Afro Samurai

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Afro Samurai
アフロサムライ (Afro Samurai)
Genre	Samurai, Action, Dōjinshi
Manga
Authored by	Takashi Okazaki
Publisher	NOU NOU HAU
Serialized in
Original run	1999 –
No. of volumes
TV anime
Directed by	Fuminori Kizaki
Studio	GONZO
Network	Fuji Television Spike TV
Original run	4 January 2007 – 1 February 2007
No. of episodes	5 [1]

Common rating
United States	TV-MA

Afro Samurai (アフロサムライ, Afro Samurai^?) is a Japanese dōjinshi manga series, created by Takashi Okazaki, originally featured in the NOU NOU HAU ^[2] dōjin magazine. It was adapted into a 5-episode anime television series directed by Fuminori Kizaki and produced by Japanese animation studio GONZO. The first episode was shown online on January 1, 2007 and premiered on Spike TV on January 4, 2007 on at 11:00pm EST.

The anime series features noted American actor Samuel L. Jackson as the voice of the titular character, as well as one of the co-producers, and also features Ron Perlman and Kelly Hu as character voices. Wu-Tang Clan member RZA produced the original hip hop musical score,^[3] which was released on compact disc by Koch Records on January 30, 2007 in both explicit and edited versions. The series consisted of five episodes and aired in the United States on Spike TV and Japan on Fuji Television. The series has also been licensed for North American distribution by Funimation, whose DVD release is planned for May 22, 2007. In August 2005, Japan-based game developers Namco announced they would be releasing Afro Samurai related video games in both Japan and America.^[4]

The cost of each episode is estimated at one million dollars^[5], which is a record for GONZO.

There are also plans to make a live-action Afro Samurai movie also staring Samuel L. Jackson as the title character^[6], although production has not yet started.

Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Characters 3 Episodes 4 Music 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Plot summary

The TV anime series is set in a "futuristic, yet feudal Japan," and stars a samurai named Afro for his hair. The story follows Afro as he tries to avenge his father's murder.^[7] In the world of Afro Samurai, it is said that the one who becomes "Number One", will rule the world, wielding powers akin to a god. Someone becomes Number One by killing the previous Number One and taking his ceremonial headband. However, the only rule in this world is that only the "Number Two" (also designated by a sacred headband) is allowed to fight the "Number One." The downside of this is that anyone (and typically everyone) can challenge and try to kill the Number Two, to gain the right to move forward and challenge Number One. Afro Samurai's father was the old Number One, until he was challenged by a gunman, "Justice" (who was then Number Two), who fought him in a duel to become the new Number One. At the time the gunman challenged his father, Afro had only been a child. The gunman severed his father's head right in front of the young Afro. Now an adult, Afro Samurai is the current Number Two and a master swordsman; he travels the road looking for revenge on the current Number One who killed his father.^[8]

[edit] Characters

Afro Samurai
Adult Afro Voiced by: Samuel L. Jackson
Teen Afro Voiced by: Phil LaMarr
Child Afro Voiced by: Crystal Scales
The current holder of the title "Number 2", Afro is out to hunt down the man who killed Afro's father for the rank of "Number 1". From the time he was a child, Afro honed his skills as a swordsman which typically consists of wielding his sword with only his right hand while his left continues to hold on to his sheath. However, during his fight with Jinno, he held his sword with both hands to compensate for Jinno's dual wielding speed. He is a very quiet individual, likely because the life of the number 2 doesn't allow him to have any close relationships with anyone, so when approached by others he says very little, if anything. Although he seems cold, he is still haunted by his memories and past relationships, which Justice remarks by saying that he is like his father, still soft inside. At the end of the series, he kills Justice and becomes the "Number One."

"Afro Samurai" is not a descriptive name such as "The Man With No Name": his first name is literally "Afro"

Ninja Ninja
Voiced by: Samuel L. Jackson
The complete opposite of Afro, Ninja talks constantly. Generally, Afro refuses to respond to anything he says. He speaks in stereotypical African American Vernacular English, and tends to curse often. As his name implies, he dresses in a ninja motif. He also seems to have a counter color scheme to afro, while also having a similar frame and hair cut though he slouches when he walks. This can best be seen at the end of episode 2, where they are walking side by side after the fire. There are several clues throughout the show that point to Ninja being imaginary, such as Afro being the only one who speaks to him, Samuel L. Jackson providing the voice for both Ninja and Afro, his constant disappearing when Afro is not in combat, and the fact he is not hurt when Afro and him are knocked off a cliff by an RPG despite being next to each other. It is then shown in Episode 4 that Ninja first appeared suddenly when Afro lost his friends and loved ones while obtaining the "Number 2" headband. At the beginning of Episode 5, it is revealed that Ninja was the one that was killed by Kuma's strike, though it would seem to solidify Ninja's existence as being imaginary, as he and Afro carry on a long conversation after he is struck, and that there is apparently no body to be seen after the fact. Justice also said that he chuckled as Afro shed his imaginary friend, strongly suggesting that Ninja Ninja was not a separate person, and Justice was aware of his existence. It might also be possible that Ninja Ninja is one of the powers or manifestations of the Number 2 headband which could explain why it is that he first appeared when Afro acquired the Number 2 headband as well as how he blocked Kuma's strike and his magical death scene. Justice might have known about Ninja Ninja because he went through the same experience while wearing the Number 2 headband. However, it could also be the explained that since Justice holds the title of Number 1, he is omniscient, and therefore able to see what others cannot.

Afro's Father/Rokutaro
Voiced by: Greg Eagles
Rokutaro was the Number 1 at the beginning of the series, who lost his title (and life) to Justice. How he attained the Number 1 headband, what he did during his time as Number 1, and how long he'd had it prior to Justice killing him remain unclear. However, according to Justice, it had been Rokutaro's intention to put an end to the headband wars by hiding the Number One headband - something he probably would have done had he managed to defeat Justice - but, having been defeated himself, the wars went on.

Otsuru/Okiku
Voiced by: Kelly Hu
A village girl who specializes in the art of healing, Otsuru is an excellent cook and adores fireworks. She is the one who discovered Afro in the shrine after he lost the number two headband as a boy, which led to his becoming a pupil at Sword Master's dojo where he befriended Jinno. When she is introduced, she has once again found Afro in a bad way, and she has bandaged him and taken him to her home to heal. We find out that she has grown up to become an agent working for "Brother 1" of the Empty 7 clan and is assigned get close enough to siphon the memories of Afro for his unique combat techniques. She is also assigned to kill him should the opportunity ever present itself, but after a night alone with him, she finds herself unable to do it. She remarks that she still thinks of him as the same innocent boy she knew so long ago, revealing to him that she is actually Otsuru. In the same episode where she is introduced, she is also killed, because she fails to carry out the orders of the Empty 7 and trys to protect Afro from their droids.

Justice
Voiced by: Ron Perlman
The current holder of the title "Number 1", Justice is the one Afro is hunting for defeating Afro's father before his eyes many years ago. He is a remarkably skilled gunman, dressing in a cowboy garb including a large cowboy hat and his "Number 1" headband. He has discolored, diseased-looking skin, his official bio implying that this is the result of a past accident. He also has a third arm hidden behind his back that holds a sword for catching opponents off guard. His true nature is unknown but perhaps his quote; "Destiny designed me to attain all the headbands" shed light on a possibility as to what he was: Someone or something created to end the headband wars. Regardless of his origin he was able to survive being nearly decapitated and seemed to be able to control the Number 1's throne room to some extent. Right before the credits roll, it is implied by his eyes opening and his twisted grin that he even survived being sliced to pieces and is still at large.

The Empty 7
Brothers 1 & 3 Voiced by: Phil LaMarr
Brother 2 Voiced by: John DiMaggio
A clan led by seven monks who believe that attaining both ancient headbands will lead to immortality and godhood. They employ robots and mercenaries to do their dirty work since the monks themselves have greatly inferior skills when compared to Afro and Justice. Their leaders, Brothers 1 through 5 look almost identical, Brother 6 is a large brute and Brother 7 is a large, stubby robot who was shown building Afro Droid near the end of episode 1 rebuilt Jinno. As of episode 3, Brothers 1,2,4,5, and 6 are dead. Brother 3's status is unknown. The status of Brother 7 is unknown. He lived on most likely to rebuild Jinno to become "Number 2" as he is shown alive at the end of episode 5.

Afro Droid
An evil robot copy of Afro Samurai created by the Empty 7 Clan. It was created from combat data siphoned from Afro's mind, and is able to reproduce all of his learned techniques and abilities. It is physically superior to Afro, and its external appearance is identical. It also is equipped with guns, lasers, and explosives. It is eventually defeated by Afro in episode 3, but not without the help of a falling blade, which thrust straight through the Afro Droid - this was the droid's own sword, held in its right arm, which Afro had severed while the two fought a duel miles above the earth. The voice and appearance of Afro Droid looks quite similar to a Terminator from the Terminator series.

Kuma/Jinnosuke
Voiced by: Yuri Lowenthal
A mercenary that wears a teddy bear shaped helmet and is skilled with dual wielded blades. His real name is Jinno and is actually an old acquaintance of Afro since his days at the dojo as a youth. Back then Jinno thought of Afro as a brother, and when Afro turned on him and the other members of the dojo to walk the path of revenge for the Number 2 headband, Jinno vowed vengeance against him. His eyes consistently keep tearing because his "tears have never stopped falling" since that day. Jinno was rebuilt with the help of cybernetic body modifications by the Brother 7 in an attempt to create a stronger samurai then Afro. In the end, Kuma had somehow once again cheated death, this time his body completely modified appearing more android than human and wrapped in multiple headbands wearing them like a mummy's bandages, and once again wearing his teddy bear head with the number two headband over the right eye and ready to fight Afro one last time. It is unknown who the victor was.

Despite both Kuma and Otsuru working for the same organization at the same time, neither was aware that the other was still alive and assumed that the other had died long ago.

Sword Master
Voiced by: TC Carson
A one-eye samurai who houses orphans and trains them to become warriors. When a Young Afro first approaches him about the headbands, he receives a beating and is told by Sword Master that wearing the headbands leads to a life of murder, saying "We are born men in order to live, not to kill". He is asked about the headbands again at dojo graduation by Afro when he hears a rumor about Sword Master holding the Number 2 Headband. Sword Master tells Afro he meant to take the secret to his grave and then tells Afro to make a decision between forgetting avenging his father's death and living a normal life. He fights a large group of thugs in order to show Afro an example of what it means to be Number 2, before he himself is willingly slain by Afro.

Sasuke
Voiced by: Jason Marsden
A teenager who is a best friend to both Afro and Jinno. He wears a pair of glasses which are held to the face by string, similar to those worn in feudal Japan and late dynastic China. Though he graduated from swordsman school at the same time as Afro and Jinno, he has quite inferior skills (though he is seen killing two people in his final battle). He is killed in the "Midnight Battle Under The Bowie Tree" after being stabbed from behind during episode 4 and is the sole reason why Jinno was cut down in the first place.

Chiro

[edit] Episodes

Screenshot	Title	Original air date	#
	"Revenge"	2007-01-04	01
	Afro witnessed his father's death by the hands of a man looking to claim the title of "Number One" and seeks to avenge his father. Now a grown man, he has the title of "Number Two" and sets out on his journey of revenge.
Screenshot	Title	Original air date	#
	"The Dream Reader"	2007-01-11	02
	Afro relives his harsh past through dreams when he is discovered by a local named Otsuru by the riverbank who tends to his wounds.
Screenshot	Title	Original air date	#
	"The Clan of the Empty Seven"	2007-01-18	03
	As The Clan of the Empty Seven continues to put pressure on Afro, he is faced with his toughest enemy yet... Himself.
Screenshot	Title	Original air date	#
	"Duel"	2007-01-25	04
	The past comes back to teach Afro Samurai a lesson on the consequences of choosing revenge over family, and what it really means to wear the 'Number Two' headband.
Screenshot	Title	Original air date	#
	"Justice"	2007-02-01	05
	Afro's battle with his childhood friend Jinno brought back from the dead continues as does his ascension towards the number one, Justice.

[edit] Music

The hip hop soundtrack is produced by the RZA and features other artists as well, such as Big Daddy Kane, Talib Kweli, Q Tip, and GZA. The soundtrack was released on CD on January 30, 2007, and is called The RZA Presents: Afro Samurai OST

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Website
• Afro Samurai manga beginnings
• Trailer for the TV series
• NOU NOU HAU website (Japanese)
• Afro Samurai at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia