Blue Eye Samurai (2023)

Watchseries; I watch a lot of anime. I even watch a lot of bad anime. So when a rare gem comes along, I am so happy. "Blue Eye Samurai" is easily the best anime of 2023. It reaffirms what the medium is capable of and shows what talented animators, storytellers, and actors can produce.

The Good: Pretty much everything. The story, the visuals, the character design, the sound design, the thematic design of each episode, the voice acting (although the English original is not bad, I think the Japanese version is even better) - IMO Japanese voice actors are generally better at their craft.

The Bad: Honestly, this series is so well done that I would have to get nit-picky here to name something. But I won't, that's how much I love this series :D. But if I had to pick just one, it would be that the slightly xenophobic tone was noticeable to me - but then that's true to the period in which the story is set.

Special Mentions: Without going into spoilers, here are my most favorite things about "Blue Eye Samurai": (1) good plot twists, (2) suspenseful tea ceremony - I've been to only normal ones, fortunately, (3) sexual haiku, (4) bunraku theater theme, (5) beautiful tracking shots, (6) love and betrayal, (7) the coolest katana/naginata weapon I've ever seen, and (8) yes, strong female characters.

Go watch this series. Even if you don't normally enjoy anime. You won't regret it.

I watch a lot of anime. I even watch a lot of bad anime. So when a rare gem comes along, I am so happy. "Blue Eye Samurai" is easily the best anime of 2023. It reaffirms what the medium is capable of and shows what talented animators, storytellers, and actors can produce.

The Good: Pretty much everything. The story, the visuals, the character design, the sound design, the thematic design of each episode, the voice acting (although the English original is not bad, I think the Japanese version is even better) - IMO Japanese voice actors are generally better at their craft.

The Bad: Honestly, this series is so well done that I would have to get nit-picky here to name something. But I won't, that's how much I love this series :D. But if I had to pick just one, it would be that the slightly xenophobic tone was noticeable to me - but then that's true to the period in which the story is set.

Special Mentions: Without going into spoilers, here are my most favorite things about "Blue Eye Samurai": (1) good plot twists, (2) suspenseful tea ceremony - I've been to only normal ones, fortunately, (3) sexual haiku, (4) bunraku theater theme, (5) beautiful tracking shots, (6) love and betrayal, (7) the coolest katana/naginata weapon I've ever seen, and (8) yes, strong female characters.

Go watch this series. Even if you don't normally enjoy anime. You won't regret it.

Blue Eye Samurai watchseries. The first five episodes of this animated story of vengeance (and love) set in 17th C Japan are superb. The characters are lively, the aesthetics are spot on and the story is compelling. But as it reaches towards the climax, the level of "suspension of disbelief" required to swallow the story become almost untenable. It's not the superheroic endurance of the main characters that got me, it was the stupid lazy errors in the writing. No Irishman in 17th C would have described himself as British. Guns were already in Japan (it's how Tokugawa got to power). The assault in the final episode is just daft.

Still it's a stylish and entertaining story regardless of its flaws and I hope they make more.

It's just nice to watch a TV show in 2023 where the writers are not trying to bash you over the head with "THE MESSAGE" and you can in engage with a likeable and believable female protagonist who you want to see succeed. Fantastic animation style, music (with a Japanese version of For Whom The Bell Tolls being something I that I never knew I ever needed!), and the dialogue with a stellar voice cast that all contribute to a great show that I was fully invested in from start to finish. The show does however at times over-rely on it's use of sex scenes, and I'm not prudish, but it does feel a little awkward at times. But still a 10/10 for me , absolutely amazing.

Blue Eye Samurai is a captivating show that truly exceeded my expectations. The animation alone is a visual feast for the eyes, with stunning attention to detail and fluid movements that brought the characters and their world to life. Every frame felt meticulously crafted, showing the dedication, love, and talent of the animators.

Not only was the animation top-notch, but the story was equally compelling. From start to finish, it kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to see what would happen next. It cleverly weaved together elements of action, drama, and mystery, creating a truly engaging narrative that made me unable to turn away.

Blue Eye Samurai is a captivating show that truly exceeded my expectations. The animation alone is a visual feast for the eyes, with stunning attention to detail and fluid movements that brought the characters and their world to life. Every frame felt meticulously crafted, showing the dedication and talent of the animators. Not only was the animation top-notch, but the story was equally compelling. From start to finish, Blue Eye Samurai kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to see what would happen next. It cleverly weaved together elements of action, drama, and mystery, creating a truly engaging narrative that captivated both my imagination and emotions. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an engrossing anime.

Utterly brilliant. Perfect storytelling, great animation, fantastic action I can't praise this series enough. I don't bother rating things usually but had to show my apprecaition for this masterpiece the only way I can.

Such a compeling tale of a damaged hero struggling with reconcilling revenge with personal growth. Alll and I do mean all the characters are well developed and even the smalll parts give you enough material to imagine thier lives, loves and motivations mapped out. This is an absolute must see for anyone not just anime fans. Don't spoil the plot on this one people go in blind and enjoy the reveals.