Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima dubs Netflix's Blue Eye Samurai "the best anime of the year"

Hideo
(Image credit: Xbox)

New Netflix series Blue Eye Samurai just got a glowing endorsement from Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima

The Japanese game designer took to Twitter recently to describe the show as "the best anime of the year", suggesting that creators Michael Green and Amber Noizumi must have seen what the medium did with the likes of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Arcane and bettered it.

"Everything is wonderful," he gushed of the eight-episode series. "Everything is all beautiful! Without a doubt, the best anime of the year! It is a visual work that transcends the common sense of animation!

"Is the avenging demon a demon or a samurai? Is it really a monster?" Kojima writes. "The theme and message are simple. The characters are also well-designed! At first, I wasn't sure about Ringo, Taigen, and Akemi, I'm like 'let alone the main character, Mizu!' But as their backgrounds are told, I felt more and more sympathy for them and found them attractive. Highly recommended!" Kojima concluded, adding that those who aren't tuning in are missing out.

Set during Japan's Edo period in the 17th Century, Blue Eye Samurai centers on Mizu, a mixed-race rōnin with exceptional swordmanship, who embarks on a vengeful, blood-soaked quest against four white men. Despite the closing of the country's borders by the Tokugawa shogunate, the quartet of Westerners remain illegally in the country – and one of them just might be her rapist father.

Its voice cast includes the likes of Everything Everywhere All at Once's Stephanie Hsu, Darren Barnet, Kenneth Branagh, Brenda Song, George Takei, Randall Park, and Maya Erskine.

Blue Eye Samurai is streaming now on Netflix. If anime is not your thing, check out our list of the best Netflix shows for some viewing inspiration.

GamesRadar+ was first founded in 1999, and since then has been dedicated to delivering video game-related news, reviews, previews, features, and more. Since late 2014, the website has been the online home of Total Film, SFX, Edge, and PLAY magazines, with comics site Newsarama joining the fold in 2020. Our aim as the global GamesRadar Staff team is to take you closer to the games, movies, TV shows, and comics that you love. We want to upgrade your downtime, and help you make the most of your time, money, and skills. We always aim to entertain, inform, and inspire through our mix of content - which includes news, reviews, features, tips, buying guides, and videos.

Read more
Adolescence
After it landed 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, Hideo Kojima has also given his verdict on everyone's new Netflix obsession Adolescence
Hideo Kojima side by side with I Saw The TV Glow
Hideo Kojima has just given his seal of approval to one of 2024's best but most underseen horror movies
First look at Netflix's Last Samurai Standing
Netflix is calling its new samurai show Shogun meets Squid Game, and it sounds like a must watch
David's spinal inplant in Netflix anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Best anime on Netflix: 27 shows to watch in 2025
Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, and Ke Huy Quan in The Electric State
After 2 days, Hideo Kojima still hasn't shared his thoughts on The Electric State, and fans fear it won't even get a Madame Web-style six-word review
Sakamoto Days
Anime fans are raving over a new Netflix show, a slice-of-life hitman drama that's already shooting up the streamer’s charts
Latest in Anime Shows
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom
My Hero Academia and Gundam animator explains the issues behind anime shows getting shorter: "There is a shortage of professional staff in all sections"
Disney Twisted-Wonderland the Animation
After four years, Disney's anime show based on hugely popular gacha game gets a proper trailer
Dante in Netflix's Devil May Cry
Netflix unveils a stacked anime trailer filled with hits like Sakamoto Days and upcoming releases like Fire Force and Moonrise
Jujutsu Kaisen
After no big Jujutsu Kaisen announcements on a week packed with anime news, fans are now convinced season 3 is skipping 2025
The Summer Hikaru Died still
Netflix's new horror anime series The Summer Hikaru Died is coming this year, and it has a creepy new poster to set the tone
Kinnikuman
A WWE champion has joined the roster of an under-the-radar Netflix wrestling anime
Latest in News
Mario faces the camera with a thumbs up pose in Super Smash Bros. Ulimate.
Nintendo Direct March 2025 live – all the Switch news, trailers, and reveals as they happen
Batman: Arkham Knight
Rocksteady's rumored single-player Batman game is in development for PC, PS5, Xbox, and "the next generation of consoles"
The Last of Us Part 1
The Last of Us director Neil Druckmann wanted to make sure the first game "was complete" because "I wasn't sure they would ever let me direct a game again"
Pillars of Eternity
10 years later, in a post-Baldur's Gate 3 and Avowed world, Obsidian is giving its own throwback CRPG Pillars of Eternity a turn-based combat mode
Destiny 2 Lightfall
When Destiny 2 "weekly active users dropped lower and faster than we'd seen since 2018," Bungie assembled an A-Team to put out some fires: "We needed to do something"
Velma, Daphne, Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo looking at a giant key which is also a clue
Netflix is rebooting Scooby-Doo as a live-action series from the producer of Supergirl and The Flash centered around a "supernatural murder" at a summer camp