Tartakovsky claims the inspiration for the show was a combination of David Carradine's Kung Fu, the work of Frank Miller (especially his samurai Ronin series), and the samurai films of Kurosawa. However, no name is given for the title character just like Clint Eastwood's "man with no name" westerns. He's called the slang "Jack" in the first episode and the name just stuck. Like Eastwood's Angel Eyes.
The main character Jack is voiced by actor Phil LaMarr who may be best known as Marvin from Pulp Fiction (yeah the same guy). Jack's nemesis the demon Aku is voiced by the iconic Mako in the first 4 seasons (Mako died in 2006). Greg Baldwin voiced Aku in season 5.
Aku's opening narrative gave the premise to the series: "Long ago in a distant land, I, Aku, the shapeshifting master of darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil. But a foolish samurai warrior wielding a magical sword stepped forth to oppose me. Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung him into the future where my evil is law. Now the fool seeks to return to the past to undo the future that is Aku."
There was no conclusion to the first 4 seasons. The show was left open-ended which is why it was so important to many to provide an ending in the 5th and final season. Even though fans had to wait 12-years for it. Luckily viewers never had to live through a live-action movie in the meantime.
Won't go into the reason I was thinking of the show or the various connections I was thinking of. I will say that it's time to re-watch Samurai Jack.
