[First Look] Netflix Teases the Return of Award-Winning Samurai Action Series with 97% Rotten Tomatoes Rating

Blue Eye Samurai is a historical epic set in 17th-century Japan, and its first season introduced us to Mizu, a half-white, half-Japanese warrior on a personal mission.

She is searching for the man who abandoned her and took her mother away. Along the way, she is tracking down four white men who stayed in Japan illegally after the country closed its borders. To stay safe and fight effectively, Mizu disguises herself as a man and wields her sword against anyone who stands in her way. One of the men she searches for is the Irish smuggler Abijah Fowler, played by Kenneth Branagh.

By the end of Season 1, Fowler reveals the location of two more men in London. He convinces Mizu to keep him alive so she can use his connections and take a ship overseas.

The new poster for Season 2 hints at Mizu’s journey abroad, which will expand the story and bring fresh challenges for the swordswoman who has proven herself unmatched so far. Thew show is set to release in 2026.

During Japan’s Edo period, Mizu is a skilled onna-musha, or female warrior. Her experiences as a mixed-race child have made her tough, cold, and determined for revenge. Her mother forced her to disguise herself as a boy to stay hidden, and Mizu continues the disguise into adulthood to complete her mission.

The show features a talented voice cast. Maya Erskine plays Mizu, while George Takei voices Seki, Princess Akemi’s tutor, who helps her. Masi Oka plays Ringo, a handless but loyal cook who joins Mizu on her journey. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa voices Master Eiji, the blind swordsmith who raised Mizu and earned her deep respect, calling him “Swordfather.” Brenda Song is Princess Akemi, a strong-willed young woman wanting independence. Darren Barnet voices Taigen, a skilled swordsman in love with Akemi but holding a long-standing grudge against Mizu. Randall Park plays Heiji Shindo, Fowler’s jailor, and Kenneth Branagh is Abijah Fowler, the Irish smuggler plotting to overthrow the Shogun and reopen Japan to the world.

Season 2 will have six episodes and is planned for 2026. Producer Jane Wu said the fight scenes will be even more realistic, using motion references from live-action stunt performers. John Aoshima will direct at least one episode, and the creators have outlined a three-season plan to complete the story.

The series has been a hit with critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 97% critic score with an average rating of 8.3 out of 10. The website says, “Visually dazzling while paying deft attention to character, Blue Eye Samurai is a masterfully rendered animated adventure.”

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