2007's "Afro Samurai" was a short but successful anime miniseries made for American audiences from talented animators in Japan. It was smart to be limited to only five episodes, for there wasn't much more to say with the material, even though it could, in theory, go on indefinitely. But the success of the series couldn't help but lead into a feature-film sequel: 2009's "Afro Samurai - Resurrecton." The film further adds to the pedigree of the franchise, in not only was this another example of an anime not made for Japanese audiences, but the film would go on to be nominated for two Emmy awards, and winning one. An Emmy is one of the highest awards any television production can achieve, and despite decades of forward-thinking and ambitious anime shows existing, this would be the only example of one winning the honor.If you haven't seen the oiriginal series, you might miss the importance of a handful of characters appearing and their relationships, but otherwise the story is basic enough to have a good time. If you have seen the show and enjoyed it, "Resurrection" is more of the same. After winning the Number 1 headband and obtaining his goal of revenge, Afro has little left to live for, and has become aware of the countless victims he had slaughtered in his path. He becomes a hermit living alone of the coastline, slightly crafting wooden sculptures of his victims in atonement, vowing to never pick up his sword again. This peace doesn't last long when Sio, a large-breasted, elegantly dressed woman, alongside a robotic slave of Jinno (Afro's dear friend, whom he killed in the series) barge in and drag him out. Sio's life was destroyed in Afro's determination years ago, and she too seeks revenge, this time against Afro, After takinng the headband, they also dig up and steal the skull of Afro's father, declaring that Afro has no choice but to get the Number 2 headband to get it back, less they use it to clone his father and torment him. So Afro finds himself on a journey again to get back the Number 1, with his imaginary firend Zero returning to give a sense of humor to the proceedings.The plot of the original story was straightforward, and so is the film. In fact, it repeats many of the same beats to the point where the purpose of its existance are put into question. But it's a satisying journey: having Sio as a sexy but cruel villan hammer home the concept of the endless cycle that revenge brings, and Afro himself is a bit more sympathetic and wiser before unsheathing his sword, his purpose to fight being less selfish this time around. Quite simply, if you enjoyed the story of the series, you will be happy with the conclusion the movie provides.The production values remain largely the same. Lucy Liu and Mark Hamill are notable new additions to the celebrity voice cast led by Samuel L. Jackson, and while they don't necessarily give award-winning performances (I still miss Ron Perlman's raspy voice of Justice, who understandably does not appear in the film), they do a solid job. The music is again provided by the RZA, who has a small voiced cameo in the movie too. The animation is slightly improved, but still relies on erratic animation to convey action. The stylized character designs and bigger setpieces are the big draw, making this feel like a worthy feature-film-quality version of the show. Like the show, there is a lot of violence, blood, and a bit of sex for good measure, not meant for kids but good for anyone looking for something to fill the void. There are both broadcast and unrated versions available on home video if you want a toned-down version with a bit less blood and nudity (interestingly, the endings in both a slightly different according to Wikipedia).
Another example of style over substance, "Afro Samurai - Resurrection" succeeds because of its incredible style, and is a great example of anime action for fans of the genre. It isn't a necessary follow-up to the series, but is still a darn good one if you are up for the experience. Thankfully, no other followups were made afterwards, otherwise the story and fun might start to wear thin.