Today I enjoyed: BLUE EYE SAMURAI.
I would probably have missed this one, if it wasn't for my two favorite movie critics: Zwei wie Pech und Schwafel.
BLUE EYE SAMURAI is an animated series, but it is certainly not for children. The story follows Mizu, a young warrior on a bloody path of revenge to kill her father.
The show's title refers to the color of the protagonists eyes, which are blue due to the fact, that her father was a white man - one of four in Edo-period Japan at the time. Due to her eyes, she was a considered a so-called half-breed, not even a human being, but a monster or demon even, which her peers let her feel from a young age. She really connects until her mother is brutally murdered, and a smith takes her in and ultimately trains her in the ways of the sword.
What I found very peculiar about this show is, that for the first one and a half episode - or more, I think - I was uncertain if Mizu was female or male. I had a hunch that she was female right from the beginning, but her voice, her appearance, her overall demeanor indicated otherwise. It really took me some time to be certain of her gender and to me that means the show was doing a very good job in painting the character convincingly.
I cannot really go into all the details, but this show has it all: A great and compelling story, beautiful cinematography, both regarding landscapes and backdrops, but also regarding the characters and surroundings. Breathtaking action and fight scenes, remarkable and interesting characters, with which I never got bored with. Quite contrary: Even if the morale of the protagonist is questionable, I am rooting for her without hesitation.
To conclude: This is one of the examples where Netflix surprises with high quality entertainment, that is not just the typical bland and boring content, that today's streamers pour out like diarrhea ridden elephants.
BLUE EYE SAMURAI is a beautiful and brutal adult animation series that you have to see!