Blue Eye Samurai Fans: Watch This Fantasy Series!
If you're a fan of Blue Eye Samurai and eagerly awaiting its return, there's another captivating fantasy series on Netflix that will undoubtedly satisfy your craving for action-packed animation and mature storytelling.
The first season of Blue Eye Samurai left a significant mark with its compelling narrative, breathtaking animation, and emotionally resonant character arcs. The confirmation of a second season has only intensified the anticipation among fans. While the wait continues, another gripping series on Netflix shares many of the same qualities.
This series, spanning four seasons, boasts a dedicated cult following and delivers a dark, violent, and exceptionally well-written experience. It offers complex characters, tackles mature themes, and presents striking visuals, much like Blue Eye Samurai. This is a series that respects its viewers' intelligence and avoids talking down to them.
Why Blue Eye Samurai Fans Will Love Castlevania
What makes Blue Eye Samurai so captivating is not only its beautiful animation and intense fight choreography, but also the emotional depth behind every strike. Created by Amber Noizumi and Michael Green, the series blends historical fiction with a fierce revenge story that rivals live-action dramas.
Mizu (Maya Erskine), the biracial swordswoman in Edo-period Japan, embarks on a path of vengeance that has resonated deeply with fans. Her quest to reclaim her identity, autonomy, and humanity in a world determined to erase her is a powerful narrative.
The supporting characters, including Taigen (Darren Barnet), Akemi (Brenda Song), and the treacherous Fowler (Kenneth Branagh), add layers of complexity to the story, creating a world that is both brutal and emotionally rich. This depth is a key ingredient for fans of this type of action-packed drama.
If the gorgeously brutal storytelling of Blue Eye Samurai has left you wanting more, Castlevania is an essential next watch.
Castlevania: A Dark Fantasy Series with Similar Appeal
Based on the classic Konami video games, this animated Netflix show ran for four seasons, offering a similarly mature blend of stylized violence, emotional complexity, and morally gray characters. The story centers on Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage), a disgraced monster hunter who joins forces with Sypha Belnades (Alejandra Reynoso) and Alucard (James Callis) to confront Dracula (Graham McTavish).
Like Blue Eye Samurai, Castlevania doesn't shy away from graphic violence, but it balances this with well-developed character arcs and growth. Both shows explore the pain of being an outsider and the destructive nature of vengeance.
Alucard’s internal conflict, torn between his monstrous father and the humanity he is fighting to protect, mirrors Mizu’s journey. Castlevania also features a strong philosophical core, with characters frequently debating morality, free will, and the cost of power.
The visuals in Castlevania are equally impressive. While it leans more into gothic horror, the animation is fluid, the action scenes are dynamic, and the art direction is meticulous. It has garnered praise for its storytelling, boasting a 94% critics score and an 89% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Expanding the Universe: Castlevania: Nocturne
After completing the four seasons of Castlevania, you can continue the adventure with Castlevania: Nocturne, a sequel series set in 18th-century France during the rise of Erzsebet Báthory, a vampire messiah. The show follows Richter Belmont (Edward Bluemel), a descendant of Trevor, as he joins a resistance of vampire hunters, revolutionaries, and magic users to stop a supernatural apocalypse.
Castlevania: Nocturne successfully builds upon the original while introducing a new cast and tone. Just as Blue Eye Samurai reinvents the revenge drama, Nocturne revitalizes gothic fantasy with a revolutionary twist.
The character work remains compelling, with standout roles like Annette (Thuso Mbedu) and Edouard (Sydney James Harcourt) adding new voices and cultural layers. Richter’s personal journey, navigating legacy and trauma, offers the kind of internal conflict that Blue Eye Samurai fans will appreciate.
Like its predecessor, Nocturne doesn't hold back on brutal action and heavy themes. It’s stylish, politically charged, and emotionally resonant - everything you'd expect from a high-quality animated Netflix show.
With only one season released so far, Castlevania: Nocturne provides a perfect bridge between finishing Castlevania and waiting for Mizu’s return in Blue Eye Samurai season 2. So, if you're looking for your next animated series fix, consider diving into the world of Castlevania.