‘Blue Eye Samurai’ Wins Big at the Emmy Awards

The Big Picture

• Netflix’s ‘Blue Eye Samurai’ scored three wins in juried Emmy categories, leading all programs.
• The critically-acclaimed animated series follows Maya Erskine as the mixed-race swordmaster Mizu on a quest for revenge during Japan’s Edo period.
• HBO and Max led the awards among all platforms, with four total wins in different categories.

There’s still a lengthy wait ahead for the 76th Emmy Awards, but the Television Academy is getting things started early with its juried category awards. Each year, a panel of professionals screens entrants in groups like Animation, Costume Design, Emerging Media Programming, and Motion and Title Design to deliberate over who and what among each category is worthy of an Emmy in those fields. This year, the group came out of the one-step voting process with a clear winner, giving the first season of Netflix’s animated gem Blue Eye Samurai an early lead with three wins already under its belt. These honors and more will be presented at the 76th Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE on Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8.

Blue Eye Samurai secured awards for Character Design under Brian Kesinger, Production Design under Toby Wilson, and Storyboard under Ryan O’Loughlin. The animation across the entire season was a major point of praise, but Episode 5, “The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride,” was particularly hailed for the achievements of its team. It’s a big win for the French animation studio Blue Spirit as well, which also co-produced the series under husband and wife creative duo Amber Noizumi and Michael Green. This may not be the last award the series earns either, as it’s also up for the Outstanding Animated Program Emmy, competing against critically acclaimed titans like X-Men ’97 and Scavengers Reign.

Set during Japan’s Edo period, Blue Eye Samurai follows Mizu (Maya Erskine), a swordmaster spurned in society as a woman of mixed race. She seeks vengeance against four white men who’ve remained illegally in the country and could be her father, including the ruthless Abijah Fowler (Kenneth Branagh) who plans to overthrow the current Shogun. The series was hailed last year as a bold, bloody, and sexy new addition to the streamer’s animated catalog that is only the beginning of a larger overarching tale. A second season was ordered to continue Mizu’s quest for revenge on the other three men and the creators also have ideas for as many as four seasons and potential spinoffs, assuming Netflix is willing.

What Else Scored Wins Among the Juried Emmy Categories?

While Blue Eye Samurai was the big winner and the only show in the awards to earn more than one honor, HBO and Max got the last laugh with four total wins, beating out every other platform. Their victories came in Background Design with an episode of Scavengers Reign, Character Animation with the Adventure Time spinoff series Fionna and Cake, Character Design with Lord Miller’s recently-canceled but well-liked Clone High reboot, and under Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming with Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music. One of those wins is also a slight benefit for Netflix though, as Scavengers Reignnow calls the streamer its home.

Other notable winners include Peacock’s stop-motion interview series In the Know and the Ron Howard documentary Jim Henson: Idea Man. The full list can be found on the Television Academy’s official website. Additionally, an edited version of the ceremony will be aired on Saturday, September 14, at 8 p.m. PT on FXX. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the future of Blue Eye Samurai, which can be streamed in its entirety on Netflix.

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