August 03, 2005
Samuel L Jackson as Afro Samurai
I've never seen Afro Samurai by Takashi Okazaki myself, but I do hear cool things about it. It's currently being co-produced by Samuel L. Jackson into an animated series, with Okazaki on the writing credits. Not only that, it looks like Jackson is going to headline in the live action movie version. According to Coming Soon:
Variety says the film is a joint production of Japanese animation studio GDH K.K. Gonzo, Fuji TV and Mosaic Media in Los Angeles. Jackson is already signed to lend his voice to an animated Afro Samurai TV series set to premiere on Spike TV next year.Afro Samurai is the tale of a black samurai futuristic, yet feudal Japan who is on a mission to avenge the wrongful death of his father. Jackson stars as "Afro," a warrior who travels a solitary path encountering a myriad of enemies, friends and challenges beyond imagination.
Suits Jackson down to the ground, but with his age and back problems, even in the last Star Wars his fighting with the lightsaber was a bit less energetic than the others, however, perhaps that was a choice they made. After all with CGI even Christopher Lee was leaping about like a madman. That aside, I think Jackson is perfect for the role. Check out the website at the top of the story for more on the character.
Posted by at August 3, 2005 08:02 AM
Comments
Posted by: Tan The Man at August 3, 2005 12:48 PM
Not to be racist, but why does everything have to be Blaxploitated in media? Some things shouldn't be.....even the Last Samurai with Tom Cruise....I mean....there shouldn't be ANY multi-cultural samurais running around. When did this happen in history? rrrright....when MONEY was invented and manufactured....I'll just have to suck it up. Sigh.
What's next? Punjabi Samurai squad? Black blues brothers? A remake of The Jeffersons with an all white cast?
Posted by: Garrett Wiwcharuk at August 3, 2005 01:47 PM
What multi-racial Samurai was there? I would have said from that movie that he was never accepted as a true Samurai, however he was taught the ways. A very clever move to illicit his experience of the way the West fought.
That's as far from a racist story as there ever was. It's a great and compassionate insight into the turning of Japanese history and what great traditions they held.
Posted by: Richard Brunton at August 3, 2005 05:02 PM
What is with this obsession with blacking everything up? The honeymooners - black. Black Samuari's now? Next will be a black version of the HOLOCAUST!
Posted by: White Samurai at August 3, 2005 11:15 PM
Why are you guys so focused on the colour of someones skin. Who cares what colour it is, what matters is the story. You guys are nearly as bad as the people complaning that the kingpin movie cast was black and should be different, which i can understand but it isn't a big deal. People are so focused on skin colour, that's what seperates us, some of you guys act like black people are alien.
I understand if the character's skin doesn't fit the description it's based on but this isn't the same. This was done by a japanese creator and he wanted to do it this way and it might be different. Besides it's a story, does it matter if it doesn't completly hook up to the truth of the past.
Posted by: Sam at August 14, 2005 07:59 AM
ask him yourself
http://www.samuelljackson.com
Posted by: [email protected] at August 15, 2005 07:53 PM
if lawrence fishbourne can be a kung-fu master, samuel l. motha fuckin jackson can be a samurai master!!
Posted by: kevin at August 21, 2005 05:33 PM
It's more than ok for a white samurai to run around, but it's not ok for a black one. . . okay. . .
Posted by: Sean at August 31, 2005 02:56 PM
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. And I like Sam Jackson.