Forum - View topicNEWS: Watch Afro Samurai Episode 1 Now
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msgundam2
 Posts: 271 Location: Indiana USA |
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the setting seems simulor to Grenadier in the way that it mixes wild west and Samurai to gather and i thank these other anime that have simulor sittings may be like Samurai 7
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msgundam2
Posts: 271 Location: Indiana USA |
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that guy that fallows Afro i thank he is a figment of Afro imaginations like the guy in fight club.
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Kieran2501
 Posts: 21 |
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This was totally enjoyable. I agree, the comic-sidekick is a bit cliché--as is our brooding hero--but for some reason, it is still pretty groovy overall.
I think calling this show "too American" is an incredibly elitist, untenable comment. I mean, that's like me calling The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy too Japanese for having fart jokes. And, philosophically, isn't all violence mindless  ? Given, the violence is excessive and gritty and flashy, but that's what makes it entertaining! To call it mindless, in my book, is a bit extreme. They do explain that anyone in the world can and wants to challenge Number 2. For then, if they are able to defeat Number 2, they can then challenge Number 1 and attain god-like status. Sure, it's a good way to fit as many fight scenes as the creators possibly could in thirty minutes, but it also drives the plot along.
And honestly, how is this confusing? Do you really need to know the back story--which most likely has no bearing on the plot--of every character involved? He's a friend whether Afro wants him around or not. He may even be an illusion of Afro's mind as msgundam thought--an idea that also crossed my mind. Though, the only thing that makes me rethink that idea is the the crossbow was pointed directly at him. Do you need to know the back story of the bartender or guy who got his arm sliced off #29? No. It has no bearing on the plot. I personally don't care what events led up to her becoming a bartender. Maybe the meeting of Afro and sidekick would be an interesting filler episode. Too bad it is only five episodes. We don't have time for that. Yukionna: Giant robots don't exist. If you fall down a well, you're going to appear on CNN, not in feudal Japan. Interstellar crime syndicates are about as legitimate as magical girls saving the Earth. Lay off the realism; this is anime! You obviously are trolling. Now that I am through defending Afro Samurai, it's time to file my complaints. The whole "headband" thing seems like a stretch. Couldn't anyone challenge Number 1? It's not like he's the one with the choice. I suppose if, you know, they're magical, it'd make more sense, although it would feel like a cop out. In the first case, it wouldn't be the first anime driven along by unreasonable circumstances. A lot of good movies and anime are based on revenge, but this anime seems to be pretty linear so far. Afro is basically traveling to Number 1, defeating adversaries on the way. Maybe those monk-looking dudes will add an extra dimension to this, or perhaps they're just after his headband. Hopefully, there will be some twist. It's only episode one. So far, I really like it. Even if this turns out to be a typical action anime, I don't think anyone can deny that it's done well. Hopefully, this will make anime more acceptable to watch for adult audiences and accessible as a whole. I have a feeling if this is financially successful, we may see more anime soon. |
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DionyZ
Posts: 1 |
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bah, i can't watch it. it's only for residents of the US and Canada....I hate it when websites do that.
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silentjay
Posts: 304 |
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Wow, there's irony for you. |
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Eos
 Posts: 168 Location: Jersey |
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A samurai sword being able to cut through anything isn't limited to this show, I've seen it a few times. For example, Kambei from Samurai 7 slices through mecha after mecha in the openning episode. As long as you're badass enough, the laws of nature don't apply to you. 
Last edited by Eos on Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mindless Watcher
Posts: 68 |
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I think that's about "too american" as things can get, right?  Well, must wait for the other sources then. But from all what I've read I'm not too eager getting it at all.
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Brakus
Posts: 130 Location: Virginia |
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Then you go into...
There's something wrong in society today when such gory violence is acceptable in mainstream entertainment. And the excessive violence in Afro Samurai pretty much lends itself to being "too American"; good anime series doesn't get nearly as gory as that. (And I *liked* Gantz!) But I digress. The violence is mindless and has little purpose, much like the violence in Gantz and Elfen Lied, as opposed to (say) Fullmetal Alchemist, Samurai 7, or even Samurai Champloo. If you turn off your brain and bask in the bloodbath, you'll enjoy it -- but if you're expecting anything deeper, you'll be turned off and sorely disappointed. I turned it off after the prologue concluded. I'm perfectly happy with Samurai Champloo, thank you very much. |
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Jetto
 Posts: 49 Location: Hattiesburg, MS |
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Um...so you're telling me its ok for white people to be samurai, but not blacks? Anime often does not reflect the real world, if you didn' t know. |
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undeadben
 Posts: 1212 Location: West Texas |
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Now I can see you speak English so I know you will be able to watch it sometime but just had a thought after reading your post. I know the series will eventually be released in Japan and there might not be a need, but are there fansubs for English languages programs to Japanese? I guess it is right to assume that there has to be; I wonder what American programs are popular enough to fansub in Japanese. Nevermind, enough off-topic from me. First episode was alright, I liked the action. I'll probably watch it again on Spike. It looks a bit raw though, like the story is missing something big, but I am interested in seeing more so that's something. Maybe what feels like is missing will be included in the uncut versions that they'll be releasing sometime, but then again that'll probably just be more gore and violence. |
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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I thought the animation was also very very good. Yeah, it was all mindless violence (that was well choreographed), and the old guys "chick" was absurdly sexy (and a bit offensive-- is it somehow possible to be both??), but it was fun to watch. If I had cable I'd watch it, but since I don't, I'll probably rent it sometime.
RE: swords cutting bullets-- my understanding is that they can. There has been more than one long thread about this in other forums because of a scene in Black Lagoon, and the general gist from those knowledgable on it (tests and what not, that you can view on YouTube) is that it can be done. Also-- In a certain way, this show's a real groundbreaker-- mostly for the voice acting. Getting someone of Samuel L. Jackson's calibre and star power to do the acting for this, ...... it's essentially unheard of for a TV show. Only the Disney dubs get this kind of draw. I think that alone is great news. I'd love to see the voice acting pool for dubs expand more. |
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Keonyn
 Subscriber Posts: 5567 Location: Coon Rapids, MN |
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A sword can cut a bullet, the metal is soft and it's also heated and moving at a high speed so it is possible although highly unlikely anyone would have the reaction time required to pull it off. It's actually also technically possible to slap a bullet away if you were to hit it on its side during flight, however again the likelihood anyone could possibly pull it off is highly unlikely. Then you also have to account for trajectory, in the event of a cutting a bullet the two halves would still be moving at a high rate of speed and the trajectory would not be significantly altered so you'd likely still get shot, and with slapping a bullet away it'd be hard to alter the trajectory enough to prevent it from striking you due to the forward momentum of the bullet by the time it has reached you.
Of course, the bottom line is it's an anime, it's not real. If you looked at every anime you've watched grounded in reality that much you probably wouldn't enjoy much of anything.
The concept of the samurai is as much an idea as it is a part of cultural history, anyone who adopted the ways could technically be a samurai. He's not the first instance of an african american samurai I've seen, there's a little known movie called Ghost Dog which, while it might sound bad, is actually quite good. |
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Saviour Atrhun Zala
 Posts: 24 Location: US |
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This show was actually pretty good. Usually I don't watch stuff like this,but it changed my mind
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Kieran2501
Posts: 21 |
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Because nothing says "America" like..."Canada."
Whoa, whoa, whoa there. Be careful getting off your high horse; we wouldn't want you hurting your head. Need I remind you that cartoons geared toward the Japanese youth--like Fullmetal Alchemist--are definitely more violent than American cartoons geared at the same age group. But I suppose the Japanese are just more mature, more stoic. They can just handle it more gracefully than we it seems. It's not like there has been a stark increase of violence in Japanese schools lately. And, it seems our definition of "mindless violence" differs. Mine is violence that occurs due to no or insensible rational. Your "mindless violence" seems to cover all violence except the violence in anime you like. Though, I suppose by your argument, Elfen Lied and Gantz are both too American. And, oh, let's not forget Afro Samurai is still an anime. It's pretty ironic if that is too American for you. I'm not saying that Afro Samurai is as "deep" as Michel Foucault or has the same complex plot as other twenty-six episode anime, but is it really fair to judge that on the first episode? It's inherently at a disadvantage with being only five episodes, and it's bit unfair to judge these things only on the first episode. And what's wrong with watching something for sheer entertainment? If every anime was some pseudo-intellectual story that lacked any intrinsic, unique style, I'd probably pull the trigger now. And how could I forget the famous "I make blanket generalizations about what good anime should be because I am a pompous fan" formula that states that an anime's worth is inversely proportional to its gore content. It's not like Berserk or Elfen Lied is well regarded--and both are whether you like them or not. You turned it off after the prologue? You watched the gunman kill Number 1's son, and you just turned it off? You didn't watch all of it? You didn't even give it a chance? Are you so closed-minded that you didn't even watch half of the first episode and you still feel ballsy enough to pass judgment? Could I ask any more rhetorical questions? It's obvious from your Champloo comment that you're a bit biased. I don't think that Afro Samurai is a Champloo knock-off. They just share some similarities in style which is not a bad thing. Personally, I don't think this anime will ever be considered better than Champloo, but that does not mean it can be entertaining. I think it could introduce a lot more adults into anime. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Wow. This is one of the most inappropriate, stupid things I've seen on these forums. I can't believe there's even a discussion about whether or not a sword could cut a bullet or not. When you watch giant robot shows do you say "Hey! There's no such thing as a robot like that!" I'm going to go bang my head against a wall now. |
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