AFRO SAMURAI (Director’s Cut)
Release Date: May 22
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Ron Perlman, Kelly Hu
Director: Fuminori Kizaki
Length: 215 minutes

Afro Samurai is one badass. This westernized sci-fi hip-hop samurai anime tale somehow combines all these elements and creates one cool series. “Afro Samurai,” based on the Japanese manga by Takashi Okazaki, originally aired on Spike TV earlier this year in a five-episode mini-series. It’s the story of a samurai with a ginormous afro who is trying to avenge the death of his father. Ron Perlman gives an awesome voice performance as the No. 1 samurai Justice, who beheaded Afro’s dad right before his eyes. The director’s cut is dark and violent, full of blood, boobs, and Sam Jackson doing what he does best — spitting out the word “motherf***er.” Jackson actually voices two of the main roles, Afro Samurai and his fast-talking comical sidekick Ninja Ninja. “Afro Samurai” has awesome animation, a kicking soundtrack by Wu Tang member The RZA, and the baddest afro in cartoons. The first episode is fast-paced and intense, highlighted by the appearance of Justice, a baddie who wields a really long gun. The rest of the episodes don’t quite live up to the kickoff. But the finale, which also includes Justice, rocks. I guess I’m trying to say that we should have seen more from Justice. Nonetheless, “Afro Samurai” makes up for Samuel L. Jackson’s “Snakes on a Plane.”

DVD GOODIES
A second disc of bonus material includes a featurette on the voice talent, a RZA music production tour featurette, and an interview with the associate producer.

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