Dhruv Sharma
Overall, ‘Afro Samurai’ is not a groundbreaking anime in any way. Its short runtime barely fleshes out any of its characters and its story lacks any form of depth. Read its premise and you’ll pretty much know what it’s all about. However, if you start breaking down all of its individual elements, you’ll realize that it is easily one of the best anime shows of its genre. With a voice cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson and Kelly Hu (‘X-Men‘, ‘The Scorpion King’), the English dub of ‘Afro Samurai’ is just phenomenal.
It also brims with bleak visuals that are reminiscent of the good old classic samurai battles. And purely from an action standpoint, the anime is a visual feast that keeps you at the edge of your seat throughout its runtime. If you’re looking for an entertaining action-packed anime that you finish off in one viewing, there is no better show out there. And if you have already seen, you might want to read on further to know more about the prospects of its renewal.
Afro Samurai Season 2 Release Date: When will it premiere?
‘Afro Samurai’ season 1 premiered on May 3, 2007. With only 5 episodes in its first season, the anime ended on May 4, 2007. The first season was then followed by a sequel movie which released on January 25, 2009. Animated by Studio Gonzo, which is also known for its work in ‘Hellsing‘ and ‘Rosario no Vampire‘, ‘Afro Samurai’ is an original anime. This means the creators of the series have the complete freedom to take its storyline in any direction without relying on any source material. So if they intend to, the makers of this show can easily create a whole new sequel for it.
Also, among the plethora of samurai anime out there, ‘Afro Samurai’ has been widely successful and is still considered to be one of the best shows of the genre. However, at this point, since the anime first premiered more than a decade ago, it seems very less likely that Gonzo Studio would ever return to it. Also, considering how the characters of the series have been voiced by some of the most renowned Hollywood actors such as Samuel L. Jackson and Ron Perlman (‘Sons of Anarchy‘), we’re doubtful if the stars would want to return as voice actors for the show after these years. So, as of now, this samurai anime has indeed come to an end. In the unlikely scenario that the anime does get renewed, you can expect ‘Afro Samurai’ season 2 to release sometime in 2022 or later.
Afro Samurai English Dub
The English dub of ‘Afro Samurai’ is available on Funimation, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
Afro Samurai Plot
Afro was once a young boy. His father, who used to be the Number One samurai, was cut down by a man named Justice right before his eyes. Justice then replaced his own “Number Two” headband with that of his father’s and claimed all of his godly powers as his own.
After this traumatizing incident, Afro works really hard to make his way to the top and manages to become the Number two samurai. After finally acquiring the right to challenge Number One, he embarks on a journey to hunt down Justice and seek revenge for the murder of his father. However, while Number One can only be challenged by Number Two, Two can be challenged by any other samurai in the world. As all of his enemies line up on his way towards Justice, Afro yields his sword and starts slashing his way towards his ultimate goal.
Afro Samurai Characters
Afro Samurai
Afro is the main character of the series whose father was killed right before his eyes. Following this event, he trains himself to become one of the best sword fighters out there and sets out to avenge the death of his father. He soon becomes a cold-blooded killer and does not think twice before killing anyone who crosses his path. He wears a simple outfit that consists of a white headband, a plain white Japanese shirt and baggy pair of trousers with bell bottoms. He also wears a pair of wooden Japanese geta in his feet and always carries a sword which was passed on to him by his father.
There was a time when he used to be a cheerful kid, but now, he’s just a stern young man who is too determined to seek revenge. He rarely smiles and even seems very aloof at times. But despite being labeled as a cold-blooded monster who shows no qualm while killing others, there are times when he shows some kindness towards others. He talks only when it is necessary and gets really bogged down by those who talk a lot around him.
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