While Afro Samurai the game clearly draws quite a bit from the source material, prominent differences between the two mediums create a different atmosphere and style of storytelling. This comparison aims to dissect the changes in terms of what was necessary and what needed improvement. While I understand that originally Afro Samurai was a comic the anime gained the story enough attention to merit a game so I’m focusing simply on the art style of the movie vs. the game.

Please be warned that some of the content of this article is not safe for work.

Use of Color
Initially one of the first aspects of game’s art style that differs significantly from the movie is the use of color and lighting. Many of the scenes from the Afro Samurai movie use deep blue hues to accentuate the fact that they take place at night. While many scenes in the game also take place at night the colors appear rather vivid, especially in comparison to the film. While this decision most likely a deliberate one for the sake of visibility during gameplay, it lends to a change in the overall mood and tone of the story.

Aside from the color in the backgrounds, clothing and skin tones, the blood is also significantly brighter. Although the bright color enhances the visibility of the blood the screen, it looks a bit cartoonish and watery in comparison to the darker blood of the anime. The decision to make the colors brighter in the game makes a lot of sense from in terms of visual clarity, but the change makes the game feel more whimsical than the deep dark tones from the movie. And no, I’m not going to include emo ‘diablo-esque’ Photoshops of what the game “should have” looked like. The need for visibility outweighs the need to match the style of the movies. And for better or worse, I support the decision for the change.

Story-boarding
While I won’t fault the game for using more than black, dark blue and red in its palette, I will fault it for boring story-boarding. While Afro Samurai the film falls in line pretty directly with other anime of its gory-slash-em-up-samurai genre, it represents an incredibly refined example of said genre. The film feels particularly polished in the exemplary storyboarding by Fuminori Kizaki. The movie contains many dynamic angles and extremely well composed shots that illustrate the story with ample visual impact. Each shot from the movie uses space in an interesting way and draws your eye to the action. Good composition, along with the use of interesting poses, angles and foreshortening, makes each cut thrilling and diverse and holds the power to keep your attention (even if the story could not). The game however to my dissatisfaction does not share same distinction. While the gameplay itself clearly must focus on the action in a straight forward manner to accommodate the player’s actions and provide the best visibility, there are other missed opportunities for attractive composition. Obviously the cut scenes, as in any game could play out in a visually interesting way; however in the Afro Samurai game had potential to implement interesting shots during gameplay as well. As you play the game your screen splits at times to draw your attention to action taking place elsewhere, such as a sniper or a ninja trying to get the drop on you. While these additions go a long way to make the visuals more appealing than the usual centered focus on Afro, the shots themselves lack interest. In the example given below, you can see an enemy that’s about to strike Afro, yet the direct side-view fails to create an exciting clip. In its defense however, by avoiding foreshortening, the shot does read quickly in silhouette to illustrate the action, which is more important during gameplay. Even still, I personally would have liked to see more storyboarding of the same caliber of the film throughout the game.

Character Design
Character Design from the movie to the game makes a bit of an awkward transition. For the most part the character design feels close and it’s easy to recognize characters in the game from the movie, however the differences make their presence known. Afro’s proportions in the anime are long and slender and exaggerated. His hair is roughly 5 times the size of his head while it’s around 3 times the size in the game. While I imagine this change in particular was made for easier animation during gameplay, it does not change the fact that it alters the shape of the character considerably. The rest of Afro’s proportions also differ, where he has a long and slender face in the movie, it’s shorter and less angular in the game. Taken as a whole his physique feels less prominent in the game as he appears more squat with thinner shoulders. These changes really alter the way the viewer perceives the character as a whole. Looking closer, Afro’s eyes also notably change the mood of the character. Usually in the anime Afro’s eyes are darkened by cast shadows and make him more menacing, an aspect of the character the game doesn’t bother to follow.

Another character in the game, Okiku, fails to translate well in terms of character design from the film to the game. In the movie she has soft features, whispy hair and gentle eyes, while in the game her hair is angular and her eyes look dull and less emotional. While both renditions of the character seem rather plain, the gentle and feminine Okiku from the film seems more fitting of the character.

Animation
Comparing animation from a 2D anime, which as genre tends to be limited with tight shots and overdone hair and clothing movement, to a 3D full range wide-shot view of the motion seems kind of like comparing apples and cinderblocks. Yet despite the obvious differences in approach, the animation during the combat in the game reflects the motion of the movie admirably. Afro and his blade move through the air quickly and fluidly. Additionally the slow down during bullet time is remnant of dramatic moves from the movie where blood seems hovers in the air forever as Afro slowly slices through his foes. You even get the satisfaction of seeing blood shoot from a wound seconds after you’ve already sliced someone in half as portrayed in any self-respecting samurai genre anime. And of course, Afro’s number 2 headband moves in the wind excessively just like in the anime and looks damn cool. However, when everyone stops leaping and slashing the animation gets cartoonish and awkward. While most footage you’ll find online contains fight scenes, you can catch a small glimpse of this in Okiku’s story as she shuffles along. Other examples of clunky animation show up as random enemies walk. You may also notice the lack of weight as Afro gets smashed underneath a large weapon and looks as though he may be made of paper.

Storytelling
Getting past the surface of the of the art style, the overall presentation of the story from the game takes on a dissimilar approach than the film. A particular arc of the story that probably stands out quite a bit is the story of Okiku. No, I don’t just mean the sex scene, although that is part of it. In the movie Afro is rescued by a Okiku who shows him kindness and tends to his wounds. When Afro decides that it’s time to move on, she asks him to stay to watch fireworks, which leads to an intimate moment between the two. At this point in anime Okiku pulls out a hidden blade and you realize she means to kill our brooding hero. While the sex scene itself is somewhat gratuitous, it fits in with the type of anime story that Afro Samurai pays homage to, and more importantly gives the viewer a more profound understanding of Afro and Okiku’s encounter. The game approaches this scene from a very different perspective. In the game the story is told through Okiku’s narration and while it provides interesting insight into Okiku’s thoughts, it doesn’t go into a great deal of interaction between her and Afro. Understandably, one could guess that part of the reason for choosing such a different method of telling the story relates to the flack the gaming industry has received for sex in games. Even still, watching the story unfold in the game it feels as though they are leaving a great deal of the story out and glazing over it, much the same way the old Super Friends cartoon had all of the action taking place off camera which was explained via dialogue.

Overall Afro Samurai the game demonstrates an interesting style, which is arguably more unique than the film. The film itself follows the traditional style of samurai anime, yet the style of the game brings something new to the series and in the process loses some of the serious and dark tones that were important to the film and the main character.

-Jenni Chasteen

Tags: afro samurai, art, featured, Samuel L. Jackson

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