Samuel Jackson in Afro Samurai game

By Tom Bramwell Published 16 April, 2008

On PS3 and 360 this year.

Samuel L. Jackson is set to star in a videogame adaptation of manga/anime series Afro Samurai for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Due out in the US this autumn from Namco Bandai, the game is about Jackson's character, Afro, who wants to be the world's number one fighter.

Apparently this brings with it godlike powers thanks to a ceremonial headband, and Afro's interest in it has a lot to do with the current number one, Justice, who killed his dad when Afro was a kid.

Originally a manga series by Takashi Okazaki, Wikipedia (you knew anyway) goes on to add that the GONZO-produced anime series is directed by Fuminori Kizaki and has been shown to some acclaim in the US, Japan and the UK. Must've missed it.

The game, which uses cel-shaded visuals similar to the series, is home to lots of smashingly unpleasant violence, according to a GameSpot first look, and features "ground, aerial, and terrain" combat. All in all it sounds like third-person action.

What's more, there's a hip-hop soundtrack by RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan, with different tunes for each major confrontation.

Having voiced the TV series (and signed on for an upcoming live-action film), Namco Bandai will presumably hope that Jackson's involvement continues to catch people's attention.

It's not his first videogame role though - he also voiced Officer Tenpenny in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and has done bits for Star Wars and Incredibles games in line with his appearances in the films that preceded them.

Namco Bandai plans to release Afro Samurai in the autumn across the pond, but there's no word on a European release yet as the publisher typically farms its games out to others to distribute.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (3) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Gartt #1 4 years ago

    haha awesome.

  • The-Bodybuilder #2 4 years ago

    One of the coolest, most down-to-earth guys in the business, yet people like wax will still find a way to gun him down.

  • Ilroy #3 4 years ago

    Jackson did a good job of voicing Afro, in the anime. It's probably one of the most enjoyable dubs that I've ever listened to. Not since Appleseed has an English-speaking actor voiced a character in an anime production so convincingly.

    I am an avid fan of the medium, who greatly prefers listening to the original Japanese tracks with subtitles to read. Jackson accomplished a rare feat, by making the English dub as enjoyable as its alternative. I look forward to seeing if the video game is just as much fun to play, as the anime was to watch.