). "Indomina Shutters Distribution Unit And Lays Off 15 In LA Office". Deadline. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Namco to Publish Afro Samurai Video Games". Anime News Network. August 30, 2005. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  33. ↑ "Namco Bandai Announces Afro Samurai Game". Anime News Network. June 17, 2007. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  34. ↑ "Afro Samurai". Amazon.com. January 27, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  35. ↑ Szadkowski, Joseph (February 19, 2009). "Zadzooks: Review of Afro Samurai, the video game". The Washington Times. 3600 New York Ave. NE, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Times. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  36. ↑ "The RZA Gets His Afro Samurai On". Anime News Network. June 2, 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  37. ↑ "Afro Samurai". Amazon.com. January 30, 2007. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  38. ↑ "Afro Samurai Resurrection". Amazon.com. January 27, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  39. ↑ Green, Scott (September 19, 2008). "AICN Anime-Afro Samurai Manga, A Survey of Upcoming Events, News and More!". Austin, TX 78718-0011 USA: Ain't It Cool News/Ain't It Cool, Inc. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  40. ↑ Santos, Carlo (November 4, 2008). "Afro Samurai Blu-Ray". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  41. ↑ Blind, Matt (March 10, 2009). "2009-02: Manga Top 250 Volumes and Top 100 Series for February 2009". ComiPress. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  42. ↑ "Top 100 Animated TV Series - 90. Afro Samurai". IGN. Retrieved April 16, 2013.

External links

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