Afro Samurai (2007)

Mashing together anime, hip-hop (Wu-Tang’s RZA does the soundtrack) and the larynx of Samuel L Jackson, this five-part serial ought to be the Holy Grail of pure cool. ‘Toon newbie Takashi Okazaki’s tale of one samurai’s quest for revenge is a hair’s breadth from living up to that sensational title. In a desolate future, the cold, stoic Afro must confront his traumatic past before he can take down the heinous ‘Number 1’. It’s downbeat but stylish, lobbing in leftfield ideas and serious slice ‘n’ dice to balance the flashback-heavy character-building. It’s a two-disc deal, but you’ll spend less time ogling the extras (Making Of, music featurette, partial commentary) than you will the katana-sharp packaging.

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