Talk:Afro Samurai

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Contents

[edit] Reception

Can we get a section on its ratings and acclaims? 66.25.233.222 (talk) 05:55, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] The videogame release only said for United States and Japan

No european or australian release? Or is the writer being ignorant and depicting the whole western market as America? This matter should be corrected.

[edit] Comment

Needs a character section, with some info on Afro, Ninja Ninja, Justice, The Numbered Monks of that mystery buddhist sect. --Bushido Brown 07:04, 5 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Episode Summaries

I'm going to reformat and minimize the episode summary section to be more consistent with other shows. Right now it goes a little too far into detail for a summary. Leebo86 14:56, 5 January 2007 (UTC)

Also, Thesis4Eva, if you would like to do detailed summaries for the characters, or at least start them, that would be great. That's usually where the more in-depth info goes. Just be sure to move the end spoilers tag below the characters section if you put spoilers in the character descriptions. Leebo86 15:28, 5 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Sources.

This article does not expand on sources or cite much of any of them. Also, I thought Fan Links were not official or reputable sources? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 209.112.213.22 (talk) 01:22, 9 January 2007 (UTC).

I don't see any fan sites listed as sources. There are some under External Links (which they probably shouldn't be, I'll review the policy), but the sources are listed under References, and all 6 sources are cited in the article. The lead contains most of them. Please clarify what you mean, and sign your edit with 4 tildes. Leebo86 01:30, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

Here is a link to a recent interview with the creator (Oct 26, 2007); answers a lot of questions: http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/recent/feature.asp —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.21.129.12 (talk) 18:33, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Franchise

The real question for this page is what incarnation of Afro Samurai it is supposed to be dealing with. The TV show? The rumored movie? The original manga? (which is called a series in the article, but was it ever even a full series?) AS is unique in the way it crossed mediums before it was ever established in one. Technically the article should be split up but there's so little info on each thing. Any ideas? Laxcat 03:07, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

It's generally accepted to keep related media (television, manga, movies) together on a main page, and if the individual media deserve their own articles, it can be taken from there. Leebo86 03:06, 11 January 2007 (UTC)
Oh... my apologies on reverting the removal of your own text. I saw an anonymous IP remove it, and just reverted until a reason was given. Leebo86 03:09, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Race

The question for me is why was it necessary for an African to be transplanted into Japanese culture, or, conversely, why was it needful that medieval Japanese culture be used as the backdrop for the exploits of an African character? Surely it would be possible to portray the correct races in their own proper cultures in an interesting way. Why is it considered "more special" to watch an African male out-do Japanese males in fighting methods which are native to Japanese culture? Are there political reasons for why this is considered to be a "good" thing? [[User:Jenab][[User_Talk:Jenab] 03:09, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

I think you're looking a bit deeper into it than necessary. I think the main motivation is the "cool factor" of having a hip-hop backdrop. The manga was written by a Japanese artist, so I don't think it's a political device for touting Africans' superiority over Japanese. Samurai Champloo is another example of a "hip hop anime". It combined hip hop and ancient Japan, in the same way that the creators had previously combined jazz and space travel for Cowboy Bebop. Hip hop is big in the United States, and Afro Samurai was clearly made with the intention of it being a hit here. Add Samuel L. Jackson's involvment and it seems to be mostly a marketing technique. Leebo86 17:58, 11 January 2007 (UTC)
Yes its definitely the "cool factor" --Oblivious
Nah it was just because we wanted an animefied depiction of a black guy boning some japanese chick. It just wouldn't have been possible otherwise. But seriously, it's probably the cool factor. As stated, with cell phones, revolvers, mechanical physical augmentation, and RPGs, the show never really established a specific setting. (In fact the notion that it takes place in a Japanese culture, although seemingly apparent, is speculative and never outright stated - instead we are drawing conjecture based upon the architecture, language, fighting styles, etc.) Afro's race is never even mentioned in the anime, I don't think, so I doubt it's racially charged. If this manga was not created by the Japanese, I might consider that.

Ok, this is why you are all wrong and possibly racist. First of all its not set in any time period because theres cell phones and characters with rocket powered grenades. Second of all, hip-hop music hand nothing to do with the show at all, it wasn't like champloo or bebop were the music set the tone for the fight sequences, it was about a kid being different from everyone and they still excepted him. Third of all, your racist, because all your article reads to me is "I don't want my samurai to be a black guy" and "It's not about they're race, it's about there silly music".

Why is it racist to question why the role of a samurai was not played by a Japanese person, or to point out the connection between hip-hop music and African Americans?
Because of this: [1]. Same guy
Yes, it's not racist to question the role of the Samurai or point out the connection between hip-hop and the African American community - but this person has a history of posting racist and nationalistic complaints in the past. Additionally, it's pretty easy to infer from the way he types, advocating things like "keeping the correct races in their own proper cultures" - i.e "Go back to Africa n***er".
You are entitled to your own opinion. But this is not a forum, you should keep those opinions to yourself. The discussion page exists to talk about ways to make a page better. If your comment has nothing to do with that then it has no reason to be on the page. Thefro552 00:48, 8 August 2007 (UTC)

Maybe you should ask the creator of the show why he chose a black guy. Its not about race but the creator of Afro made a story and the main character is a black guy. If you are going to ask this question about a "African" being the main character then ask about all of the countless Anime and Manga with "European" characters and the fact that many "Japanese" characters don't look Japanese at all. I tell ya anytime someone black is in anythng race has to be brought up always!!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.21.129.12 (talk) 18:27, 25 October 2007 (UTC)


To the dude that said a black dude having sex with a japanese person wouldnt be possible needs to shut up. I'm blasian.

[edit] Characters section

The characters section should probably be expanded, but I see that someone moved Ninja Ninja up to Afro (so as to cover both characters voiced by Samuel L. Jackson on a single line). This would work fine if it was a "Cast" section, with characters listed after the voice actors, but the section is eventually going to be a focus on the characters themselves. What does everyone else think? Leebo86 07:41, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

That is until its revealed that Ninja Ninja is simply a split personality of Afro-samurai resulting from his traumatic childhood. :D Just a theory of course, but then they would need to be on a single line eh? Livingston 09:47, 22 January 2007 (UTC)

I edited the section on Sasuke earlier to correct a statement that his glasses were "homemade", to indicate that they are period glasses from feudal Japan / late dynastic China (many period HK movies feature them). I just thought a source might be appropriate. Found some pics of an actual 18th century pair of Chinese glasses in a similar design: http://www.eyeantiques.com/Spectacles/Chinese_old_style.htm

Anyone brave enough to prune up Ninja Ninja's section? It is a veritable wall of text.--RSBlaylock 21:15, 23 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Character changes

Anyone remember the afro samurai site a while ago featuring a guy with a teddy bear mask over his head? He was wearing one of the headbands but I forget which. I think his name started with a k but I forget. He's no where to be found on the site anymore so I can only imagine it's a plot change. I think it should be added but I have no info.

That would be Kuma (a.k.a. Jinno). The information is in his section.--RSBlaylock 21:16, 23 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] External Links

A user, 3ahmed, wishes to keep a link to the RZA's MySpace page in the External Links. I feel this is inappropriate and removed two insertions of it. I've alerted him to my feelings on it at his talk page, but any other editors' thoughts are appreciated. The guidelines for external links are at Wikipedia:External links. Leebo86 20:31, 27 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Tense

This show has already aired, this article needs to stop being in future tense, and perhaps some of the speculative information could be changed to better represent the show now that it's contents are avaliable to the public as well. Cheesechimp 09:55, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

I went through and removed all of the future tense that I saw. I know I probably missed some though. Thefro552 14:38, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Ninja Ninja

The Ninja Ninja section is filled with speculation on his being an imaginery character. This whole section probably needs to be rewritten to remove this. Thefro552 14:39, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Actaully its not speculation if you've seen the series all the way through. Which is why i added the spoiler warning.Luciferian56 02:34, 1 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Manga?

Manga is a book right? A japanese comic book, basically, right?

Is Afro Samurai a manga and anime, or just an anime?? I can't find a copy of an Afro Samurai manga anywhere.--71.158.209.186 05:43, 21 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Afro Samurai was originally a manga as stated in the article.

Shouldn't we present more information on the manga as well like other anime articles? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.230.190.100 (talk) 20:03, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Japanese Name

The name printed on the manga cover pictured is アフロザムライ (AFUROZAMURAI for those who don't read kana), indicating that the ロ triggers +voice (i.e. the dakuten) on what is normally the サ in サムライ. No problem with keeping the English name as "Afro Samurai", but the Japanese name ought to reflect the ザ, unless we have evidence to the contrary. Tsunomaru 03:47, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Japanese voices?

Um...who provides the Japanese-language voice acting for the show? Or is it just shown subtitled on Fuji TV? Twin Bird 02:51, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] New Season 2008

I just saw this on IGN: http://tv.ign.com/articles/830/830285p1.html They are making a new season of Afro Samurai in 2008. The article should be cleaned up to show this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 1silver11 (talk • contribs) 18:55, 30 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Brothers

I came across some information today that I believe is worth mentioning in the article under the biographies of the brothers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rouge it is interesting to note that Pol Pot and his elite circle shared a similar system of naming, and I am under the impression that this is where the refrence came from. I will include it in the article.

[edit] Small change?

"In August 2005, Japan-based game developers Namco announced they would be releasing Afro Samurai related video games.[5]

The cost of each episode is estimated at one million dollars[6], which is a record for GONZO.

There are plans to produce a live-action Afro Samurai movie, also starring Samuel L. Jackson as the title character[7], although production has not yet begun.

A video game adaptation of the series has been announced and will be released on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3"


Why does the article mention the game, then have two more seperated lines talking about how much money Gonzo has made followed up by the future movie and then another space line to talk about the game again? Shouldn't they be mushed together or at least put next to each other? They are talking about the same game after all.