Heeey Afroooo: Interview with Takashi Okazaki
Afro Samurai was created as a manga, but its claim to fame here on the western side of the pond is for a few reasons. Firstly, the anime aired here before it aired in Japan. Secondly, the voice of Samuel L. Jackson as “Afro” and “ninja ninja”, and Ron Pearlman as “Justice”, plus the sound track by RZA of Wu-Tang Clan - made it ultra hip, cool and frankly just bad ass. And thirdly the animation, the story, and the characters were dope. Yeah, I said it… DOPE.
The main character, Afro, becomes the “Number Two” swordsman in order to avenge his father who was murdered by “Number One”. The problem is that someone becomes “Number One” by killing the current Number One, donning the headband that denotes you are the most skilled, the One to be most feared, and truthfully, the baddest mofo around (yes, I said mofo).
The trick is this: only the "Number Two" can challenge the "Number One." It doesn’t stop there; anyone and everyone can try to kill the “Number Two” claiming his headband, and gaining the right to challenge Number One.
We spoke to the creator of this ultra-cool, ultra-stylish, and ultra-violent, ultra-sexy, and let’s not forget to include raw and unabashed piece of greatness. Read on, it’s the shiznit.
AnimeFood: Afro Samurai is very, very popular here in America. The hip hop generation really relates to it! What made you decide to want to do a manga about a sword-toting afro-wearing samurai?
Takashi Okazaki: Afro Samurai is the simple idea of a samurai, with an afro, and a sword. I wanted to be the first to bring it out. I felt it was a very common thing everyone can share, yet I wanted to be the first to bring it out. I thought it was cool.
We screened the entire season at AnimeFood during one of our movie nights long ago. In one of the episodes, there is the robot that kind of explodes at the end. All the girls in our group had a face like OMG! While the guys fell out laughing, what made you decide to end the episode that way?
The explosion comes from his chin-chin. The robot was so excited to fight afro, so he built up so much energy, and blows up. The original piece was a swinging ax. They couldn’t air it as the original on SPIKE in America, so we changed it to a cannon that was just above chin-chin height. It was aired, and the funny thing is that seemed a little more x-rated than the original. So the robot did have a very happy death, but he got stabbed before he could really enjoy it. (everyone laughs)
What also has made the series memorable in America is Samuel L. Jackson. Did you choose him? And if not, how did you feel when you heard he would?
It was a sudden project that happened. The pilot film was in an office in L.A. Samuel L. Jackson took the DVD from the place and said he wanted to be the voice. He called me and without saying hello, his first words were, “I am Afro Samurai.” (laughs)
Did you draw any influences from music? It has a sort of Wu tang feel to it. (laughs)
Oh yes! I love hip hop. I draw many influences from, Jay Z, Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan as well as 90’s R & B music. I love the idea how they would take sampling of old music, and make new music with it. It’s kind of the style of Afro Samurai. It’s an old style setting, remixed with afro’s, hip-hop and swords.
Do you have any plans to do another manga similar to this one? If not what projects are you working on in general?
Right now I am just making new character designs for other anime called Summer Wars directed by Mamoru Hosoda. Without giving too much away, in the movie there is a an eleventh grade boy who has been accused of causing a war by having the virtual world and the real world collide. I am designing avatars as bunnies and squirrels. Very cute!
Very different from Afro. (laughs)
Yes, very different. (laughs)
If you could end this interview with a slang word, what would you say?
“What up” (throws up peace sign). Thank you very much for reading this interview! I hope to work with you all in the future. Man…..
A few fan Questions at the Q and A Panel the day after
Q: What inspired you to write afro samurai?
Old things I watched like Stars Wars, Soul Train, Kurasawa movies- so there isn’t one thing I can pinpoint that inspired a lot of the things in afro samurai.
Q: How’d you come up with your style?
I would draw doodles on notebooks and things because I enjoyed drawing African American characters. Eventually I would add a headband or a cigarette, and it became my style.
Q: What type of things did you have to do to prepare to produce the work yourself?
To make storylines in my head was always fun for me and came natural because I was a daydreamer. If I had questions about katanas, or let’s say rooftops, I would go on the internet and online to get my resources.
Q: Which aspect of the manga do you feel you were stronger or weaker in, and how did you handle those aspects.
I don’t know which one I am really stronger or weaker in. I have always been more of an artist than a writer; but the story has always been very important in creating manga. To create a balance is difficult and I feel like I am still learning as well.
Q: Did any blaxploitation movies influence you? Like Shaft, or Dolemite?
Very heavily influenced by them all! (laughs)
Q: Is there anyone you would like to work with?
Jae Lee who did the Dark Tower comic, I want to work with him!
Special thanks to Takeshi-San and Chase over at anime-expo. Thanks to our translators and the fans at the Q & A And yes, the author really does speak in slang on her off times in real life. What can we say?
Check this link:
