Home >> Anime >> Afro Samurai

Profile:
Author Takashi Okazaki
Publisher Dōjinshi NNH
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Nou Nou Hau
Original run September 1999 – May 2000
Volumes 2
TV anime
Director Fuminori Kizaki
Jamie Simone
Writer Tomohiro Yamashita
Derek Draper
Chris Yoo
Studio Gonzo
Licensor FUNimation Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
MC Entertainment
Network Fuji Television
Spike TV
Adult Swim/Bravo
MTV
MTV
Canal+
Canal+ Poland
2×2
Original run January 4, 2007 – February 1, 2007
Episodes 5
Anime film
Afro Samurai: Resurrection
Director Fuminori Kizaki
Jamie Simone
Producer Shin'ichiro Ishikawa
Leo Chu
Eric Garcia
Arthur Smith
Samuel L. Jackson
Writer Yasuyuki Mutou
Josh Fialkov
Eric Calderon
Studio Gonzo
Licensor FUNimation Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Released January 25, 2009
February 3, 2009
Runtime 90 minutes
100 minutes

Afro Samurai is a Japanese dojinshi manga series created by Takashi Okazaki, originally featured in the Nou Nou Hau dōjin magazine. It was adapted into a 5-episode anime directed by Fuminori Kizaki and produced by Gonzo, a Japanese animation studio. The first episode was shown online on January 1, 2007 and premiered on Spike TV on January 4, 2007 at 11:00pm EST. The anime series has since gone on to air in Canada, the UK and the US, where it premiered on SPIKE TV on May 4, 2007, and Japan, where it was broadcast on Fuji Television. It also premiered on MTV in Australia in August 2007.

The anime series features noted American actor Samuel L. Jackson as the voice of the titular character and his sidekick, 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, which was released on compact disc by Koch Records on January 30, 2007 in both uncut and edited versions.

The series was also licensed for North American distribution by Funimation, who released two versions: a SpikeTV version and an unrated director's cut on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Both DVD versions were released on May 22, 2007 with the Blu-ray Disc version being released on August 26 of the following year. In the United Kingdom, a Bravo Numbered Limited Edition, equivalent to the US Spike TV edition and featuring the same red themed artwork was released on 2 July 2007. A Directors’ Cut Edition Box Set, featuring new artwork, was released later on 12 October 2007.

A second Bravo edition featuring artwork similar to the UK Director’s Cut was released on 21 March 2008. A Blu-ray disc version has been released in North America. An Afro Samurai video game was developed by Namco Bandai Games and released on January 27, 2009.