HBO Max just quietly removed a Cartoon Network classic animated sci‑fantasy series, Samurai Jack.
Cartoon Network Studios launched the series on August 10, 2001, in the USA, and it went on to stream for years on HBO Max.
The step-by-step HBO change has ignited debate across social media platforms like X, with many fans opposing the decision and showcasing the advantages of owning physical media such as DVDs and Blu-rays.
The cartoon was created by acclaimed Russian-American animator Genndy Tartakovsky, the visionary behind beloved animated series such as Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Sym-Bionic Titan, Primal, and Unicorn: Warriors Eternal.
After wrapping up his first Cartoon Network original, Dexter’s Laboratory (1996), Genndy Tartakovsky began shaping what would become Samurai Jack. The show drew on the 1970s drama Kung Fu with David Carradine, his deep interest in Japanese samurai tradition, and the gritty comic Ronin.
The cartoon follows a samurai who is thrust into a dystopian future, fighting to stop that dark fate from becoming reality.
Watch Samurai Jack online for free
If you don’t mind watching with ads, you’re all set. Otherwise, you can buy the series in digital or physical format on Amazon.
And you can also watch all five seasons of the show on Adult Swim, Cartoon Network’s late-night programming block for adults, allowing viewers to enjoy the series the old-fashioned way—with commercial breaks.
Samurai Jack season 5
Season 5 earned a perfect 100% Tomatometer score from 23 critic reviews, while audiences gave it an impressive 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. From The Ultimate Sacrifice and The Time Portal to The Twisted Secret, the season brings together every major civilization Jack has saved throughout his decades of wandering, making it his biggest and most epic adventure yet.
Created by Genndy Tartakovsky, Samurai Jack Season 5 is the darker final chapter that ends the warrior’s journey.
plot
Season 5 jumps half a century into the future. Jack’s body stays young, but his spirit is broken.
Jack has lost his enchanted sword—the only weapon that can destroy Aku. With every time portal gone, he’s trapped in endless battles, haunted by visions and survivor’s guilt. Abandoning his robes, he now fights in heavy armor, armed with guns and riding a motorcycle. Meanwhile, a fanatical cult raises seven daughters from birth, training them as deadly assassins sworn to kill Jack.
important role of Ashi
After being swallowed by a giant beast, Jack and Ashi are forced to depend on each other. Jack shows her the beauty of the world beyond Aku’s lies, opening her eyes to his tyranny. Ashi breaks free from her cult upbringing, becomes Jack’s strongest ally, and helps him find the strength to reclaim his lost sword.
The Emotional Ending (Spoilers!)
During the last season, Aku discovers Ashi is his child and manipulates her with his powers, forcing her to fight Jack.
Witnessing the love and sacrifices of Jack’s allies frees Ashi from the possession. Realizing she holds Aku’s demonic genetic traits, she manifests the power to summon a time portal herself.
It’s powerful to see Ashi break free from Aku’s control after witnessing the love and sacrifices of Jack’s allies. In that moment, she awakens her own strength and manifests the ability to summon a time portal.
With Ashi’s help, Jack returns to the moment he first faced Aku and ends the demon once and for all. The future is saved, but Ashi fades away during their wedding—her life erased with Aku’s defeat. Jack’s journey ends in victory, yet with profound loss.
Watch the Samurai Jack season 5 trailer
