Yasuke: Dead Man Walking follows two men shaped by power and survival as destiny draws them toward a collision that will change history. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The inspiration came unexpectedly one day while I was scrolling the internet. I came across an image of a Black man dressed in full samurai armor, standing beside an Asian woman and their mixed-race child. I stopped immediately and asked myself, “Who is this?” That question led me down a research rabbit hole that changed everything.

I discovered his name was Yasuke, and I became completely intrigued. How could a Black man wear samurai armor in feudal Japan? As I dug deeper into his history, I uncovered this incredible connection to one of my secret obsessions—Asian culture and feudal Japan specifically. The more I researched, the more I realized there were significant gaps in Yasuke’s documented history. Entire periods of his life remain a mystery. I felt a responsibility to honor what we do know while using fictional prose to fill in those missing pieces and bring his full story to life. That’s how Yasuke: Dead Man Walking was born.

Why did you choose to frame the novel around both Yasuke and Oda Nobunaga instead of centering on one figure alone?

Framing the story around both Yasuke and Oda Nobunaga was absolutely critical to the type of narrative I wanted to tell. At its core, Yasuke’s story is a “fish out of water” tale, but I also wanted to explore this fascinating “odd couple” dynamic between two men from completely different worlds. After all, it was Lord Nobunaga who elevated Yasuke to the unprecedented position of samurai within his military ranks—there’s no telling Yasuke’s story without telling Nobunaga’s.

Interestingly, I chose to open the novel with the first three chapters dedicated entirely to Lord Nobunaga. At first, I questioned that decision—it felt bold, maybe even risky—but ultimately, I realized it was necessary. I needed to establish the world of feudal Japan, educate readers on the political landscape and cultural dynamics of that era, and introduce Nobunaga as a young man destined to inherit his father’s lordship and transform Japan forever.

In my mind, there was no way to authentically portray feudal Japan—its economy, its people, its brutal beauty—without giving Nobunaga the rich backstory he deserved. By the time he reached the peak of his power, the Oda clan’s dominance was undeniable, and readers needed to understand how he got there. When Yasuke finally appears in Chapter 6, both characters have been so thoroughly developed that their meeting feels genuine and weighted with significance. Even though their true working relationship doesn’t develop until many chapters later, that foundation made their bond feel earned and authentic.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

The central theme, as I mentioned, is the “fish out of water” journey. You take Yasuke—a man enslaved from the Sudan—and place him in feudal Japan, where he knows nothing: not the land, the people, the religion, the commerce, the politics, the warfare tactics, or even the language. It’s the ultimate setup for a hero’s journey, and it fit beautifully within the three-act structure I used to craft his arc.

But beyond that, I was deeply interested in exploring the “odd couple” dynamic between Yasuke and Lord Nobunaga. Here are two men who don’t even speak the same language, yet they share core qualities: natural-born leadership, a desire to inspire strength in those around them, and an unshakable presence that commands respect. Watching that relationship develop—slowly, authentically, through mutual respect rather than words—felt natural and right. It became one of the most rewarding aspects of writing this novel.

I also wanted to explore themes of identity, belonging, and what it means to find your place in a world that sees you as fundamentally “other.” Yasuke’s journey isn’t just about survival—it’s about transformation and legacy.

Will there be a follow-up to this story? If so, what aspects will the next installment cover?

Absolutely. There’s already a graphic novel that picks up exactly where Yasuke: Dead Man Walking ends. It’s called Yasuke: Resurrection, and it takes the story in a direction I don’t think anyone expects—into full fantasy territory.

Resurrection is a “what if” story that extends Yasuke’s journey beyond death itself, exploring his legacy through a fantastical lens. It pays homage to incredible works like Afro Samurai and classic Japanese and Chinese tales where samurai and warriors battle deities, demons, and otherworldly forces. This allowed me to flex my creative muscles in a completely different way—moving from grounded historical fiction into epic fantasy while still maintaining the authenticity and emotional core of Yasuke’s character.

The graphic novel format was perfect for this evolution. Visual storytelling brought a new dimension to the mythology I was building, allowing readers to experience Yasuke’s world in vivid, dynamic ways that prose alone couldn’t capture.

And to answer your question fully: even beyond the duology—the novel and graphic novel—there will be many more comics to come. The ending of Resurrection contains subtle hints about what’s next, and I’m excited to continue expanding Yasuke’s universe across multiple stories and timelines.

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