Afro Samurai from animation studio Gonzo isn't trying to be a masterpiece or a genre-defying anime. It simply tells the story of a boy bent on revenge. And it does so in a very aesthetic and fun way. A long time ago, as a high school student just starting to watch anime, I watched this strange cult anime known as Afro Samurai. I didn't like it much at the time. It just looked cool. But now it's time to watch this anime again, fifteen years later.
A legend circulates in a futuristic but still fairly feudal version of Japan. Whoever wears the number one headband is the fiercest warrior in the world. This warrior is said to have divine powers. The only way to get the number one headband is to fight and defeat the number one. However, only number two may challenge number one. This while everyone can fight the number two, which causes a constant battle for the number two main belt. Are you still following?
This brings us to the beginning of our story, where Justice (Ron Perlman, Sons of Anarchy), the owner of the number two main band, goes head-to-head with the owner of the number one main band, Rokutaro (Greg Eagles, Crashbox). The fight ends when Justice beheads Rokutaro. He can therefore call himself the fiercest fighter in the world. Rokutaro's head rolls at the feet of his son, a boy named Afro (Samuel L. Jackson, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey), who sobs and swears for revenge.
The story of Afro Samurai is one of a dime a dozen. The story is simple, yet has something unique about it. With only five episodes you can watch the entire series in a short time. Due to the low number of episodes, it probably escapes you that there is a whole world behind it that is worth exploring. Unfortunately, Gonzo, the studio behind Afro Samurai, never really lets us explore this world. It remains with the simple revenge story of a boy who fights his way to the top. But that's essentially Afro Samurai. It's not meant to make you think about the bigger things in life or teach you anything important. It's a simple revenge story wrapped up nicely in an aesthetically pleasing visual style.
It's a simple revenge story wrapped up nicely in an aesthetically pleasing visual style.
Speaking of the stylistic side, this is – just like the story – a real cross-cultural work of art. Certainly not for a young audience and with a feeling I haven't seen anywhere else. The fights between Afro and his enemies are visually very powerful, almost astonishingly well choreographed. They feel like something out of Tarantino's Kill Bill. I think I can say that Gonzo has done a great job.
Not only were the graphics and story of the highest level, the voices and soundtrack were also very enjoyable. They fit the anime really well and added that little bit of extra spice when it was needed. Samuel L. Jackson and Ron Perlman, among other highly recognizable voices, brought their characters a little more life. This was really necessary, since the characters in the story itself have little to no real development.
It's not often I come across an anime that I think just works. Afro Samurai is a short, straightforward story that is nothing special, but the world around it makes for an interesting setting. Gonzo takes the concept of 'quality over quantity' to a higher level and the voices of Sam Jackson and Ron Perlman, among others, really bring the characters to life.
Afro Samurai isn't trying to be a masterpiece or a genre-defying anime. It simply tells the story of a boy who desires revenge. And it does so in a very aesthetic and fun way. Afro Samurai gets a great 9!
