Afro Samurai is a story of vengeance. Afro is the main character, who has embarked on a ruthless quest. He chose this because when he was a boy he witness his father's death. He died in a duel for the number one headband which he was defending. During the duel he was decapitated and Justice, the new number one threw his head at Afro's feet. That was the moment when he lost his innocence and began to harbor a hate that eventually put him on the path of revenge.
It's shown at the very end that there are many more headbands as Jinno (Afro's childhood friend) returns covered in them. The rules on how they are obtain and their use is unclear. As for the number one and two headbands it goes like this: The one who wears the number one head band is considered to be the fiercest warrior in the world and shall posses the powers of a god. (It's the god powers that draws so much attention.) To obtain the number one headband you must kill the current Number One. (Here's where it gets interesting.) To gain the right to challenge the #1 (Number One) you must already be in possession of the number two headband. The problem with being the Number Two is that anyone can challenge you. (Quick recap: Only the #2 can challenge the #1, but anyone can challenge the #2.)
It is this point that makes being the #2 (currently Afro) so hard. You must be skilled because if not you won't last with it. Afro's journey to Mount Shumi is chronicled in five episodes. Along the way there are many that want the number two headband for themselves and Afro must accept every challenge or forfeit it. There's a lot of action (Some of it is over the top) and blood. Afro cuts his opponents down with brutal efficiency and you aren't spared any of it. There's also some fan service in the show. Most notably the soft core porn scene near the end of episode two. The rest is provided by Brother 1 side-girl, but she doesn't appear much. (This isn't one of those shows that only get by on fan service.)
I feel like there is some East vs. West (Not coast) undertones in Afro. With Hip-Hop having a strong influence on the designs and the show being set in feudal Japan. (A futuristic feudal Japan.) It becomes more apparent when you consider Justice. He's a cowboy and Afro's nemesis. (Nothing says western culture like cowboys.) Need I say more? Cowboys vs. Samurai. Take it how you will, but in the end Afro Samurai is a raw & gritty mash up of east and west cultures that when combined make for a damn good show.
-Don't Just Be A Robot, Be Happy
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