“Blue Eye Samurai” animation inspired by Bunraku puppets

“Blue Eye Samurai” is poised to win three jury awards for achievement in animation – for character design, production design and storyboarding – while also competing for two competitive awards, including animated program, at the upcoming Creative Arts Emmys.

The Netflix series follows Mizu (Maya Erskine), a mixed-race vigilante with piercing blue eyes who lives in disguise while seeking revenge in Edo-period Japan. “We really had to try to make this animation a standout,” says director and executive producer Jane Wu, adding that she drew inspiration from “what moved me in a magical way… because there’s a magic to animation.”

She was particularly inspired by Japanese Bunraku puppets, which have sculpted heads and hands and elaborate costumes, and are brought to life by a trio of puppeteers dressed in black. Wu explains that she was drawn to the puppets for “the stylization of their movements and the incredibly emotional quality they have.”

She adds that they wanted to create an “East meets West” composition and style, and they also drew inspiration from artist Hiroshi Yoshida, known for his paintings and woodblock prints. “He was a Japanese artist who trained in the West, so he really had this fusion that we were looking for in the exhibition,” Wu says. “It was just very culturally-driven materials that inspired us.”

Mizu’s character was designed with a strong body, reflecting her training as a warrior. And her face, according to Amber Noizumi, who co-created and executive produced the series with Michael Green, “wasn’t meant to be monstrous like she thinks, nor too beautiful either. She just had to be a unique person, just trying to exist in this world that represses and rejects her.”

A second season has been announced.