Series Review: "Samurai Jack" (2001-17).

"In the future evil takes many forms, and our only hope is one man from the past" in Samurai Jack. This animated television series co-written, co-directed and created by Genndy Tartakovsky. When the evil shape-shifting wizard Aku sends the young samurai Jack into a dystopian future, he must find a portal back to his own time to undo Aku's destruction and defeat him.

After the success of Dexter's Laboratory, Tartakovsky conceived the series as a follow-up to the previously mentioned series. Cartoon Network billed it as a series "that is cinematic in scope and that incorporates action, humor, and intricate artistry." The basic premise of the series comes from Tartakovsky's childhood fascination with samurai culture and the bushido code, as well as a recurring dream where he wandered a post-apocalyptic Earth with a samurai sword and traveled the world fighting mutants with his crush. The show is meant to evoke 1970s cinematography, as well as classic Hollywood films such as Ben-Hur (1959), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), and Spartacus (1960). Thematic and visual inspirations come from Frank Miller's comic book series Rōnin, including the premise of a master-less samurai warrior thrown into a dystopic future in order to battle a shapeshifting demon. The Japanese manga Lone Wolf and Cub and films by Akira Kurosawa were also an inspiration. In late February 2001, the network announced the series' launch at a press conference. Weeks leading up to the series were accompanied by a sweepstakes giveaway sponsored by AOL in which the grand prize was a trip for four to Japan. AOL subscribers were also offered sneak peeks of Samurai Jack as well as a look at samurai traditions, future toys, behind-the-scenes model sheets, and exclusive Cartoon Orbit Toons. In August 2001, the series debuted on Cartoon Network with the three-part special The Beginning. The premiere received high praise and four award nominations, and was released as a standalone VHS and DVD on March 19, 2002. As production of the fourth season was ending, with four seasons of thirteen episodes each or fifty-two episodes in total, Tartakovsky, and the crew moved on to other projects. The show ended with the airing of the four final episodes as a marathon on September 25, 2004. The original series was left open-ended after the conclusion of the fourth season.

However, a film intended to conclude the story had been in development at different times by four different studios. As early as 2002, Cartoon Network was producing a live action feature film, in association with New Line Cinema. In 2006, Tartakovsky said in an interview that the live-action version movie was thankfully abandoned, and that "we will finish the story, and there will be an animated film." In 2007, Fred Seibert announced that the newly formed Frederator Films was developing a movie, which was planned to be in stereoscopic 2D with a budget of $20 million. In 2009, Seibert said the film was being co-produced with J. J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions. In 2012, Sony Pictures Entertainment expressed interest in developing a film. Ultimately, the feature film project never materialized. In 2014, reruns of the series were aired on Toonami, an action-oriented programming block on Adult Swim. Within two weeks of Tartakovsky's first communication with Lazzo, a deal was reached for ten more episodes of the series. In December 2015, the network released a short teaser after it green-lit the return of the series with Tartakovsky as executive producer and Cartoon Network Studios as the season's production company. Artwork used in the teaser derived from the cover of an issue from IDW Publishing's comic book adaptation of the series. The new season received further mention ahead of the network's 2016 upfront press release. The fifth season was announced for the 2016–17 television season. At the 2016 Annecy International Animated Film Festival, work-in-progress excerpts were shared. According to Tartakovsky, having a small production team allowed for a smaller budget, faster schedule, and greater creative freedom for the team, and Lazzo gave the team a free hand, with minimal intervention in the production. Changes in television animation storytelling since the cartoon's original series allowed the show to shift from episodic storytelling, where each episode is more or less independent from the others, to one cohesive serialized story that will conclude Jack's journey. The serialized format allows every episode to have a "reveal" that takes the show in a different direction. Tartakovsky expressed hope that the final episode would have a very emotional impact on the audience.

The series stars the voice talents of Phil LaMarr, Mako, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jeff Bennett, Tara Strong, Tom Kenny, Greg Baldwin, John DiMaggio, Dee Bradley Baker, Keone Young, Rob Paulsen, Billy West, Clancy Brown, Brian George, Tim Curry, Mark Hamill, George Takei, Jess Harnell, Keegan-Michael Key and Josh Peck. The show is filled with stellar voice cast that ranges from the noble hero to the entertaining villain to everything in between, and with very little to no dialogue. It was nothing short of a dream for a show of this calibre. Despite the best effort of Baldwin as Aku in the final season, Mako was and will always forever be Aku.

It is a blast to watch, and you can see Tartakovsky's spaghetti western, Star Wars, Conan, and Seven Samurai influences everywhere. That makes it one of the most interesting and kinetic American cartoons you can ask for. In a way, the show embraces the better elements of Western and Eastern animation style while trying its hardest to abandon the clichés. The appeal of the show was never in dense plotting or cliffhanger endings. It was in watching a team of animators push the boundaries of the show's hand-painted backgrounds and minimalist design to glorious lengths. With the long awaited finale, it was hard to tell if the tighter approach to episodic storytelling would reach a satisfying end, since Tartakovsky excels more at bringing us into the heat of the moment than exploring a bigger picture. But it certainly paid off in the end, even if it wasn't the desire and/or the perfect one.

Simon says Samurai Jack receives:

Also, see my review for Hotel Transylvania 2.