An Unexpected Element is the second episode of the first season of the Netflix adult animated action Blue Eye Samurai.
Synopsis[]
With a squad of deadly assassins on her trail, Mizu forges ahead — but hits a hiccup when she and Ringo arrive in town on a festival day.
Plot[]
In this episode, Mizu follows the road through a cedar forest. She ducks off the path in an attempt to lose Ringo (who is still following her) only to run into him, remarking that he moves quietly despite being so large. Irritably telling him to stay away, she rebuffs his attempts to be "useful" to her and ignores his endless questions about her white heritage. Ringo promises she can trust him and that he will always keep her secrets, but when he nearly mentions the fact that she is female, she cleaves a small tree in two and points her sword at him, threatening to kill him if she sees him again.
Not long after, Mizu reaches a guard checkpoint at a river crossing. As she withdraws her money, Mizu notices a man ahead of her being seized and sentenced to flogging for trying to bribe the guards. She attempts to backtrack away from the checkpoint, but the guard grabs her shoulder, demanding her travel pass. Before a fight can break out, Ringo steps in with his father's travel pass (which covers two), claiming Mizu is his apprentice cook and forgot hers ("He's a bit dim"). Allowed through, Mizu attempts to lose Ringo at a nearby cemetary, only to run straight into him yet again. She warns him "You will not find what you seek at my side" and that she will stop at nothing for her revenge. Ringo naively says he loves revenge, dismissing her warnings of the carnage ahead and saying he can train and help her, just as he did under his father. Mizu points out making soba is very different from war, but Ringo argues that his entire life has been a battle, to overcome and adapt to his disability. Unable to argue that, Mizu reluctantly lets him tag along, to Ringo's delight.
They make for the coastal fishing town of Mihonoseki, where Mizu hopes to hire a boat to Tanabe island. As they traverse a treacherous path along the cliffs, she remarks that he doesn't have to be here, clarifying that she isn't after Heiji Shindo, but the white man he protects; if she can hire a boat, she can reach Tanabe before dawn. Noticing Mihonoseki's checkpoint and guard towers are unmanned, and its outer suburbs seem deserted, they soon realize the entire town is gathered at the center in celebration of the New Year. Mizu dismisses Ringo's interest in the festivities, reminding him they aren't here for fun. She find two drunken fishermen willing to take them to Tanabe, but they refuse to leave until the next day. Mizu insists she must travel now, but the fishermen explain that business is closed for the Hadaka Matsuri festival, wanting to purify themselves and celebrate the kami to avoid a bad New Year. Noting that all the other boatmen are similarly inebriated, Mizu agrees not to leave until morning. Running into Ringo again, she buys a silver bell from a curiosity stand and ties it around Ringo's ankle to announce his presence, telling him that if he takes it off, he is discharged as her 'apprentice'. Intending to train in her spare time, Mizu heads back to the cliffs surrounding the town, but tells Ringo he should stay and enjoy the festivities; she suggests he might enjoy a life here more than his father's village, and would be safer than staying with her, saying "there's no shame, in making a home here." Ringo insists he should not leave his master's side and will rejoin her tomorrow, but is quickly distracted by the festivities.
Setting up camp on the eastern cliffs, Mizu trains among a grove of gnarled trees, visualizing them as attacking samurai. She cuts through nearly all her targets on the first strike, though a thicker one stops her. She goes down the the seashore and strips to her undergarments, immersing herself in the frigid sea for a short while. Reminiscing about her time with Eiji (remembering his words that "we can only mind our own soul") and her encounter with Chiaki, she emerges more focused. Replacing her clothes and returning to the forest grove, she practices a one-handed handstand atop a stump, then performs a handspring maneuver off of it, cutting through an even thicker tree in the process. Hearing a rustling sound nearby, she advances, only to discover a sparrow. She walks away- not seeing Taigen watching her through the trees. Resting at her campfire at sunset, Mizu dreams of attacking and killing one of the white men, only to see that her target has her face, jolting her awake. She taps the X tattoo on her arm, reassuring herself that the white man will die tomorrow. Hearing the drums signaling the Hadaka Matsuri in the town below, she considers going down to watch the fun- only for a thrown dao broadsword to pierce the tree right behind her. Springing up, she draws her katana as the Four Fangs- a private company of masked assassins- emerge from the trees. Mizu remarks that she doesn't know them and has no dispute with them, but the Fangs' leader replies that she has made wealthy enemies. He tells her to remove her glasses, saying they know who she is and that all of Kyoto is talking about the unnamed samurai who cut through Shindo Dojo. Acquiescing, Mizu says that she has a name, but the leader replies that no one will know it. After two brief clashes, they back her toward the edge of the cliff. As the leader cackles (a laugh Mizu recognizes) she suddenly jumps backwards, landing on a narrow ledge partway down the cliff. One by one, the Four Fangs jump down to various ledges above, below and around Mizu, encircling her. However, with her lighter build and better balance, she has the advantage. Maneuvering precisely along the cliff as they try to approach, she cuts the throat of one of the Fangs and severs another's arms. The remaining two force her further down the cliff, then begin throwing their dao at her. Mizu deflects two, but the third slashes her right shoulder, causing her to lose her balance and fall. However, she catches herself on an upraised rock, using the same single-handstand technique she practiced in the forest earlier. As she struggles to hold her balance, one of the two remaining Fangs jumps down, dao raised for the kill. At the last minute, Mizu performs her handspring maneuver, launching herself upward and spinning to cleave him in half as he drops past. However, she has no time to catch herself again, slamming into the cliff several times as she falls. She finally lands on the shore, dazed, but the waves lapping her face quickly wake her. She rises just as the Fang's leader jumps down to face her. Acknowledging that Mizu may actually deserve his 'true' blade, the leader draws a familiar-looking broken katana, revealing himself as Chiaki. Mizu remarks that his sword is stolen, but Chiaki cackles and removes his mask, saying she is still 'soft.' Taking fighting stances, they charge; Mizu holds her own against Chiaki despite his greater bulk and her wound, maneuvering through their clashes and locking blades briefly before she forces him back with a kick. However, as they charge each other again, she notices Taigen hurrying behind a rock nearby. Her distraction allows Chiaki to slash her hip; battered and bloodied, Mizu staggers to her knees, dropping her blade.
Chiaki charges her from behind for the killing blow. At the last second, Mizu snatches up her blade and hurls it behind her, impaling Chiaki through the chest. As she approaches him, he weakly protests that he doesn't deserve death "by an impure hand" but Mizu simply withdraws her blade, deadpanning "Goodbye, Blood-Soaked Chiaki" and leaving him to die. She starts to limp away, then stops as Taigen emerges from behind the rock. When he claims he is owed his honor, Mizu coldly challenges him to come take it. However, as they charge each other, she suddenly collapses, weakened by exhaustion and bloodloss. Taigen raises his sword, but cannot bring himself to kill a defenseless opponent.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Maya Erskine as Mizu
- Masi Oka as Ringo
- Brenda Song as Akemi
- Darren Barnet as Taigen
- Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as The Swordmaker
- George Takei as Seki
- Randall Park as Heiji Shindo
- Kenneth Branagh as Abijah Fowler
Guest[]
- Marcus Choi as Kohei, Drunk Boat Captain, Checkpoint Guard
- Mark Dacascos as Chiaki, Referee
- Patrick Gallagher as Daichi
- Karen Huie as Priestess
- Matt Yang King as Smiley, Drunk Teenager
- Lee Shorten as Complainer Samurai, Yoshi
- Brian Takahashi as Even Drunken Mate, Rinji
- Gedde Watanabe as Kenzou, Chiba
- Jane Wu as Lovelorn Lady
Gallery[]
