Entertaining American escapism to feudal Japan
Blue Eye Samurai is fun and impressive but also inconsistent and Hollywoodian. Its flaws are not necessarily problematic if you don't think twice about its structure, characters, and plot.
Firstly, the production and art direction should be praised, as the series features solid animation that doesn't let a thing like logic get in the way of a cool visual. The cast is well-suited for their characters, and their voice acting is well-executed. The score by Amy Doherty is epic and atmospheric, yet the snippets of anachronistic music are an acquired taste. Overall, this series is lots of fun to watch.
But digging deeper into the story uncovers that it misses some crucial opportunities.
Blue Eye Samurai is a cliché tale of revenge by an outcast. Its first episode promises to spin this out in new, exciting ways. But the series never matches the quality of its first impressions - although it's never tedious.
What follows is several filler episodes of fun and games. It wastes an entire episode on a break-in that could have been summarized in 5 minutes. Meanwhile, Mizu (the protagonist) repeatedly recovers from an ungodly number of fatal wounds, and antagonists poof in and out of existence at any place when the plot needs them. Oh, and what's up with all the unnecessary nudity?
The most problematic flaw, however, is that the Wikipedia page of the actual events depicted in its final episode is more interesting than what the series did with it. Season 1 culminates in a predictable confrontation with a routine moral message.
Still, I am thirsty for more samurai action. After all, who can resist such mindless fun?
Firstly, the production and art direction should be praised, as the series features solid animation that doesn't let a thing like logic get in the way of a cool visual. The cast is well-suited for their characters, and their voice acting is well-executed. The score by Amy Doherty is epic and atmospheric, yet the snippets of anachronistic music are an acquired taste. Overall, this series is lots of fun to watch.
But digging deeper into the story uncovers that it misses some crucial opportunities.
Blue Eye Samurai is a cliché tale of revenge by an outcast. Its first episode promises to spin this out in new, exciting ways. But the series never matches the quality of its first impressions - although it's never tedious.
What follows is several filler episodes of fun and games. It wastes an entire episode on a break-in that could have been summarized in 5 minutes. Meanwhile, Mizu (the protagonist) repeatedly recovers from an ungodly number of fatal wounds, and antagonists poof in and out of existence at any place when the plot needs them. Oh, and what's up with all the unnecessary nudity?
The most problematic flaw, however, is that the Wikipedia page of the actual events depicted in its final episode is more interesting than what the series did with it. Season 1 culminates in a predictable confrontation with a routine moral message.
Still, I am thirsty for more samurai action. After all, who can resist such mindless fun?
- TheDragonTrader
- Jan 27, 2024