Blue Eye Samurai

[Greg]

Ep07 Kind of a reset. Misu learns a little humility. Set up for the big battle. Akimi learns a hard lesson. Everything is primed for the final. Sword father continues to be the coolest. Very excited for the final. Very sad that will be the last one as no second season has been announced.

[Greg]

Ep 08 98%

They were doing so well. I'm already for this epic battle, which does occur, and the main characters start to do stupid things. Maybe don't keep standing in the window when people are shooting at you? Maybe destroy the bridge that is the only entrance into the castle complex? How does an old man and a woman hold back a door against an army of soldiers? And why doesn't Mizu pick up a goddamn weapon as she chases after Fowler?

And then the series ends on a cliff hanger without any expectation the show will be continued. The Queen, who grew to like the show, was enraged.

[Drunk Monk]

Where am I? E4? It’s the big cliffhanger that Greg mentioned earlier, only I was able to resist (I have an early morning Q3 telemeet - I swear I could get some work done if not for all these damn telemeets). 

The street duel was a straight-up homage to The Seven Samurai. This was an extremely poignant ep. Misu takes on a mercy killing, and it’s tragic, yet plays out well.

[Drunk Monk]

E5 was brilliant. What a payout after last eps cliffhanger. A tight bit of writing along with some tasty ultravi and major revelations on Mizu’s backstory. 

My only issue was the bunraku. This show has had a keen eye for showing Japanese culture and they somewhat missed with the bunraku, although I gotta give it props for even depicting bunraku. Bunraku tales can be bloody, but I’ve never seen the blood ribbons as depicted here. I’ve seen where the head of the puppet splits open to reveal a bloody gash inside the face, where only the eyes remain. Mind you, I’ve never seen bunraku live, so maybe it does spew blood ribbons. A side note here - bunraku is generally believed to be the origin of ninja uniforms. Puppeteers wore that sort of garb when manipulating the puppets. Only the bunraku master was visible. Ninjas dressed like everyone else. There’s an early u-kiyo that depicts a ninja in bunraku garb - I want to say that was 18th century but don’t quote me -and that set the model for modern ninja garb.

[Greg]

I was impressed they showed the puppeteers when they could have easily left them out.

[Drunk Monk]

No, the puppeteers are the point. Bunraku is a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage - a venerated art form - and the three puppeteers are part of the motif. Like what this series has shown with sword making and tea ceremony, this episode showcases Bunraku. 

Here - this will help explain:


I’m searching for an example of a bunraku sword kill so you’ll get my beef with the ribbons.

[Drunk Monk]

e6 - House of Traps meets Game of Death. Somewhat of a tone change with more modern music. They were going for a fight motif, or as Greg succinctly put it - a videogame. It went all zombie supernatural and I got confused as to whether I was watching this or Onimusha. Not my fav ep because it lacked the depth of the rest of the series. But not that bad either.

And dang, what was in that monkey flower pollen? I’ll try a bit of that.

[Greg]

I'm sure you would. And you haven't?

[Drunk Monk]

That’s harder to acquire than Arrakis spice or Hobbit leaf.

[Greg]

Not really a denial.

[Drunk Monk]

If that was included in House of Traps or Game of Death, it would’ve been next level.

[Drunk Monk]

E7 I wouldn’t call this a reset as much as a priming for the finale like most penultimate eps, but I get where you’re coming from. I did not expect Akemi’s story to come around so well and kudos to Brenda Song for her voice work (haven’t thought about her since Wendy Wu and Suite Life but always figured she’d have a post Disney kid career). Also gotta give props to Branagh who is unrecognizable as Fowler. This ep started with a lot of peach action and the Heart sutra which is my zen. 

I am ready for the finale. Tomorrow prolly.

[Drunk Monk]

Yeah, that ending was unsatisfactory. Some die, one great hero and one great villain, but ultimately is missed the mark and the prospects of season 2, while strong given how much good buzz that show accrued, isn’t too appealing.

I did like the setting - the great 1657 fire of Edo. The cause of that historic fire remains mysterious (although I’m fond of the myth of the monk burning the cursed kimono) and this provides a fictional answer. Edo becomes Tokyo if you don’t know. 

I’ll watch s2. It’s sure to be green lit soon.

[Drunk Monk]

[Greg]

I say Yay!