Yasuke (TV series)

Yasuke is an original net animation (ONA) series loosely based on the historical figure of the same name, an African warrior who served under Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga during the Sengoku period of samurai conflict in 16th century Japan. Created by LeSean Thomas and animated by Japanese animation studio MAPPA, the series stars Lakeith Stanfield as the titular character.[4] The series was released on Netflix on April 29, 2021.[5][6]

Synopsis

In an alternate-reality 16th-century feudal Japan reimagined with magic and advanced technology, an African man named Yasuke went from being in the service of Jesuit missionaries during the Nanban trade to being a warrior and retainer in the service of Lord Oda Nobunaga. In the year 1582, he witnessed the fall of Nobunaga's forces in battle at Honnō-ji Temple against the army of the Dark General, who serves the demonic warlord Yami no Daimyō. With Nobunaga's death and the defeat of his forces, Yami no Daimyō assumes complete control of the land. Twenty years later, Yasuke tries to put his storied past as a legendary ronin known as the "Black Samurai" behind him and retires as a recluse boatman named Yassan at a remote village. He encounters a singer at a local bar named Ichika and later agrees to take her and her daughter Saki, a sick girl with mysterious magical powers, north to see a special doctor to help with Saki's condition. After an attack by mercenaries who are after Ichika and Saki, Yasuke is tasked with protecting Saki while coming to terms with his past, dealing with would-be conquerors of Japan, and facing dark supernatural elements as Yasuke and Saki find themselves in the middle of a struggle against the forces of Yami no Daimyō.

Characters

• (弥助)
• Once a servant of Jesuits named Eusebio Ibrahimo Baloi and originally of Yao descent, he was named Yasuke upon becoming a samurai under Oda Nobunaga, after which his skill and honor earned much of his lord's favor, despite the discrimination for his skin and distrust for his foreign origin. After serving as Nobunaga's kaishakunin following his defeat at Honnō-ji Temple, he escaped his bondage under the Jesuits and became a recluse working as a boatman ferrying people along the river he resides on. After 20 years in hiding, he reluctantly joins Saki on a quest after the pair cross paths against Abraham and the servants of the Yami no Daimyō.
• (織田 信長)
• The historic warlord of Japan, that nearly succeeded in united Japan under his crest. Just as historically, Nobunaga scoffed at traditions to progress Japan under his rule, even bringing in Yasuke as a retainer. Nobunaga was also unabashed by his romantic love for Ranmaru.
• Saki (咲希)
• Ichika's adopted daughter, rescued from Abraham as an infant. She possesses incredible mystical powers with the potential to rival the Yami no Daimyō as the villain's natural counterbalance.
• Natsumaru (夏丸)
• Described as an, a lady samurai for Nobunaga, she befriends Yasuke and share a common bond of being considered outsiders by others in Nobunaga's ranks. Natsumaru was revealed to be a member of the Iga clan and also a spy for Hattori Hanzo within Nobunaga's ranks. Despite having an attraction for Yasuke, he discovers her secret and regretfully kills her amid the battle with Hanzo's army.
• Ichika (一華)
• A singer at an inn where she meets Yasuke, hiring him to take her and Saki to a doctor upriver.
• Morisuke (守助)
• The doctor who exclusively treats and trains Saki, as he shares similar powers. He was once a samurai in Nobunaga's forces, serving alongside Yasuke. He runs a school mentoring psychics and sees Saki as the chosen one to end the Yami no Daimyō.
• Ishikawa (イシカワ)
• An assassin wielding a giant scythe and other knives, working for Abraham to fetch Saki. After aiding Yasuke and Morisuke, she dies when the Daimyō's personal army comes for Saki.
• Haruto (ハルト)
• A self-aware weaponized robot with humorous tendencies, working for Abraham to fetch Saki. After Ishikawa's death, he strikes the Daimyō's forces in revenge.
• Nikita (ニキータ)
• A Russian Werebear assassin working for Abraham to fetch Saki. After his death, she stops hunting Saki and helps Yasuke at Morisuke's temple. She sacrifices herself to buy time for Morisuke's forces to retreat, and for Yasuke to take Saki elsewhere.
• Achoja (アチョウジャ)
• An African shaman originally from the Kingdom of Benin, he is hired by Abraham to capture Yasuke to find Saki. After Abraham's death, he and his party take their pay and he also develops a warrior's respect with Yasuke. He aids Morisuke's efforts against a monster of the Daimyō's and is richly rewarded, the only member of his group to survive after the end battle.
• Abraham (アブラハム)
• A priest with mutant powers in service to the Catholic Church, aiming to take Saki to Europe and conquer the continent, then take the Church as its new leader. Yasuke and Saki kill him after both are captured by his hired assassins.
• Yami no Daimyō (闇の大名)
• The dark mage who conquered a swath of Japan, who seeks to take Saki's power for herself, seeing her as a natural threat. In the last episode she was identified as Hojo Masako, a noble from Kamakura shogunate.

Production

Episodes

Soundtracks

Critical reception

[25] On Rotten Tomatoes, 93% of 27 ratings are positive, and the average rating is 6.60/10 garnering the series critical praise. The consensus for the series states: "Anchored by an impressive voice cast led by a solid Lakeith Stanfield, Yasuke's expertly crafted, gorgeously animated blend of fantasy and history is an epic ode to the titular samurai."[26]

The series received mixed reviews from some critics. James Poniewozik praised both the animation and score, but argued that "the quieter and more novel aspects... get drowned out by its louder, less distinctive action story lines." He also described the series as an "artful genre mash-up", said it has colorful villains, and stated there is "untapped potential" in the history of the protagonist or in alternative history.[27] Melanie McFarland of Salon called the story "fantastical" and a project "closer to the heart" than other media LeSean Thomas worked on, but needs more time to tell the story than is allotted in six episodes.[28] Nick Valdez of ComicBook.com said the series has a talented team behind it, is a fun "blend of realism and kooky fun", and praised the show's music, while criticizing the series for covering too much ground in six episodes, with "two-arc anime condensed into a single arc's time".[29] Toussaint Egan of Polygon said the series delivered on an "expansive promise" with a protagonist whose personality and history hint to the "expansive multiplicity of the Black experience as a whole", added that although there isn't much space to explore the character's stories, this is the exception for Yasuke, and called the series "fascinating".[30]

Tyler Hersko of IndieWire argued that the series sidelined a "great" protagonist by including "fantasy nonsense" which leads to confusion, said there is "no thought given to narrative cohesion" in the series, and criticized the series for "lack of attention" to supporting female characters, but praised it for dramatizing important parts of Yasuke's life "that have been recorded throughout history" and having memorable characters.[31] Akeem Lawanson of IGN called the tale "epic", but said that sci-fi elements don't help add depth to the series' characters, only serving as a distraction, and criticized the characters, voice acting, and lack of character development, while praising the visuals for being "quite compelling".[32] Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com describes the series as a "fever-dream" which blends many elements and results in a "trippy story of regret and tradition" and criticized it for creating "whiplash through...sharp tonal and visual shifts", a convoluted story, but praised it for raising questions "regarding racism and sexism".[33] Kimberly Ricci of Uproxx said the series offers "plenty of substance along with entertainment", praised the interaction between Suki and Yasuke as endearing, visuals, re-imagining the story of a legend, and said it doesn't waste the time of the audience.[34]

Accolades

External links