Blue Eye Samurai
Blue Eye Samurai shows why anime is the perfect medium for a great story. Image: Netflix
Equal parts Kill Billand Samurai Champloo, Netflix’s Blue Eye Samurai slices into your heart and soul with a razor-sharp tale of revenge and redemption.
Netflix broke my heart when they fumbled their live-action version of Cowboy Bebop (2021) …Blue Eye Samurai has glued it back together. It is rare for me to regard any work of cinema or series as a perfect experience, but Blue Eye Samurai is so. Packed with visceral action sequences and compelling story narrative, this might be one of the greatest anime series to ever exist.
Blue Eye Samurai follows the story of Mizu, a young woman who has dedicated her life to tracking down the four white men who ruined her life in 1697 Japan. Mizu is half Japanese, and as such, an outcast in her society. She endured unspeakable hardship from the time she was born, and as a result, her dedication to carrying out her revenge is without remorse. Along with assassins, Mizu is pursued by her childhood bully, Taigen; a skilled swordsman who is bound by honor to defeat Mizu in a sword duel. Along with visceral hate comes admiration in the form of an affable oaf named Ringo, who leaves his fathers noodle house to become Mizu’s apprentice. He is kind-hearted and challenges Mizu’s cold heart with his admirable attitude and gregarious nature.
Mizu faces her broken blade and her past.
In previous articles, I raged against Disney for failing to write a compelling female driven series, and female heroes in general. Blue Eye Samurai never comes close to befuddling its female-driven story with tired cliches, worn-out contrivances, or battered tropes. Instead, creators Amber Noizumi and Michael Green, have crafted a tale of retribution atop a foundation of lamentable rage and wonton sorrow that puts any Greek tragedy to shame.
Blue Eye Samurai is filled with gorgeous scenes and fantastic swordplay.
Mizu is perfectly written; the voice of her character reverberates with a stoic resonance that ensnares the audience with a captivating gravitas that will push you to binge the first season well into the morning light. Her goal is seared into the flesh of her heart and mind; and she will not fail until her father lies dead under her katana. At the time of her birth, there existed only four white men in Japan, so Mizu has marked them all for certain death. She may not know which one is her father, but in her mind, they are all equally responsible for the tragedy that is her life; which means they all must die. Revenge is a dish best served cold, and Blue Eye Samurai delivers an anime experience colder than dry ice.
Young Mizu faces off with Chiaki.
Beautifully written and wonderfully animated, Blue Eye Samurai is an experience that anime fans will treasure as a newfound glory to the genre. The character of Mizu is a powerfully tragic heroine that will inspire lifelong admirers of the series while influencing a slew of imitations across series and cinema alike. There are not enough words to describe how amazing this series is, and there is no limit to how impactful it will be on anime and stories of revenge. It is deep and complex, with emotionally charged call backs that push the story forward with the grace and gravity of Scorsese and Spielberg. I have not loved an anime series so endearingly since Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop (1998).
Blue Eye Samurai is a remarkable anime series that has left an indelible mark that will come to be recognized as a cornerstone of amazing anime.