| Samurai Jack | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | |
| Created by | Genndy Tartakovsky |
| Directed by |
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| Voices of |
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| Theme music composer | |
| Opening theme | "Samurai Jack" |
| Ending theme | "Samurai Jack" |
| Composers |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 62(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Genndy Tartakovsky |
| Running time | 22 minutes[7] |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Cartoon Network |
| Release | August 10, 2001 (2001-08-10) – September 25, 2004 (2004-09-25) |
| Network | Adult Swim |
| Release | March 11 (2017-03-11) – May 20, 2017 (2017-05-20) |
Samurai Jack is an Americananimatedscience fantasyaction-adventure television series created byGenndy Tartakovsky forCartoon Network and later its nighttime programming blockAdult Swim. It was produced byCartoon Network Studios. Tartakovsky conceivedSamurai Jack after finishing his work on his first Cartoon Network original series,Dexter's Laboratory, which premiered in 1996.Samurai Jack took inspiration from the 1972 televised dramaKung Fu, starringDavid Carradine, as well as Tartakovsky's fascination withsamurai culture and theFrank Miller comic seriesRonin.
The titular character is an unnamed Japanese samurai prince who wields a mystickatana capable of cutting through virtually anything. He sets out to free his kingdom after it is taken over by an evil, shapeshifting demon lord known as Aku. The two engage in a fierce battle, but just as the prince is about to deal the final strike, Aku sends him forward in time to adystopian future ruled by the tyrannical demon. Adopting the name "Jack" after being addressed as such by beings in this time period, he quests to travel back to his own time and defeat Aku before he can take over the world. Jack's search for a way back to his own time period transcends Aku's control, but Jack's efforts are largely in vain due to the way back to his home ending up just out of his reach.
The series was initially broadcast from August 10, 2001, to September 25, 2004, airing for four seasons comprising thirteen episodes each, without concluding its overarching story. The show wasrevived thirteen years later with a darker, more maturefifth season that provided a conclusion to the series, withWilliams Street assisting in production; the fifth season premiered on Cartoon Network'sAdult Swim as part of itsToonami programming block on March 11, 2017, and concluded with its final episode on May 20, 2017. Episodes were directed by Tartakovsky, often in collaboration with others.
Samurai Jack won eightPrimetime Emmy Awards, includingOutstanding Animated Program, as well as sixAnnie Awards and anOIAF Award. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest animated series of all time.[8][9][10]
"Long ago in a distant land, I, Aku, the shapeshifting master of darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil, but a foolish samurai warrior wielding a magic sword stepped forth to oppose me. Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung him into the future where my evil is law. Now the fool seeks to return to the past and undo the future that is Aku!"
Samurai Jack tells the story of an unnamed young prince from a kingdom set infeudal Japan, whose father, the emperor of Japan, was given a magical katana from a trinity of gods—Ra,Rama andOdin—that he could and had used to defeat and imprison the supernatural shapeshiftingdemon Aku. Eight years later[11] Aku was freed, took over the land and held the Emperor hostage, but not before the prince was sent away by his mother to travel so that he could train around the world and return with the magic sword to defeat Aku. On his return, the prince-turned-samurai faced and almost vanquished Aku, but before he could deliver the final blow, the demon exiles him to the distant future, anticipating that he would be able to deal with the samurai by that time.[12]
The era in which the samurai arrives is aretrofuturisticdystopia where Aku reigns supreme. The first people the samurai encounters call him "Jack" as a form of slang, which he adopts as his name;[13] hisgiven name is never revealed. Jack only has hiskimono,geta and sword to his avail in his adventures.[14][15][16] Most episodes depict Jack overcoming various obstacles in his quest to travel back to his own time and vanquish Aku; his quest is prolonged occasionally by moments where either he nearly succeeds in returning to his own time,[17][18][19] or conversely, Aku nearly succeeds in defeating Jack,[20][21][22] only to be undermined by the unexpected.
Besides humans, the retro-futuristic world of the future is inhabited by a variety of denizens, such as robots, extraterrestrials, anthropomorphic animals, monsters, magical beings and deities. Some areas may have advanced technologies like flying cars, while others resemble ancient times or are in industrial conditions. Moreover, Aku has brought aliens from other planets to inhabit Earth, after destroying the habitability of their home worlds. Criminals and fugitives of all kinds are very common on his Earth, including bounty hunters who voluntarily hunt for Jack in exchange for a cash reward. Mythological and supernatural creatures make regular appearances and coexist among the technologically advanced inhabitants.
Despite exponential levels of technological advancement, there are still uninhabited areas of the world. Those include forests, jungles, and mountains, which have remained largely untouched even as Aku began his conquest and reign over every sentient being.[23][24][25] A few communities of intelligent creatures, likeShaolin monks, have also remained largely left alone in spite of Aku's reign.[26]
Samurai Jack was created byGenndy Tartakovsky as a follow-up to his successful seriesDexter's Laboratory. Cartoon Network executiveMike Lazzo recalled Tartakovsky pitching him the series: "He said, 'Hey, rememberDavid Carradine inKung Fu? Wasn't that cool?' and I was like, 'Yeah, that's really cool.' That was literally the pitch."[27] Tartakovsky wanted to do something different after working onDexter's Laboratory andThe Powerpuff Girls.[28] Tartakovsky said of the pitch, "It could backfire. People could say, 'I don't get it. There's hardly any dialogue.' But to me that just makes it more compelling."[1] Lazzo supported Tartakovsky's efforts, calling him "an architect of the success of the Cartoon Network."[1] According toBetty Cohen, then-president of Cartoon Network Worldwide,Samurai Jack was greenlit for 26 episodes before its pilot was produced, a decision Cohen attributed to Tartakovsky's success withDexter's Laboratory.[29] Cartoon Network billed it as a series "that is cinematic in scope and that incorporates action, humor, and intricate artistry."[30]
The premise ofSamurai Jack came from Tartakovsky's childhood fascination withsamurai culture and thebushido code,[31]: 42:56 as well as a recurring dream where he wandered a post-apocalyptic Earth with a samurai sword and traveled the world fighting mutants with hiscrush.[32] The show is inspired by 1970s cinematography, as well as classicHollywood films such asBen-Hur,Lawrence of Arabia,[31]: 46:44 andSpartacus.[33] Thematic and visual inspirations came fromFrank Miller's comic book seriesRōnin, including the premise of a master-less, nameless samurai warrior thrown into a dystopic future in order to battle a shapeshifting demon. Similarly, the episode "Jack and the Spartans" was specifically inspired by Miller's graphic novel300 that retold theBattle of Thermopylae.[33] The Japanese mangaLone Wolf and Cub and films byAkira Kurosawa were also inspirations.[34] Animation services were handled byRough Draft Korea andDigital eMation.
The network announced the series' launch at a press conference on February 21, 2001.[35][36] Weeks leading up to the series were accompanied by a sweepstakes giveaway sponsored byAOL in which the grand prize was a trip for four to Japan. AOL subscribers were offered sneak peeks ofSamurai Jack as well as a look at samurai traditions, future toys, behind-the-scenes model sheets, and exclusiveCartoon Orbit cToons.[37][38] ACD-ROM containing clips of the premiere movie and a countdown clock until the series' premiere was distributed as part of AOL 6.0's release.[39]Samurai Jack debuted on Cartoon Network on August 10, 2001, with the three-part special "The Beginning".[40] As production of the fourth season was ending, with four seasons of 13 episodes each or 52 episodes ofSamurai Jack in total, Tartakovsky, and the crew moved on to other projects.[41] The show ended with the airing of the four final episodes as amarathon on September 25, 2004.[42]
InCanada,Samurai Jack initially aired onYTV,[43] and currently airs on theCanadian version of Adult Swim.[44][45] In theUnited Kingdom, the series previously aired onCartoon Network,[17] and currently airs on the streaming serviceAll 4.[46]
The original series was left open-ended after the conclusion of the fourth season.[47] Tartakovsky said, "coming close to [the end of] the fourth season, we're like, 'are we gonna finish it?' And I didn't know... The network didn't know, they were going through a lot of transitions also. So I decided, you know, I don't want to rush and finish the whole story, and so we just left it like there is no conclusion and then [the final episode is] just like another episode". Art director Scott Wills added, "We didn't have time to think about it, because we went right intoClone Wars. They even overlapped, I think. There was no time to even think about it."[41]
A film intended to conclude the story ofSamurai Jack had been in development at different times by four different studios.[48]: 2:50 As early as 2002,Cartoon Network was producing aSamurai Jacklive-action feature film[3] in association withNew Line Cinema,[49] withBrett Ratner hired as a director.[50] Tartakovsky said in a 2006 interview that the live-action version ofSamurai Jack was thankfully abandoned, and that "we will finish the story, and there will be an animated film."[51]Fred Seibert announced in 2007 that the newly formedFrederator Films was developing aSamurai Jack movie,[52] which was planned to be instereoscopic 2D[53] with a budget of $20 million.[54] Seibert said in 2009 the film was being co-produced withJ. J. Abrams'Bad Robot Productions.[49]Sony Pictures expressed its interest to produce the film.[55]
Tartakovsky said of theSamurai Jack movie in a 2012 interview withIGN:
I've been trying so hard every year, and the one amazing thing about Jack is that I did it in 2001, you know, and it still survived. There's something about it that's connected with people. And I want it, it's number 1 on my list, and now Bob Osher, the president, is like 'Hey, let's talk about Jack. Let's see what we can do.' And I go, 'You're going to do a 2D feature animated movie?' and he's like, 'Yeah. Maybe. Let's do some research and let's see.' So it's not dead for sure by any means, and it's still on the top of my list, and I'm trying as hard as I can.
Tartakovsky said the loss of Mako (Aku's voice actor) would also need to be addressed.[56] The feature film project never materialized, and eventually, the series concluded with a fifth television season.[57]
Samurai Jack returned to television over twelve years after its fourth season concluded, with the first episode of its fifth season airing onAdult Swim on March 11, 2017.[58] Produced at Cartoon Network Studios andWilliams Street with Tartakovsky as executive producer,[59] the fifth and final season featured more a darker, more mature tone and a cohesive narrative that concluded Jack's journey. Set approximately 50 years after the original four seasons, Jack, who has not aged as a side effect of time travel, has lost his sword and has given up hope of ever returning home with no time portals left in existence. However, he begins to regain his sense of purpose when, after he kills six out of seven septuplet sisters sent to kill him by the Daughters of Aku, an all-female Aku-worshipping cult, he convinces the sole survivor, Ashi, to join his cause.[60]Phil LaMarr reprises his role asJack;[61]Greg Baldwin provides the voice of Aku,[62] asMako, who voiced Aku in the show's first four seasons, had died ten years before the revival was produced.[63] However, the original seasons' opening narration, provided by Mako, is used for Aku's past self in the series finale.[64]
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | Network | |||
| 1 | 13 | August 10, 2001 (2001-08-10) | December 3, 2001 (2001-12-03) | Cartoon Network | |
| 2 | 13 | March 1, 2002 (2002-03-01) | October 11, 2002 (2002-10-11) | ||
| 3 | 13 | October 18, 2002 (2002-10-18) | August 16, 2003 (2003-08-16) | ||
| 4 | 13 | June 14, 2003 (2003-06-14) | September 25, 2004 (2004-09-25) | ||
| 5 | 10 | March 11, 2017 (2017-03-11) | May 20, 2017 (2017-05-20) | Adult Swim | |
The show's original 2001 premiere received four award nominations,[65][66] and was released as a standalone VHS and DVD on March 19, 2002.[27] Steven Linan of theLos Angeles Times said of the 90-minute premiere, "One can quibble with some of the dialogue, which sounds like something you'd hear inKarate Kid 2 ('Let the sword guide you to your fate, but let your mind set free the path to your destiny'). Nonetheless, there is one highly unconventional aspect of the series which sets it apart from others—its willingness to go for extensive stretches in which there is no dialogue."[67]
In 2004, British broadcasterChannel 4 ran a poll of the 100 greatest cartoons, in whichSamurai Jack achieved the 42nd position.[68] The show was ranked eleventh byIGN in its list of the "Top 25 Primetime Animated Series of All Time" in 2006.[69] In its list ranking,IGN compared the series' writing style to Tartakovsky'sStar Wars: Clone Wars, stating, "episodes have little or no dialogue, relying instead on action and strong visuals to tell the stories. Entertaining for adults, yet not too violent for kids."[69] The review went on to say that the series' "unique combination of cinematic and comic book styles appeals to all ages."IGN also ranked the show 43rd in its "Top 100 Animated Series" list in 2009, stating that its "simple and colorful art style lends itself well to the cinematic scope and frenetic action sequences that fill each episode."[70]IGN's review also stated that the series' "unique style and humor make the most out of the animation format, producing elaborate action sequences and bizarre situations that would be impossible to do in a live action film."[70]
Onreview aggregator siteRotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 93%.[71] The first season received an approval rating of 80% while the fourth and fifth seasons received an approval rating of 100%.[72] The fifth season's critical consensus reads, "An increasing intensity and maturity are evident inSamurai Jack's beautifully animated, action-packed, and overall compelling fifth season."[73]
Matt Zoller Seitz, a film critic forRogerEbert.com and television critic forVulture, considersSamurai Jack, along with Tartakovsky'sStar Wars: Clone Wars, to be a masterwork and one of the greatest American animated shows on television, mainly for its visual style.[74]Entertainment Weekly rankedSamurai Jack third on its list of the "10 Best Cartoon Network Shows" in 2012.[75]
Samurai Jack would later be included in Seitz andAlan Sepinwall's 2016 bookTV (The Book) as an honorable mention following the 100 greatest television series.[76]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Annie Award | Outstanding Character Design in an Animated Television Production[65] | Lynne Naylor (for "Jack and the Warrior Woman") | Nominated |
| Outstanding Music in an Animated Television Production[65] | James L. Venable (for "The Beginning") | Won | ||
| Outstanding Production Design in an Animated Television Production[65] | Dan Krall (for "The Beginning") | Won | ||
| Scott Wills (for "The Beginning") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production[65] | Bryan Andrews (for "Jack and the Three Blind Archers") | Won | ||
| OIAF Award | Best Television Series[77] | Genndy Tartakovsky (for "Jack and the Three Blind Archers") | Won | |
| Annecy Official Selection | Special Award for Television Series[78] | Genndy Tartakovsky (for "Jack and the Three Blind Archers") | Won | |
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or More)[79] | Brian A. Miller, Yu Mun Jeong, Yeol Jung Chang,Paul Rudish,Genndy Tartakovsky, Bong Koh Jae (for "The Beginning, Parts 1–3") | Nominated | |
| TCA Award | Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming[80] | Samurai Jack | Nominated | |
| 2003 | Annie Award | Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Television Production[81] | Cartoon Network Studios | Nominated |
| Outstanding Character Design in an Animated Television Production[81] | Andy Suriano (for "Jack and the Haunted House") | Won | ||
| Outstanding Directing in an Animated Television Production[81] | Genndy Tartakovsky andRobert Alvarez (for "The Birth of Evil") | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Production Design in an Animated Television Production[81] | Scott Wills (for "The Birth of Evil") | Won | ||
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation[66] | Scott Wills (for "Jack and the Traveling Creatures") | Won | |
| Dan Krall (for "Jack and the Spartans") | Won | |||
| 2004 | Annie Award | Outstanding Directing in a Television Production[82] | Genndy Tartakovsky (for "Tale of X-49") | Nominated |
| Outstanding Production Design in a Television Production[82] | Richard Daskas (for "Seasons of Death") | Won | ||
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour)[66] | Genndy Tartakovsky,Brian A. Miller, Don Shank,Robert Alvarez, Randy Myers, Yu Mun Jeong, Bong Koh Jae, James T. Walker (for "The Birth of Evil") | Won | |
| 2005 | Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour)[66] | Genndy Tartakovsky,Brian A. Miller,Bryan Andrews, Mark Andrews, Hueng-soon Park, Kwang-bae Park, Randy Myers, James T. Walker (for "Seasons of Death") | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation[66] | Bryan Andrews (for "Seasons of Death") | Won | ||
| 2017 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation[66][83] | Bryan Andrews (for "Episode XCIII") | Won |
| Scott Willis (for "Episode XCIII") | Won | |||
| Craig Kellman (for "Episode XCII") | Won | |||
| Lou Romano (for "Episode XCV") | Won |
A year after the series was concluded, aboard game adaptation covering all five seasons was released, titledSamurai Jack: Back to the Past. Players work together to complete tasks to helpJack return to the past while competing to earn honor for their actions.[84]
In February 2013,IDW Publishing announced a partnership with Cartoon Network to produce comics based on its properties, andSamurai Jack was one of the titles announced to be published.[85] It was further announced atWonderCon 2013 that the first issue ofSamurai Jack would debut in October 2013.[86] The first comic in the series was released on October 23, 2013.[87] The final issue was released in May 2015.[88] On October 25, 2016, IDW re-released all of the issues in a compilation entitled "Tales of a Wandering Warrior".[89] Tartakovsky does not consider the comics part of the story of Jack.[48]: 4:58
Jack also appeared in multiple issues ofDC Comics' anthology comic seriesCartoon Network Action Pack, which ran from May 10, 2006, to March 14, 2012.[90][91]
Like other previous Cartoon Network shows,Samurai Jack DVDs were released byWarner Home Video between 2002 and 2007. The DVDs include episode numbers in Roman numerals as they appear at the end of each episode but remain untitled. Season 1 was released onNetflix in 2013.[92]Samurai Jack: The Complete Series was released on Blu-ray and digita HD on October 17, 2017, and contains remastered versions of the first four seasons of the series, courtesy of ACMEworks Digital Film, Inc.[93] The series was also made available onHBO Max on May 27, 2020.[94]
| Product | Episodes | Release date | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 4 | |||
| The Premiere Movie | 4 | March 19, 2002[95][96] | October 10, 2007[97] | Available on DVD and VHS, this release includes the first 3 episodes of season 1 ("The Beginning" (I–III)) as well as the episode "Jack and the Scotsman" (XI) in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. |
| The Complete First Season | 13 | May 4, 2004[98] | November 7, 2007[99] | Includes all 13 episodes from season 1, a "making-of" documentary, an original animation test, original artwork, and commentary on "Jack and the Three Blind Archers" (VII). |
| The Complete Second Season | May 24, 2005[100] | March 4, 2009[101] | Includes all 13 episodes from season 2, commentary on "Jack and the Spartans" (XXV), "Creator Scrapbook", and an originalpitch for "Jack and the Scotsman, Part 2" (XVII). | |
| The Complete Third Season | May 23, 2006[102] | September 9, 2009[103] | Includes all 13 episodes from season 3, commentary on "The Birth of Evil" (XXXVII/XXXVIII), "Lost Artwork" and a featurette called "Martial Arts of the Samurai". | |
| The Complete Fourth Season | August 28, 2007[104] | October 3, 2012[105] | Includes all 13 episodes from season 4, "Genndy's Roundtable", "Genndy's New Project" (a tour ofOrphanage Animation Studios), alternate takes for two snippets of "The Tale of X-49" (L) andSamurai Jack promos. | |
| Samurai Jack and Friends | 7 | October 7, 2014[106] | — | A re-issue of the first disc of season two, containing its first seven episodes. |
| The Complete Fifth Season | 10 | October 17, 2017[107] | — | Includes all 10 episodes from season 5, "The Evolution of Jack", and detailed reviews of thestoryboards of five of this season's episodes (XCIV, XCVI, XCVIII, XCIX and C). |
| Product | Episodes | Release date | Features | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |||
| 4 Kid Favorites: The Hall of Fame Collection Vol. 2 | 7 | March 12, 2013[108] | — | — | 4-disc compilation set includesSamurai Jack: Season One, Disc One |
| Product | Episodes | Release date | Features | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region A | Region B | Region C | |||
| The Complete Series | 62 | October 17, 2017[109] | December 2, 2019[110] | — | Includes all 62Samurai Jack episodes across all 5 seasons, all remastered in Blu-ray high definition, a first for the previous four seasons. All special features from previous releases are included in this box set, along with new cover art for the prior 4 seasons, steelbook art for the first season's cover and redemption codes forUltraViolet digital versions of all episodes. |
| The Complete Fifth Season | 10 | October 17, 2017[111] | — | — | This Blu-ray includes all 10 episodes from season 5, along with the same special features as the DVD version. |
Samurai Jack was adapted in the video gamesSamurai Jack: The Amulet of Time for theGame Boy Advance in 2003 andSamurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku for theGameCube andPlayStation 2 in 2004.[112][113] A third game,Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, was released on August 21, 2020, forMicrosoft Windows,PlayStation 4,Xbox One,Nintendo Switch,[114] andApple Arcade.[115]
Elements of theSamurai Jack concept were reused in other Cartoon Network video games. TheMMORPGFusionFall features Jack, the Scotsman, and Demongo as non-playable characters, while Aku is a Nano.[116] The fighting gameCartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion for theNintendo 3DS,Wii,PlayStation 3, andXbox 360 features Jack and the Scotsman as playable characters while Aku is a playable character, an assist character, and a boss.[117] The platform fighterMultiVersus featured Jack as a playable character.[118]
Samurai Jack, from Dexter creator Genndy Tartakovsky, was greenlighted for 26 episodes without even a pilot, according to Cohen. That was due to the success of Dexter, one of the first series to emerge from Cartoon's pool of original shorts.
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