Afro Samurai: Resurrection Blu-ray delivers stunning video and decent audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
Afro Samurai is an epic tale of a black samurai's hunt for Justice who murdered his father.
Composed by famed artist RZA, Afro Samurai blends traditional Japanese culture, funky
technology and hip hop to create a brutally fresh entertainment experience.
"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" is the latest installment in a series meant to merge anime with the blaxploitation film genre. I would love to have been in the board room when this concept was originally pitched. I could imagine everyone sitting around the table grinning ear to ear at the sheer audacity of combining two niche markets, and serving it on a platter to the general public. So how can a concept this wild, have turned into such a huge success? I would offer one word….Passion.
"Afro Samurai" began as a manga series by Takashi Okazaki, who has continued to have an active role in the creation of the anime series (this volume is part two of the ongoing saga). Produced by Gonzo animation studio, volume one of "Afro Samurai" was released on Blu-ray back in August of 2008. This sequel is a follow-up to the first season, and picks up several years after the events of the first series.
Just taking a break from the killing to enjoy a blunt under this tree.......
"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" takes place in a hybrid reality, where feudal Japan has been infused with futuristic technology, to create a world that is neither here nor there. Afro (Samuel L. Jackson) has been living a life of peace and reflection following his brutal quest to obtain the number one headband, and avenge his father's death. This tranquil life is disrupted by the arrival of Sio (Lucy Liu) and the re-emergence of her brother Jinno (now known as Kuma, a reference to his creepy teddy bear mask).
Sio steals the number one headband from Afro, and reveals a grotesque plan to resurrect Afro's dead father for the sole purpose of torturing him in front of Afro. Knowing Afro lives by the samurai code, Sio challenges Afro to obtain the number two headband (necessary in order to challenge the holder of the number one headband), and face both she and her fellow minions in a fight to the death. Joined by his sole companion, Ninja Ninja (also voiced by Samuel L. Jackson), Afro sets off to obtain the number two headband and challenge Sio before she resurrects his father.
In watching the second season of this series, I couldn't help but feel the story lagged behind the first season in several key areas. Afro is no longer on a quest to avenge his father's death, so his actions don't have the same level of weight to them. It is much easier to sympathize with Afro in the first season knowing he has to do what he is doing in order to avenge his father and fulfill the samurai code. The Afro of season two is motivated by a desire to stop the zombie-fide resurrection of his long dead father, which just doesn't seem as engaging. Add in the fact that Afro's opponents of season two aren't nearly as diabolical as season one, and you could say there is a power struggle in deciding who to cheer for at times.
Regarding Afro's opponents, I enjoyed the inclusion of the samurai and young boy. I don't want to give away too much about the plot, but there is an interesting story arch throughout "Afro Samurai: Resurrection", dealing with the question of whether Afro will (or has) become the same monster he spent most of his life seeking out. The involvement of Sio and Jinno are core aspects of the story, but I wish their back-story had been fleshed out a little more (you should see the first season prior to watching this one). As it is, we know very little regarding Sio's hatred for Afro, aside from the unfortunate events that befell her brother.
The pacing of "Afro Samurai: Resurrection" will keep you glued to your seat for the full runtime, despite the action being largely relegated to the last half-hour of the series. Even the slower sequences give you the feeling that a stick of dynamite has just been lit, and your wondering when it will go off. A scene about halfway through when Afro is inside the food stand is a prime example of the tension that is always present.
"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" was made primarily for English audiences, so the primary language track is in English. The voice acting is universally excellent with a standout performance by Lucy Liu as Sio. If you liked her role in Kill Bill, you will adore her voice-acting in this series. In fact, the only complaint I have about the dialogue or voice-acting is the somewhat grating Ninja Ninja. I know the blunt-smoking sidekick is supposed to offer comic relief in an otherwise downer series, but there are times when I just wanted him to shut up for a couple minutes. Perhaps when the inevitable third series comes to Blu-ray in 2010 (my fingers are crossed), Funimation can offer an optional track that removes some of Ninja Ninja's dialogue.
Probably the most important aspect of this production is the animation. Season one was already impressive, but season two trumps it in every way. Character models are highly stylized, fight choreography is fast-paced (but never to the detriment of the animation), and color saturation is given a welcomed boost over the first season. I actually had a tough time keeping my list of screenshots to 20, since there was so much to drool over during the course of this series.
As a side-note you will want to stick around through the ending credits. There's an additional scene marking the return of a well-known character, which gives us some indication of what may take place in season three.
"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" is delivered in a beautifully rendered 1080P transfer using the AVC codec. The Blu-ray for the first season was somewhat disappointing, with a hazy transfer that lacked any sign of vivid colors. While I'm sure that was a stylistic choice, it is refreshing to see the creators go in a different direction with season two. From the second the initial credits role, your eyes are assaulted with a wide spectrum of color. There are still some nighttime shots that appear monochromatic, but even those scenes still retain perfect color balance from the background to the foreground. I didn't notice any distracting color banding, and detail is sharp as a tack, with intricate distance shots that show a high level of clarity. Black levels are deep, contrast appears spot on, and there was never a loss of shadow detail (even in the darkest scenes).
With a bit-rate that hovers around 25 MBPS, there really aren't any flaws that I noticed in the transfer. There are a couple scenes that look slightly less detailed than others (one in the rain, and another in the desert), but they are stylistic choices, and appear appropriate for the setting.
Now for the disappointing part. On the back of the "Afro Samurai: Resurrection" packaging, the audio track is listed as English Dolby TrueHD 5.1. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The only audio track on the disc is a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, which lacks the precision and clarity we have come to expect from a lossless mix. Considering the Blu-ray for the first season contained an excellent TrueHD mix, I cannot fathom why this disc was not afforded a TrueHD mix as well.
Directionality and spatial separation where mostly effective (though a little front heavy), and dialogue was appropriately balanced with the many action sequences throughout the series. On the downside, your subwoofer will barely get a workout, which is especially problematic given the wealth of explosions and hip hop beats in the feature (thanks to the soundtrack by RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan). Aside from the lack of low end punch, I was also disappointed with the missed opportunity on some truly inventive scenes. Approximately 43 minutes into the series, there is a fight between Afro and a rival samurai where a chain is continuously thrown around. The chain can be heard passing back and forth across the sound field, but it still seems muffled and subdued. Ultimately, this is merely a passable track that serves as a black eye on an otherwise excellent disc.
The supplemental features on this disc are relatively extensive, and thankfully provided in 1080P (with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio).
Afro Samurai: The Game (12 minutes)- I always worry about video games created as a tie-in to a film or series. For that reason, I've had no interest in picking up the "Afro Samurai" game on PS3. After watching this feature, I'll be reconsidering that decision. Producers, animators, and others involved in the creation of the game give us a glimpse into the revolutionary techniques used to invent a game that contains a number of fresh ideas and animation. If you have any interest in the game, check this out.
Enter the RZA (6 minutes)-Given my limited exposure to hip-hop music (just from personal preference), I had no idea RZA was such a talented musician. This brief feature demonstrates the passion he has for the material, as well as the time he spent creating the score for the series.
Afro In-Depth (6 minutes)-This interview features Takashi Okazaki (creator of "Afro Samurai"), as he candidly discusses such things as the manga, the incorporation of music, the storyline, and his hopes for the future of the series. Easily the best part of this interview is a 2 minute section where Mr. Okazaki describes the underlying themes he was going for in "Resurrection".
Afro Samurai: East Meets West, Part 1 (19 minutes)-A wonderful addition, this feature contains a number of interviews with all of the major Japanese players in the production of "Afro Samurai". Although the interviews are conducted in Japanese, English voice-overs are used to make this feature easier to watch. If you enjoyed the main feature, this is an excellent supplement, offering an extensive look into all facets of the production work completed in Japan.
Afro Samurai: East Meets West, Part 2 (25 minutes)- Containing interviews with Samuel L. Jackson, Lucy Liu, and the English producers, this feature focuses more on the themes explored in the series (which makes sense given the technical coverage we get in the Japanese-focused part 1). Samuel L. Jackson is very humble, and downplays his involvement in the series, as well as the clout he brings to the whole production. I continue to be a fan of Lucy Liu, who was apparently introduced to anime by Quentin Tarantino during the production of Kill Bill. My only disappointment in this feature is the lack of an appearance by Mark Hamill, who does the voice-work for the character Bin (and long ago played Luke Skywalker).
Afro Samurai at San Diego Comic-Con 2008 (8 minutes)-This feature covers part of a panel discussion at Comic-Con with Samuel L. Jackson, RZA, producers, and the creator of "Afro Samurai", as well as a collection of interviews with fan-boys. This isn't very interesting in comparison to the other features, but is still a nice inclusion on the disc.
Part A Video Commentary (28 minutes)-This supplement is a creative method of delivering an audio commentary, with the screen divided into 3 sections. On the top of the screen, we have 2 boxes where we can view a silent version of the movie, as well as running video of the main Japanese staff discussing each scene. On the bottom of the screen, we have a separate box with subtitles showing what the production members are saying. This is actually an amusing supplement, and you can tell the guys all had a blast working together on the series.
Lastly, we have a collection of 8 trailers for other Funimation titles, delivered in 480P with 2 channel audio.
"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" is everything fans could hope for in a sequel. The plot could have been more compelling, and I wish the story arch of several secondary characters had been fleshed out further, but this series still stands as a wildly fun ride into the universe of Afro. If you have a problem watching animated violence, nudity, sex, drug use, or gambling, you will want to steer clear of this title. But if you can stomach the content, I highly recommend you check out both seasons of Afro Samurai. Regarding the Blu-ray, I can't wholeheartedly recommend this disc. The audio is certainly a disappointment (and will be a deal breaker to some), but the stellar video presentation goes a long way toward rectifying the situation.
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