screening of Afro Samurai in Santa Monica

[jesty at uchicago.edu]

This is a really interesting phenomenon. The sound track for 
Ghost Dog was also done by the RZA, and I heard a fantastic 
interview with him on NPR's Fresh Air where he talks about 
how influenced he was as a youngster by kung fu films and 
the samurai mythos. 

Does anyone know more about this phenonmenon (ie. Hip Hop 
remixing of the samurai character)? I guess the gangsta and 
samurai ethic are quite similar in the end, but who else is 
doing the actual cultural translation work?

Justin Jesty


---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2007 12:42:02 -0700
>From: Anne McKnight <annekmcknight at gmail.com>  
>Subject: screening of Afro Samurai in Santa Monica  
>To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>
>   An interesting test run of the first 5 parts of the
>   upcoming animé series Afro Samurai--seems like
>   ninja movie + Afro-futurism, starring Samuel L.
>   Jackson's voice. Apparently there is a live action
>   film in the works. Screening is being held at the
>   Aero, the Santa Monica outpost of the American
>   Cinémathèque, as part of their horror sci-fi
>   series. From the Egyptian's website:
>
>   Sunday, August 12 – 7:30 PM
>
>   Los Angeles Premiere!
>
>   AFRO SAMURAI, 2006, Takashi OKazaki, Gonzo/Samurai
>   Project/FUNimation, 125 min (5 episodes). This
>   classic samurai story, with a revolutionary
>   animation style and hip-hop flavor, tells the tale
>   of a black swordman set in a futuristic, yet feudal,
>   Japan who is on a mission to avenge the wrongful
>   death of his father. Samuel L. Jackson voices the
>   title role of "Afro," a mysterious warrior who
>   travels a solitary path encountering a myriad of
>   enemies, friends and challenges beyond imagination.
>   Renowned rap artist & producer RZA provides the
>   original soundtrack for the series. The cast also
>   includes Ron Perlman as "Justice," a lightning quick
>   gunfighter, responsible for the death of Afro’s
>   father and Kelly Hu as "Okiku," a seductively
>   beautiful girl and healing arts expert. The concept
>   was created by graphic designer/illustrator Takashi
>   "Bob" Okazaki, and the series is a creative
>   collaboration between Jackson (executive producer),
>   Okazaki, and Japanese animation company Gonzo. 
>   Discussion following with producer Eric Calderon.
>
>   
http://www.egyptiantheatre.com/archive1999/2007/Aero/Fantasy_
Horror_SciFi_Aero_2007.htm#AFRO%20SAMURAI,