Wu-Tang Clan has always existed at the crossroads of Hip Hop and East Asian influence. With a legacy steeped in martial arts, lyrical mysticism, and cultural rebellion, it only makes sense that the legendary rap crew nearly had their own anime series. Yes, Wu-Tang almost became an anime.
Long before anime infiltrated hip-hop playlists and rapper IG stories, Wu-Tang Clan was already weaving Japanese animation aesthetics and martial arts mysticism into their sound and style. Now, new details have emerged about what could’ve been the ultimate crossover: an official Wu-Tang Clan anime series, a project that nearly came to life through Manga Entertainment.
According to Manga Entertainment’s former senior VP Lawrence Guinness, the series, tentatively titled The Imperial Warrior, was deep in development during the late ‘90s/early 2000s and had the potential to be a revolutionary blend of East-meets-West storytelling. Speaking with AnimEigo in a recent interview, Guinness described pitching the concept to Island Records founder Chris Blackwell as a show where “Wu-Tang challenged the forces of evil through music and martial arts.” Think Afro Samurai energy with Wu-Tang lyricism and Shaolin-level worldbuilding.
Unfortunately, the project hit a major roadblock. Despite Guinness’ belief that the show was all but locked in, not all members of the group signed off, causing the dream project to quietly fizzle out. “It was the one that got away,” Guinness said, calling it “the project I was proudest of that never happened.”
But the Wu-Tang anime wasn’t just a one-off fantasy. It was part of a larger vision by Manga Entertainment to connect iconic music acts with anime storytelling. The company also entered advanced talks with the Spice Girls about an anime film aimed at Studio Ghibli fans, envisioning a theatrical experience that fused girl power with magical realism. “Teenage girls would’ve lined up around the block for it,” Guinness noted.
While Wu-Tang’s official anime never came to be, the cultural synergy between the group and anime has only grown stronger over time. RZA, ever the genre shapeshifter, produced the iconic soundtrack for Afro Samurai, further cementing Wu-Tang’s connection to the anime world. And last month, that crossover energy returned in full force with the announcement of Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver, an anime-style action RPG from Brass Lion Entertainment that’s directly tied to Ghostface Killah and RZA’s upcoming film, Angel of Dust.
“We presented concepts, and they instantly got it,” said Brass Lion co-founder and CEO Bryna Dabby Smith in an interview with The Washington Post. “Wu-Tang understood what we were going for.”
This isn’t their first time stepping into the animated fight ring either. Wu-Tang’s cult-classic 1999 PlayStation game, Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style, was one of the earliest Hip Hop inspired fighting games and carried clear anime and martial arts influences in both style and mechanics.
The legacy is clear: Wu-Tang didn’t just flirt with anime, they helped lay the foundation for today’s Hip Hop/anime renaissance. And while The Imperial Warrior never made it to screens, its spirit lives on in every beat, bar, and boss battle that fuses Hip Hop grit with animated storytelling.