In 2006, it was announced that Funimation acquired the rights to the anime series which would premiere on Spike, now known as the Paramount Network, later that year, and that Jackson would voice Afro. Afro Samurai debuted on January 4, 2007. The series premiered worldwide on Spike's website, where they streamed the first episode online. On May 3, 2007, the series premiered on Japanese television, in English with Japanese subtitles, and for the first time completely uncut.
