5 Seasons of Beloved Action Series Are Leaving HBO Max

HBO Max will remove all five seasons of an iconic animated series from its library this month. Debuted in 2001, the series went on to become one of the most recognizable Cartoon Network programs with a lasting cultural impact.

Samurai Jack is leaving HBO Max later this month

Samurai Jack Seasons 1-5 will be removed from HBO Max on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

The story follows a samurai prince who is sent into a dystopian future by the demon Aku. Wielding a magical sword, Jack embarks on a journey to find a way back to his time while fighting other demons. The show features a hand-drawn animation style, exploring a gripping, action-packed tale with fantasy and sci-fi elements.

Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter’s Laboratory) created Samurai Jack for Cartoon Network, debuting it in August 2001. It ran for four seasons, each consisting of 13 episodes. However, Season 4 ended abruptly without a proper conclusion, as Jack never returned to his time to kill Aku.

This was because Cartoon Network was going through internal structural changes at the time, and the creator chose to walk away from the project because he didn’t want to rush the ending. He and his team then moved on to develop Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Over the years, the studio and Tartakovsky made several attempts to produce a film that would bring Jack’s story to a close. But their attempt kept hitting a wall.

12 years later, in 2017, Samurai Jack returned in its regular series format for its final season. Season 5, with 10 episodes, features darker and more mature themes. The story takes place 50 years after the events of Season 4, in which Jack is now older and has lost his mythical sword.

Samurai Jack’s voice cast features Phil LaMarr, Mako, Kevin Michael Richardson, Grey DeLisle, Tara Strong, Daran Norris, and Jeff Bennett. For Season 5, Greg Baldwin voiced Aku since Mako, the original voice actor, passed away in 2006.

Across five seasons, the show received unanimous praise. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently holds a Tomatometer score of 93% and a Popcornmeter score of 95%. Furthermore, Samurai Jack received 10 Primetime Emmy nominations and won eight of them.