I recently decided to begin watching the early-2000s cartoon Samurai Jack. I mostly did so because break was beginning and after a term filled with medieval romance and Old Norse translations my brain was fried. I still haven’t finished the series, mostly because I still try to get out of my room every now and then, but from what I have watched, the show addresses the human condition in a really surprising way.
For those who haven’t seen the show, the premise is simple (kinda). The emperor of a distant land defeats the lord of evil, Aku, with a magic sword. The evil power returns, enslaving the emperor. His son, however, gets away, is raised by Vikings, African tribesmen, and Robin Hood, and returns to defeat Aku. Just as he is to succeed, Aku tricks him and sends him into a dystopian future where he adopts the name “Jack” because a few guys on the street call him that.
The future is bad. Aliens have come to earth because the evil lord is trying to expand his control over the whole universe. These aliens have limited respect for the natural order, sometimes using technology to enslave more peaceful species. Most of the dark lord’s minions are robots and consumer capitalism is the order of things.
That last sentence is the best part. Dystopia is the king of evil, the self-proclaimed Shogun of Sorrows, posting giant billboards of himself drinking soft drinks. The future of Samurai Jack is clearly very stylized, but it makes solid points in a funny way. Aku spends most of his time ripping resources from the earth and building up his own material wealth. He torments people, hoards gems, and overturns the natural order. But Jack’s job is to beat him with a magical sword. One could say tradition and the power of imaginative magic are to overcome greed as exemplified by technological deicide. Or one could call it a children’s cartoon.
Either way, it’s a blast. The show is fun, G-rated, and raises important questions. As I turn to re-read The Hobbit for an upcoming tutorial, I think these questions will be especially relevant. Never say that children’s stories and imaginative adventures cannot be guiding lights. “Be like a child,” Jesus said, “or risk falling prey to the demon of seriousness.” Or something like that.
