In recent years Netflix has released some incredible anime ranging from the more adult anime like Arcane and Seven Deadly Sins to a few more child-friendly series such as Avatar and Legend of Korra. Thankfully, in early November, Netflix decided to add The Blue Eye Samurai to the more mature anime list.
The eight-episode series, practically overnight, became a booming success and was at the top of Netflix’s most-watched series for weeks. The series had some comedic moments and portrayed a beautiful story of friendship and romance.
The main character is a young Samurai named Mizu. She is half Japanese and half English, which casts her as a monster in the eyes of Japanese society. Forced to live as a man throughout her life she has grown some serious resentment and hatred towards her unknown English father. The hatred and resentment spur her on her quest displayed through the series to find and kill each of the four Englishmen who were in Japan when she was born and could therefore be her unknown father.
Throughout her life, we are shown the effects that being half-white has on poor Mizu’s childhood. She was forced to behave and appear as a man, and even after that she was constantly tormented by other children for being part white, she was hunted by white men, her mother was murdered, and who she thought was the love of her life ended up betraying her. Sadly following the plot of most anime, Mizu’s personality was entirely created by her torturous upbringing making it impossible for her to exist peacefully in Japan.
In her travels, she comes across many people with their heartbreaking backstories. The first is her faithful sidekick Ringo born without hands and desperate to be great at something. The second is one of the most renowned samurai in the country Taigen, who was one of Mizu’s childhood tormentors turned frenemy. Along with Taigen comes Akemi, the daughter and realistically a pawn of a high lord struggling to survive her role as a woman stuck in traditional highborn Japan. Mizu is voiced by Maya Erskine, Ringo is voiced by Masi Oka, Taigen is voiced by Darren Barnet, and Akemi is voiced by Brenda Song.
Mizu herself is surrounded by mystery and secrets which we slowly get to see throughout the series. However, in the end, we learn that there is so much more both viewers and Mizu herself are desperate to discover. Leaving everyone desperate for a new season
Akemi and Taigen fight tooth and nail for their relationship throughout the show and end on a heartbreaking cliffhanger note. Taigen, previously only concerned with power, wants peace, and Akemi, previously peaceful, decides that her power is most important.
The story overall depicts beautiful relationships both romantic and platonic, the pain and suffering that came with the European expansion and industrialization destruction of lower countries. Netflix most definitely succeeded in creating this new adult anime capturing the hearts of many new fans.
