AFRO SAMURAI: RESURRECTION - Time for a reevaluation of the resurrected warrior

Afro Samurai: Resurrection - The Rebirth of the Samurai

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

December 12, 2009 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Distribution: Tornado Films

■Frequencies

100 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Okazaki Yoshishi

■ Director

Fumitomo Kizaki

■ Production

・Animation Production: GONZO

■Works

©2009 Noriyoshi Okazaki・GONZO

■ Story

A few years after the previous film, Afro defeated his father's enemy, Justice, who reigns at the top of the "Dark Swordsman Way," after a fierce battle, and completed his revenge... Afro returned to his master's dojo to offer prayers for the souls of those he had killed, and spent his days carving Buddhist statues as atonement. However, the fate of the blood that surrounds his headband once again sends him into a cycle of bloodshed! His former senior disciple, Jinnosuke (Kuma), who was supposed to be dead, and the mysterious woman, Shio, appear, this time vowing revenge on Afro, to steal his "number one" headband and his father's remains. "You took many lives for your personal vendetta... now it's our turn to take revenge." From pursuer to pursued, Afro is attacked by a chain of battles! As he is engulfed in the cycle of revenge, will he be able to accept his fate and "Resurrection" as the cold-blooded, invincible samurai who once fought, abandoning all emotions except for "revenge"?

■Explanation

"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" is a sequel to "Afro Samurai," which was adapted into an anime in 2007 based on the comic by Japanese artist Noriyuki Okazaki and released in theaters in Japan. Produced by GONZO and directed by Fuminori Kizaki, it was broadcast on Spike TV (USA), an MTV-affiliated cable channel (affiliated with Viacom), in January 2009. Like the previous film, this is an entertaining work with a black samurai named Afro as the main character, full of flashy violence and action against a backdrop of hip-hop music. The voice of the main character Afro is provided by popular Hollywood actor Samuel L. Jackson, and other popular and talented major Hollywood actors such as Lucy Liu from the "Charlie's Angels" series and "Kill Bill," and Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the "Star Wars" series, also participate in the film. The music was provided by The RZA, a charismatic artist famous for his film scores such as "Kill Bill" and "Ghost Dog," as in the previous film. Combined with being aired on Spike TV, which is highly responsive to trends, the film spread to a different demographic than traditional anime fans, making it a huge hit in the United States.

Winner of the 61st Primetime Emmy Award (Animation Individual Jury Award) (Art Direction: Ikeda Shigemi).

Nominated for the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards (Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Long-Form Animated Program).

■Cast

・Afro, Ninja Ninja/Samuel L. Jackson

・Shio／Lucy Liu

・Bin, Oden shop owner / Mark Hamill

Professor Dallman, the Kidnapper / S. Scott Bullock

・Afro Father/Greg Eagles

・Tomoe, Ogin/Grey Delisle

・Takimoto the Blacksmith／Kevin Michael Richardson

・Man A, Assassin／Steve Blum

Fencing Brothers, Young People / Dave Wittenberg

・Three characters／Jeff Glen Bennett

・Shichigoro／Liam O'Brien

・Kotaro/Zachary Gordon

・Young Afro/Phil LaMarr

・Jinnosuke/Yuri Lowenthal

・DJ／The RZA

・Young Shio／Ariel Winter

■ Main staff

Original author: Noriyuki Okazaki

・Director: Fumitomo Kizaki

・Character design and chief animation director: Hiroya Iijima

・Mecha design: Ken Otsuka

・Prop design/Satoshi Ishino

Art setting: Makoto Kobayashi, Shigemi Ikeda, Shuichi Okubo

・Color design: Takae Iijima

Storyboard, direction: Fuminori Kizaki

Animation directors: Hiroya Iijima, Itsuko Takeda, Koichi Hashimoto

・Mecha animation director: Ken Otsuka

Assistant Director: Takahiro Harada

Assistant animation directors: Akihiro Yamamoto, Takako Shimizu

・Screenplay: Yasuyuki Muto

・Screenplay (English version): Leo Chu, Eric Garcia, Josh Fialkov, Eric Calderon

・Animation Production: GONZO

■ Main Characters

・Afro Samurai

In the previous work, he took revenge on Justice, who killed his father right before his eyes, and became the No. 1 swordsman in the dark world. However, he is now a lonely samurai who spends his days atoning for having cut down those who stood in his way to get revenge. He has a quiet personality and his favorite food is lemonade.

・Ninja Ninja

A mysterious man who travels with Afro. In contrast to the taciturn Afro, he is cheerful, talkative, and timid, never taking part in fights. He is always concerned about Afro, cracking jokes, and worries about him. The true identity of this Ninja Ninja is an alter-ego created by Afro, a sort of "imaginary friend."

・Shio

A mysterious woman who desires revenge against Afro. Seductive yet cold-blooded, she calls herself the Executioner and is working on a plan to bring a gruesome death to Afro, making him pay for the sad past that tore him apart.

Bear

A mysterious swordsman appears before Afro on a bamboo bike, wearing a teddy bear on his head. Although he looks strange, as a swordsman, he is the only one who can match Afro's skill and is a master of two swords. His true identity is Jinnosuke, who was once like an older brother to Afro.

■ Related works

・Afro Samurai

・AFRO SAMURAI

■ Theme songs and music

・TM1

・This is War

Lyrics: Robert Diggs

・Composer: Robert Diggs

Arrangement: Robert Diggs

・Vocals: P. DOT

Afro Samurai: Resurrection - In-depth analysis and review

Afro Samurai: Resurrection is a sequel to the anime series based on the novel by Takashi Okazaki, which was released in theaters in 2009. The film delves deeply into the theme of revenge and portrays the inner and outer struggles of the protagonist, Afro. Below, we will take a detailed look at the story, characters, production background, music, and reviews of the film.

The depths of the story

"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" tells the story of Afro, who avenged his father in the previous film, but is once again caught up in the cycle of revenge as he spends his days atoning for his sins. Afro continues to carve Buddhist statues to memorialize the souls of those he has killed, but he is once again drawn into the whirlpool of battle by his former senior disciple Jinnosuke (Kuma) and the mysterious woman Shio. This story depicts how the cycle of revenge torments people and how difficult it is to break it.

Afro's character has been developed further since the previous work. Even after achieving his revenge, he is unable to find peace of mind and continues to face his past sins. This makes him more than just an avenger, but a more human character. The introduction of new characters such as Shio and Kuma also allows the story to explore the theme of revenge from a new perspective. Shio desires revenge against Afro, but he also hides deep sadness and anger behind it. Kuma is deeply connected to Afro's past, and his presence symbolizes Afro's inner conflict.

Character Appeal

While Afro Samurai maintains the image of a silent and ruthless samurai, it also portrays his inner conflict and humanity, evoking deep empathy from the audience. His favorite drink, lemonade, is a small detail that symbolizes his humanity and makes the audience feel closer to him. Ninja Ninja is Afro's alter-ego and the voice of his heart. His cheerfulness and talkative personality highlight Afro's loneliness and add humor and lightness to the story.

Shio is portrayed as a mysterious woman with a desire for revenge, but deep sadness and anger are hidden behind her. Her character symbolizes how the cycle of revenge can torment people, and leaves a strong impression on the viewer. Kuma is a character deeply connected to Afro's past, and his presence symbolizes Afro's inner conflict. His unusual appearance and powerful swordsmanship not only create a visual impact, but are also important elements that explore the deeper layers of the story.

Production background and staff

Afro Samurai: Resurrection was produced by GONZO and directed by Fumitomo Kizaki. Kizaki has demonstrated his talent in previous works, creating a work that combines visual beauty with deep storytelling. Hiroya Iijima, who was in charge of character design and general animation director, vividly portrayed characters such as Afro, Shio, and Kuma, enhancing the visual appeal. Ken Otsuka, who was in charge of mecha design, played an important role in enriching the worldview of the work.

The screenplay was written by Yasuyuki Muto, and the English version was written by a team of talented writers including Leo Chu, Eric Garcia, Josh Fialkov, and Eric Calderon. Their collaboration gave the story depth and breadth, leaving a strong impression on viewers. Art directors Makoto Kobayashi, Shigemi Ikeda, and Shuichi Okubo supported the visual aspects of the work, and color designer Takae Iijima skillfully combined the beauty of color with emotional expression.

Music and Soundtrack

The music for "Afro Samurai: Resurrection" was composed by The RZA. He also demonstrated his talent in the previous film, creating a unique soundtrack that combines hip-hop beats with the world of anime. The theme song, "This is War," is sung by P. DOT and strongly reflects the theme of the film. The RZA's music is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the film and evoking the emotions of the viewer.

The soundtrack skillfully blends hip-hop beats with the worldview of the anime, leaving a strong impression on the viewer. The music, especially in the battle scenes, has the power to enhance tension and excitement and draw the viewer into the story. Meanwhile, the music in the quieter scenes plays an important role in portraying Afro's inner conflict and humanity.

Recognition and Awards

Afro Samurai: Resurrection has received critical acclaim for its visual beauty and deep storytelling. At the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, it won the Individual Animation Jury Award, recognizing the talent of art director Shigemi Ikeda. It was also nominated for a Creative Arts Emmy Award in the Outstanding Long-Form Animated Program category, in recognition of the high quality of its production.

The series was well received by viewers, especially the development of Afro's character, the introduction of new characters, and the high quality of the music. The series was widely accepted not only by traditional anime fans, but also by hip-hop and action movie fans, and became a huge hit. In the United States, in particular, its popularity spread to a wide range of generations due to its broadcast on Spike TV.

Recommendations and how to watch

"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" delves deeply into the theme of revenge, combining visual beauty with deep storytelling. The deepening of Afro's character, the introduction of new characters, and The RZA's music leave a strong impression on viewers. I highly recommend this film, especially to those who are interested in the theme of revenge and those who enjoy the fusion of hip hop and anime.

You can watch it by purchasing it on DVD or Blu-ray, or by streaming services. In particular, streaming services offer both English and Japanese versions, so viewers can choose according to their preferences. Also, if you want to know the background and behind-the-scenes stories of the work, we recommend reading the official guidebook and interviews. This will help you understand the depths of the work even more.

Conclusion

Afro Samurai: Resurrection delves deeply into the theme of revenge, combining visual beauty with deep storytelling. The deepening of Afro's character, the introduction of new characters, and The RZA's music leave a strong impression on viewers. This work is highly recommended, especially for those who are interested in the theme of revenge and those who enjoy the fusion of hip hop and anime. You can watch it by purchasing it on DVD or Blu-ray, or by streaming services. In particular, streaming services offer both English and Japanese versions, so viewers can choose according to their preferences. In addition, if you want to know the background and behind-the-scenes stories of the work, we recommend reading the official guidebook and interviews. This will help you understand the depth of the work even more.