Ack! How evil! Who would have thought a channel like SPIKE (that seems to live off of Wrasslin and three out of five Star Trek TV Series repeats) would actually pump out an animated series that isn’t only halfway decent, but is also fully engaging, interesting and watchable at the same time?!? Oh, wait, GONZO made this series so no wonder it’s so damn good.

If you are not in the know? GONZO is one of the premiere anime groups that make the best series out there. Don’t expect me to remember the specifics, but if you’re into the Anime then you already have a laundry list of favorite series of which (yes) GONZO is responsible for creating some of them. But SPIKE has it on their line-up so they full benefit from GONZO’s creativity (since one can only go so far even with three Star Trek series on said network) as we take a look at the first episode of Afro Samurai, now on SPIKE (channel of course being no relation to the director, Animal Crossing villager, half of the pitbulls in the United States or the Buffy the Vampire Slayer character, all of the same name).

The world is not in a happy place, but nobody seems to mind as there really doesn’t seem to be an explanation as to why the world is so messed up. It’s messed up, OK? Let’s leave it at that. In this grungy wasteland of a world there is a legend of two headbands, the Number One and the Number Two. The Number One apparently gives the power of God unto the one who wears it, and makes that person invincible… EXCEPT to the one who wears the Number Two, who while he

or she is not indestructible (and is hunted down by the many thriving to topple the Number One and themselves become like unto God themselves) is the only one capable of downing the Number One. Which is how the story starts. The present Number Two’s father was once the Number One (and I suppose the previous “Afro Samurai“), until a gun wielding badass from the wastes came up wearing the Number Two headband and killed him off, becoming in turn Number One.

Years pass and the son of the previous Number One grows up into Afro Samurai, and is now the present Number Two (who is journeying back to his “origins” and a date with the present Number One who killed his father). This is a complicated thing, however, as it seems lots of people are out to get the Number Two headband (and themselves challenge the power of Number One to become god), from thugs and rogues who both use their fists as well as wield blades and large massive guns, to a secret organization of seven bearded old dudes (whoa, hot chick hanging out in their headquarters!) at the base of the mountain where Number One hangs his headband. These seven, who look as freaky as they sound, are themselves sending out maniacs with guns and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and poison laced arrows to badass kill Number Two so they can gain the Number Two headband in order for their leader to challenge the man at the top of the mountain and become Number One, and thus god.

Oh, and Number Two picks up a strange wisecracking sidekick along the way, and runs the risk of ending the series really early as he is poisoned by

one of his enemies which places his life precariously in the balance as the episode ends (and he’s being pounded on by a new crazed enemy who runs the risk of destroying the Number Two headband in his zealous attempt to annihilate the Afro Samurai).

But he survives, and as Episode 1 turns into Episode 2 and he is brought back from the brink of death by a hot beautiful woman it seems Number Two can’t shake his strange wisecracking sidekick. But as the episode plays out you watch his present, and his “origin” as the Number Two headband is stolen from him as he flees the place of his father’s murder (still holding his decaying head as he flees), which brings him to be found by some helpful people who get him back on his feet (which brings him back on the road to reclaim the Number Two headband in a bloody rage of violence and death). Huh? Why the flashbacks while he’s mending in this beautiful women’s presence? Seems one thread ties his flashbacks to this present, but more on that as you watch.

Sufficent to say by the episode end the Afro Samurai is on the move again, happiness he could have had with that beautiful woman who saved him is not going to happen, and the Empty Seven just signed their death warrants because if they think he’s not going to take a little time off on the way to Number One to pay these little (bleep)s back for the ending of this episode then they are so mistaken. I’m sure before it’s over somebody (seven somebodys) are going to regret making him mad. Oh yeah.

30 minutes is too short with this series that updates weekly,

and you will count the days until the first DVD of the series comes out and you collect it all in one tight package, but it’ll all be worth it. Trust me. If you’ve seen the series yet (which you should), or are well versed in the ways of GONZO, then you know that this is yet another one of their good works. The animation style is beautifully done, the women are hot (as usual), the action is plentiful, bloody and a visual splendor of the tableu of violence done elegantly as you watch the fight sequences roll out with this visual grace as camera angles nail perfect shots again and again as the visuals just shine even as the blood flies. Oh, and you know what? It also doesn’t hurt the series one damn bit that Samuel L. Jackson is doing voiceover duty in this series! No sir, that doeesn’t hurt one bit!

Long story short if you have been avoiding SPIKE (the TV station) for it’s lack of interesting programming here’s a good reason to reverse course and drop in for at least 30 or so minutes a week. Of course, yes, as the series goes on it may suddenly bottom out and become unwatchable, but I’m betting on GONZO’s strong past track record that this will NOT happen, and the series will maintain it’s rich beautiful vision episode to episode (because if GONZO is known for anything it’s for solid reliable series you can bet your bottom dollar on being impressive throughout without fail). Breakdown not necessary because I think the score shall speak for itself. Afro Samurai Episode 1 and 2 gets a 5… Out of 5 (aka the all important gold star of recommendation).