Afro Samurai

	Design:	Animation:	Soundtrack:

Afro Samurai

Afro Samurai

2007 - 5 episodes

A modern, yet feudal Japan. Fighter No. 1 may only be challenged by fighter No. 2. Fighter No. 2 may be challenged by John Q. Public. When freaky "Justice" beheads the current No. 1, No. 1's young son can only sit and watch, but Justice himself explains the path to retribution, and so young Afro's way of life is fix: He becomes "Afro Samurai " and massacres hordes of enemies to become No. 2 and to stay No. 2 respectively, and then at last duels Justice to avenge his father.
Samuel Jackson, Kelly Hu, Ron Perlman ... Check. Exquisite designs, corresponding animation, fitting soundtrack ... Check. Lots and lots of action and coolness ... Check. Any kind of story deserving that name ... None. And so Afro Samurai is a rather relaxed view, yet stays somehow hollow all the time. Luckily, there are just a few episodes, but it's a bit of a shame nonetheless.
Much better: Samurai Champloo.