Ronin Revival: Genndy Tartakovsky Teases ‘Samurai Jack: Shadows of Aku’ for 2026
Los Angeles, Oct. 4, 2025 – Long after vanquishing the shape-shifting tyrant Aku in a time-warping finale that left fans in stunned silence, the lone warrior known as Jack is unsheathing his katana once more. Adult Swim has greenlit Samurai Jack: Shadows of Aku, a direct sequel series set for a 2026 premiere, with creator Genndy Tartakovsky returning to helm the charge. This 10-episode arc picks up in the dystopian future’s fragile peace, where echoes of Aku’s malice spawn new demonic threats, forcing the ageless ronin to confront scars from his endless odyssey.
Premiering over a decade after the Emmy-winning fifth season’s 2017 triumph – which blended minimalist artistry, balletic swordplay, and existential dread to earn a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes – the revival promises Tartakovsky’s signature fusion of feudal honor and cyberpunk chaos. “Jack’s story isn’t over; the blade cuts deeper now,” Tartakovsky revealed at San Diego Comic-Con, hinting at psychological battles amid ruined temples and neon wastelands. Phil LaMarr reprises his stoic vocal prowess as Jack, joined by Grey DeLisle as a battle-hardened ally from the old resistance, while new voices like Stephanie Hsu lend ethereal menace to Aku’s lingering cult.
Scripted with input from Primal co-writer Bryan Andrews, the series dives into themes of legacy and loss, with fluid 2D animation that rivals the original’s painterly vistas. Early concept art, unveiled last month, showcases Jack forging alliances with cyber-samurai hybrids in a bid to seal rifts to Aku’s void. “It’s not a reboot – it’s the scar tissue,” LaMarr told Animation Magazine, evoking the show’s poetic sparsity: no filler dialogue, just wind-swept action and moral ambiguity.
With Tartakovsky fresh off Fixed, buzz positions Shadows of Aku as animation’s next cult juggernaut, bridging the gap between Arcane‘s grit and Blue Eye Samurai‘s revenge poetry. In a world still ruled by shadows, Jack’s return isn’t just a sequel – it’s redemption sharpened to a lethal edge. Tune in when the portal reopens; the fool’s quest endures.
