If you’re used to animated shows being mostly about colourful characters, exaggerated fights, and jokes every five minutes, Blue Eye Samurai will probably surprise you. This is not really the kind of animation you put on just because you want something light to watch. It is violent, emotional, beautifully animated, and really mature. The show is set in Japan during the Edo period, and at the centre of everything is Mizu, a mysterious swordswoman, yes you read right swordswoman with striking blue eyes who is travelling through Japan with one thing on her mind Revenge.
Honestly, from the first few episodes, you already know this is not going to be a peaceful journey. Mizu is one of those characters who doesn't need to constantly explain herself for you to understand that something terrible happened in her past. She is quiet, incredibly skilled with a sword, and almost completely obsessed with finding the people responsible for the life she has been forced to live. Her blue eyes make her stand out in a society where her mixed heritage makes her an outsider. She is treated differently, mocked, and constantly reminded that she doesn't belong. Instead of allowing that to break her, she turns it into fuel.
The fighting? My Gosh!! The action in this show is probably one of the biggest reasons I kept watching. The sword fights are beautifully choreographed, but they don't feel like random action sequences thrown in just to make things exciting. Mizu fights with purpose, and such beauty like a ballet dancer with a sword. There is also a constant feeling that Mizu doesn't simply want revenge. She wants to prove something, she wants to prove that the people who looked down on her were wrong.
Then we have Ringo, who honestly brings some much needed comedy into the whole thing. 😂 He is a cook who becomes Mizu's companion, despite Mizu clearly having very little interest in having a companion in the first place. Ringo is basically that one person who sees your dangerous, emotionally unavailable personality and somehow decides, “Yes, this is my new friend.”
His optimism is hilarious because Mizu could be surrounded by enemies and Ringo would probably still be trying to figure out what they are having for dinner. Then there is Taigen, who starts off as someone you might absolutely hate. He and Mizu have a complicated history, and their relationship becomes one of the more interesting parts of the show. I won't spoil everything, but let's just say their interactions are rarely peaceful. There is anger, pride, rivalry, attraction, and a whole lot of unresolved history sitting between them.
Another thing I really liked about the show is how it doesn't make revenge look as simple as “bad person did something to me, therefore I will kill bad person and everything will be fine.” Mizu keeps getting closer to her goal, but every step comes with another complication. Revenge consumes her, and you begin to wonder whether she actually knows what she is going to do once she finally gets what she wants.
Underneath all the sword fighting, bloodshed and revenge, Blue Eye Samurai is really a story about identity. It asks what happens when society spends your entire life telling you that you don't belong. What happens when rejection becomes part of your personality? It is beautifully written, visually stunning, and definitely not something I'd recommend to someone looking for a simple family cartoon. 😂 The story can be brutal, the characters are complicated, and some scenes are definitely not for the faint-hearted and after finishing it, I completely understood why people were talking about this show so much. It isn't just good for an animation.
It's just an amazing series.
Rating: 100/100
