Mizu's "mother" was a maid, paid to raise her. When the money ran out, She abandoned Mizu. When Mizu returned, she took advantage of it to marry Mizu for her own benefit. Then when that went south, she told the soldiers about Mizu for money. a lot makes sense once you know she wasn't Mizu's mother.

33:05 I really love the symbolism, when Taigen said that he just wants to be happy with Akemi the background is clear blue sky and green trees, but when Akemi says she wants to be great, the background is destruction, a burning building

"he's going to kill you, with a sword" was my favorite line in this episode. So much gratification in that moment.

Mizu following Fowler like a horror movie villain is great. Keeping Fowler alive is one of the greatest decisions this show ever made.

“You can’t die, you don’t know how” this line is amazing

I’ve been watching Angela’s reactions for almost two years now and I swear I never saw her this satisfied at 27:35 lmaoooooo like never ever ever

Fun fact: the Great Fire of Kyoto actually happened, the entire city was ablaze for 3 days and it ended killing up to 100k people. Many shows/movies use it as a plotline, showing in different ways how it actually happens, since we don't know for sure how it started.

I like how Taigen in the end is the "I don't want to be horny anymore. I just want to be happy" meme, and Akemi is the "I am no longer baby I want power" meme.

"I want to be great" literal chills

A trip from Japan to England would go south, by India, down the east coast of Africa, around the Cape of Good Hope, and up the west of Africa and past Spain and Portugal. In the age of sail, and before effective clocks were invented (and thus allowing navigators to fix longitude), the trip took 8-12 months depending on the winds. Not for the faint of heart. And clearly Mizu needs help to get her revenge - she knows nothing about London, the trip, or (most especially) any English at all. She would have no hope at all of finding anyone if she went to England by herself. She could probably force Fowler to teach her English during the trip, since it's quite long - but again that's something else she needs Fowler for.

The contrast between Akemi standing in front of flames while tiegan was stood in front of green countryside is telling to where these 2 characters are heading

You can't kill the only dude in all of Japan that knows what London is, let alone how yo get there. Shitty, but makes sense to me Loved your reactions to the seasons btw! Good stuff

The scene where fowler turned around and mizu looked straight like a demon is one of the dopest shots ever🔥👀😈

Akemi and Taigen essentially switched roles. At the start of the season it was Akemi who just wanted to be free and happy and didn't care about the power. She was content to marry a poor fisherman's son for love whereas Taigen was worried about his station and honor. At the end it was Akemi who wants power, greatness and is willing to sacrifice love to achieve that goal annd Taigen would be content with leading a happy and simple life with Akemi. I don't think it's inconceivable that Akemi could turn into the antagonist of one of the future seasons.

When Keneth Branagh plays a villain you know it’s going to be good. Ever since he played Iago in Othello he had killed being a complex and nuanced bad guy.

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood would be amazing to see your reactions to! I've been thinking about rewatching it recently. Its kind of childish at points, but definitely gets very dark with lots of mystery. Lots of action and great characters.

Great, now I’m going to say “phenomenical” without meaning to, thanks a lot 🤣❤️

The journey to London will take them past Asia, Arabia, aaaaaall the way around Africa, then finally, Europe. It's going to take the better part of a year. I imagine we're going to have at least one episode dedicated to it in season 2.

Personally I think you would enjoy Castlevania, there are 4 seasons but none of them is that long (Season 1 is so short it could be lumped in as a prologue to S2, more like a sliced-up intro movie). Like this show, it is very dark and supremely gruesome, but is a brilliant mix between action and gothic horror (call it a 30/70 mix). Unsettling quantities of blood & monsters...top-notch animation and the voice acting is extremely on-point. (Also lots of very handsome, very broody boys that I think would be right up your alley 😉)

Akemi going to run Japan leaving Taigen free for Mizu? 👀👀👀 I hope he’s on the boat

Commenting for the first time ever on a video to put a heavy vote in for castlvania! The depth of the characters, animation & world building is something I know you'll appreciate with your whole heart!

I couldn’t possibly be more in love with this show. I need season 2 *now*

The way they showed the carnage of what happens when you put the old against the new, samurai against guns, the terrifying scene of you knowing these soldiers don’t stand a chance against them! I can’t wait for the recreation/interpretation of old London because this art is absolutely amazing and how they’ll have Mizu beat the other two blue eyed demons! I want season 2 to come out already 😭 there’s behind the scenes episodes where they went into old research and everything it’s very satisfying to watch how much they put into this 💜

I haven't heard you mention "Cyberpunk Edgerunners" you NEED to watch it! - its an amazing series - quite graphic, but i had it previously as my #3 (after AtLA and Arcane)... I think Blue Eye Samurai might take it's place though... Although - if you are looking for "awesome series that seem overlooked" - go watch "Black Sails".. it's essentially a prequel to "Treasure Island" - and is my favourite pirate/historical show at the moment :)

I feel like the series explores the different paths that characters have taken in the face of overwhelming injustice and cruelty. Ringo is a pure soul whose moral compass has never faltered. Fowler is a fascinating, compelling villain who has seen the worst of humanity and chooses to play it to his advantage. In between, you have Akemi, Taigen, and Mizu, who are finding their own paths and moral arcs.

Love your reactions! So glad you enjoyed the show! It really is a great show! But did you notice what Fowler said during his fight with Mizu? That her maid (adopted mother) was the 1 that turned her in for the reward for the opium. Meaning her husband tho a coward at the moment was truly innocent.

So it looks like it was her "maid" who turned her in, in episode 5? Just like Arcane, another great show, we got a big story to follow next season.

I definitely recommend Attack on Titan. It's a show that even non anime fans will appreciate

Lol you said "That's Shitty" and then I immediately had a toilet paper commercial😂

Would love to see you do Full Metal Alchemist or Castlevania. Castlevania is generally the darker of the two, but FMA isn't afroid to absolutely savagely rip your heart out when appropriate. FMA is only a couple seasons (longer if you add on FMA: Brotherhood which picks up near the end of FMA and changes the ending to follow the manga) but it's a really incredible anime, and I can't recommend it enough.

45:51 I highly recommend *_”Violet Evergarden”._* It follows a former child soldier as she finds new meaning in life in a world based on post-WWI Europe. Higher budget and shorter runtime along with being a passion project for the studio means it has exceptional production value. Story, character development, world building, art style, music, etc are all incredibly beautiful. Suggestive themes but no sexual content. Bloody violence but not glorified. Emotionally driven and very heartwarming, focus is put on losing loved ones and continuing to live. It’s been described as particularly good for people newer to anime. It’s not going to win a poll against something like *_”Attack on Titan”,_* but lots of people say they wished they watched it sooner. Definitely a sleeper hit, and can be finished in a small fraction of the time of major series. I’d compare it to *_”Arcane”_* and *_”The Last of Us”_* in multiple ways. I hope you consider *_”Violet Evergarden”,_* preferably sooner than later. Feels like your kind of show, and before starting bigger anime feels like ideal timing. Either way, I look forward to your dive into anime in general.

No sex , no violence but a solid well written emotional drama: "Extraordinary attorney Woo" :)

Her revenge was to find the man that made her a "monster". Killing all 4 would mean that she definitely achieved her goal. Having information that narrows her search is valuable to her in the moment. She will stand out in London. The only thing I DON'T want to happen is for Mizu and Fowler to form any type of alliance. I was not a fan of where this is going. She is going to be at sea for a looooonnnnnggg time. I see no clear path to her goal. But, WOW! What a show, huh? When Akemi said, "I want to be great", that was almost as satisfying as Taigen killing Shindo the way he deserved to be killed. Love your reactions! Keep up the great work!

Great reactions to a great show as usual, Angela. Can't wait for Season 2! Recommendation: A Studio Ghibli film called When Marnie was There. I saw this one recently and funnily enough I thought of you. It's a bit different than the other animated shows/ films that you've reacted to but it's still a good one IMO, and I'm curious as to what you would think of it.

finally we get to the finale! cant wait to see your reaction to this masterpiece of a show!

I think the fate of Akemi’s father is up in the air. If he died in the fire then his power would fall to some other man. But if he “survived” and is under Akemi’s “care” then she would have to communicate “his wishes” and really have control. It could go either way, but I read it as he’s really dead and Akemi is making a move.

Just to add to the list, Cowboy Bebop is a beautiful mature character driven anime, and is a space western noir, which is just amazing as a sentence.

Another absolutely incredible adult animated series that you should check out is Scavengers Reign. It came out around the same time as Blue Eye Samurai and went even more under the radar. It's a really beautiful and unique sci fi story about surviving on an alien planet (with some pretty scary horror elements as a warning). Definitely recommend anyone interested to check it out because it hasnt been renewed for a second season yet and i desperately need it to continue!

Fowler is not only a really good fighter, he's also smart, something we see in his fight scenes. If Fowler gets more time, he could escape. He's rescourcefull (like with his sister's kidneys). Even in a locked cell, he can be dangerous. He's kind of a prick, but I absolutely adore Fowler as a character. He's nicely written.

Taigen will likely follow Mizu to London

Seeing a character building dialogue that informs you of their backstory and their motivations in a powerful and somewhat organic way makes me so frustrated by other shows that do a poor job of it. It feels like that’s a key part of writing a story worth telling that I’m surprised some writers and showrunners are able to keep their job after fucking it up. The best of the best don’t even have to have dialogue, but weave it into the character’s actions and interactions so just having a character sort of lay it out for you should be the *minimum* requirement. This show handles it very well

The cool thing about Akemi saying her father was alive is that, as you say, we don't actually *see* it. Akemi could easily be lying, which would effectively make her the "speaker" for her entire clan, giving her *significant* political clout and the ability to rule "through" her father. Who's going to betray her? Her super-loyal attendants? I don't think so. Seki was the only one who saw that he was locked in a cell, and for obvious reasons, he won't tell anyone either.

I am glad you enjoyed it. I try to convince my family to watch it but my parents arent really into animation and my sibling is watching to many already.. 😅 Also I LOVE the german voice action! they really choose the right people imo ^^

We don't know the time frame with Mizu on the ship. So we really don't know who is also on the ship. They didn't show the crew for one.

Fullmetal Alchemist would destroy you emotionally... but it IS really good. As is Attack on Titan. I think if you're going to have your first official anime reaction it'd be cool if it was a movie instead of a full on series just to test the audience's enjoyment. Castlevania is a really good pick too but it's what... 5 seasons now? Unless you double up like you do for Avatar you'd be making a TON of animated content and potentially alienating non animation fans. Just my 2 cents :3

Thank you for rreacting to this amasing movie! It is one of my favorit series on Netflix. The other one amazing sries is The Last Kingdom. If you decide to watch it, you will not regret! Greetings from Denmark!

I would like to request either a review of, or just to watch in general, the Spartacus show. Magnificent show about the famous gladiator. Checks ALL the boxes: great acting, plot twists, revenge, great bad guys, payouts coming to fruition, slow hooks, multiple plot lines converging and colliding. Plus a good level of gratuitous violence, sex, and language as one would want to have in a series. The order is 1.Blood & Sand 2. Gods of the Arena 3. Vengeance 4. War of the Damned

Yay!! We've reached the end of the series. Loved these reactions Angela. Percy Jackson next week?

Rewatching this with you, it occurs to me now that Fowler probably knows exactly who Mizu's father is. There's no reason why they'd need to wipe out all of those kids unless the father was some kind of high-ranking aristocrat who couldn't afford to leave bastard children behind to possibly contest some family inheritance someday, and of the two Englishmen left to be found, one is probably higher ranking than the other.

I'm really glad this was an anime because I don't know if I could handle seeing Kenneth Branagh and Randall park play these roles in live action lol It'd be a One Hour Photo situation

If you’re looking for a show to fill the void after Korra, I would try the dragon prince it has the same writer as atla, Sokkas VA plays one of the main characters and makes several references to the show

Love this show, looking forward to were they take it in series 2

I was a bit confused at first as to why Fowler was SO overpowered, but it does kinda make sense in that 1. he's Northern European, and they're genuinely built taller than Japanese people 2. He's extremely well-fed and has been training for twenty years. Mizu is extremely skilled but probably rarely gets three square meals, and fuel and sheer mass count a lot in a brawl

Severance and this were my favorites of this year too, I also really enjoyed Gen V. I think I like it better than The Boys. I would love to see you react to it.

Yes, CASTLEVANIA, dear God, please do Castlevania. Sorry, lol. 😅

The revelation about Mizu's adoptive mother lead me to two theories : Her mother is one of the white "men". The show made a point about everyone assuming Mizu is a man and Mizu showed us she did not have any information about the four that came, not even their name. She could be assuming they were all men. Her father if he is european, might not be the horrible man she thinks he is. A maid was paid enough to keep a problem child alive for years. We don't know exactly why the child was targeted and by who. She might have been a desired child for all we know. In any case, it is clear to me the show is showing that Mizu's hatred is both efficient but more destructive than anything. I heavily doubt the end of her story will be "and then she killed her father, justifying that her race based hate was right all along".

"You can't die, you don't know how." Great line. That's right up there with Kratos from God of War: Ragnarök. "Death can have me, when it *earns* me."

I’m very late to make a statement, especially since this is my second time viewing this video. But when Akemi speaks about caring for her burnt father did you hear the music playing? Ep. 5 “hate is like a typhoon that starts as a breeze at sea” with that same song playing along side it. Akemi has discovered love tainted with betrayal and it’s obvious that she serves as Mizu’s foil. Japan’s stimga has created another Onryo.

Yeah I know this is a fictional period drama but if you know a little US/Japan history there are some interesting historical moments on the horizon for Japan following the events in the film. Including the "opening" of Japan to the world. In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry led a diplomatic expedition to Japan to re-establish trade and discourse with the western world. What this entailed was him showing up with a small fleet of the US's best ships with gifts for the Emperor. But he also brought a contingent of Marines and the ships were loaded to the hilt to encourage Japan to "open". It worked and trade was established. This was also a turning point for Japan. They went from essentially a medieval feudalistic country to an industrial powerhouse in roughly 40 years much faster than anyone expected. During which they sent envoys to countries around the world learning and copying superpowers of the time. Then in two small wars they shocked the world winning decisive battles against China and later Russia. Their only major limitations were fuel and Minerals. America continued to be an ally and trade partner but the relationship was more like frienemies. In WW1 Japan sided with the allies against Germany and took territory in Manchuria that were German colonies. It was a land grab and it scared the world and the US. So the US and European powers decided to limit what Japan got when they divided up the spoils during the peace process. Which eventually helped fuel the fire for Japan's invasion of China and then Pearl Harbor. What is also interesting is how they took on a combination of western concepts but mixed it with an idealistic version of Bushido code and glorified the old Samurai way. Similar to how Europeans idealized chivalry and knights. The whole "villain" arch for Japan is insane and the repercussions are felt to this day.

Really enjoyed your reaction to this series. Curious on what happens in London.

Yeah the great fire was an actual thing that no one knows how it started, but there is a theory about a candle lit a kimono on fire which was in the room, so nice easter egg. This is also, I believe, not the era where guns were first introduced. I believe it actually happened earlier, due to a Portuguese shipwreck? Still, this show is so amazing we forgive the historical inaccuracy. I cannot wait for season 2!

I feel like the moment Seki got shot because she tried to do the "right" thing, the last bit of that naive girl left from episode one in Akemi died with him :(

Well, with the way Taigen put the sword through his collar bone, it actually probably took Heiji Shindo a while to die, too weak to move and choking on his own blood, so seems fitting :P

Not sure how much Taigan, Ringo & Akemi will be in season 2 with the main setting likely being in old London...

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood! Its closer to the manga!

Demon Slayer has a beautiful story and beautiful animation.

Considering what we've seen from Fowler's skills as a swordsman, there's a good chance he probably would have beaten the Shogun in a fair duel. But it wasn't just about winning for Fowler, it was about humiliating the Shogunate as much as much as possible before taking over. It honestly says a lot about his character: he doesn't cheat because he knows he can't win, he cheats because he just can't be bothered.

Mizu didn't kill Fowler because he knows many things of her past, he knows who she is who her parents are and I don't think he is the father. Also she will need him with the language issue in London.

Fantastic as always Angela! I think I said it before, but I think you should check out the live action One Piece! I think you’ll love it!

I was looking to see if you've seen The Last Samurai. I don't see it in your videos. It's not animated, and it's basically a Tom Cruise movie, but I think you'd like it.

Fowler is indeed an interesting character. I'm not fussed about him surviving. Could be useful for some story telling down the line. As always, your exhaustive commentary is appreciated ; ).. Turducken has become a new word in my lexicon.

Look at the symbolism at the end - Mizu has no sword. She's let go of her past connections (she threw them all in the kiln). And her hair is down, flowing in the wind (She's "free"). BUT. sailing into a storm. She doesn't speak English so someone will have to teach her .. Fowler? Someone else in the boat? Also, Taigen is "missing" in the end. I wonder if he's on the boat too.

This show was so fucking good

20:28 cue the march of the 501st, from Revenge Of The Sith. that's a Japanese 66 right there.

I would highly recommend For All Mankind. It’s an alternate history series based on what would happen if the Soviets beat America to the Moon.

Id say Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood next up.

I see a lot of people recommending shows in the comments that I strongly agree with. Namely: -full metal alchemist brotherhood -castlevania -arcane -avatar the last airbender -cyberpunk edgerunners All of these series are fantastic

A bit old school but would love to watch u watch Babylon 5. Great multi-season continuous story arc, some memorable characters.

I am so excited to see what happens with the trip to London, whether they hit China or India and go most of the remainder of the way over land.....what they could do with that could be amazing.

More like: "Oooh...Revenge Squirrel!"

Akemi reminds me of the mother of dragons from game of thrones; I hope her future is a better one then that.

If you enjoyed this and havent checked it out yet, attack on titan is another well-written, dark story with amazing art and music as well

Okay, my crazy theory for season 2: we find out that it is Mizu’s mom who was the foreigner in Japan.

Def check out samurai champloo. Its genius. Great characters and writing, animation is a 10. The fight choreo is a 10. Its from a similar time in japan and its just so damn good. Blue eye and samurai champloo is my fav aftwr avatar. Also gotta say, i love how much you tear up at sad stuff and then giggle at revenge. Im the same way haha. Great stuff haha.

The creators said they have the framework for 3-4 seasons mapped out, but not fully written. Apparently a Ringo spin off is also intended, which may encompass Akemi and Sword Father? London is a long way away, and there are plenty of interesting places and cultures in between. My guess is Taigen may follow and catch up with Mizu. Mizu having any real agency if she gets to London really requires her to learn English... so the journey may be lengthy. Something happens in London in 9 years that may be of ... interest.

The Dragon Prince is a great show on Netflix. I highly recommend. I aiso love the shows The Last Kingdom and Call the Midwife, which are both on Netflix

if you want somethng to react to, the last Godzilla, Minus One is a japanese movie, soooo different from Godzilla movies (or movies in general) Hollywood does, it's so sad and terrifying and with a real human aspect, just a pearl i didn't expect that going to the theatre

1657 - the great fire of Edo 1666 - The great fire of London... just saying. XD For other shows: Castlevania is somewhat close in feel to this one and definitely worth a watch. Season 1 is basically just a pilot movie of very few episodes, if you are not hooked after that you could switch. If you want sci fi stuff and not catoon: Babylon 5 is really good, a bit long though. The Orwell also comes to mind. Older Star Trek or Star Wars shows?

The 2nd of March, specifically. I'd guess they couldn't afford George Takei for more than one season, but in today's industry, I don't think they knew they'd get one? Regardless, if one of the good guys had to go down, better an old man... no. The *best* man.

28:01 this comment made me laugh because why IS she holding it like that 😭

Just trying to fathom a voyage from Japan to England back then… fucking hell. Surely they’re not going to sail the entire way, that’s damn near suicide in the 17th century. They’d have to sail all the way around Africa, and good luck with that lol. Maybe sail as far as India or China and “ride” the Silk Road from there? 🤷‍♂️

27:45 Never loved you more. Angela. 😃

Jason is Friday 13th and the sound effect is ki ki ki ma ma ma

Frieren!!! You would absolutely LOVE Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

The dragon prince and infinity train

I don't no how London is going to go

Series suggestion, Black Sails,. Not animated but very good pirate themed series. I think 3, maybe 4 seasons? Excellent, very adult, show.

Do you think Mizu looks a little like the Shogun's wife? She's tall and has a similar facial structure... I may be going out on a limb, but it would be pretty interesting if Mizu was her bastard child, and she paid some maids to take her, but one was killed. Just a thought, though not sure how feasible that is. It may also be possible that it was actually Mizu's mother who was white. Plus, at the time, you would have had to be wealthy to have a maid, so she may have been upper class and a bastard child would have been a problem. Or perhaps once she finds her actual father, she finds out he's actually a good person, but with her luck she'd find out as she's killing him or right after. Those are just some of my theories. Either way, I'm looking forward to season 2! I wonder if they will have a new season for each "white devil" she is trying to find and kill. I can see how Akemi may become an antagonist, but I kind of secretly hope she will become an ally and perhaps Mizu may decide to become a samurai, working for her. There were even some women samurai, so maybe she might end up finding out Mizu is a woman and having her start training women samurais... gosh there are so many possibilities!

Watch The Dragon Prince! It is your vibe!

I can’t wait to see Akemi and her mother-in-law go toe to toe. I’m putting my money on Akemi especially if Madame Kanji is working her corner. DING DING