Yasuke is the latest anime to appear on Netflix, and on Monday the streaming service released the first pictures from the show. Along with a few teaser images and a preview of the story, Netlfix also revealed that the anime will have six episodes and is slated to be released on April 29th.
In the real world, Yasuke was the first African samurai warrior. While Yasuke is a real person, the anime series story will take place in an alternate and fantastic version of feudal Japan. The anime will follow Yasuke as he is withdrawn into his violent samurai past to protect a mysterious girl from evil forces.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22355321/01_New_Main_YASUKE_04_0002_BRIGHTEN.png)
Image: Mappa / Netflix
A star-studded creative team from around the world helps bring this story closer to viewers. The show is created by LeSean Thomas (Black dynamite, the boondocks) and was animated by MAPPA, a leading anime studio whose recent work includes Jujutsu Kaisen. With the pictures and the release date in the world, Thomas took a second to ponder the show in a statement.
This project has a random character: How an African American goes to Japan to live and work among the best in Japanese anime, to create an anime about an African who goes to Japan to live and one in the Japanese elite To become a warrior. Part of me feels like I should create this adventure series with MAPPA, Flying Lotus, LaKeith and the rest of this talented team.
Yasuke is a fascinating, mysterious figure in Japanese history who has sparked a growing interest in today’s media over the decades. I first learned of Yasuke’s role in Japanese history in over a decade. Kurusu Yoshio’s children’s book Kuro-suke contained images that piqued my curiosity. To learn that he was not just a fictional character but a real person was exciting material for an adventure story.
I’m really looking forward to long-time fans and newcomers alike enjoying our reinterpreted version of this historical figure.
Director Takeshi Koike (Lupid the Third: The woman named Fujiko Mine) and LaKeith Stanfield (Go out, Atlanta, Sorry to bother you) who will provide the voice of Yasuke. Finally, the music for the series is provided by the musician and producer Flying Lotus.
Yasuke will debut on Netflix on April 29th.
