Return of the Sistah Samurai: A Champloo Novel

by Tatiana Obey

Afro Samurai meets The Boondocks in this anime-inspired novel

I've wanted nothing more than to become a Sistah Samurai. When I was expelled from the training academy for sneaking in my stupid ex-boyfriend, I still had hope that I could cry enough to convince them to take me back. Then, demons invaded the capital and decimated the clan, and there went my dreams of ever naming my own pair of pink swords.

Until I heard a rumor of one last Sistah Samurai. I packed my favorite outfits and my trusty teddy bear, and recruited my forever bestie to help me find her. If we could manage not to interrupt her lunch, maybe we could convince her to train us? We were ready to do whatever she asked, even if that meant confronting old flames and taking down the patriarchy.

As long as we looked good while doing it.

The sequel of Sistah Samurai is an Action Fantasy novella that is an homage to the anime, Afro Samurai. Both works feature a feudal Japan-inspired setting that is rife with anachronisms. In the words of Samuel L. Jackson, “Is that a motherf—ing RPG?”

Genres: Fantasy

314 pages, Hardcover

First published June 19, 2025

About the author

Tatiana Obey writes badass characters slaying dragons. She enjoys combining action with character-driven stories that feature diverse heroes and heroines. She is the author of Bones to the Wind, a 2022 BBA Award Winner, and Sistah Samurai: A Champloo Novella, a 2023 Indie Ink Award Winner. Locus award nominated, she has published short stories in various anthologies and Fiyah Literary Magazine, and is also a contributing editor for Magic in the Melanin: A Black Fantasy Anthology. She taught English in South Korea, studied abroad in Japan, and spent her debut year traveling the world. Learn more about her at www.tatianaobey.com.

Reviews

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog

You know, as much as I adored Sistah Samurai, I wasn’t totally sure if it needed a sequel… until I read Return of the Sistah Samurai. I mean, if you thought the first novella was good, just wait until you see what Obey has in store in this full-length sequel. This was SO much fun! It’s got all the charm and heart and funkiness and geekiness and badassery that made the first instalment so amazing, except just crank it all up to eleven.

"They done Fucked Around and pissed me all the way off. We in the Find Out phase now.

The moment I was reunited with my girl Sistah Monique, my heart just exploded with joy and I was immediately vibing so hard again. But tell you what, we don’t just get the satisfying continuation of her journey of growth in Return of the Sistah Samurai, but we are treated to 3 whole new POV characters who each absolutely stole the show. My queer lady Sistah Simone, my anxious babe Imani and my hyper-active Kayla all just captured my heart the moment I met them, and I loved the (semi-reluctant) found family vibes that quickly started to develop.

The entire vibe of Return of the Sistah Samurai can basically be summed up as: “fuck the patriarchy & let’s fight misogyny”, and I was SO here for it. These Black power ladies have some real nasty demons to slay, both on the ground and in their own minds, and I loved how the themes of mental health, queerness, forgiveness (of others and oneself) and healing added both so much heart and hurt to this story. Obey is just so skilled at writing flawed, complicated and painfully relatable characters (or should I say people? because damn these babes feel REAL to me) who you can’t help but root for in all their messy glory.

"Despite our conflicts and our differences, despite our mistakes and misunderstandings, despite our own individual journeys, we were in this together. Sistahs forever."

Now, I am not an anime girlie and my white ass sure doesn’t know a whole lot about Black culture, but that doesn’t stop me from loving The Champloo Mixes series to pieces. Sure, sometimes the relentless action, the over-the-top anime quirks or the unapologetically loud voices of the characters can get a bit intense for me, but I think it’s a true testament to Obey’s skill as an author that I am still so utterly immersed anyway. I mean, between the quirky, engrossing storytelling and all the fun character cards before each chapter (and the on-brand ad breaks, can’t forget about those), this book is just a whole ass *experience* from beginning to end, and I love that.

Return of the Sistah Samurai is the sequel I didn’t know I wanted, but which my heart and soul absolutely needed. Even though this book has more than double the pages of its predecessor, I devoured it just as quickly, and I already can’t wait for the next instalment! I swear, Obey is simply incapable of writing a bad or boring book, so just do yourself a favour and read her works already!

[Fydhelio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the chance, pleasure and privilege to be a part of the betareading team for this sequel and let me tell you, you're not ready for what's in there: more action, more badass characters (new and returning ones), more lore, great representation, cool fights, anime references, and on top of that, a great story with splendidly written character growth!

When the book ends, you just! WANT! MORE!
And let me tell you that this world still has a lot more to offer, so be prepared!

(And that cover art by Felix Ortiz!? Sheesh!)

Thank you for letting me be a part of this, and I'll end this review with this : let the Sistah Samurai Litterary Universe grow and thrive !

[Maria reads SFF · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor of being part of the BETA reading team fot this sequel.
Full review and rating after I'll read the final version, but all I will say is "get excited"!

[The Reading Ruru (Kerry) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the novella introducing the Sistah Samurai, so I was thrilled when this novel came out recently. The African American and Asian fusion works brilliantly and brings originality I've not read in some time.
I really appreciated the "demon drops" especially little things that I and my children obsessed over in their day - roller skates (highlights of my youth, an escape from home & making the local speedskatimg team was like my very own superpower). Tamagochi's and collector cards were brief obsessions of my kids, and some pangs of nostalgia hit hard.
I also absolutely adored all the Hello Kitty references, and the "misogyny demon" had me laughing and crying (in anger); in fact, all the demons were so on point.

[Rob Hayes]

A return to the world of the Sistah Samurai. This one is longer than the 1st and crams in a lot more worldbuilding, lore, and history. It makes it feel less like an anime fever dream, and more like a limited series... but still very much an anime. It also pokes fun in all the right places, especially many areas of toxic society. I loved it!

[ChristianK · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing that impressed me the most with Sistah Samurai was the depth and character development put in only a bit over 100 pages. So when I saw that the second book would be significantly longer and bigger in scope, I was a bit nervous.

Apparently Tatiana Obey felt nervous, too. I have never seen an author literally battling that out to start off the book. But she clearly won the fight!

In Return we now have four women and we alternate through their 1st person POV chapters. Sometimes it was maybe a bit too pop culture meta for my personal taste, but then again ... if someone describes something using the image of the Kool Aid demon - it is very possible, that in this fantasy world, the person might very well have seen a depiction of the Kool Aid Man somewhere before. So things like that, which would be terrible in basically any other fantasy world, make sense. And lead to some very .. ugh .. unusual battle scenes. Let's leave it at that.

Loose spoilers about the plot following here. Not in detail but I'll tag it.

The four women are basically battling misogyny here, in the form of stereotypical men who represent all kinds of forms of everyday misogyny. Be it in the family, an ex-boyfriend who can't accept his ex to be happy without him or a random dude who thinks "I am gay" is some kind of extra fun challenge. It may sound a bit on the nose, but the way it is handled here is very personal to the four central characters and dealing with it, they too go through some development individually but also as a group. I kinda love that every one of them makes mistakes, sometimes really terrible ones, and for other characters it is a struggle to forgive them. It is another thing to work through. But the effort is worth it.


When I finished (loved the epilogue!) I was very happy to see the announcement of Mix #3 in the not super distant future. Looking forward to it!

[Josinho · Rating 5 out of 5]

RETURN OF THE SISTAH SAMURAI - Tatiana Obey

Si creias que la historia de las Sistah Samurai acababa con Sister Monique llegando a su casa, estabas muy equivocado. Siempre hay aprendices de Sistahs que quieren, sobre todo, encontrarse a si mismas en este proceso.


📚 The Return of the Sistah Samurai
✍️ Tatiana Obey
🌍 Serie: Champloo Novel #2
⭐️ 4/5
🎤 Traducción pendiente: Sí
🛎️ Potencial editorial: Medio. Hay que hacer una buena traducción.
📚 Perfecto para lectores de P. Djeli Clark, Tasha Shuri o Nnedi Okorafor
📦 Género / subgénero: Samurai / Fantasy / Sororidad

Ya os hablé de la primera parte. Así que sólo os puedo decir que hay nuevas Sistahs Samurais, que se merecen formar parte de la hermandad.

¿Qué encontrar en esta segunda parte?

👩🏾‍🦱 Más slang, más expresiones geniales, más hood, más problemas raciales.

👘 Yokais, samurais, katanas, tantos y wakizashis; gheishas, ninjas, Toris y daimyos.

🎌 Una mezcla de elementos de otros mundos. Desde un lanzamisiles al bastón rojo de Son Goku, pasando por el Dragon Blanco de ojos azules de Yu-Gi-Oh, o (mi favorito) el cetro de luna de Sailor Moon. Y sí, todos funcionan.

🔗👯‍♀️ Sororidad por los poros. Mujeres que se apoyan, que se aman, que estan orgullosas y que ESTAN de verdad las unas por las otras.

👵🏻 Las perlas de sabiduría que deja Tatiana Obey a lo largo de la obra son canela fina.

🔎 Editoriales, no sé a qué esperáis.

Valoración: 🏯🏯🏯🏯🏯(5 Daimyos)

[André · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sistah Samurai, the first book in the series, is a force of nature compressed into a rather small number of pages: Fast-paced action with a wonderfully written main character/narrating voice. Now, we have Return of the Sistah Samurai, the second book, and it is even better.

Tatiana Obey made some adjustments for Return: The most obvious one probably being the length of the book, Return of the Sistah Samurai is quite a bit longer than the first book, going from novella to full-fledged novel. There are also more characters in general, but especially on the POV-front: Instead of one main character, we now have four, two of these from completely new characters. Four very different, but equally likeable women, every one of them I would call strong for one reason or another. It’s difficult for me to pick a favorite, because all of them are incredibly well written, each one with their own strengths and weaknesses, their own story. So, where there was a ‘lone wolf’-vibe in the first book, in Return of the Sistah Samurai the focus is a lot more on (found) family with everything that comes with it. Not only the good parts, but also a lot of friction between the different characters. Each one has their own problems to deal with and – becoming family – also the other characters subsequently need to deal with these problems. Acceptance and forgiveness are two very strong motifs here.

Not every problem, not every confrontation, can be worked out though, so we see quite a lot of well-written action scenes. The book also goes deeper on so many levels: Many characters that were introduced in the first book make a reappearance and become more rounded. There is more world-building and more lore here, too. Tatiana Obey makes quite a lot of pop cultural references (and I am sure I didn’t spot all of them), especially to music which is something I love. Oh, and to make the connection to anime even more obvious, there are character cards at the beginning of each chapter, with – even evolving – stats. So cool!

So, Return of the Sistah Samurai is bigger, flashier, a little ‘louder’ than the first book – and I love it! Kudos to Tatiana Obey, seeing that the books are now numbered, I really hope for more Champloo mixes!

[Kye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great second installment. It was a lot of fun getting to know our different characters from their point of view as well as the dynamics between them. You do have to go into the book with some outside knowledge of various nerd cultures to truly visualize the items being used.

There seems to be a bit of a change in our main character. She seems to be aged up a bit more from our first book which was a bit hard to grasp especially since I had trouble ascertaining her age in book 1. And while I had a couple other qualms they were all personal preference and no indictment on the writing of the book. I am excited for the next installment.

[Nils Ödlund · Rating 4 out of 5]

From time to time, I see people asking for recommendations of books by authors meeting certain characteristics – queer, female, black, etc. Almost always there will be at least one response questioning what the characteristic of the author matters as long as the story is good.

At a glance, and out of context, it’s a valid question. We all want to read good stories, right? The author’s gender identity or relative physical/mental abilities doesn’t matter, right? Right?

Well…

Saying the author doesn’t matter forgets or ignores that stories are written by people. Not only are people different, they also tell different stories and in different ways. Our experiences shape how we see the world, which in turn shapes the stories we tell.

A fat bearded man in his early fifties, who played World of Warcraft for ten years straight (that’s me), will not tell the same stories as a young trans woman who dreams of making it as a yoga instructor on TikTok (that’s a made up example). The author and what they’ve been through matters.

I bring all this up because today’s book is one I never could have written. Well, I could have tried, but I couldn’t have written it like this. At its core, the story is about finding the strength within yourself and defeating the demons that haunt you – figuratively and literally. That’s a universal theme, but with how the story is told, it’s very clear that Return of the Sistah Samurai is written by a black woman. Unapologetic and uncompromising. It’s a story told by someone who grew up and lived a life almost entirely different from mine, and it shines through in every single paragraph – the jokes, the characters, their values and experiences and priorities. The pop-culture references that pass way above my head.

Read it yourself, and you’ll see what I mean.

The book picks up where Sistah Samurai ends, and while it’s clear that it’s a sequel, it can probably be read on its own – although it’d be a shame to miss out on the first book in the series.

If you’ve already read Sistah Samurai, then know that Return of the Sistah Samurai is more of the same, but bigger, stronger, and more confident. We’re introduced to two new characters, Kayla and Imani – young women who aspire to become full sistah samurais – and we follow them as they struggle to live up to the expectations of the older sistahs, Monique and Simone. The story is told through all four characters.

There is also an enemy, and in many ways, the enemy is a snake from the past rearing its ugly head. To avoid spoilers, I won’t go into details.


What I’ll whine about

Action. It’s not that the action isn’t intense or exciting, but there’s a lot of it, especially in the last third of the book. With four main characters each facing their own demons, and each one of them needing their time to shine, there’s a lot of fighting.

Bluntness. This book is not subtle. It’s got a message, and it’s shouting it loud and clear. In fairness, the book makes no effort to be subtle (rather the opposite), so it doesn’t come off as indelicate or ham fisted, which is nice.


What I’ll gush about

Attitude. The first book, Sistah Samurai, had a lot of attitude, and somehow, Return… packs even more. It’s unforgiving and uncompromising, and it’s its own thing entirely. It’s this confidence and attitude that makes the book work despite the bluntness I just whined about.

Action. Yeah, I whined about there being too much action, but the action also deserves credit. The story clearly draws a lot of inspiration from anime, and it manages to adapt the visual aspects of a visual medium in a way that works in writing. Rather than endless (and boring) descriptions of moves that would look spectacular on screen, the essence of those moves is transformed into words that end up looking good in my imagination.


Final Words

Return of the Sistah Samurai is full of action, attitude, and good ol’ ass-kicking fun.

[the.bookish.designer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Return of the Sistah Samurai is a fiercely fun and satisfying follow-up to Tatiana Obey’s Sistah Samurai novella. If you loved the girl power, swordplay, and sharp attitude of book one, you’ll be glad to know this sequel brings all that, and then some. The cast expands, the stakes get higher, and the themes of sisterhood hit even deeper. It’s action-packed, fast-paced, and genuinely hard to put down.

My one struggle was the choice to tell this story through multiple first-person POVs. While each voice had its own vibe, I occasionally found myself confused about whose head I was in, especially when characters were referred to with nicknames like “lil sis”, which applied to more than one person. Personally, I think keeping Monique in first-person and switching others to third might’ve helped distinguish perspectives more clearly. (It might work for some readers, just didn’t quite work for me.)

That said, the messaging around feminism, sisterhood, and resistance came through loud and clear, sometimes a little heavy-handed, but still powerful and meaningful. The worldbuilding is unique, the metaphors are strong, and the ride is worth it.

The next instalment is due out in Fall 2026 and promises a closer look at the Brotha Monks. I’m very curious to see where that goes!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything by this author has been an easy 5 star read and this was no different! I was so excited to see that there was a sequel to Sistah Samurai! I pre-ordered that immediately.

If you haven’t read the first novella this won’t make sense though there will not be spoilers.

This is a continuation of the first book, where Sistah Monique (Big Sis), now free of certain dangers and demons, attempts to return to her normal routine way and routine living. But the Sistah she now has staying with her, Sistah Simone (Lil Sis) tries to push Big Sis out of a monotonous routine and also help her and her family in every day life.

They go to the same ramen shop for lunch like every other day but are enthusiastically greeted by 2 young Sistah Samurai apprentices looking to complete their samurai training.
All 4 characters have their own unique personality and it’s fun reading the dynamic between all of them and how they help support each other.

This is filled with wicked action, heart felt relationships and strong familial bonds and also some nasty ass fuck boy energy that seriously needs handled.! As the dedication says, this one is for the girls who like to fight!

Absolutely loved it, it was exciting to read, great humour and made my heart feel all the good feels. Can’t recommend this series, and author, enough!

[Mychal Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great sequel! And another stellar book from Tatiana Obey. As the first book had a "lone warrior" vibe, this one's about a group coming together, learning about each other and themselves in bad*ss way in a world with cool magic and samurai swords! Each of the POVs coming a long way to be ready to battle one of the world's greatest enemies. These kinds of books are great because there is so much depth you can go as deep as you want or just enjoy the sword fighting and banter. Book is filled with lots of culture and pop culture references of which I hope I didn't miss any! As with the first book, the soundtrack for each title chapter should be immediately mandatory in modern publishing!

[Iona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved and adored this. I loved the world building, I loved the detail, I loved the story, I loved the action, I loved the themes of love and acceptance and strength and that some people just need a good ass kicking.

I’m delighted that this one was longer than Sistah Samurai and expanded on, well, everything.

And I adored all the characters. But Sistah Monique is my absolute fave. She’s just awesome.

The commercial break made me laugh and I loved the character cards.

I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am that there is going to be another book in this world next year.

[Kenneth Feller · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a ton of love written into this story and it's geeky AF. So many pop culture references but done in a way that's cohesive with the rest of the world. The character voices were distinct with each POV, lots of action, more magic... It also got a bit dark at one point, which caught me by surprise.

If you liked the first book, definitely give this a go. I'm looking forward to Champloo Mix #3.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

To say I'm obsessed is an understatement. To be honest, I couldn't picture how a sequel to Sistah Samurai would work but Tatiana Obey is truly a master at her craft. This sequel was even better than the first book. We got introduced to more characters and it was just a fun wild ride.


I loved the anime style of this and the found family aspect. The world and lore Tatiana Obey created is so beyond stellar ; I can't wait to see what else she has in store for this series!

[JJ Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome sequel! Fun, funky but with a deeper message. Different black females characters with different backgrounds all kicking ass! A minority as heroines in novels, books like this and book 1 need to be celebrated.
Had me chuckling along at multiple points and the new characters are awesome in their own ways. Loved it!
*beta read review*

[Dan Wachal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second 'Champloo Mix' did not disappoint! Obey has created such a unique and interesting world and this second installment furthered the world-building established in the first book. I enjoyed the new characters and getting to learn more about how the Sistah's interact with the clans and the monks. The action sequences were a highlight.

Looking forward to the next book in 2026!

[Debbie Newcomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome book in the Sistah Samurai series. It's much longer than the first one, which gives us much more time to meet the characters, become familiar with their world, and follow their journeys. Absolutely one I'm going to reread.

[Jonathan Mayers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honour of beta reading this a few months ago. I read it again after publication over the summer, and it solidified my initial thinking that this is an absolute banger from start to finish. I loved the first Sistah Samurai that came out a couple of years ago, and this sequel raises the tension and the stakes and has a summer blockbuster vibe to it.

Like the first book, there are some deep introspective moments to it, and brings up topics of sexism, racism, anxiety and purpose in life. But Obey manages to balance these with a big dose of humour and fun, at times revelling in the ridiculousness of it all. Some parts brought a tear to my eye, and other parts made me full-on belly laugh.

And the easter eggs…so many easter eggs! Anime, video games, childhood nostalgia - they’re all peppered throughout.

This is just as stunning and inventive as the first book, with a strong voice which hooks you from the start and refuses to let go. Obey is becoming one of my favourite authors, writing badass characters slaying dragons. Highly highly recommend.