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Mizu is going to go to London and get angry because people are identifying her as japanese by those that are white when she has grown up being told she is white, not japanese. It's going to mess with her racial identity in her head. I don't think she's ever truly realized she isn't either.
This was one of the things that factored into the script and tripped up the Bat and I for a while. What to refer to Mizu as by modern standards; "Is she non-binary? Is she trans? Is she bigender? Is calling her "she" even accurate??" but the conclusion we came to was that historically, none of these terms existed. And that's kind of the point of the story. Her experience can be applied to SO MANY modern experiences of gender binaries in our real life, that we chose to address that subject as such.
I have a character who could be considered nonbinary/gender fluid. She was a girl raised as a boy for her own safety, and although she doesn't like having to hide who she is, she's become accustomed to identifying as male and has an identity crisis because she doesn't know what gender is her real self. Adding to this are the ideas assigned to each identity - her male persona representing a sense of security and safety, and her female persona representing her freedom to live without hiding. But at the same time, neither of these personas feel real - obviously, her male persona was intended as a disguise, but returning to her biological sex feels alien to her after all this time. However, this is a medieval fantasy story, so her exact gender identity is never labeled, because those labels don't exist in her world. Her love interest is bi but never calls himself bi either, just that he likes girls and guys. I am shooting in the dark with their stories because I am straight as frick. 😅
I adore shows like Blue Eye Samurai where you can interpret the characters in pretty much every way possible. Mizu could be a trans man, a cis woman, nonbinary, all, neither, and that's just with her gender! There's something so fascinating about how humans love categorisation and the characters who resist it
It’s so funny to me how so many people interpret Mizu as this uber butch warrior killer, when I actuality she’s quite a gentle person who gives her enemies constant opportunities to back off and doesn’t even cut her hair short, instead choosing to tie it up in a really tight bun.
Cutting the hair would have been unusual regardless but yeah I think people mistake her as being a certain way rather than ACTING a certain way in order to survive
Mizu acts very strong and is physically capable but she isn't some uber violent terminator. she really prefers to keep her head down and prefers not to kill unless backed into corners or unless she is Out To KIll You Specifically
Not to disagree with your overall point, but it would have been weird for her to cut her hair, even when posing as a man. Men in this period would wear their hair long.
As a person who struggles with their gender identity and a tumultuous relationship with their father, Mizu's story insires me. Seeing the worst example of what letting these struggles control me can turn me into inspired me to let go and just exist as I am. It's beautifully crafted.
This is so vindicating for me, I am not mixed, I am however nonbinary and I somebody else recognizing that coding, that defiance of strict gender rules, the way Mizu functions in society. I was thinking of doing a detailed post just to get my thoughts out there because all discussions of Mizu's gender I could see felt a bit incomplete, but you nailed it. Great video as always!
Thank you for sharing! You absolutely should continue with and get your own thoughts down too--your position and your experience is valuable and unique. Glad you enjoyed the video!
This was such a beautiful essay. I'm enby and the number of times I've just introduced myself to people as *just* a trans man have been. So conflicting for me. Because I know what they see when they see me - a petite femm asian - and I know that between the two, trans man is easier to understand than non binary. If I even risk explaining at all. I know that for them it causes less conflict because most people can understand one, or the other. They can't or don't see another option, or the fact that there's no point in defining ''options'' at all. Mizu really reflects that part of me. The part of me that hides because I don't want to have to deal with the struggle of constantly coming out to every stranger who misgenders me and risking violence *every single time*. Sometimes I wish I had her physical strength just so I could meet any violence with violence of my own. But I don't want that. I just want to be seen as a person. Thanks for the video essay all of you guys this was brilliant work - Pax (they/them)
Wow, everything you said about gender and the risks hits so hard. I’m white so I totally understand that puts me at much lower risk for the violence, but yeah, very relatable on every other count
There's another sort of mixing possible, that of culture, and heritage. Ethnically I am Sami (an indigenous people in Northern Europe), culturally I struggle to connect to that heritage. I don't speak any of the Sami languages, only Norwegian and English (had a chance to learn it, but it was hard as I struggled a lot in school). I also don't have much of a connection to people. Some of this is caused by the Norwegian government's attempts at cultural assimilation during the twentieth century .
That's definitely something I'm curious about in the next season. Despite Mizu being told her whole life she's both white (probably British) and Japanese, she's never had any connection to European culture. I wonder if there's anything she'll connect with when going to the UK or if it'll be more of her feeling like she doesn't belong anywhere
@@Sootielove We'll see. Don't seem like the sort of heritage she has much interest in. Besides her being both makes her neither to both her heritages, as far as I know.
I really wish it was more consistent though, the dojo fight is all time great, the duel with Taigen or a fight with these samurai sent after Mizu are good as well, but later on the quality of choreography kinda falls down. The fight with clawed men when Mizu assembles the naginata is badass, but they enemies just kinda stand awkwardly there and die, same with an onryo flashback scene. Maybe it's not as apparent on first watch, but if you rewatch the scenes and look closer, you start seeing some flaws there that aren't really present in first 2-3 episodes.
As a mixed race jewish woman ive always found myself walking along the grey lines. Stories like this are so important for opening the discussions of nuisances when it comes to race.
I feel this show as a mixed White/Hispanic/ Native American, Lesbian, nerodivergent, and a Woman (i know I'm winning all the minority awards its not as fun as it sounds) and knowing the struggles my ancestors went through and what Natives are STILL going through all the sexism and homophobia still going around and the people who fought to get us to were we are now the struggles are really well done I love this show sends me to tears man
@ Exactly!!! Also idlescree, something has been plaguing me for a while. How is it that you can talk as a bat? Are your even human? Could it be possible that you and your crew are from a mysterious realm of unknown horror and beauty? Hmmm sounds interesting for a story of some sort! My theory is you guys are from a mystical realm and that’s why you guys can talk! And got curious on who and what these weird beings are? Our culture, beliefs, and behavior are very different from yours!!! So. You guys started to investigate, and now you’re giving your information on the way you see our world! Ahahaha…. Welp that’s a rap on my explanation of how a bat can talk to humans and speak are language! Gosh… kind of weird but funny I hope! Okay have a great day!
@@idlescreealso idle SCREEE this speaks volumes to me I am mixed race I haven’t had been treated badly for being mixed! Yet again maybe when I was in preschool there was a bully that bugged me a lot….. I don’t why he did! Maybe because of being mixed?
On Mizu's self identification: I don't think being forced to live as a man makes her identify as a man any more than a bisexual person forced to conform to straight culture makes them straight simply because it's easier for them to pass through society like that. Otherwise amazing video, just that one thing bothered my brain.
If I understand your point correctly, I think it's the difference between your true self identity and how you identify publicly -- these aren't necessarily the same. As you say, a bisexual doesn't become straight if they're forced to conform to straight culture; but in a scenario where you're being forced to conform one way or another to fit in with what is socially demanded of you, then you do publicly identify as that conforming identity even if privately this is not your true self. In a scenario where one is forced to live as a man, fulfil those socially branded roles and meet those socially gendered expectations in ALL regards -- are they not identifying as a man to that society regardless of their self identity?
@@IdlescreeBird They're identifying as a man in the same way that queer person would be identifying as straight: performatively, despite fulfilling all rolls. For Mizu, it's easier to move through society as a man: this is a place where women have no agency and cannot travel without a man's permission. And less dangerous - as a woman there are plenty of men who would try to take advantage of her, and while Mizu is a badass, she's not invincible. This contrast is shown when she's at the gate and the woman and her daughter are not allowed to enter the town in order to sell their baskets. Mizu has to hide her gender in order to achieve her goals.
Oh and before I forget, I did find the "strong female protagonist done" discourse to miss the mark quite a bit, that and I feel like avoiding discourse that is made based on the premise to begin with (although some trust can go a long way in easing my worries).
I'm really interested to hear what you have to say on this because I loved everything about this show (the premise, the voice acting, the choreography, the animation, the side characters) other than Mizu. She really felt one-note in her brooding persona, and she clapped almost every fight she was in with little genuine struggle. I almost never felt like there was a chance she was actually challenged. Even when she was stabbed, poisoned, pinned under a half ton door, or suffering a spinal injury, she just walked it off after a minute like it was barely an inconvenience.
That's honestly a really interesting topic by itself that is worth it's own discussion honestly--the juxtaposition of the incredibly grounded setting with the Kill BIll/HEAVILLY styled action sequences...
Blue Eye Samurai is a beautiful show with an incredible and very complex narrative. I loved this analysis of one of my favorite shows. I loved this video 😭💖
Ringo is what brought me to the show. The animation coight my eye, butvi was during the short Netflix scene when you are hovering over a series on the catalog. When he said "my whole life has been a battle" I knew I HAD to watch this show
The name Mizu might have some connection to how a fire is present during many pivotal points of her story, she almost gets burned alive as a baby, the hut in the woods where she lived with her mom gets burned down, and then we have The Great Fire of 1657, all three of which she miraculously makes it out alive from. Mizu is like a suprisingly thoughtful name about how the gods have shown this child a longer path by extinguishing a fire (metaphorically) or the name could be a more derogatory "Quasimodo" type name, like she should have been culled but inexplicably defied death. This brings up something that makes Mizu's supposed invincibility interesting, the fact she is so invincible is neither here or there (blah blah OP female protag it's a samurai flick come on guys) it's moreso the question of is the fact she can walk off grievous injury supposed to be seen as an amazing feat of fortitude or is it supposed to read as sinister, like a demon you can't kill? is she a hero or a villain? a man or a monster? (and I hope that for the writers the second option of each isn't just a suggestion, that would make for a wayyy less interesting narrative. I loved seeing Mizu be on demon time 😮💨)
When Master Eiji was refusing to listen to Mizus confession It felt like he wanted her to stay and say those things rather then leave and say those things
Gender being one of the show's major themes, I'd be surprised if it wasn't at least in the writer's periphery. I know it's the Mulan story of a cis woman forced through circumstance to crossdress but the way they handle Mizu's relationship with her own gender, it gives her a lot of trans coding, both fem and masc
I don’t think there was any “coding” bc Mizu’s gender is complicated within the confines of the culture. The writers created a complex character that may not into any modern trope.
@@scilines Coding is generally irrelevant of the canon story. Same way aliens or robots are often coded as autistic despite being the result of alien biology or programming. Mizu has a lot of genderqueer coding due to her experiences with gender regardless of the story
I think a really interesting discussion could be done on how Good Omens tackles good and evil and it's portrayal of the cast, Heaven and Hell in that context
Amazing video. I never considered Seki as another person outside of the binary and you have the only video where Mizu meaning water was acknowledged and explored; I like to think she was named Mizu due to the blue of her eyes and her reaching that level of serenity, like water, comes when she accepts her eyes (much like how on the ship at the end she is not wearing dark glasses). Another story that looks at binary and intersection with mixed race characters and their role and acceptance in society which I would say is worth a read is Babel by R.F Kuang.
Okay, just finished watching the show. And for the record, most of this video already left the confines of my noggin by the time I started watching, so I didn't feel very spoiled anyway. Anyway, AMAZING show. It slaps sooooo good, can't wait for season 2!
Ghost of Tsushima is a Samurai tale which is more of a story of Jin Sakai scraficing everything to save his people despite losing everything The story in the game he kills more with ruthless methods and uses terror becoming a folk story on the island yet the more he becomes ruthless he becomes more emphatic to those considered lower status Lord Shimura represents dogmatic views of Samurai a slave to the code willing to scrafice his own men to do the honorable way of war Jin Sakai is someone who used to be the ruling elite yet loses his social status and then is forced to become an outlaw while having to rid Tsushima of the Mongols
@@HedgehogEditor took longer than i expected (school yay) BUT IT WAS SO GOOD MIZU MY DARLING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. I love every single character, the plot is so interesting and lived rent free in my head even when i couldnt continue watching.
I adore the show & your analysis was awesome. 🙏❤️🔥🙏 Now, I just need Netflix to release this super-Japanese show about this super-Japanese story in the actual Japanese language. I don't see how that part was missed. So, I watched it in Spanish (I've never done that before, but it's great 👏).
After hearing that reading, I have several questions: What's the cross between a "Hindu" (Indian) and an African? And if whites are so culturally and racially superior, shouldn't their traits override those of the "lesser races" instead of being subsumed by them? I realize I'm speaking from the future to the past but even so, surely SOMEONE must have asked a question like this, bc we know earlier peoples did: the Spanish and French had entire hierarchies of "racial purity".
Whelp, I have something new to watch. The whole conflict of being mixed as an American is something that I've always had some... issue with due to the fact of *what* I'm mixed with. Like if you're white, and mostly European immigrant, no one will bat an eye. But if you let them know that among the Italian, Irish, German, and French (all groups that I'm sure at the time of their 'mixing' were treated with much racism and I'm sure that's why these families got together and 'mixed') there's also four tribes of Indigenous American tribes (Apache, Crow, whatever the fet 'French Indian' is, and something that the family doesn't even know) along with a touch of Roma, and suddenly you get judging looks for something you can't control. You go and watch reels or shorts where modern indigenous tribes are showing the slightest bit of pride in who they are or even filling off monuments dedicated to those who colonized and outright performed acts of geocode on and suddenly the comments will be flooded with racism and cries of "We won! Get over it!" Or "So what?! You guys were doing it to other tribes before the white people came along!" Stuff like that... it just... makes me wonder where I fit in. Is my more than 1/16th native too native to be 'white enough' if other people find out, is it too little if I ever want to explore that side of my heritage? Is that one spit of Roma that my father claims is there something that others would judge me on? Even those things that are 'white enough' get judged sometimes. One time I had rested my head on a table at a gas station in Sauk Centre (a clearly native name), and a cop stopped me and asked for my ID, when he saw my last name and inquired about its origin, that being Italian, he was all like "I've never seen and *I*talian with blue eyes before..." I had to inform him that I'm an American and that's why the blue eyes. I don't know where to go with the rest of this rambling. Thanks for this video, I have something new to watch, and thank you for all your bat squeaks. Always a delight to hear.
27:27 thisbis a disgusting reframing of a scene that transitioned from 2 consenting adults practicing martial arts to something unconsentual. I skipped to this part to hear your take. I'm glad to know I dont have to waste over half an hour of my life with the rest.
As a white man, I really appreciated them finally making a male villain of European descent. It's been a long time coming, and I've never felt more seen. 😈
Blue eyed samurai was so cringy - you could tell that white men executives wanted to feel persecuted for their whiteness AND didn't want to pay for writers during the strike
dont tell on yourself too hard mate you've got such strong bias you've invented a backstage plot with no evidence "you could tell" nuh uh buddy. You're the only one who thinks that. Dont include anyone else in a collective "you"... say it as it is ie "I personally think no white man would ever approve a show like this. I think the only reason they'd ever approve it is some reverse racism BS. As I myself have got a gut feeling on it and Im sticking to that. Gut feelings based on skin colour have never ever been wrong so Im certain that Im correct to accuse strangers I havent researched of racism for... producing a very well thought out show"
★!Acquire Idle Scree Stickers!★🛒www.idlescree.com/store
Thank you to all for coming for the premiere! We are so appreciative of everyone who came. We are so glad that this story and this essay meant something to you--thank you for Starchaic64 for sharing how it affected them!--and we'll see you all in the next one! If you love our work, please head on over to check out our Patreon over at this link! www.patreon.com/c/IdlescreeProductions
hearing misu means water immediately makes me think "she was named after her eyes..." beautiful blue
Mizu is going to go to London and get angry because people are identifying her as japanese by those that are white when she has grown up being told she is white, not japanese. It's going to mess with her racial identity in her head. I don't think she's ever truly realized she isn't either.
- Are you a man or a woman?
- I am an onryo.
- I mean what were you born as?
- A blade of mixed steel.
- Yes, but what's in your pants?
- Vengeance.
Nice 😎
Mizu doesn't have to BE trans to have lived a trans experience.
This!
This was one of the things that factored into the script and tripped up the Bat and I for a while. What to refer to Mizu as by modern standards; "Is she non-binary? Is she trans? Is she bigender? Is calling her "she" even accurate??" but the conclusion we came to was that historically, none of these terms existed. And that's kind of the point of the story. Her experience can be applied to SO MANY modern experiences of gender binaries in our real life, that we chose to address that subject as such.
I have a character who could be considered nonbinary/gender fluid. She was a girl raised as a boy for her own safety, and although she doesn't like having to hide who she is, she's become accustomed to identifying as male and has an identity crisis because she doesn't know what gender is her real self. Adding to this are the ideas assigned to each identity - her male persona representing a sense of security and safety, and her female persona representing her freedom to live without hiding. But at the same time, neither of these personas feel real - obviously, her male persona was intended as a disguise, but returning to her biological sex feels alien to her after all this time. However, this is a medieval fantasy story, so her exact gender identity is never labeled, because those labels don't exist in her world. Her love interest is bi but never calls himself bi either, just that he likes girls and guys.
I am shooting in the dark with their stories because I am straight as frick. 😅
Learning kenjutsu is a vital part of transitioning
I adore shows like Blue Eye Samurai where you can interpret the characters in pretty much every way possible. Mizu could be a trans man, a cis woman, nonbinary, all, neither, and that's just with her gender! There's something so fascinating about how humans love categorisation and the characters who resist it
All this while maintaining the power of specificity!
Nice female erasure bro.
no. gender cult just need do anything about themselfs.
Same!! Need more.
So many toxic “progressive” buzzwords
It’s so funny to me how so many people interpret Mizu as this uber butch warrior killer, when I actuality she’s quite a gentle person who gives her enemies constant opportunities to back off and doesn’t even cut her hair short, instead choosing to tie it up in a really tight bun.
Cutting the hair would have been unusual regardless but yeah I think people mistake her as being a certain way rather than ACTING a certain way in order to survive
Mizu acts very strong and is physically capable but she isn't some uber violent terminator. she really prefers to keep her head down and prefers not to kill unless backed into corners or unless she is Out To KIll You Specifically
Not to disagree with your overall point, but it would have been weird for her to cut her hair, even when posing as a man. Men in this period would wear their hair long.
This!!!!
@@cybersearcher1041 like when she killed the kid that snitched on her lol
The Bunraku theater episode is a genius narrative of Mizu’s journey in and rejection of binary societal norms, which should have won an Emmy
They were robbed
one thing i loved about that play was the way mizu was BOTH the ronin and the bride
As a person who struggles with their gender identity and a tumultuous relationship with their father, Mizu's story insires me. Seeing the worst example of what letting these struggles control me can turn me into inspired me to let go and just exist as I am. It's beautifully crafted.
Yesssssss thank you for sharing!
This is so vindicating for me, I am not mixed, I am however nonbinary and I somebody else recognizing that coding, that defiance of strict gender rules, the way Mizu functions in society. I was thinking of doing a detailed post just to get my thoughts out there because all discussions of Mizu's gender I could see felt a bit incomplete, but you nailed it. Great video as always!
Thank you for sharing! You absolutely should continue with and get your own thoughts down too--your position and your experience is valuable and unique. Glad you enjoyed the video!
This was such a beautiful essay. I'm enby and the number of times I've just introduced myself to people as *just* a trans man have been. So conflicting for me. Because I know what they see when they see me - a petite femm asian - and I know that between the two, trans man is easier to understand than non binary. If I even risk explaining at all.
I know that for them it causes less conflict because most people can understand one, or the other. They can't or don't see another option, or the fact that there's no point in defining ''options'' at all.
Mizu really reflects that part of me. The part of me that hides because I don't want to have to deal with the struggle of constantly coming out to every stranger who misgenders me and risking violence *every single time*. Sometimes I wish I had her physical strength just so I could meet any violence with violence of my own.
But I don't want that. I just want to be seen as a person.
Thanks for the video essay all of you guys this was brilliant work - Pax (they/them)
Wow, everything you said about gender and the risks hits so hard. I’m white so I totally understand that puts me at much lower risk for the violence, but yeah, very relatable on every other count
It's really cool seeing the perspective of this show from a mixed person! Surprisingly I haven't seen a lot of discussion from that lens
I'm glad it was appreciated. The Hedgehog and I are both mixed so we felt very passionately about this material haha
There's another sort of mixing possible, that of culture, and heritage. Ethnically I am Sami (an indigenous people in Northern Europe), culturally I struggle to connect to that heritage. I don't speak any of the Sami languages, only Norwegian and English (had a chance to learn it, but it was hard as I struggled a lot in school). I also don't have much of a connection to people. Some of this is caused by the Norwegian government's attempts at cultural assimilation during the twentieth century .
That's definitely something I'm curious about in the next season. Despite Mizu being told her whole life she's both white (probably British) and Japanese, she's never had any connection to European culture. I wonder if there's anything she'll connect with when going to the UK or if it'll be more of her feeling like she doesn't belong anywhere
@@Sootielove We'll see. Don't seem like the sort of heritage she has much interest in. Besides her being both makes her neither to both her heritages, as far as I know.
28:06 forget apache attack helicopter; the new queer identity of choice is Onryō.
Hell yeah.
Love it 😎
I always love your essays but DAMN SCREE! You cooked, this is probably my favourite video of yours. SO EXCELLENT!!!
The fighting in this series is so hype!
I really wish it was more consistent though, the dojo fight is all time great, the duel with Taigen or a fight with these samurai sent after Mizu are good as well, but later on the quality of choreography kinda falls down. The fight with clawed men when Mizu assembles the naginata is badass, but they enemies just kinda stand awkwardly there and die, same with an onryo flashback scene. Maybe it's not as apparent on first watch, but if you rewatch the scenes and look closer, you start seeing some flaws there that aren't really present in first 2-3 episodes.
New Idle Scree video lets gooooo!
Always happy to hear from you Kokallyyyyyy
As a mixed race jewish woman ive always found myself walking along the grey lines. Stories like this are so important for opening the discussions of nuisances when it comes to race.
This was surprisingly well done. I found this quite eye opening especially since a good amount of this applies to me in so many ways.
Binary itself, especially in regards to sex, ain't so binary. I really hate how much sex and gender are tied together.
I feel this show as a mixed White/Hispanic/ Native American, Lesbian, nerodivergent, and a Woman (i know I'm winning all the minority awards its not as fun as it sounds) and knowing the struggles my ancestors went through and what Natives are STILL going through all the sexism and homophobia still going around and the people who fought to get us to were we are now the struggles are really well done I love this show sends me to tears man
THE BAT IS BACK IN ACTION!!!! LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
I AMMMMMMM
@
Exactly!!! Also idlescree, something has been plaguing me for a while. How is it that you can talk as a bat?
Are your even human? Could it be possible that you and your crew are from a mysterious realm of unknown horror and beauty?
Hmmm sounds interesting for a story of some sort!
My theory is you guys are from a mystical realm and that’s why you guys can talk! And got curious on who and what these weird beings are? Our culture, beliefs, and behavior are very different from yours!!!
So. You guys started to investigate, and now you’re giving your information on the way you see our world!
Ahahaha…. Welp that’s a rap on my explanation of how a bat can talk to humans and speak are language!
Gosh… kind of weird but funny I hope!
Okay have a great day!
@@idlescreealso idle SCREEE this speaks volumes to me I am mixed race I haven’t had been treated badly for being mixed! Yet again maybe when I was in preschool there was a bully that bugged me a lot….. I don’t why he did! Maybe because of being mixed?
On Mizu's self identification: I don't think being forced to live as a man makes her identify as a man any more than a bisexual person forced to conform to straight culture makes them straight simply because it's easier for them to pass through society like that. Otherwise amazing video, just that one thing bothered my brain.
If I understand your point correctly, I think it's the difference between your true self identity and how you identify publicly -- these aren't necessarily the same.
As you say, a bisexual doesn't become straight if they're forced to conform to straight culture; but in a scenario where you're being forced to conform one way or another to fit in with what is socially demanded of you, then you do publicly identify as that conforming identity even if privately this is not your true self.
In a scenario where one is forced to live as a man, fulfil those socially branded roles and meet those socially gendered expectations in ALL regards -- are they not identifying as a man to that society regardless of their self identity?
@@IdlescreeBird They're identifying as a man in the same way that queer person would be identifying as straight: performatively, despite fulfilling all rolls.
For Mizu, it's easier to move through society as a man: this is a place where women have no agency and cannot travel without a man's permission. And less dangerous - as a woman there are plenty of men who would try to take advantage of her, and while Mizu is a badass, she's not invincible.
This contrast is shown when she's at the gate and the woman and her daughter are not allowed to enter the town in order to sell their baskets. Mizu has to hide her gender in order to achieve her goals.
I forgot this video came out, but I literally just watched this show so now I get to watch this video 😎
YAY IDLE IS BACK AGAIN!!!!
Oh and before I forget, I did find the "strong female protagonist done" discourse to miss the mark quite a bit, that and I feel like avoiding discourse that is made based on the premise to begin with (although some trust can go a long way in easing my worries).
I'm really interested to hear what you have to say on this because I loved everything about this show (the premise, the voice acting, the choreography, the animation, the side characters) other than Mizu. She really felt one-note in her brooding persona, and she clapped almost every fight she was in with little genuine struggle. I almost never felt like there was a chance she was actually challenged. Even when she was stabbed, poisoned, pinned under a half ton door, or suffering a spinal injury, she just walked it off after a minute like it was barely an inconvenience.
That's honestly a really interesting topic by itself that is worth it's own discussion honestly--the juxtaposition of the incredibly grounded setting with the Kill BIll/HEAVILLY styled action sequences...
@@idlescree Almost like it's worth a second video, perhaps? >:D
this was a gooooorgeous video, a super interesting look into the show and mizu herself, thank you !!!!
Blue Eye Samurai is a beautiful show with an incredible and very complex narrative. I loved this analysis of one of my favorite shows. I loved this video 😭💖
YEAH !!!!!! my favorit bat / The cuttess bat i ever see and who ever exist gonna do a vidéo on Blue Eye Samurai YOUHOU !!!!!
Local Blue Eyed Bat rants about a Blue Eye Samurai lets goooo
I think this bat and her crew are from another dimension of mystery and magic! 😂 😅…….
It's nice to see your enthusiastic avatar.
Ever since Samurai Shamploo and Samurai Jack and Afro Samurai I didn't think things could get better. This proved my doubts wrong ngl
Ringo is what brought me to the show. The animation coight my eye, butvi was during the short Netflix scene when you are hovering over a series on the catalog. When he said "my whole life has been a battle" I knew I HAD to watch this show
The name Mizu might have some connection to how a fire is present during many pivotal points of her story, she almost gets burned alive as a baby, the hut in the woods where she lived with her mom gets burned down, and then we have The Great Fire of 1657, all three of which she miraculously makes it out alive from. Mizu is like a suprisingly thoughtful name about how the gods have shown this child a longer path by extinguishing a fire (metaphorically) or the name could be a more derogatory "Quasimodo" type name, like she should have been culled but inexplicably defied death. This brings up something that makes Mizu's supposed invincibility interesting, the fact she is so invincible is neither here or there (blah blah OP female protag it's a samurai flick come on guys) it's moreso the question of is the fact she can walk off grievous injury supposed to be seen as an amazing feat of fortitude or is it supposed to read as sinister, like a demon you can't kill? is she a hero or a villain? a man or a monster? (and I hope that for the writers the second option of each isn't just a suggestion, that would make for a wayyy less interesting narrative. I loved seeing Mizu be on demon time 😮💨)
I DIDN"T SEE THE MARKING!!! Thank you so much
When Master Eiji was refusing to listen to Mizus confession It felt like he wanted her to stay and say those things rather then leave and say those things
A great analysis of a show I admire 💙 I really hope they get a season 2 😅😬🤞🏾
I don’t think it matters who Mizu’s dad is. I think parentage is another binary the show will reject.
the show genuinely intrigues me bc like, was the transmasc coding intentional or just accidental
We'll definitely be discussing that in the video O w O
Gender being one of the show's major themes, I'd be surprised if it wasn't at least in the writer's periphery. I know it's the Mulan story of a cis woman forced through circumstance to crossdress but the way they handle Mizu's relationship with her own gender, it gives her a lot of trans coding, both fem and masc
I don’t think there was any “coding” bc Mizu’s gender is complicated within the confines of the culture. The writers created a complex character that may not into any modern trope.
@@scilines Coding is generally irrelevant of the canon story. Same way aliens or robots are often coded as autistic despite being the result of alien biology or programming. Mizu has a lot of genderqueer coding due to her experiences with gender regardless of the story
Excellent analysis and exploration of various cultural binaries 🤓
IT PREMIERES WHILE I'M IN SCHOOL FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
NVM I CAME HOME DUE TO SICKNESS
RARE SICKNESS W
@@Captain_Ravioli7321 that’s is an awesome w! I loved those days when I was in school!
Same here, buddy. Same here.
IT PREMIERED WHEN I WAS AT WORK! IT NEVER GETS BETTER, DONT MEET YOUR HEROS, BUY GOLD, FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!
0:47 the show's visuals looks like a modern Zelda game
Excellent video, thanks for the enrichment
You finally got around to it.
Yeah, this video has been a long time coming.
Hey @@HedgehogEditor.
@@Ranked_Journey Sup
@@HedgehogEditor Trying to calm down so I can sleep. Hoping to have an okay weekend otherwise.
I think a really interesting discussion could be done on how Good Omens tackles good and evil and it's portrayal of the cast, Heaven and Hell in that context
I need more representation like this, where it’s not explicitly stated what or who they are representing and is left up to interpretation.
Amazing video. I never considered Seki as another person outside of the binary and you have the only video where Mizu meaning water was acknowledged and explored; I like to think she was named Mizu due to the blue of her eyes and her reaching that level of serenity, like water, comes when she accepts her eyes (much like how on the ship at the end she is not wearing dark glasses). Another story that looks at binary and intersection with mixed race characters and their role and acceptance in society which I would say is worth a read is Babel by R.F Kuang.
you should check out pantheon! it's amazing and on the level of blue eye samurai and arcane!
I've heard a lot of good things about Pantheon. I need to check it out.
I'm impressed that you made it all the way through without any reference to Hegel or Dialectics.
Okay, just finished watching the show. And for the record, most of this video already left the confines of my noggin by the time I started watching, so I didn't feel very spoiled anyway. Anyway, AMAZING show. It slaps sooooo good, can't wait for season 2!
sure hope there'll be a Season 2, assuming the reelected fascist regime doesn't end the world first.
Ghost of Tsushima is a Samurai tale which is more of a story of Jin Sakai scraficing everything to save his people despite losing everything
The story in the game he kills more with ruthless methods and uses terror becoming a folk story on the island yet the more he becomes ruthless he becomes more emphatic to those considered lower status
Lord Shimura represents dogmatic views of Samurai a slave to the code willing to scrafice his own men to do the honorable way of war
Jin Sakai is someone who used to be the ruling elite yet loses his social status and then is forced to become an outlaw while having to rid Tsushima of the Mongols
3:01 I got jumped red by Keith 😅
This finally made me watch blue eye samurai. I'll be back after i binged it o7 Edit: i watched it! 10/10 i love everything. Now time for the video
Let us know your thoughts!
@@HedgehogEditor took longer than i expected (school yay) BUT IT WAS SO GOOD MIZU MY DARLING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. I love every single character, the plot is so interesting and lived rent free in my head even when i couldnt continue watching.
awesome video ^^
I adore the show & your analysis was awesome. 🙏❤️🔥🙏
Now, I just need Netflix to release this super-Japanese show about this super-Japanese story in the actual Japanese language. I don't see how that part was missed.
So, I watched it in Spanish (I've never done that before, but it's great 👏).
It was made an American studio and is an English-production, but there is a Japanese dub available.
I hadn't interpreted Mizu as literally being trans or anything, but she does give off enby vibes.
After hearing that reading, I have several questions: What's the cross between a "Hindu" (Indian) and an African? And if whites are so culturally and racially superior, shouldn't their traits override those of the "lesser races" instead of being subsumed by them?
I realize I'm speaking from the future to the past but even so, surely SOMEONE must have asked a question like this, bc we know earlier peoples did: the Spanish and French had entire hierarchies of "racial purity".
ahh this is a great analysis. gender as a social construct and a performance is such an interesting topic
Next season: narrow eye mob
❤︎ thank you for this ❤︎
Xo from ur local nonbinary goblin
Thank you for watching!
Whelp, I have something new to watch. The whole conflict of being mixed as an American is something that I've always had some... issue with due to the fact of *what* I'm mixed with. Like if you're white, and mostly European immigrant, no one will bat an eye.
But if you let them know that among the Italian, Irish, German, and French (all groups that I'm sure at the time of their 'mixing' were treated with much racism and I'm sure that's why these families got together and 'mixed') there's also four tribes of Indigenous American tribes (Apache, Crow, whatever the fet 'French Indian' is, and something that the family doesn't even know) along with a touch of Roma, and suddenly you get judging looks for something you can't control. You go and watch reels or shorts where modern indigenous tribes are showing the slightest bit of pride in who they are or even filling off monuments dedicated to those who colonized and outright performed acts of geocode on and suddenly the comments will be flooded with racism and cries of "We won! Get over it!" Or "So what?! You guys were doing it to other tribes before the white people came along!"
Stuff like that... it just... makes me wonder where I fit in. Is my more than 1/16th native too native to be 'white enough' if other people find out, is it too little if I ever want to explore that side of my heritage? Is that one spit of Roma that my father claims is there something that others would judge me on?
Even those things that are 'white enough' get judged sometimes. One time I had rested my head on a table at a gas station in Sauk Centre (a clearly native name), and a cop stopped me and asked for my ID, when he saw my last name and inquired about its origin, that being Italian, he was all like "I've never seen and *I*talian with blue eyes before..."
I had to inform him that I'm an American and that's why the blue eyes.
I don't know where to go with the rest of this rambling. Thanks for this video, I have something new to watch, and thank you for all your bat squeaks. Always a delight to hear.
No me esperaba la cita a una rola de Rebecca Lane
🩷🩵💙🩵 🩷 🤎
❤❤❤❤❤
😭🥰😘
Not Strong A Female Hero
Not Strong A Female Hero?
27:27 thisbis a disgusting reframing of a scene that transitioned from 2 consenting adults practicing martial arts to something unconsentual.
I skipped to this part to hear your take. I'm glad to know I dont have to waste over half an hour of my life with the rest.
As a white man, I really appreciated them finally making a male villain of European descent.
It's been a long time coming, and I've never felt more seen. 😈
Blue eyed samurai was so cringy - you could tell that white men executives wanted to feel persecuted for their whiteness AND didn't want to pay for writers during the strike
What a terrible opinion-- and also wrong.
dont tell on yourself too hard mate
you've got such strong bias you've invented a backstage plot with no evidence
"you could tell"
nuh uh buddy.
You're the only one who thinks that.
Dont include anyone else in a collective "you"... say it as it is
ie
"I personally think no white man would ever approve a show like this. I think the only reason they'd ever approve it is some reverse racism BS. As I myself have got a gut feeling on it and Im sticking to that. Gut feelings based on skin colour have never ever been wrong so Im certain that Im correct to accuse strangers I havent researched of racism for... producing a very well thought out show"