It’s one of those tales so improbable, it could only be true: An African warrior arrives in feudal Japan, and becomes a samurai for the most powerful lord in the country.
The historical figure of Yasuke, who served under 16th-century military leader Oda Nobunaga, has featured in novels, children’s books, TV dramas, manga and video games. But he’s never been depicted the way he is in Netflix’s latest anime series.
Created by Tokyo-based director LeSean Thomas, “Yasuke” takes the scant known facts about Japan’s real-life African samurai as the starting point for a fantastical romp populated by robots, shape-shifters and warriors with magical powers.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.