Blue Eye Samurai is set in 17th-century Japan, following the story of Mizu, a blue-eyed samurai who is half-white and half-Japanese. Because of being white, Mizu was tormented all her life, and she had vowed to seek revenge on the only four white men on the soil of Japan at the time she was born. The series has many interesting characters that help shape Mizu’s journey. Many duels, action-filled storyline, and a bit of romance is seen throughout the series. This article contains spoilers.
Blue Eye Samurai (Season 1) Recap:
Episode 1: Hammerscale
The episode begins with an on-screen introductory text. In 1633, Japan had closed its borders to the entire world. Anyone other than the pure Japanese was branded as a monster. Despite this, a legendary swordsman was born. The scene opens with a Samurai walking into a noodle shop with glasses, a sword, and a hat with a serious demeanor- the Samurai is a woman in disguise. The samurai ordered food with Ringo, who had an amputated arm but considered this shop to make the best soba noodles.
There’s also a flesh trader, Hachiman, in the noodle shop. He had bought women for sex trafficking. He was rude and obnoxious. Ringo makes a mistake, and Hachiman pulls out a pistol; this interests the Samurai as it isn’t entirely Japanese-made. When Hachiman tries to get over smart with him, he cuts his fingers off. Hachiman reveals that Heiji Shindo had sold the gun to him but calls him names when he sees the Samurai’s blue eyes.
Ringo is impressed with the Samurai and decides to follow her. Ringo asks her to let him learn under her, but she refuses and ties him to a tree. On her journey, she stops by a temple, thanks the gods for helping her, and prays for her sword father’s well-being. We now see a flashback to the time she was a child and was bullied by a few boys. They fight, and the bully is about to attack her with a huge stone but is interrupted by a blue comet falling in front of them.
The bullies run away. The Samurai sees an old blind man inspect the comet and take it with him. The girl helps the man and goes to his house. She was asked to leave after being fed. She pretends to leave but comes back and spends the night there. The girl wakes up the following day to realize the blind man knows she hasn’t gone and instead asks her to run some errands.
At present, the samurai is in Kyoto looking for a Shindo Dojo. She meets some members from the Dojo, who lead her to a brothel. The Samurai sees that Ringo has followed her there and tells the woman there to keep him with them for three nights, and she pays for it. The women also tell her how to reach the Shindo Dojo. On the way to the Dojo, she sees Princess Akemi in her palanquin. Princess Akemi is asked to marry someone she does not like for the kingdom’s benefit. However, she visits her father to persuade him to marry someone of her choice.
She and her advisor devise a plan and convince him to allow her to marry Taigen, a reputed and talented samurai. She meets him in secret to give the good news. The Samurai reaches the Dojo, and he is not allowed to meet the master. We see a flashback to when a young samurai learned from her sword father to wield a sword. The samurai had learned how to make a kitchen knife and a sword.
One day, she is caught practicing with a sword and tells her sword father she wants to be the best swordsman. She tells him that she is a mixed-race child. Sword father lets her practice at night. In the present, the students of the Shindo Dojo are trying to kick the Samurai out forcefully, but she fights and defeats everyone single-handedly. Taigen is called, and the Samurai recognizes him as the bully from her childhood. They duel, and her glasses fall off, and Taigen recognizes her. She defeats Taigen, but the master of the Dojo arrives.
The Samurai asks the master where she could find his brother. He led the Samurai to Tanabe Island under the Genko clan’s protection. Master of Shindo Dojo apologizes to his brother and sends the Four Fangs to eliminate the Samurai. The Samurai treats her wounds under a waterfall and rests. We see a flashback to when she left the sword father, telling him she was ready to take on her enemies. In the present, the Four Fangs are on their way when she hears a rustle in the bushes. She is prepared to fight, and out comes Ringo, and he realizes the Samurai is a woman.
Episode 2: An Unexpected Element
The episode begins with Four Fangs arriving at Ringo’s father’s restaurant. They threateningly ask him about the Samurai, and he informs them that he was at the noodle shop two days ago and had taken him along with him. Ringo is following the Samurai around. The Samurai is challenged as she needs a travel pass to reach her destination and can’t bribe the guards. Ringo comes to her rescue as he has travel passes for both of them. The Samurai allows Ringo to join her. Akemi uplifts Taigen’s mood by saying he had not lost a duel as he was not challenged. This gives him the idea to go after the Samurai, and he leaves Akemi alone.
Ringo and the Samurai continue on their journey, and the Samurai reveals that Heiji Shindo was protecting a white man and she wanted to kill him. They reach the dock and are informed that there is a festival and they can take the boat the next day. The Samurai asks Ringo to enjoy the festival as long as he wants, even if it means forever, and leaves for camp. The Samurai also ties a bell around Ringo’s leg as he is stealthy, catching her off guard. Taigen rushes to find the Samurai and finds a trail she had left behind. The Four Fangs are also on their way to see the samurai.
Heiji Shindo talks to the white man, and it is revealed that the white man was allowed to leave the premises only once a year and was confined indoors. But this time, he wanted to meet Shogun and change this arrangement. We see a flashback when the Samurai relaxes in the water when a man approaches the sword father. He tells them a tale about how his father was killed and wanted a sword to avenge his death. Sword father calls the Samurai, Mizu. Mizu is trying to copy the man, and he beats her and calls her soft for a boy. Mizu is hurt but continues to make the sword for the man. However, the blade breaks at the tip. The sword father then reveals that he is an assassin and he needs to go. The man says he was a Bloodsoaked Chiaki and walks away.
In the present, Akemi is forced to get married to Shogun’s younger son. Akemi begs her father to change his mind, but he does not budge. She decides to run away, and her advisor accompanies her. Ringo enjoys the festival in the town and is informed that there is a ritual there. The person who catches a stick thrown into the water will get magical powers. He also tries noodles in the best noodle shops and is ashamed that he had assumed he was the best, but his noodles don’t compare to these. The ritual begins, and the townspeople jump in.
The Four Fangs catch up to Mizu, and they fight. Only one member of the Four Fangs remains, and he pulls out a sword, revealing it was none other than Bloodsoaked Chiaki. Mizu finishes him off but is injured. Meanwhile, Ringo gets the stick. Mizu walks out, and Taigen appears. Mizu tries to fight but collapses because of her injury. Taigen raises his sword to finish the fallen Mizu.
Episode 3: A Fixed Number of Paths
The episode begins with a flashback to the time Mizu was born. We hear two men contemplating killing the child. Between arguments, one man killed the other and asked a lady to take the child away. In the present, Taigen hesitates to kill Mizu but is interrupted by Ringo, who takes his master to safety. Taigen tells Ringo where they can be safe. Mizu is in pain and in a sleep-induced state she remembers her childhood when she was locked away in a hut and asked never to leave if she wanted to live. Meanwhile, Heiji Shindo was asked by the angry white man to kill the Samurai. Ringo treats Mizu, and Taigen stays with them.
Taigen and Mizu agree on a duel date, and Taigen defeats Mizu and dies at his hands. A strong, big man arrives and gives a message that Heiji Shindo has asked Mizu to join him for a cup of tea. Taigen tells her it was a trap, but Mizu begins the journey to meet Heiji Shindo. Ringo and Taigen join. Akemi is adamant about finding Taigen, but her advisor Seki tries to warn her of her difficulties. As expected, they were stopped and looted by brigands. They then get a ride on a cart.
On their way, Mizu and Taigen talk about where they grew up. Taigen provokes Mizu. They fight but stop after a while and continue on the journey. Ringo shares with Taigen that he wanted to achieve greatness. Ringo is left with the strong man while Taigen and Mizu cautiously reach the location. They were not met with an ambush, but Heiji Shindo was waiting for them. Akemi wakes up from her sleep, realizes they are further away from their destination, and wants to return home. Seki talks about the only two paths women have, and this annoys her. She walks into a tavern where sex workers are bought and sold. She pretends to be a sex worker and gets a ride to her destination with the man there.
At the tea party, Heiji Shindo reveals where to find the white man. He proposes an offer, which Mizu declines. Heiji Shindo reveals the other options. Mizu cuts his hand off, and archers around the mountain start to attack. Mizu and Taigen try and escape. One arrow hits Taigen’s leg. Ringo has poisoned the strong man and comes to rescue Taigen and Mizu. They reach safety, and Mizu knocks Taigen down; Mizu and Ringo leave to find the white man Fowler. Taigen wakes up to a letter promising to have a duel in autumn once he has got his revenge. He is annoyed, but someone drags him away. Heiji Shindo tells Fowler that the Samurai is a monster and will find him. Taigen is brought inside in front of the men in a sake barrel to reveal more information about Mizu.
Episode 4: Peculiarities
The episode begins with Mizu finding the right brothel to get more information on Fowler. She reaches Madame Kaji’s brothel, and she educates Mizu about how sex is an art by showing different rooms and how each person has a peculiar sexual desire. Once this is done, Mizu gets straight to the point and asks how to reach Fowler’s castle. They make a deal. Madam Kaji tells Mizu about a girl taken from her by the ruthless Boss Hamata, who forced everyone in the area to pay him half of what they made. She asks Mizu to kill the girl Kinuyo for her good. She tells Mizu that Kinuyo is deaf and mute and her father had sold the girl to her after abusing her. Moreover, she requests Mizu to make it look like an accident.
In Fowler’s castle, Taigen is tortured as he does not reveal any information about Mizu. Fowler leaves the room, calling the torture boring. Heiji Shindo asks Taigen why he was protecting Mizu despite Mizu ruining his engagement and honor. Taigen says Mizu deserved better than him. Meanwhile, Mizu is resting, and Akemi enters the room, wanting to serve Mizu. We see a flashback to when Akemi tried to find Taigen but got a lead to Mizu. Mizu’s father is giving instructions to whom he thought was Mizu about the proper sexual position for marriage and realizes she is gone. He sends his men to search for her. Mizu sees these men while looking at Taigen and escapes their sight.
She follows Mizu and Ringo around town and reaches the brothel for revenge. She disguises herself to be a sex worker and gets herself into Mizu’s room. In the present, Akemi had drugged the sake she was serving Mizu. Akemi tried to flatter Mizu, but she told her story about how she had killed a lowly swordsman. Akemi loses her patience and attacks Mizu, but Mizu is quick to deflect the attack. She then tells Akemi that she had not killed Taigen but had set a date for a duel. She ties Akemi up and asks Ringo to keep an eye on her and kill her if necessary.
Mizu stealthily sneaks into Kinuyo’s room, where she is getting treated for the bruises caused by Hamata. She does the sign language as instructed, and Kinuyo trusts Mizu. Mizu kills her and makes it look like the bodyguard has killed Kinuyo. Mizu gets out of the house, and a boy sees her. She asks the boy to fetch a night security guard because of a fight between two people. Mizu goes back and informs Madam Kaji that the work was done. Madam Kaji gives Mizu directions on how to enter Fowler’s castle. They hear a commotion outside after a while. Everyone goes out to see Hamata, who has brought a large group of men to burn the brothel down.
Episode 5: The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride
The episode begins with a puppet show, with a story of Ronin and the bride. In the present, Mizu prepares Hamata’s men to enter the brothel house to attack. She sends the others to the basement and asks Ringo to guard the basement. Mizu starts killing Hamata’s men from the shadows. We see a flashback to Mizu’s past, where her mother gets Mizu married to an outcast. He was a samurai called Mikio but was thrown away by his lord. It was difficult for them both initially. However, they started to get to know each other and get close. Mikio liked a horse called Kai since he was tough.
He wants to give it to his previous lord to win him over, but as they bond, he gifts it to Mizu. They get close enough to share a bed. Mizu reveals about her birth and how she was treated growing up. Mikio tells her he wants to see everything about her, and they duel. Mizu destroys Mikio in the battle, hurting his ego. He calls her a monster, and this hurts Mizu. She decides to soften her husband’s heart by dressing up. Her mother then tells her that Mikio had gone to his previous lord to sell all his horses, including Kai.
She hears horses and steps out to find some men who had come to kill her. At that moment, Mikio appears but walks away, leaving her to deal with the men. In the present, Mizu is wounded but tries to fight. Some men get to the basement, and Akemi and Ringo fight together to kill these men. Akemi finds Mizu on the floor and tries to wake her up. Eventually, she does when Akemi is in danger.
Mizu then holds the door as a shield, but the men break it down, and she’s under it, trying to get out. Mizu manages to get up and slay the entire army of men. We cut to the past when she did the same to those men who had come to kill her. In the present, Hamata is left to be killed by the women of the brothel. In the past, Mikio came back apologizing for leaving her. But her mother and Mikio got into a fight, and Mikio kills her mother. Subsequently, Mizu ends up killing Mikio.
Presently, Akemi’s father’s men find her and ask her to leave with them. She begs Mizu not to allow them to do it but asks the men to take her away. Ringo confronts Mizu about her behavior, and because Mizo does not care about honor and only revenge, he leaves Mizu to go the rest of the way alone. The episode ends with the puppet show ending in Shogun’s presence. Akemi points out that she had met real Onryo (vengeful spirit) once, and they had nothing other than darkness in their eyes and hearts. She opens her mouth, showing dark teeth, indicating she is married to Shogun’s youngest son.
Episode 6: All Evil Dreams and Angry Words
The episode begins with Mizu in front of Fowler’s castle. He prays to have the strength to get her revenge while being reminded of all the ugly names she was called in the past and is hit with a pang of guilt after reminding herself of Ringo’s words. As instructed, she enters the castle basement, knowing she has to reach the 9th floor. Then Mizu is met with her first hurdle. As she tries to pick a lock of a door in the basement, it is filled with water. She still manages to open the door and gasp for some air. Mizu enters the castle and sees guards all around. She manages to kill a couple of guards and reach the next level. One of the guards sees blood and starts to ring a bell.
Mizu manages to kill that guard as well. Fowler is relaxed and entertaining his guests. He talks about the power of a gun over a sword and how white people were experts in killing. Heiji Shindo is worried and looks through a camera and sees Mizu. He watches Mizu cross the next barrier. The walls start closing in, and Mizu runs towards the door, but swords start popping out without a set pattern. Just before she reaches the door, her foot is hit with a sword; she manages to cut it and pass through.
The next barrier was the ground itself; it would open up, and below were swords. During the last jump, her sword gets stuck to the wall, and an army of men is waiting for her. She manages to kill them all without a weapon of her own. One man is spared and is asked to fetch her sword. Mizu enters a kitchen-like area and pauses as she dips her leg in frozen water. She notices the camera watching her a couple of times. The next trap is filled with zombie-like creatures. A giant shuts the lights off, but Mizu kills them all. She enters a cell and finds Taigen beat up. She helps him up and takes him along with her.
The next challenge is to fight a giant. Taigen offers to help, but Mizu takes the giant on her own. She picks Taigen up and reaches the floor Fowler was on. Heiji Shindo starts to panic, but the other guests are relaxed, saying nobody would dare attack them. Just as they say that one of the guests was killed, Mizu enters the room with Taigen. Fowler shoots, and Mizu’s sword is cut and hits her shoulder. Mizu is beaten up, but when Taigen tries to help, he is beaten up as well. Fowler points the gun to Taigen, and Mizu pulls Fowler out the castle window into the frozen water below. Mizu tries to get back on top but is in vain. We see a black figure trying to help.
Episode 7: Nothing Broken
The episode begins with Ringo in front of Master Eiji’s house with unconscious Mizu and Taigen. Mizu and Taigen are healing, and Fowler and Heiji decide to leave the castle and go to Edo. Fowler wanted to destroy the shogunate clan and planned to smuggle guns through fishing boats. Heiji uses this information against Fowler by working with one of the Shogun to get the rifles before they reach Fowler. Akemi is in her father’s house and is presented with gifts from many lords because of her marriage.
A bird is given, Akemi sets it free, and Shogun’s son shoots it. Akemi is angered and yells at him, but his mother watches this. Akemi is out with other concubines and sees Kaji. She stops to talk to her, and Kaji advises her to proceed with the marriage. Mizu is awake, and her master tries to remind her of the lessons he taught her as a child. Taigen and Mizu spar, and Taigen gets aroused and apologizes, saying he was missing Akemi. Mizu then reveals what had happened, and Taigen is disappointed in Mizu for not being an honorable Samurai. Mizu is hurt, becomes a better person, and performs the heart sutra with Ringo’s help.
Akemi, at dinner, is fed the bird the Shogun’s son had killed and, at night, is presented with two new birds. Akemi gets angry and slaps Shogun’s son. He then tells her that he is apologizing for his mother’s actions to get close, and they have sex. Meanwhile, Heiji’s inside man gives terrible news that they found no weapons. Fowler had got the guns using a piano and other items. The men who had betrayed him were killed, and he let Heiji control the army under his command. Akemi fires her help and decides to hire Madam Kaji’s girls. One of the girls, Ise, reveals Fowler’s plan to Akemi. Akemi takes her to her father, and she also reveals it to him. Her father pushes Ise down the castle and locks Akemi up, saying she is part of the clan and will be safe there until all this is over.
Episode 8: The Great Fire of 1657
The last episode begins with young Mizu apologizing to her mother and promising to get her revenge, even if she has to put her life on the line. At present, Mizu and Ringo are in Edo. Mizu instructs Ringo to fight the armed men and wait for her and Akemi. He was to take Akemi out into the city through the North sewers. She also mentions that if Mizu does not return, she has failed or died, and he has to leave immediately. Ringo asks her to come back alive. Fowler meets the shogun’s sons and gives them a lot of money. He requests to meet Shogun but is refused the meeting. Fowler says he will meet Shogun the next year and leaves. Mizu enters the castle and meets Haji and tells her about Fowler’s plans, and asks her to take her girls and leave.
Seki comes to the cell where Akemi is hiding and rescues her. They put her father behind the partition and try to escape. Guards surround them, and Mizu comes in time to save Akemi and Seki. She asks Akemi to go to the North sewers and leave the city immediately. She also mentions that Taigen was looking for her and loved her dearly. Ringo is waiting by the sewers and kills one guard. He was about to attack the other, but the attack is deflected, and it turns out to be Taigen. Taigen informs of his plans and takes Ringo with him to the Shogun.
They managed to get the place and warn Shogun about Fowler’s plan. Once his words are confirmed, Shogun calls him loyal and gives him a sword to protect him and his family, and Ringo joins. Fowler gets to the castle with his gun-armed men and slays all. He enters the second gate and kills the archers as well. While one of the guards is preparing to stop Fowler, Heiji kills him, making it easier for Fowler. Fowler kills the entire army and enters the place where Shogun is hiding. Shogun shows bravery but is shot in the head. Lord Mori stabs himself. Taigen asks Shongun’s sons to take the family through an underground route and leave while they stop Fowler.
Fowler makes a move, but Mizu attacks him and his men. She kills all of Fowler’s men and is fighting him. Taigen is severely hurt and asks Ringo to run away immediately. Fowler leaves, and Mizu follows, asking Taigen to find Akemi and go, as it was not his fight. Taigen sees Heiji and stabs him with his sword. Mizu and Fowler battle, and Mizu chokes. Mizu regains her power and attacks Fowler. He is ready to leave, and Mizu sets the place on fire. Fowler calls her a wild one and walks through the fire. Akemi and Seki try to escape, but she stops and asks Seki’s help to block the armed men so they are trapped. They are successful, and as they are running away, Seki is shot from inside. Akemi is mourning Seki, and Taigen comes to her aid.
Blue Eye Samurai (Season 1) Ending, Explained:
Will Mizu be successful in getting her revenge?
He tells her he didn’t want greatness and just wanted to be happy and a man to her. Akemi tells him she seeks excellence, and Seki has told her to do what she wants as she has always sought freedom. Mizu continues to fight Fowler and has her sword to his neck. Fowler realizes the Samurai is a girl. Mizu asks about the other two white men, Skeffington and Routely. Fowler tells her he had to be spared as it was the only way to find them.
Fowler says they were in hiding and ruthless. He also knew a magic word called London that Mizu didn’t know about. Fowler also informs Mizu that who she thought was her mother was a maid paid to look after her. Fowler reminds her that she doesn’t know a lot and needs him. Ringo goes back to the sword father with the bad news. He says that they could wait for Mizu forever or get to work and take Ringo’s help.
While looking at the burning city, Takoyashi and his mother decide to destroy all the guns. Mizu is seen taking Fowler in a cage on a ship sailing away somewhere. Akemi is alive and with the family, and we learn her father was alive and in her care. By the end of the season, we see Akemi’s character improve from a pampered princess to now on the verge of wanting power and becoming a Queen. True to her words, Mizu is spending her life on the path of revenge, now keeping an eye on Fowler to reach the other two white men. Now that Akemi is sticking with her husband and leaving Taigen, would something brew between Taigen and Mizu, as they are a great team?
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