'Blue Eye Samurai' - A Visually Stunning, Action-Packed Adult Animated Series From Netflix

Gripping, visually stunning and action-packed, Blue Eye Samurai is the latest animated gem from Netflix.

The streaming platform has presented animation fans with some of the best animated series in the past decade including Guillermo del Toro's Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (2016-2018), the gorgeously illustrated The Dragon Prince (2018-present) and the gritty steampunk epic Arcane (2021).

Set in 17th century Edo-era Japan, Blue Eye Samurai tells the story of a blue-eyed warrior named Mizu (voiced by Maya Erskine) who is on a vengeance quest to kill four white men, one of whom could have impregnated her mother during a time when the Land of the Rising Sun had yet to close its borders to foreigners.

Bullied by children and adults throughout her life for being the offspring of a "white devil" and hence a "monster", young Mizu trained herself to become a formidable warrior while serving as an apprentice to a blind swordmaker (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa).

Once ready, the adult Mizu disguises herself as a man and treks through the country to exact revenge on the men who not only caused the death of her mother, but also made Mizu's life a living hell.

Yes, call it Mulan meets Kill Bill if you will but everything about Blue Eye Samurai is nothing short of excellent, from its glorious animation to its breathtaking action sequences, from the stirring music score to the brilliant voice acting from a predominantly Asian-American cast.

Not forgetting the show's impressive astute attention to Edo-era Japan details.

Created by Amber Noizumi and Michael Green (Logan, Blade Runner 2049), with Jane Wu as supervising director, the well-written eight-episode adult animation series is also filled with intriguing characters that you just want to know what-will-happen-next-to-them, making the series—with each episode about 45-60 minutes long—extremely bingeable.

A visual feast for the eyes, the series also emit cinematic vibes that reminds this writer of other memorable films, both live-action and animated, that have similar themes.

Here's but a few of them:

Cinematic Vibes 'Blue Eye Samurai' Will Remind You Of:

Rurouni Kenshin Vibes: An Old-Era Samurai Lifestyle

As Mizu, disguised as a man and functional garbed as a swordsman would, makes her way through various Japanese villages and cities, the motley crew of people she meets, as well as establishments like dojos and brothels, remind one of the live-action, manga-based Rurouni Kenshin films (2012-2021) on Netflix—and not the wacky 1996 or 2023 anime series, mind—that tell the story of a former assassin-turned-wandering samurai who vows to protect the needy without killing.

Granted that Kenshin's goal is in total contrast to the vengeful Mizu, Blue Eye Samurai's 17th century feel of Japan however is akin to a wonderful 2D/3D hybrid animated version of the (albeit) 18th century backdrops of the well-made Rurouni Kenshin films, not to mention the depiction of the life and conduct of a solo samurai with a personal agenda.

Kill Bill Vibes: Awesome Fight Scenes

One of the joys of Blue Eye Samurai is the amazing fight sequences, of which there are aplenty. Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) vibes are definitely felt as it is also about a one-woman killing machine versus hordes of guards, thugs and assassins.

Despite her slender build, Mizu is a highly-skilled swordswoman with seemingly incredible strength. Whether she is taking on an entire dojo or muscling her way into an impenetrable fortress mounted with booby traps, or engaging in a one-on-one with childhood bully Taigen (Darren Barnet), Mizu's martial arts prowess is a joy to watch.

Most of the fight scenes are bloody, brutal and gory, but they are also breathtaking and entertaining. The animators drew inspiration from actual choreographed fight demonstrations in order to make the fights in Blue Eye Samurai look as realistic as possible. As a result, they are easily the best fight scenes ever seen in animation.

Mulan Vibes: Fun Side-Kick & Then Some

As the Blue Eye Samurai protagonist disguises herself as a man for a purpose, Mulan vibes are instantly felt the moment the reveal materializes. And we are talking about the beloved Disney 1998 animated classic, not the dismal 2020 live-action flop.

Whereas Mulan has a light-hearted tone, Blue Eye Samurai takes itself very seriously. Thankfully, some humor is provided by the lovable noodles maker Ringo (Masi Oka) who look not unlike the food-loving Chien Po from 1998's Mulan. Born without hands but who yearns to be a great samurai like Mizu, Ringo would prove to be more than "useful" to his reluctant master by being the moral compass in their journey together.

Another Mulan moment was the rain of arrows that descend on Mizu and Taigen as they were pressing unscrupulous warlord Heiji Shindo (Randall Park) to reveal ways to get close to Irish smuggler Abijah Fowler (Kenneth Branagh). The scene is reminiscent of the barrage of arrows shot by the Huns in an iconic battle sequence in the Disney animated hit.

Finally, not a vibe, but original Mulan voice actress Ming-Na Wen voices Madame Kaji, the brothel mamasan.

Memoirs of A Geisha Vibes: Exquisite Edo-era Costumes

It is set in the 1920s but when it comes to standout traditional Japanese costumes, the Oscar-winning costume design in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) comes instantly to mind. Likewise, the production team of Blue Eye Samurai had painstakingly took time to do intensive research into the Edo period (read: Tokyo in its heyday) to ensure that all character outfits in the series are consistent with that era.

Absolutely striking are the elaborate kimonos and robes of the nobles' wives and daughters—like major character Princess Akemi (Brenda Song) for example—and certain high-level social escorts like Madame Kaji. Even as an understated samurai, Mizu is always immaculately dressed, even when wearing Taigen's loud printed scarf.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya Vibes: Lush Landscapes

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) is a Studio Ghibli film that is unlike other Studio Ghibli films as its animation style is inspired by traditional Japanese watercolors and ink paintings. And it is the first (and only) animated film that came to mind which has beautiful lush landscapes set in feudal Japan.

The art style in Blue Eye Samurai is totally different of course, more rich and complex, but the landscapes—whether it is winter or autumn, small village or big city—are absolutely vibrant and luxuriant, as if watching a painting come to life.

Blue Eye Samurai is streaming exclusively on Netflix.

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