A new adult animated series is taking Netflix by storm. Blue Eye Samurai has been racking up viewership and glowing reviews from critics, raising the question of whether season 2 is a possibility.
The series, which dropped on November 3, follows Mizu (Maya Erskine), a young mixed-race warrior and swordmaster who sets out on a quest for vengeance: she is going to kill the four white men who remained illegally in Japan after the country closed its borders to the outside world during the Edo period. However, her quest is complicated by the fact that she is a woman and biracial. To navigate a patriarchal system, she is forced to hide her gender and her blue eyes, which are evidence of her mixed race. What follows is a bloody, vivid, and breathtakingly animated revenge story.
Blue Eye Samurai boasts a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and nabbed 2.9 million views during its first week of streaming. It explores many interesting themes about race, sexism, and justice while delving into the 17th-century culture of Japan. Viewers also can’t get over how beautifully animated it is. Blue Eye Samurai is vibrant and visually striking, adding another layer to the complex, blood-soaked fight scenes. Which is why fans may not be ready to let this innovative new series go.
Is Blue Eye Samurai renewed for season 2?
Blue Eye Samurai has not been officially renewed for a second season. However, it has not been canceled either, meaning a second season could still happen. Given that it has only been out for a few weeks, Netflix likely needs more time to gauge its success and determine if a second season could be profitable. The positive reviews and viewership numbers—and the fact that the finale ends on a cliffhanger—bode well for Blue Eye Samurai‘s chances of renewal.
Co-creator Michael Green has been reminding viewers how to get a show renewed on Netflix. Last year, when Netflix started canceling many hit shows, Green reminded viewers to watch shows all the way through on the streamer as quickly as possible so that Netflix counts it in the show’s completion rate. One of the main factors Netflix uses to decide whether a show should be renewed is how many viewers complete the season after starting it. This metric has led to many popular and well-reviewed shows getting abruptly canceled. According to Green, Netflix includes viewers who finish the season in 28 days in the completion rate.
Blue Eye Samurai production designer Jason Scheier also took to X to remind viewers to watch the series all the way through. He indicated that this is the key to getting season 2 greenlit.
It’s interesting to see the show’s creative team being so transparent about Netflix’s system. This gives viewers some idea of how Netflix’s renewals work and what they need to do to save their favorite shows, given that streamers aren’t always very open about their metrics. If viewers continue working to complete the series within a 28-day timeframe, alongside all the good reviews and ratings, Blue Eye Samurai‘s season 2 renewal may be within reach.
(featured image: Netflix)
Published: Nov 20, 2023 06:02 pm