A Spike TV Production. "Director's Cut" DVD released by FUNimation Entertainment, 2007. Directed by Takashi Okazaki. Voices in the English version include: Samuel L. Jackson, Kelly Hu and Ron Pearlman.

     By Stephen Pytak 

     It borrows from everywhere. Spaghetti 
westerns. The Terminator. Stephen King's
Dark Tower series. Lone Wolf and Cub.
Akira...
     But you won't want to miss the 
adventures of the stone cold black samurai
who's got a big sword, a bigger afro and
a bigger body count.
     I haven't seen the version that aired on
Spike. But I do remember seeing the 
commercials. I worked the nights it was on.
The other day I saw it on the shelf at Wal
Mart, picked up the Director's Cut. Really
glad I did.
     There are two discs, five episodes, fight
scenes at every turn, a lot of attidude and
a lot of fun. 
     The backdrop is a strange wasteland
cultured with things both Western and 
Eastern. The story is about warriors and
their quest for greatness. Here that's achieved
by obtaining one of two headbands. 
     The "Number One" is worn by a twisted
gunfighter named "Justice (Pearlman).
And Afro Samurai wears the "Number Two."
    On the road to obtain the Number One,
Afro Samurai runs into a bunch of interesting
foes, including one sword fighter with a 
decked out helmet shaped like a Teddy 
bear's head.
     This was like watching a whacked out
animated version of Shogun Assassin. When
blood is drawn, it blasts out like canon fire.
     I don't know if they plan on making any
more of these. If they come up with a decent
story, and more interesting foes for our hero
to battle, I'd be curious.