[Niyusu]

Based on characters created by Takashi Okazaki, "Afro Samurai" was made in Japan for a North American audience for a whopping $1 million per 25-minute episode. The five-episode action-adventure series debuted in January on Spike TV in America and then made its way back to Japan in May, when subtitled, high-definition versions of the programs aired on the satellite channel Wowow.

Now, the Afro Samurai series has been re-edited with additional scenes into a 110-minute film for theatrical release in Japan this weekend.

Already a cult phenomenon in the United States, "Afro Samurai " is poised to become an even bigger international hit. New stories are being scripted for a second season and perhaps a third. Meanwhile, the first script for a live-action film starring Samuel L. Jackson has been completed. The producer of "Batman Begins," has also signed on for the film, Hollywood's first adaptation of a Japanese animation.

Full article: 'Afro Samurai': Japanese American Anime | Japan Times