There is an anime that stands out significantly from the production costs of its competitors. The series is called Afro Samurai and consists of only five episodes. Nevertheless, it is one of the most expensive productions in the anime sector.
How expensive was Afro Samurai? The boss of Funimation, Gen Fukunaga, reveals that the anime cost about 1 million US dollars per episode (via Newspapers.com). Each of the episodes is only 30 minutes long but costs more than ten times that of other animes (via ScreenRant):
- Demon Slayer cost around 80,000 US dollars per episode.
- One Piece was somewhat more expensive. An episode here costs an average of about 90,000 US dollars.
- Naruto Shippuden can top that. Here, the costs amount to 100,000 US dollars per episode.
- One of the most expensive animes is Dragon Ball Super. It costs around 170,000 euros per episode.
But none of the animes reach the budget of Afro Samurai. Since the anime is only five episodes long, it “only” cost 5 million US dollars, placing it in the middle of the long-running series mentioned above.
You can watch the trailer for Samurai on the YouTube channel of illmatic00:
Afro Samurai featured high-profile actors
Why was the anime so expensive? According to The Japan Times, there is a significant factor contributing to the high budget of the anime. High-profile actors were hired to participate in the anime. These include:
- Samuel L Jackson (known as Nick Fury from the Marvel films), who voices the protagonist in English
- Yuri Lowenthal, who voices Son-Goku, Sasuke Uchiha, and several characters from Bleach in English
- Kelly Hu, who will appear as Lady Deathstrike in the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine
The voice actors are said to have consumed a large portion of the budget. This made Afro Samurai incredibly expensive in terms of costs per episode.
Deadpool & Wolverine is coming to theaters in a few weeks:
What is Afro Samurai about? The young Afro Samurai witnessed his father’s murder by a man named Justice, who aimed for his father’s headband, which grants god-like powers to its wearer.
Thus, Afro embarks on a journey to challenge Justice and avenge his father. To do this, he must obtain another headband, which allows him to confront Justice.
What makes this anime so special? The anime is especially celebrated for its detailed fight scenes. The breathtaking animations and accompanying sound make the series a well-rounded package.
Where can I watch Afro Samurai? You can currently watch Afro Samurai on Crunchyroll. However, the anime is rated for 18 and older, so children and teenagers should probably avoid it due to the violence. Additionally, the anime is only available in English with French subtitles.
If you still don’t know which new animes to watch, you might like our recommendations. MeinMMO tells you which highlights will be in the coming months: 3 new animes you should not miss in the summer season 2024
