Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima dubs Netflix's Blue Eye Samurai "the best anime of the year"

New Netflix series Blue Eye Samurai just got a glowing endorsement from Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima. 

The Japanese game designer took to Twitter recently to describe the show as "the best anime of the year", suggesting that creators Michael Green and Amber Noizumi must have seen what the medium did with the likes of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Arcane and bettered it.

"Everything is wonderful," he gushed of the eight-episode series. "Everything is all beautiful! Without a doubt, the best anime of the year! It is a visual work that transcends the common sense of animation!

"Is the avenging demon a demon or a samurai? Is it really a monster?" Kojima writes. "The theme and message are simple. The characters are also well-designed! At first, I wasn't sure about Ringo, Taigen, and Akemi, I'm like 'let alone the main character, Mizu!' But as their backgrounds are told, I felt more and more sympathy for them and found them attractive. Highly recommended!" Kojima concluded, adding that those who aren't tuning in are missing out.

Set during Japan's Edo period in the 17th Century, Blue Eye Samurai centers on Mizu, a mixed-race rōnin with exceptional swordmanship, who embarks on a vengeful, blood-soaked quest against four white men. Despite the closing of the country's borders by the Tokugawa shogunate, the quartet of Westerners remain illegally in the country – and one of them just might be her rapist father.

Its voice cast includes the likes of Everything Everywhere All at Once's Stephanie Hsu, Darren Barnet, Kenneth Branagh, Brenda Song, George Takei, Randall Park, and Maya Erskine.

Blue Eye Samurai is streaming now on Netflix. If anime is not your thing, check out our list of the best Netflix shows for some viewing inspiration.