Anime hasn’t always treated Black characters fairly — too often, they were caricatures or afterthoughts. But times are changing. Today, more strong Black characters are showing up on screen, leading stories and inspiring fans. These heroes and heroines prove that Black representation belongs in the anime world. Below is a list of series that feature powerful Black characters, each bringing unique strength and perspective to the story.
1. “Afro Samurai”
“Afro Samurai” follows Afro, a lone swordsman in a futuristic feudal Japan who seeks to avenge his father’s death. Takashi Okazaki created the series, and studio Gonzo produced it under the direction of Fuminori Kizaki. The project stood out as an East-meets-West collaboration—actor Samuel L. Jackson not only produced the show but also voiced both Afro and his comic sidekick, Ninja Ninja. “Afro Samurai” premiered on Spike TV in the U.S. in January 2007 before airing in Japan.
2. “Yasuke”
This Netflix original retells the legend of “Yasuke,” a 16th-century African who served under Oda Nobunaga in Japan. In the anime, Yasuke is a retired warrior who returns to battle to protect a young girl with mysterious powers. Black creator LeSean Thomas developed the series, which studio MAPPA animated. Thomas directed the show with Takeru Satō, and artist Flying Lotus composed the music. LaKeith Stanfield voices Yasuke in English, while Jun Soejima voices him in Japanese. For Thomas, creating a Black anime hero was personal. “For this generation, we haven’t really seen a lot of Black animated TV heroes that are created by us,” he told Time.
3. “Cannon Busters”
“Cannon Busters” follows Philly the Kid, an immortal Black outlaw with an attitude, and his friends Sam, a friendly robot, and Casey, a quirky mechanic. Together, they journey across a world that blends Wild-West grit with steampunk flair. Creator LeSean Thomas based the series on his indie comic and co-produced it with studios Satelight and Yumeta Company. Thomas served as chief director, while Takahiro Natori co-directed. The series premiered worldwide on Netflix in August 2019.
4. “Carole & Tuesday”
In “Carole & Tuesday,” Carole is a 17-year-old orphan from Earth scraping by on Mars as a busker — until she meets Tuesday, a sheltered rich girl, and they form an unlikely duo to make music together. Shinichirō Watanabe created the anime, with Studio Bones producing it. Watanabe served as supervising director, while Motonobu Hori handled daily direction. The series originally aired in Japan from April to October 2019 on Fuji TV’s +Ultra block before streaming globally on Netflix.
5. “Cowboy Bebop”
“Cowboy Bebop” doesn’t explicitly label races, but many viewers see Jet Black as a Black man — and he’s voiced by Black talent. Jet, a former cop turned bounty hunter, captains the Bebop spaceship. He’s the mature, level-headed anchor of the crew — Spike, Faye, and Ed — with a love for jazz and bonsai trees. Created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe at Studio Sunrise, Cowboy Bebop was groundbreaking. The series first aired in 1998, premiering on TV Tokyo before moving to Wowow, and later became a hit on Adult Swim. Jet is voiced in Japanese by Unshō Ishizuka, whose deep, paternal tone fits the character perfectly, and in English by Beau Billingslea.
How has seeing Black characters in anime influenced your love for the genre? Comment below!
