The Black Lotus Warriors are on the move, sharpening their blades guarding the streets of Tokyo. Descendants of Yasuke, the first black Samurai, they patrol the city with acute alertness – and deadly force when necessary. No one messes with the Black Lotus Warriors and lives to tell the tale. They are protectors, always ready to strike.

*While Yasuke, who lived in 16th century Japan, is a documented historical figure, the Black Lotus Warriors are a work of fiction.

**This series is an exemplary manifestation of the social fabric of AI art. It portrays a fictional group of Afro-Asian Samurai warriors, imagined as descendants of Yasuke, the first black Samurai, a real historical figure. Its message of female empowerment reached millions of people and ignited an intense debate about cultural identity.

On Afrofuturism Central, where I regularly post, the narrative of Yasuke, who according to one interpretation rose from slave to Samurai in 16th-century Japan, was juxtaposed with the multifaceted history of Africans who travelled the world as traders, engineers, diplomats, and scientists. No one shall call Yasuke a slave! The series also inspired numerous artists to reinterpretations, rebrandings, and creative reappropriations. One interpretation even saw Africans as the true originators of Asian culture – a bold claim that raised eyebrows in the Asian community.

People from all over the world thanked me for being seen – including many women from the Afro-Asian community. It was as if the art itself had spoken, and the world had listened – and I felt enriched, enlightened, and sensitized to differences that make a difference.