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[Biff]

This totally flew under the radar for me, and I only heard about it because they posted the first episode to Youtube for free:



I just finished the entire first season. This is the best Western Anime since Afro Samurai, and I will go as far as saying it is the best anime, period, of 2023.

The animation is breathtakingly modern while still full of soul.
The writing is basically flawless. Zero wokeness - don't worry.
The characters are all interesting and complex. I care about the protagonist, but I also care about a young woman caught in the middle of Shogun politics later in the season.
The voice acting is excellent.
Sound design and fight scenes are excellent.

BUT: Because this is Netflix, we will only get more seasons if people actually watch it on Netflix. Give the pilot a try, and if you like it, watch it.

(And discuss your thoughts in this thread!)

 

[AJUMP23]

Should we trust the word of a user named Biff?

 

[SJRB]

I dunno man, it looks like 3D animation.

Does it have a Japanese dub?

 

[Lord Panda]

I was looking for something to watch after the magnificent Pluto, and stumbled onto to this series. I was a bit leery of the title but it's an excellent show, and the animation and art direction is fantastic.

SJRB , No Japanese dub (it's a western animated show) but the voice acting is excellent. Heck Kenneth Branagh plays one of the characters

 

[Little Mac]

Should we trust the word of a user named Biff?

Trust me then! The W.V.G.B. Champion!

It’s pretty cool. I wrote this in the tv thread earlier …

4 episodes into Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix. It’s very very good imo. Definitely not for kids. For an animated series with this level of artistic design, there is alot of violence and sex. Might sound woke af from the synopsis but it’s not (or at least I'm not sure at this point). Hard to go into details since spoilers. It also takes place in feudal Japan which I'm not exactly an expert of in regards to culture, but it looks absolutely beautiful and is very interesting. Hope the second half of the season is as good as the first.

Edit: 6 episodes in … it’s basically an animated Kill Bill meets Crouching Tiger meets GoT in Feudal Japan.

Edit: Finished it. Solid 9/10 imo. The action scenes were pretty dope. I enjoyed myself and I hope there is a season 2 down the line that reaches the same highs as season 1. Also I hope videogame graphics hit this level of quality and design within the next console generation or two.

 

[Atrus]

While the story is a genre stereotype and somewhat predictable, you get a series with good animation with a hard R rating that shouldn’t be missed. It’s the best animation on Netflix after Arcane.

You can see that the creators behind this were highly influenced and inspired as much as the folks that made Ghosts of Tsushima and are telling a compelling tale of revenge.

 

[nkarafo]

3D animation.

Pass.

 

[March Climber]

I dunno man, it looks like 3D animation.

3D animation.

Pass.

Are you guys still assuming 3D shows are still 2012-level of animation or is this 'no 3D' in general, even after seeing most of the great-looking modern stuff?

I'm trying to figure out if this is one of those out of touch moments.

 

[nkarafo]

Are you guys still assuming 3D shows are still 2012-level of animation or is this 'no 3D' in general, even after seeing most of the great-looking modern stuff?

I'm trying to figure out if this is one of those out of touch moments.

I saw the video in the OP.

I dislike this mix of 2D traditional look plastered on 3D models.

 

[March Climber]

I saw the video in the OP.

I dislike this mix of 2D traditional look plastered on 3D models.

Fair.

I guess I see this as a good thing. We were just in a stagnant time where every 3D animation studio was copying Dreamworks and Pixar as those two fought each other to see who can make the most realistic cartoony 3D models, and then Spiderverse and Arcane came out and flipped the entire table. I'm glad Blue Eye Samurai didn't come out 6-7 years ago because otherwise it would have looked like Paw Patrol.

 

[Hot5pur]

This show is mind blowingly good.
The animation is 3D but looks better than a lot of modern 2D stuff, it's excellent.
Onimusha in comparison is trash, also one that came recently.
Seriously at least watch the first episode, you won't regret it my dudes.

 

[Spyxos]

I didn't really want to watch it, but since it was so extremely well received here. I have to do it after all. I'm really curious. I stopped watching the Onimusha anime after 2 episodes. Let's see if this one is better.

 

[Little Mac]

This video goes into a little bit about the artistic design and production values of Blue Eye Samurai ... there are light spoilers in it though incase you would rather go in blind.



Also:

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/blue_eye_samurai/s01

 

[Lunarorbit]

Really like this. Watched onimusha and thought this was much better

 

[mr jones]

I thought it was excellent. The protagonist is borderline superhuman at times, but hey. All part of the fun. Animation is up there with Arcane. It really is good.

Also, boobs.

 

[DarkArterialGore]

I turned it off after the main character spoke with a modern American girl voice... sounds gross.

 

[GymWolf]

If animation quality is the only thing shared with arcane i could check this one.

 

[Little Mac]

Don't watch this trailer if you already know you are going to watch Blue Eye Samurai. It has light spoilers of some of the cooler scenes in the season but it gives a good idea of what to expect if you are on the fence.

 

[stn]

I've really enjoyed it so far!

 

[The Cockatrice]

Are the english voices original or dubs? Or is the og japanese? Havent seen the trailer for spoiler reasons.

 

[Bartski]

Came here to make this thread.

Literally it's so good it's not only the best thing I've seen this year on Netflix, it's also the example I'll be using from now on to illustrate my love-hate relationship with anime.

It elevates everything I love about the art of it, tells a great story in a perfect setting, and somehow does it all staying 100% weebo cringe-free. All the way.

No pedo energy, no squeaking toddler brain women. No histrionic dudes with pompadours. No villans talking like hulk hongan about to shit his pants. No corny, utterly unfunny comedic reliefs.

The animation and overall production quality are just bonkers. Yes, it's CGI, but altered for anime look to absolute perfection with all the dynamic spinning cam shots it makes possible. Combat choreography is next level and clearly based on pro-motion capture reference without even checking the making of. Btw, go check the making of.

Go watch it and upvote. True gem in the cesspool of garbage Netflix is nowadays, I just hope it gets enough recognition so the story can continue.

 

[Dynomite]

Im on Ep4 now. Its excellent.
And Onimusha is not worth anyones time.

 

[Atrus]

Are the english voices original or dubs? Or is the og japanese? Havent seen the trailer for spoiler reasons.

It’s voiced with English speaking Asian actors like Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as the Swordsmith and George Takei as the Shogan’s retainer.

 

[Kadve]

My sister talked about it. She said it was great up until the end of the first episode after which it became insufferable for spoiler reasons so she couldn't bother to keep watching it.

 

[cormack12]

No pedo energy, no squeaking toddler brain women. No histrionic dudes with pompadours. No villans talking like hulk hongan about to shit his pants. No corny, utterly unfunny comedic reliefs.

 

[Ballthyrm]

Is it dubbed in japanese anywhere, I have a hard time with Anime in anything but Japanese

 

[Hardensoul]

I dunno man, it looks like 3D animation.

Does it have a Japanese dub?

I tried watching the first episode didn’t like the animation and the English speakers trying to do Japanese accent turned me off.

Edit: I rewatch to see if I can find Japanese Dub. It does not.

First scene did sound like they were doing Japanese accent but later one it seem more country or southern US. But the accent is still sound weird to me.

 

[Little Mac]

I tried watching the first episode didn’t like the animation and the English speakers trying to do Japanese accent turned me off.

If it wasn't your cup of tea, fair enough, but all the voice actors except Branagh, who plays Fowler (an Irish merchant and main antagonist), are Japanese or of Asian decent.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13309742/

 

[Hardensoul]

If it wasn't your cup of tea, fair enough, but all the voice actors except Branagh, who plays Fowler (an Irish merchant and main antagonist), are Japanese or of Asian decent I believe.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13309742/

I edited my post! But still not fan of the animation.

 

[Fbh]

These (often low framerate) CG netflix "anime" are usually an easy skip.
But seeing the praise it's getting here I'll check it out.

 

[SJRB]

Watched the first episode. It felt like a Pixar movie at first with the goofy sidekick, but it gets much better later on.

Surprisingly violent, too.

Still feel this would be leagues better as a legit anime with Japanese dub. Just feels weird watching this in English.

 

[ResurrectedContrarian]

I guess I'm in the camp that doesn't get it. The 3D look is extremely off-putting for me, clashes with all the aesthetics that I want/expect from an anime. And the general tone of the voices as well. It kind of takes everything that is distinctly non-Western and removes it from anime, at which point I struggled in that first episode to find anything appealing in it at all.

 

[SJRB]

A lot of very striking visual shots.

This goes hard as fuck

 

[Krappadizzle]

I can't say that I'm a fan of the style in motion. But the stills looks great and the trailer does look good. Maybe, if by some small miracle I get a free moment this weekend I can try and watch the first episode. I really like the sound of GoT/Kill Bill/Crouching Tiger all mixed together, could be interesting.

 

[Atrus]

For those that do watch the series… am I blind or is a certain character not designed after Toshiro Mifune?

 

[Facism]

Sick as he'll and can't sleep, so binging it. Thought stumpy would get annoying, but breh works for me

 

[SJRB]

The voice actor for Lord Tokunobu Daiichi (Akemi's father) also played Khotun Khan in Ghost of Tsushima.

Show is growing on me.

This is kino:

 

[jason10mm]

Started watching this, is the main character

Spoiler: first ep spoiler?

a girl? Sounds like a girl, but in the flashback I find it hard to believe the other boys wouldn't bring it up, nor the tax inspector guy who refused the basket woman entry to then allow a girl swordswoman in. Is it supposed to be a secret? Just a trick of the voice acting? Also, the writers failed high school biology, blue eyes are a recessive mutation inherited from both parents, so the main characters mom would have to be at least half-gaijin herself in order for the child to have blue eyes, unless of course that is also a plot point later on

Petty points, the show is pretty damn fun. I hope they spend a lot of time on forging a sword from that meteorite 'cause that stuff is cool.

 

[Shifty1897]

Thanks for the recommendation, might check it out this weekend!

 

[SJRB]

Started watching this, is the main character

Spoiler: first ep spoiler?

a girl? Sounds like a girl, but in the flashback I find it hard to believe the other boys wouldn't bring it up, nor the tax inspector guy who refused the basket woman entry to then allow a girl swordswoman in. Is it supposed to be a secret? Just a trick of the voice acting? Also, the writers failed high school biology, blue eyes are a recessive mutation inherited from both parents, so the main characters mom would have to be at least half-gaijin herself in order for the child to have blue eyes, unless of course that is also a plot point later on

Petty points, the show is pretty damn fun. I hope they spend a lot of time on forging a sword from that meteorite 'cause that stuff is cool.

Hmmm, the first episode of a show raises questions? Doesn't immediately explain everything? Has you intrigued? In search of answers?

Some of this is "so that the show can happen", some will be explained later.

 

[jason10mm]

Hmmm, the first episode of a show raises questions? Doesn't immediately explain everything? Has you intrigued? In search of answers?

Some of this is "so that the show can happen", some will be explained later.

Good grief, does every show need to be a damned mystery box? With animation it can be difficult to tell what is intentional and deliberate and what is just a fault of the medium. Anyway, I see that my question was readily answered in the first ep anyway.

 

[Little Mac]

Anyway, I see that my question was readily answered in the first ep anyway.

Yeah it was the tits and vagina that kinda gave it away.

 

[Woffls]

Looking forward to watching this. Is it one of those shows that I will be strongly compelled to watch in one sitting even if it's 3am?

 

[LimanimaPT]

I don't get the 3d animation complaints. It actually looks great. I might give it a try.

 

[Represent.]

So many anime tropes in the first episode, dont know if I can continue. But ill give it til Ep 3.

 

[Whitecrow]

Its ok. Too much deus ex.
Great animation, but a lot of situations were extremely unbelievable, couldnt really connect.

 

[cormack12]

I liked it. Dunno why the guy had pubes, thought we all agreed on a buzz cut for them.

 

[Slothbeing1209]

First half of the show is amazing. But it gets weaker toward the end.

Still a beautiful show though. Will watch season 2.

Jp dub is way more better than the original english btw.

 

[abstract alien]

I don't really care for the whole powerful woman with a dumb lame male shtick, but it's a good show so far.

 

[SJRB]

Finished it, first half is definitely better than the last.

Final episode was very weak and unsatisfying. Fowler was extremely OP to the point that the show didn't really know how to deal with him so they made him an idiot all of a sudden. He had literally 4 chances to take out Mizu and Taigen but he doesn't. Dude is very cunning during the entire season but now acts like a retard because otherwise he would annihilate the protagonist. He has her on the ground, down for the count several times and he just walks away? He gets scared even though he is overwhelmingly superior in every way? Get outta here.

I hate when shows do that. That said I still had a good time and I really hope they make a sequel. The vibes in the first 5 episodes are excellent. Lot of beautifully composed shots, cool action, interesting characters, great soundtrack, solid English VA.

8/10