Samurai Jack meme · memes.md

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Promotional artwork of the titular character from Genndy Tartakovsky's Samurai Jack animated series.
Fan artwork depicting Samurai Jack battling Aku's mechanical minions.
A popular Samurai Jack image macro using the Ashi shielding scene to comment on social media exposure of crimes.
Fan-drawn comic page depicting Aku reacting to a story involving his daughter and Little Red Hood references.
Fan comic page dramatizing a heretical conversation between Aku and his supposed daughter.

History

Samurai Jack is an animated action series created by Genndy Tartakovsky that first aired on Cartoon Network on August 10, 2001, following a lone samurai flung into a dystopian future ruled by the shape-shifting demon Aku. The show gathered a devoted online fanbase across Reddit, Tumblr and 4chan, and returned for a final Adult Swim season in 2017 that pushed its catchphrases and iconography back into wide meme circulation.

Origin

The series was created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky and first announced at a Cartoon Network press conference on February 21, 2001[3]. It premiered on August 10, 2001 and ran for four seasons and 52 episodes, ending its original run on September 25, 2004[3]. An Urban Dictionary entry summarizing the show was submitted by user Dave on March 28, 2004, describing Jack's endless hunt for a time portal back to the past[2].

IDW Publishing extended the story in comic form starting October 2013, with a 20-issue run written by Jim Zub and drawn by Andy Suriano that ended in May 2015[3]. On December 2, 2015, Adult Swim announced on YouTube that the show would return for a new season[1], and the fifth and final season began airing on March 11, 2017[3].

Platform: Cartoon Network (broadcast) / Reddit, Tumblr, 4chan (fandom spread)
Creator: Genndy Tartakovsky
Date: 2001

Overview

Samurai Jack follows a nameless Japanese warrior, called Jack, who wields a god-forged katana and gets banished by the shape-shifting demon Aku into a future where Aku's rule is total[1]. Fans quickly latched onto the show's minimalist dialogue, painterly backgrounds and long silent action stretches, which set it apart from the busier cartoons airing alongside it on Cartoon Network[3].

The show's opening narration, delivered by Mako as Aku with the line "Long ago in a distant land, I, Aku, the shape-shifting master of darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil," became the most-quoted piece of the series across fan boards and image edits[2]. Aku's cackle, Jack's silhouetted sword poses and the recurring Season 5 chant of "gotta get back, back to the past" are the pieces most often clipped, remixed and screencapped by the fandom[4].

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Samurai Jack?

Samurai Jack is a Cartoon Network animated action series created by Genndy Tartakovsky about a samurai trapped in a future ruled by the demon Aku[3].

Where did Samurai Jack come from?

The show was announced at a Cartoon Network press conference on February 21, 2001 and premiered on August 10 of that year[3].

What does Samurai Jack mean?

Jack is the name the samurai adopts in the future timeline, chosen for him by strangers who hear his voice; the title character's quest is to defeat Aku and return to the past[2].

How do you use Samurai Jack in memes?

Fans typically quote Aku's opening narration, "Long ago in a distant land," or edit Jack's silhouette and sword poses into reaction images and AMVs[4].