When Netflix recently released a stunning new trailer for Blue Eye Samurai, we had a feeling that the project was going to be a smash hit and the early reviews for the Michael Green ( Logan, Alien: Covenant, Blade Runner 2049) and Amber Noizumi project are glowing.
The show currently has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating with an aggregate score of 8.2 out of 10. Blue Eye Samurai has an audience approval rating of 91% with an aggregate rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
The Hollywood Reporter praised the show's surprising amount of violence: "Entertainment seems to be Blue Eye Samurai‘s first and foremost concern, and there it succeeds with flying colors. Its heroes are easy to love and its villains fun to hate. There are tragic backstories and steamy sex scenes and enough bits of humor and lightness — much of it courtesy of Ringo — to break up Mizu’s perpetual grimness. And of course there’s all that awesome, gasp-inducing bloodshed: teeth flying, bodies crumpling, heads sliced cleanly in half, a lone and exhausted fighter slashing her way through an entire hallway of brutish warriors."
The Guardian gave Netflix's newest animated hit 4 out of 5 stars: "Even if you are not usually a fan of animation, the cast of Blue Eye Samurai should make you look its way. Kenneth Branagh, George Takei, Randall Park and Disney star Brenda Song take their parts in a huge, starry ensemble cast."
Geek Girl Riot also praised the show's adult nature: "Blue Eye Samurai is harsh, bloody, and full of nudity, but it enthralls most with backstory twists and betrayals abounding."
Mizu (Maya Erskine) is the series' protagonist, a mixed-race female samurai fighter who disguises herself as a man. Joining Mizu is Akemi (Brenda Song), a young noblewoman who appears to adhere to Edo-period cultural standards for ladies but has a rougher interior beneath.
Taigen, played by Darren Barnet, is another significant character in the show. Despite not being of noble descent, he rose through the ranks of Japan's old feudal system thanks to his sword skills, but Mizu's presence threatens to undo everything he has accomplished. Additionally, there's also Mizu's caregiver, the Swordmaker (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), who reared her following a tragic event.
Rounding out the voice cast are George Takei (Seki), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (The Swordmaker), Randall Park (Heiji Shindo), Kenneth Branagh (Abijah Fowler), Stephanie Hsu (Ise), Ming-Na Wen (Madame Kaji), Harry Shum Jr. (Takayoshi), and Mark Dacascos (Chiaki).
The story, which is set in 17th-century Japan, takes place when the nation's borders are closed to outsiders and there are just four Caucasian men living there. Presumably one of these men is Mizu's father.
Despite the fact that the plot revolves around samurais, katanas, and Japanese history, Green and Noizumi were adamant that the program cannot be classified as anime. The show was produced by the France-based Blue Spirit Studios, an animation outfit that previously worked on Marvel's What If...?.
All 8 episodes of Blue Eye Samurai are now streaming on Netflix.