For early anime enthusiasts in the West, Toonami was the holy grail. When the weekday afternoon cartoon block started in 1997, it gave avid fans of the medium the chance to catch up on some of the most popular comics of the overall zeitgeist, from megahits like Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z to more niche offerings such as Outlaw Star and The big O later years. In late 1999, a surprise offering was added to the range, which quickly attracted a devoted fan base. Now, over 25 years after first appearing on Cartoon Network, Ronin Warriors is back in the spotlight for the best possible reason, and there's good reason to be excited.
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Already in June 2025 it was confirmed Ronin Warriors would get an official sequel from its original studio, Sunrise. While the show, which originally aired in 1988 in Japan, inspired three OVA sequels in the late '80s and early '90s, this is a grander affair, bringing the characters and story to a new audience with updated animation infused with a bit of always-welcome nostalgia.
While Ronin Warriors ended its Toonami run fairly quickly, in March 2001 its impact was remarkably profound. Case in point: while my husband claimed to only have a passing memory of the show, when asked, he could quickly recall the names of the five main characters, along with the primary antagonist. The show managed to blend the superhero genre with shonen-style fantasy and action, and it left an impression, whether viewers realized it at the time or not.
Ronin Warriors were a staple of early Toonami
While some in America may have caught on Ronin Warriors on the USA Network or the Sci-Fi Channel in the mid-'90s, its addition to Cartoon Network's Toonami lineup on September 27, 1999 ensured that it would find a more massive and devoted audience of anime fans. The action anime series follows five young warriors who must fight back against Talpa, an ancient evil bent on destroying the planet. A century earlier, he was banished to the Nether Realm, with his armor split into nine pieces. Four were given to the dark warlords of Talpa, representing corruption, cruelty, illusion and poison. The other five pieces went into titular fighters, which remain on the good side.
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The characters are where the series shines the most, as the five main fighters each stand for a certain virtue, something any parent would love to expose their children to. (They also have incredibly cool Samurai armor to boot, something that translated well to toy releases at the time). Ryo, the unofficial leader of the group, stood for righteousness; Kento, for justice; Sage, for grace; Cye, for confidence; and Rowen, for wisdom. These tenants, along with their respective elemental powers and unique personalities, made it easy for viewers to pick a favorite, or to see themselves in one, or all, of the Ronin Warriors (or Samurai Troopers, as they are known in Japan).
Ronin Warriors changed many character names and had a dubbed English theme song in the West, somewhat less common today. It also featured some campy voice acting and location changes that detracted from its roots in traditional Japanese culture, leading many to seek out the original version to enjoy it as originally intended. Regardless, the nostalgia factor has kept people coming back to its heavily edited foreign release, but now fans finally have some new content to dive into after decades of reruns.
Almost 40 years after the original series debuted in Japan, the sequel to Ronin Warriors is finally here
First episode of Yoroi Shinden Samurai Troopersthe sequel to Ronin Warriorspremiered on January 6. After the initial announcement in the summer of 2025, many fans were shocked to learn that this would not be a remake, given the length of time between the two releases, the countless advancements in animation since the original's release in 1988, and the finale's penchant for tying up a very perfect sequence, at least unnecessarily, oddly. Episode 1 cleared things up though, like Yoroi Shinden Samurai Troopers is not a direct sequel at all, featuring many brand new characters and including a bit more violence than those who tuned in to Toonami in the past expected. It contains some cameos and callbacks, but – without including any spoilers – it quickly became apparent that this is not your mother's Ronin Warriors.
Yoroi Shinden Samurai Troopers is available to watch on Crunchyroll. Episode 1 premiered on January 6 and new episodes air every Tuesday. The original series is also streaming on the service.
Curiously, the first episode of the new series features some music that was popular in the 80s in Japan, but unexpectedly, not songs that appeared in the original show. Instead, these are simple pop hits that harken back to a simpler time, and those familiar with Japanese popular culture will be floored by the unexpected additions. The animation is vibrant and flashy, and while not everyone might agree with the art direction, it's something that really commands attention, especially given the now muted palette of the past. Fans eager to relive their Toonami days may be in two camps about the new release, but it may take a few more episodes to figure out where people stand.
Many popular anime series will return in early 2026, with heavy hits Jujutsu Kaisen and The Suitor: Beyond Journey's End returning in January. Other shows getting new seasons this year include Hell's paradise, Oshi no Ko, Firepowerand Apothecary's Diarieswhich makes the next few months especially exciting for fans of the medium. Hopefully, some other long-dormant releases can make a comeback in the same way that Ronin Warriors.
