Samurai Jack
Title card for Samurai Jack
Genre	Animated, action, Science fiction
Created by	Genndy Tartakovsky
Voices of	Phil LaMarr Mako
Theme music composer	James L. Venable
Opening theme	will.i.am - Samurai Jack
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	52 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time	22 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	Cartoon Network
Original run	August 10, 2001 – September 25, 2004
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Samurai Jack is an 4-time Emmy-award winning American animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired on Cartoon Network from 2001 until 2004. It is noted for its highly detailed, outline-free, masking-based animation, as well as for its cinematic style and pacing. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 455 pixel Image in higher resolution (1800 × 1024 pixel, file size: 141 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a screenshot of a copyrighted television program or station ID. As such, the copyright for it is most likely owned... The bouncing ball animation (below) consists of these 6 frames. ... Look up Action film in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Genndy Tartakovsky (Russian: Геннадий Тартаковский (Gennadij Tartakovskij), born January 17, 1970) is an Emmy Award-winning Russian-born American animator. ... Phillip Phil LaMarr (born January 24, 1967) is an American actor, comedian and prolific voice actor as well as one of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv. ... This article refers to a person; for other uses, see Makoto (disambiguation) Makoto Iwamatsu (born December 10, 1933) is a Japanese actor. ... James L. Venable is an American film and television composer, known for his scores to the animated TV series Powerpuff Girls and the movie of the same name. ... William James Adams, Jr. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... This is a complete episode list from the Cartoon Network animated television series Samurai Jack. ... For Cartoon Network outside of the United States, see Cartoon Network around the world. ... is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An Emmy Award. ... Look up Award in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... An animated series or cartoon series is a television series produced by means of animation. ... Genndy Tartakovsky (Russian: Геннадий Тартаковский (Gennadij Tartakovskij), born January 17, 1970) is an Emmy Award-winning Russian-born American animator. ... For Cartoon Network outside of the United States, see Cartoon Network around the world. ... Masking is a drawing technique invented in Japan in the mid- to late 20th century employed in comics and animation. ...

The plots of individual episodes range from dark and epic to light-hearted and comic, but typically follow Jack in his singular quest to find a method of traveling back in time. Many of the battle scenes in the series are reminiscent of samurai films, and since Jack's robotic enemies "bleed" oil or electricity and monsters/aliens bleed slime or goo, the series is able to exhibit the action of these films while avoiding censorship for violence. For other meanings of epic, see Epic. ... See comedian Stand up comedian List of Comedians List of British comedians comics comic book comic strip underground comics alternative comics web comic sprite comics manga graphic novel List of comic characters This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same... Time travel is a concept that has long fascinated humanity—whether it is Merlin experiencing time backwards, or religious traditions like Mohammeds trip to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven, returning before a glass knocked over had spilt its contents. ... Jidaigeki (時代劇) is a genre of film and television in Japan. ...

Samurai Jack is available to be viewed by American residents via the Toonami Jetstream website,^[1] It is aired at 11:00pm on Cartoon Network in the UK. Production on the show was halted in 2004, but it was never officially canceled. In return Tartakovsky has announced plans to direct a theatrical film, but whether or not this will be used to resolve the series has yet to be announced. The show returned to Cartoon Network on the March 29, 2008 broadcast of the Toonami programming block. Toonami Jetstream (www. ... For the former television channel in the United Kingdom of the same name, see Toonami (UK). ...

Background

Development

Samurai Jack was created by Genndy Tartakovsky for the Cartoon Network. As a follow-up to his very successful series Dexter's Laboratory, Tartakovsky intended to create a series "that is cinematic in scope and that incorporates action, humor and intricate artistry".^[2] Samurai Jack began airing on August 10, 2001 and ran for four seasons. Genndy Tartakovsky (Russian: Геннадий Тартаковский (Gennadij Tartakovskij), born January 17, 1970) is an Emmy Award-winning Russian-born American animator. ... Dee Dee redirects here. ... is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

Plot

See also: List of Samurai Jack episodes

This quotation begins each episode of Samurai Jack, which tells the story of a young prince (Jack) from medieval Japan whose father's empire is destroyed by the demon Aku. Jack escapes destruction and travels the world training his mind and his body for years, until he reaches adulthood. Then, taking his father's magic katana, he challenges Aku to a duel and defeats the demon. However, before Jack can deal the killing blow, Aku creates a time portal and sends his opponent into the distant future, anticipating that he would be able to amass sufficient power to deal with the samurai later. The protagonist arrives in a hostile, futuristic Earth ruled by Aku and filled with his robot minions. The first people he encounters in the future call him "Jack" as a form of slang, which he adopts as his name (his given name is never mentioned in the series). This is a complete episode list from the Cartoon Network animated television series Samurai Jack. ... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei Pre-History/The Origin of History Jomon Period Main... “Fiend” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Katana (disambiguation). ... A duel is a formalized type of combat. ... Time portals are often employed in various fictional genres, such as Sci-Fi and Fantasy. ... A protagonist is the main figure of a piece of literature or drama and has the main part or role. ... For other uses, see Slang (disambiguation). ... Look up Appendix:Most popular given names by country in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Standard episodes follow Jack's search for a way to travel back to his own time, where he hopes to stop Aku before these events come to pass. The cartoon depicts Jack's never-ending quest to find a time portal, while constantly facing obstacles set by Aku in a classic battle of Good versus Evil. Typically each time Jack believes he has reached the end of his quest a deus ex machina causes him to dramatically miss his chance. In one attempt Jack locates a stable portal to the past, but the guardian of the portal defeats him easily and was about to crush him when the portal starts to flicker and glow, apparently giving the guardian a message, the guardian has a giant bird take the unconscious Jack away. After Jack leaves, the guardian states that it is not yet time for him to return to the past, and an image of what seems to be an older Jack is then seen in the portal; this seems to indicate that Jack is predestined to succeed, but it will take many years for him to reach his goal.^[3] The conflict between MIKE SCHRENKK good and evil is one of the most common conventional themes in literature, and is sometimes considered to be a universal part of the human condition. ... For other uses, see Deus ex machina (disambiguation). ... Predestination (also linked with foreknowledge) is a religious concept, which involves the relationship between the beginning of things and their destinies. ...

Setting

Samurai Jack takes place in a world where science has developed far beyond what we have available to us today, and in some ways resembles magic on its own. However, despite scientific advances, the future is decidedly dystopian - in one episode the mafia profited greatly from the sale of simple water.^[4] Aliens, bounty hunters, and robots are plentiful, and always ready for a fight. Above all this stands Aku, which is evident as the shape of most buildings in urban settings resemble the shape of his head. This article is about the criminal society. ... For other uses, see Bounty hunter (disambiguation). ...

Stories take place in a variety of locations. Ranging from beautiful wilderness and to futuristic or even dystopic cities, the stark contrast in these can be extremely rigid. Regardless of the setting, the simple, minimalistic art style employed resembles ukiyo-e paintings. For other uses, see Wilderness (disambiguation). ... View of Mount Fuji from Numazu, part of the Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō series by Hiroshige, published 1850 Ukiyo-e ), pictures of the floating world, is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints (or woodcuts) and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries, featuring motifs of...

Characters

Samurai Jack

Samurai Jack (voiced by Phil LaMarr) is the son of the Japanese lord who ruled the area where Aku originally appeared on Earth, and is banished to the future by Aku during their first battle, where he is left in every episode to search for a way home. He was born on the day that his father defeated Aku and he seems to be the only mortal (aside from his father) to be a match to Aku. Phillip Phil LaMarr (born January 24, 1967) is an American actor, comedian and prolific voice actor as well as one of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv. ...

As a boy, Jack traveled around the world to prepare both physically and mentally for his confrontation with Aku. He studied under various scholars, such as Greek thinkers, and attempted to master each art of combat from the cultures he met, training with African warriors, Viking sailors, Robin Hood, Mongolian warriors, Shaolin monks, Greek Olympic contestants, Russian Cossacks, and several others (many of these cultures didn't exist at the same period of time). Aku can mean: An ethnic group in Gambia, descendants of former slaves The romaji spelling of the Japanese word for evil, written あく in hiragana or, more commonly, 悪 in kanji The antagonist of Samurai Jack The skipjack tuna An archaic work for the Yoruba people The abbreviation AKU can stand for... A scholar is either a student or someone who has achieved a mastery of some academic discipline. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second_largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... For other uses, see Viking (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Robin Hood (disambiguation). ... , Main gate of the Shaolin Monastery in Henan, China. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ...

Later, after being sent into the future, he is taught the ability to jump hundreds of feet into the air by a species of blue Gorilla and a jungle man, thus allowing him to reach vast areas he previously could not reach. Jack's magic sword was forged by the gods Odin, Ra, and Vishnu through 3 mortal avatars. The sword was forged from the righteous energy within Jack's father. Along with the sword he later gains the Eye of Chronos (a blue coloured gem) that once belonged to Chronos, the Titan of time, that can be presumed to allow time travel when combined with certain elements, this artifact is ironically but unintentionally provided by Aku when he attempted to revive Chronos to destroy Jack. This is the article about the chief god in North Germanic tradition; for other uses see Odin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ra (disambiguation). ... For other meanings, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ...

Jack strongly exhibits the characteristics of a stoic hero. He is unfailingly polite and humble despite the completely alien nature of the futuristic world and never scoffs at or disparages the customs of the people he encounters (as unpleasant as they seem to him at times), no doubt a legacy of his international travel and interaction with foreign cultures during his own era. Despite his almost hopeless situation, he does not bewail his destiny, instead exhibiting a strong amor fati. Jack consistently shows an uncommon moral strength of character by helping the poor and defenseless along the way. Occasionally, he faces great physical pain, or has to forget his own goals in order to help someone in need. Stoicism is a school of philosophy commonly associated with such Greek philosophers as Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes, or Chrysippus and with such later Romans as Cicero, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus. ... Amor fati is a Latin phrase, which loosely translates to Love of fate. It is used to describe the attitude that everything which occurs in ones life, including suffering and loss, is good. ...

On the first episode, his name was never mentioned. On the second episode, he began using the name Jack when three teenage aliens, after witnessing Jack destroy several enemies, referred to him as Jack--in this case, more of a generic term, a la "dude" or "guy." On occasion, when asked to identify himself, he replied "They call me Jack."

Aku

Aku

Aku, voiced by the late Mako Iwamatsu, is the Samurai Jack's main antagonist. His name means "evil" or "wickedness" in the Japanese language. He is similar to Akuma, the evil demon with burning eyes from Japanese mythology (which may also be another source for his name) like a tallest devil. He is an extremely powerful wizard whose primary ability is shape-shifting, though he possesses many other powers such as laser eye beams, fire breath, summoning storms, creating objects out of nothing, telekinesis, fire generation, sonic screams, time portals, and teleportation. He requires no food, water, or air and he is capable of interstellar travel. He also has the ability to spy on Jack from a large sphere he can summon at will in his tower. A significant aspect of the series is that Aku is immortal, and he can only be harmed and finally defeated by Jack's samurai sword. Aku is also vulnerable to varying degrees to other forms of magical or divine attacks, (such as the powers and artifacts of gods.) Image File history File links Download high resolution version (916x768, 507 KB)Aku File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (916x768, 507 KB)Aku File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Makoto Iwamatsu (マコ 岩松, also 岩松 信 Iwamatsu Makoto, December 10, 1933 – July 21, 2006) was an Academy Award-nominated Japanese American actor. ... For other uses, see Antagonist (disambiguation). ... Not to be confused with the Javanese language. ... Akuma (悪魔) is a Japanese term. ... Japanese mythology is a very complex system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. ... Gods can refer to: Plurality of Gods (see polytheism); Postulated preternatural beings (see deity); The upper levels of a theatre (see the gods); A 1991 video game (see Gods (video game)); A sixties rock band (see The Gods (band)). An internet term, common among usenet veterans, for those who engage...

Aku constantly antagonizes Jack, often attacking him while he is weak, and other times defending himself from Jack's own gambits. The two seem doomed never to defeat each other, for though Jack has bested Aku on numerous occasions, Aku merely transforms into a small creature and escapes, usually calling out a taunt over his shoulder as he flees, a fact that he himself is aware of and makes a reference to in one episode.

The Episode The Birth of Evil reveals Aku's origin. Long ago in the vastness of space, a great formless evil appeared. Before the darkness could do harm to the universe, it was set upon by the kings of three religions: Odin, the one-eyed king of Asgard and the Norse Gods; Ra, the sun god and king of the Gods of Egypt; and Vishnu, the supreme being in Hindu mythology. So fierce was their attack on the shadow, that it was completely destroyed, save for a small fragment that was flung aside in the heat of battle. The fragment drifted and eventually fell to Earth, and caused the K-2 impact when it landed, wiping out the dinosaurs in the process. The land around it's impact site eventually formed into the islands of Japan, where it slowly grew and spread like poison over the course of eons, creating an ever-spreading forest of black spikes that devoured any who entered. Eventually the forest grew so large that the Damiyo of the land (Jack's father), decided to kill the evil at its source. Armed with a magic oil given to him by Buddhist monks, the Lord and his cavalry rode into the heart of the forest, the Lord himself the only one to survive. Once at the black lake at the forest's center, the Samurai Lord doused an arrow into the oil he was given, lit it with a green flame, and shot it into the lake. Instead of destroying the evil however, the magic arrow gave it both a will and consciousness, thus the demon Aku was born. Aku proved to be unstoppable, so with the help of the three gods, Jack's father forged a sword capable of harming him. With it, he was able to imprison Aku within a dead tree. This imprisonment lasted less than a decade however, as a solar eclipse released Aku upon the world once more. This is the article about the chief god in North Germanic tradition; for other uses see Odin (disambiguation). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... For other uses, see Ra (disambiguation). ... For other meanings, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ...

While he is usually presented as a serious and threatening foe (as well as being pure evil), Aku is also a source of comedy due to his outrageous design and sometimes wise-guy behavior, supported by Mako's over the top voice acting.

Secondary characters

When Jack arrives in the future, he finds that Aku has conquered the world and rules the populace with an iron fist. Jack finds that there are still warriors in this age, and occasionally meets both those fighting for and those siding against the side of good. Samurai Jack's universe is populated by a diverse cast of characters who often appear for single episodes with a few exceptions. Totalitarianism is a term employed by some political scientists, especially those in the field of comparative politics, to describe modern regimes in which the state regulates nearly every aspect of public and private behavior. ...

The Scotsman: Only known as the "Scotsman" (voiced by John DiMaggio), he is the only one of two characters to appear in 3 episodes- "Jack and the Scotsman", "Jack and the Scotsman II" and "The Scotsman saves Jack"(This is a 2 part episode). When he first meets Jack (Jack and the Scotsman), he makes fun of Jack, calling him various names and insults. He even makes fun of Jack's sword, calling it a butter knife. But by the end of the episode Jack has impressed him. He even gets Jack to help him rescue his dainty, beautiful wife from a demon (this is an understatement by the Scotsman as she is, ironically, larger and more terrifying than the Scotsman himself, and stronger than Jack and the Scotsman combined). The Scotsman even saves Jack when Jack loses his memory due to the Sirens. His notable features are his legs. One is a normal (though disproportionately small) leg and the other leg is a machine gun, which he uses in combat along with several explosives contained in his kilt and he carries a shield on his back. He also uses a longsword inscribed with Celtic Runes making it unbreakable even against Jack's blade and his skills with it are even equal to Jack's prowess with a sword. He also has super human strength evidenced when he could pick up and throw an entire tank with relative ease. This is apparently a genetic trait, as the other members of his family are just as powerful and, by admission of the Scotsman himself, even rowdier than he is (they even have the same disproportionately small legs). John William DiMaggio (born September 4, 1968) is an American voice actor. ...

Jack's father: Jack's father (voiced by Clyde Kusatsu) appears in 3 episodes "The Beginning", "Jack Remembers the Past", and "The Birth Of Evil". He is overall just an older version of Jack; He's brave, humble, and polite. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Influences

Cultural references

Samurai Jack frequently features appearances from gods of varying pantheons and creatures of legend. In the episode The Birth of Evil, Odin, Ra, and Vishnu are shown to join forces to battle the dark power that would one day become Aku.^[5] Samurai Jack does not speak of an afterlife to any great extent and the presence of deities in the program are mostly pagan and practical. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This is the article about the chief god in North Germanic tradition; for other uses see Odin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ra (disambiguation). ... For other meanings, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... Pagan and heathen redirect here. ...

Samurai Jack occasionally borrows from ancient sources as well as current ones. In episode Jack and the Spartans, Jack fights alongside an army of three-hundred warriors who bear a likeness to Spartans, defending their home from an army of robots that would reconstruct themselves after each day's fight. The plot of this episode is based on the Battle of Thermopylae, in which three-hundred Spartan warriors, along with several thousand more from various Greek city states defended a narrow pass against the mighty Persian army.^[6] For modern day Sparta, see Sparti (municipality). ... For other battles at Thermopylae, see Battle of Thermopylae (disambiguation). ... Persia redirects here. ...

Style

Tartakovsky borrows from a great many artistic sources for this series. One episode could resemble a book by Dr. Seuss when the next could involve Jack fleeing from a zombie horde. Action in Samurai Jack borrows liberally from old martial arts and samurai films, and action films of the 1970s as well as 1963's Toei Animation studio release entitled The Little Prince and the Eight Headed Dragon (Originally Wanpaku Ouji no Orochi Taiji) also using multiple angle and split screen shots to display action from multiple angles. The plot is frequently stopped to allow for the building of tension before combat or for the sake of humor; it is also not uncommon for episodes to be almost entirely free of dialogue which results in cinematic or stylized episodes. Theodor Seuss Geisel (pronounced ; March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991) was an American writer and cartoonist, better known by his pen name, Dr. Seuss (often pronounced , but he himself said [1]). He published over 48 childrens books, which were often characterized by his imaginative characters, rhyme, and frequent use... This article is about the living dead. ... Toei Animation Company, Limited ) (JASDAQ: 4816) is a Japanese animation studio owned by the Toei Company. ... Wanpaku Ôji no Orochi Taiji (わんぱく王子の大蛇退治 - literally The Naughty Prince Slays the Giant Serpent) is an anime film produced by Toei Animation, released in Japan on March 24, 1963. ...

Tartakovsky included a cameo of a Samurai with a young child in a baby carriage in the episode Jack Remembers the Past. This character has a strong resemblance to Ogami Itto of Lone Wolf and Cub^[7]
Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Serialized in Action Original run September 1970 – April 1976 No. ...

Tartakovsky has also acknowledged taking some of his thematic inspiration from Frank Miller's Graphic Novel Ronin, including the premise of a master-less samurai warrior thrown into a dystopic future ahead of our present in order to battle a shape-shifting demon. Similarly, the episode Jack and the Spartans (see above), while based on historical events, was specifically inspired by Miller's 300, a graphic novel retelling of said events.^[8] This article is about Frank Miller, the comic book writer and artist and movie writer and director. ... For other uses, see Ronin (comic). ... 300 is a historically-inspired comic book limited series (later collected into a single hardcover volume) written and illustrated by Frank Miller with painted colors by Lynn Varley. ...

Popular culture in Samurai Jack

In addition to borrowing thematic elements from various styles of film, Tartakovsky also inserts subtle nods to both new and old media for those paying close attention. The following are a few of these instances.

• In the Pilot episode, Jack's father, after being freed from Aku's mines asks Jack, "What is the sword, next to the hand that wields it?", a quote from Conan the Barbarian (film)
• There are countless references to Star Wars throughout the series. Characters, settings, plot points, and especially line quotes quite explicitly refer to the Star Wars films. Two episodes which feature an extensive amount of Star Wars dialogue are "Scotsman Saves Jack" and "Jack and the Flying Prince and Princess". The famous Star Wars line "I have a bad feeling about this," is spoken in several different episodes.^[9][10]
• Quick Draw McGraw and Baba Looey, two other Hanna-Barbera characters, make cameo appearances, comically emphasizing The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful's old west theme. The title is itself a reference to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.^[11]
• In Jack and the Labyrinth, Jack faces off against a thief while they compete to steal the same magical jewel. This character is an homage to Daisuke Jigen of Lupin III fame, while Jack may be an homage to Goemon Ishikawa XIII. Also, a puzzle set in the labyrinth plays homage to similar puzzles in The Legend of Zelda^[12]
• In Jack and the Traveling Creatures, Jack faces off against a large blue man who is the guardian of a time traveling portal. Dressed in black and wearing small round sunglasses, this is a nod towards Morpheus from The Matrix films. At one point in the battle, the large blue man even pulls out a gun and says "Dodge this." This is referring to when Trinity did the same in the first Matrix movie.
• In Jack and the Farting Dragon, the scissorsmith tells Jack "At the fork, take the rocky path, that leads to the dragon's lair." When Jack asks what the other path leads to, the scissorsmith replies, "Space Ace!" This alludes to the two 80's arcade video games created by animator Don Bluth.
• In Jack and the Gangsters, the members of the gang that Jack joins resemble the Ant Hill Mob from "Wacky Races."
• In Jack and the Ultra-robots, the assassin robots are mentioned to be made of Adamantium.
• In Jack and the Creature, the creature following Jack bears a strong resemblance to Hayao Miyazaki's Totoro. The episode also features a magic crystal called "The Crystal of Cagliostro", a reference to Miyazaki's first feature film The Castle of Cagliostro. Near the end of the episode, in order to help Jack who is in danger, the creature turns itself in what appears to be very similar to the demon boar god Nago from Princess Mononoke.

This article is about the 1982 film. ... This article is about the series. ... List of Samurai Jack episodes Scotsman Saves Jack is a two-part serial of Samurai Jacks fourth season. ... Jack and the Flying Prince and Princess is the eighth episode of Samurai Jacks fourth season. ... El Kabong redirects here. ... Baba Looey is a fictional character of the animated cartoon series Quick Draw McGraw. ... Cartoon Network Studios, formerly known as Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ... A cameo role or cameo appearance (often shortened to just cameo) is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television. ... The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful is the third episode of Samurai Jacks third season. ... The cowboy, the quintessential symbol of the American Old West, circa 1887. ... For the album by Frankee, see The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (Frankee album). ... Jack and the Labyrinth is the thirteenth episode of Samurai Jacks third season. ... Daisuke Jigen ) is a fictional character in Kazuhiko Katōs anime and manga series Lupin III. Jigen is Lupins marksman. ... Lupin the 3rd and Lupin the Third redirect here. ... Goemon Ishikawa is a fictional character in Kazuhiko Katōs anime and manga series Lupin III. Goemon Ishikawa (石川五ェ門 Ishikawa Goemon) is the thirteenth generation of renegade samurai, beginning with the real-life historical figure Ishikawa Goemon (石川五右衛門). He is usually quiet and participates in Lupins exploits less frequently than Jigen. ... This article is about the first game in the series. ... List of Samurai Jack episodes Jack and the Traveling Creatures is the sixth episode of Samurai Jacks third season. ... This article is about the 1999 film. ... Jack and the Farting Dragon is the eighth episode of Samurai Jacks second season. ... Dragons Lair was one of the first laserdisc video games, released in June 1983 by Cinematronics. ... Space Ace is a Laserdisc video game produced by Don Bluth Studios, Cinematronics, and RDI Video Systems. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Wacky Races is an animated television series from Hanna-Barbera, about a group of 11 different cars racing against each other in various road rallies, with each driver hoping to win the title of the Worlds Wackiest Racer. ... Jack and the Ultra-robots is the fifth episode of Samurai Jacks second season. ... Adamantium is a fictional chemical substance, often a metal. ... Jack and the Creature is the seventh episode of Samurai Jacks third season. ... Hayao Miyazaki , born January 5, 1941 in Tokyo, Japan) is the prominent director of many popular animated feature films. ... My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ - Tonari no Totoro) is a 1988 Japanese animated movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. ... Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro ) is a 1979 anime film co-written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki; it is one of the master thief Lupin III movies. ... Princess Mononoke ) is a Japanese animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, produced through his company, Studio Ghibli, that was first released in Japan on July 12, 1997 and in the United States on October 29, 1999 in select cities and on November 26, 1999. ...

Response

Awards and recognition

In 2004, British broadcaster Channel 4 ran a poll of the one hundred greatest cartoons of all time, in which Samurai Jack achieved the 42nd position. An Emmy Award. ... The Four Seasons of Death is an episode of Samurai Jack. ... The Four Seasons of Death is an episode of Samurai Jack. ... List of Samurai Jack episodes The Birth of Evil is a two-part serial of Samurai Jacks third season. ... List of Samurai Jack episodes Jack and the Traveling Creatures is the sixth episode of Samurai Jacks third season. ... Jack and the Spartans is the twelfth episode of Samurai Jacks second season. ... The Beginning is the first episode of Samurai Jacks first season. ... This article is about the British television station. ... The 100 Greatest Cartoons is a documentary that features a poll conducted by the British television channel Channel 4 in 2004. ...

Succession

The distinctive style of Samurai Jack is what drew Lucasfilm to recruit Tartakovsky for the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series. Much of the signature cinematic style of Samurai Jack lives on in Clone Wars, such as lightning-fast combat, extended sequences without dialogue, explosions, epic vistas, etc.".^[14]

Samurai Jack also remains a popular subject with Cartoon Network animators and continues to show up in programs being broadcast today. The following are a few examples.

The Duck Dodgers episode "Samurai Quack" was dedicated to spoofing the various stylistic elements and plot devices of Samurai Jack, such as only ever killing robots and the progressive ripping of clothes leading up to the final battle of the episode. Tartakovsky himself also made a cameo in that episode.^[15] Coincidentally the happy cat alarm clock sounds like Aku.

In one episode of Dexter's Laboratory, another cartoon created by Tartakovsky, boy-genius Dexter frequently says "Samurai Jaction" rather than "action," e.g., "That's enough Samurai Jaction for you!" Also in the post-2001 episodes, a Samurai Jack action figure is sometimes visible on the shelf in Dexter's bedroom.

In an episode of Justice League Unlimited, a group of villains known as the Royal Flush Gang uses playing cards as their gimmick. The Jack card is seen wearing Samurai gear. Hence, "Samurai Jack," a very subtle reference.^[16]

In the animated series My Gym Partner's a Monkey, the episodes 'Pants in Space' and 'Pride and Pixiefrog' featured an incidental character, who bore some resemblance to Samurai Jack, right down to voicing by Phil LaMarr.^[17]

In the credits of The Grim Adventures of the Kids Next Door (a crossover of two other Cartoon Network shows, Codename: Kids Next Door and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy), a made-up crossover of Samurai Jack and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is shown called Samurai Mac where Mac is Jack and Bloo is Aku.

Jack bears some resemblance to Professor Utonium of The Powerpuff Girls, and Cartoon Network has acknowledged this likeness in a commercial for the series asking "...or is he Professor Utonium in disguise?"

Samurai Jack is referenced to in the popular Internet cartoon Bonus Stage (now no longer in production) where one of the main characters says "Samurai Jack'd!" and a white blur passes across the screen, killing another character. In another Bonus Stage episode, they refer to Clone Wars as "Samurai Jack style story telling".

In the movie Grandma's Boy, the character Jeff, played by comedian Nick Swardson, remarks to his mother, "Did you remember to TiVo Samurai Jack?" It is revealed in the unrated DVD commentary by Swardson himself that he did not know what this show was.

In The Order of the Stick Xykon refers to Miko as Samurai Jill, a feminization of Jack.

Duck Dodgers was an American animated television series based on the classic cartoon short Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century produced by Warner Bros. ... Justice League Unlimited (or JLU) was the name of an American animated television series that was produced by and aired on Cartoon Network. ... My Gym Partners a Monkey is an American animated television series created by Timothy and Julie McNally Cahill and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. ... The Grim Adventures of the Kids Next Door is a crossover between Codename: Kids Next Door and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy. ... The Codename: Kids Next Door logo. ... The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy is an Annie- and Emmy-winning[1] American animated television series aired on Cartoon Network. ... Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends is an Emmy Award winning American animated television series created and produced at Cartoon Network Studios by animator Craig McCracken, creator of The Powerpuff Girls. ... Mac is a character in Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends voiced by Sean Marquette in English. ... Blooregard Q. Kazoo, or Bloo for short, is a character from the television show Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, voiced by Keith Ferguson. ... Information Nickname(s) The Inventor Occupation Scientist Title Prof. ... The Powerpuff Girls is an Emmy-winning American animated television series about three little girls in kindergarten who have superpowers. ... Bonus stage from Super Mario Brothers 2 (in Super Mario All-Stars). ... Grandmas Boy is an American comedy film produced by Adam Sandlers production company Happy Madison in 2006. ... Nicholas Roger Swardson (born October 9, 1976) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. ... TiVo (pronounced tee-voh, IPA: ) is a popular brand of digital video recorder (DVR) in the United States (and coming to Canada in December 7, 2007) and is a consumer video device which allows users to capture television programming to internal hard disk storage for later viewing (time shifting), provides... The Order of the Stick is a comedic fantasy webcomic based on pencil and paper roleplaying games, particularly Dungeons and Dragons, and its accompanying system, d20. ...

Media information

Broadcast history

Cartoon Network ordered fifty-two episodes of Samurai Jack, which were aired as four seasons as a prime time member of the Cartoon Cartoon block of programming. Despite its Emmy nominations and wins the show was taken off of the air before the fourth season could complete its initial run. The unaired episodes were later shown as a Toonami special, on toonami jetstream (on Cartoon Network.com), and in re-runs. For the former television channel in the United Kingdom of the same name, see Toonami (UK). ...

While airing, the series spawned a comic book and several video game tie-ins.

Samurai Jack made a reappearance on Cartoon Network's adult swim, based on results from a successful user poll, noted in bumps during programming on 2/22/08. The first episode of the series was broadcast during the network's Toonami block on March 29, 2008, and has been airing the episodes in order each week since. Adult Swim, usually stylized [adult swim], is an adult-oriented television network sharing channel space with Cartoon Network in the United States. ... For the former television channel in the United Kingdom of the same name, see Toonami (UK). ...

Feature film

There had been plans for a Samurai Jack movie that were in development in 2002. This project was cancelled after the lackluster performance of The Powerpuff Girls Movie. In a September 28, 2006 interview with MTV.com, series creator Genndy Tartakovsky confirmed that "Jack will come back" and that "we will finish the story, and there will be an animated film."^[18][19] The Powerpuff Girls Movie (also known as The Powerpuff Girls and The Powerpuff Girls: The Movie) is animated feature-length film based on the Cartoon Network animated television series The Powerpuff Girls. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

It is also stated on the inside jacket of the Season 4 DVD that Genndy still thinks the best way to finish off the story is to do a feature-length movie, and goes on to state that this will hopefully be in the "near future".

Newly formed production company Frederator Films has announced in Variety that one of their first projects will be a feature film adaptation of Samurai Jack, written and directed by Genndy Tartakovsky.^[20] Frederator Films is an animation studio founded by Fred Seibert, Kevin Kolde and Eric Gardner on June 25, 2007. ...

Video games

Although cartoonnetwork.com had a handful of Samurai Jack web games of their own, there were some home video games of the series.

• Samurai Jack: The Amulet of Time for Game Boy Advance.
• Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku for the GameCube and PlayStation 2.

“GBA” redirects here. ... The Nintendo GameCube (Japanese: ゲームキューブ; originally code-named Dolphin during development; abbreviated as GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the 128-bit era; the same generation as Segas Dreamcast, Sonys PlayStation 2, and Microsofts Xbox. ... PS2 redirects here. ...

DVD releases

Like previous Cartoon Network shows, Samurai Jack DVDs are released by Warner Home Video. DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc - see Etymology) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The DVDs include episode numbers in Roman numerals as they appear at the end of episodes, but remain untitled. Roman numerals are a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, adapted from Etruscan numerals. ...

As of 2007 the series has not been released on DVD in the United Kingdom despite its international popularity. 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Season One was released in Australia (region 4) November 2007 by Madman Entertainment. The following is an excerpt of the article entitled DVD. For the sake of convenience, the terms Region 0, Region 1, Region 2, Region 3, Region 4, Region 5, Region 6, Region 7 and Region 8 redirect to this page. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Madmans Logo Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that specialises in the distribution of Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. ...

is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 144th day of the year (145th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

References

is the 115th day of the year (116th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... List of Samurai Jack episodes Jack and the Traveling Creatures is the sixth episode of Samurai Jacks third season. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jack and the Gangsters is the twelfth episode of Samurai Jacks first season. ... List of Samurai Jack episodes The Birth of Evil is a two-part serial of Samurai Jacks third season. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jack and the Spartans is the twelfth episode of Samurai Jacks second season. ... Jack Remembers the Past is the sixth episode of Samurai Jacks second season. ... Jack and the Spartans is the twelfth episode of Samurai Jacks second season. ... List of Samurai Jack episodes Scotsman Saves Jack is a two-part serial of Samurai Jacks fourth season. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... {| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 235th day of the year (236th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful is the third episode of Samurai Jacks third season. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jack and the Labyrinth is the thirteenth episode of Samurai Jacks third season. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Samurai Jack

• Official Website

• Samurai Jack at the Internet Movie Database