Early noughties Cartoon Network classic Samurai Jack received a long-awaited fifth season last year, some 12 years after its fourth finished airing. To put it simply, Samurai Jack is about a man with a sword fighting for what he thinks is right, and in that sense it's quite similar to The Witcher. At least, that's the only explanation I can think of for why Mashed felt the need to combine the two in an animated short, but after seeing their "Samurai Witcher" cartoon, I'm certainly not complaining. Have a gander:
It's a bit slow, but it nails the styles of its source material. It's sharply drawn and dramatically framed like Samurai Jack, and it's methodical and punishing like combat in The Witcher. It's oddly cathartic to watch all the preparation that goes into a good monster hunt, from gathering herbs and other consumables to tailoring your arsenal for the monster at hand.
And, as always, it's satisfying to see a griffin go down.
As Netflix's The Witcher Season 4 loses another star, once again I feel compelled to tap the 'this no-budget YouTube fan film does the Witcher better' sign
I can only assume this upcoming Witcher children's book takes it easy on the folk horror, fantasy racism, and brutal violence I associate with the series
