Inspired by the true story of the legendary Black Samurai, Netflix's upcoming Yasuke anime series throws a little of the supernatural into the tale of the greatest ronin never know. In a war-torn feudal Japan filled with mechs and magic, Yasuke struggles to maintain a peaceful existence after a past life of violence, but when a local village becomes the center of social upheaval between warring daimya, Yasuke must take his his sword and transport a mysterious child who is the target of dark forces and bloodthirsty warlords. Netflix has released the first trailer for the series, which you can check out above.
The series was created be LeSean Thomas, who also serves as executive producer and director, with comes from Japanese animation studio MAPPA. LaKeith Stanfield stars in the title role and also serves as an executive producer, with Flying Lotus providing the music. Prior to his tragic passing, Chadwick Boseman had signed on to play Yasuke in a live-action film based on the historical figure "The legend of Yasuke is one of history’s best kept secrets, the only person of non-Asian origin to become a Samurai," Boseman said in a statement. "That’s not just an action movie, that’s a cultural event, an exchange, and I am excited to be part of it."
Yasuke will debut on Netflix on April 29th.