Hey all,

In case you haven't seen it yet, Cartoonnetwork.com now has an animation test for Genndy Tartakovsky's new series "Samurai Jack" posted online.

http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/TOONAMI/

I was a little skeptical at first having seen the on-air promos, but this clip indicates a really great visual style (character designs very similar to Dexter's Lab, but almost cut-out style backgrounds), and seeing as how many references to and in-jokes about anime conventions are made in Dexter and the Powerpuff Girls, it should be interesting to see how the series works.

Here's how Cartoon Network describes the show:
"Samurai Jack tells the story of a great warrior displaced to the distant future by the evil shape-shifting wizard Aku. The world has become a bleak place under the rule of Aku, segregated into fantastic tribes and ruled by Aku's evil robot warlords. Samurai Jack travels this foreign landscape in search of a time portal that can return him to his home. In addition to exotic cities and strange cultures, Samurai Jack will also encounter modern urban landscapes and all their trappings, such as flying cars, huge skyscrapers and even techno music. Through it all, Jack relies upon his strength and mental acuity to help him tackle each episode's challenges.

"A man of few words, Samurai Jack speaks mostly with his expressive eyes. The centerpiece of Samurai Jack will be its stylized action scenes, but the show will also contain elements of humor as the protagonist adapts to the travails of modern life, such as finding a suitable replacement for his worn-out Samurai sandals.

"Stylistically, this won't be like any other animated show on television," said Tartakovsky. "We're using music, cinematic storytelling, and very stylized backgrounds to create mood and atmosphere as Samurai Jack travels an exotic landscape. The environment will be a major character in each show."