By Carolyn Giardina

“Blue Eye Samurai” is expected to win three jury-judged awards for its achievements in animation – for character design, production design and storyboard – and will also compete for two competitive awards, including for animated program, at the upcoming Creative Arts Emmys.

The stylized Netflix series follows Mizu (Maya Erskine), a mixed-race vigilante with piercing blue eyes who lives in disguise while seeking revenge in Edo-period Japan. "We really had to try to make this animation stand out from the show," says director and executive producer Jane Wu, adding that she looked for inspiration in "what touched [me] in a magical way … because there is magic in animation."

This included drawing inspiration from the distinctive Japanese Bunraku puppets, which have sculpted heads and hands with elaborate costumes, and were operated by a trio of puppeteers dressed in black. Wu says she was drawn to them because of “the stylization in their movements, and how incredibly emotional that was.”