Blue Eye Samurai (2023)
Maya Erskine: Mizu
Photos
Quotes
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Mizu : I have no interest in money or power. I have no interest in being happy; only satisfied.
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[Mizu mistakenly arrives at a brothel. She looks around and sees prostitutes making vulgar gestures and giving seductive looks. Realizing her mistake, she turns around to leave, but two prostitute workers grab her from behind by the shoulders and pull her in]
Momo : You look lost, lost boy. Come on inside. Rest awhile.
Mizu : I'm looking for the Shindo Dojo.
[Mizu hears commotion behind her and turns around. A naked man is thrown out of a room whilst holding his clothes. He gets up and walks out of the brothel]
Mizu : Which... this I see is not.
Chiki : [suggestively moves fingers on Mizu's body] This is better. This is the Shindo House. If you wanna show off your sword skills, you can do it here.
Momo : We can polish the tip up for you.
Mizu : [hurries out of the building] I must decline. My business is urgent.
Chiki : [gasps] Most men grab first, ask prices later. You're different: Polite, sweet...
[she motions her hand toward Mizu's crotch; Mizu quickly and firmly grabs her wrist and lifts her arm in rejection]
Chiki : ...but firm. Okay, lost boy. Walk east to the Kamo River. Take the bridge to the temple with the thousand creepy statues. It's on the hill just past.
Mizu : I wish you a successful day of business.
[Mizu bows. In the back, the puppet stand breaks and collapses. Ringo emerges from the pile]
Ringo : Uh-oh. Oh!
[He sees Mizu and waves. Mizu sighs]
Mizu : How much for one night?
[the second prostitute holds up five fingers. Mizu looks at Ringo, then back to the prostitutes]
Mizu : How much for three?
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[In a flashback, an adolescent Mizu is training with one of Eiji's sword at night in the rain. She swings the sword, but it slips out of her hands and falls. Mizu grunts and bends over to get the sword. However, Eiji hears her and lightly hits her in the back of the head with his tongs. Mizu grabs her head and turns to Eiji]
The Swordmaker : A sword? Are you stealing from me?
Mizu : [pause] I'm not stealing. I... am practicing.
The Swordmaker : Why does a swordmaker's apprentice practice swordplay?
Mizu : [breathes deeply] Because I must become a great swordsman. I must become the greatest swordsman alive.
The Swordmaker : [chuckles] Is that all? And why must you become such a swordsman?
Mizu : [sighs] Forgive me. I've kept from you a secret. One everyone else knows as plain as my face, but you do not.
The Swordmaker : [pause] I know you're ugly. What is ugly to me?
Mizu : You are blind... and so cannot see the shame of my face. I am... made of mixed metal. No amount of hammering can remove my impurity. At the time I was born, there were four white men in all of Japan. Men who traded in weapons and opium and flesh. One of them took my mother and made of me... a monster. A creature of shame. I do not know their names. I do know their fate. They will all die by my hand. I have vowed this.
The Swordmaker : [pause] What have I taught you about steel?
Mizu : The strongest sword is a blend of steel - soft and hard.
The Swordmaker : Pure and impure. You may be something shameful. You may also be strong.
[Eiji turns to walk away]
The Swordmaker : You may train at nights.
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[a wounded Mizu gets in the hot springs. Under a small waterfall, she is sitting on her knees, in a bowing position. A flashback takes place to the past where Mizu tells Eiji that she's going on her quest]
Mizu : It is time for me to begin my quest.
The Swordmaker : [pause] Revenge is like gold. It does not rust. It will wait.
Mizu : I am ready.
The Swordmaker : You will get yourself killed.
Mizu : I am ready. I am. I can never repay your kindness. When I told you my shame, you did not disown me, even though I'm hideous to men's eyes.
The Swordmaker : I have no eyes, so... I can accept you.
Mizu : [smiles] I will always be grateful to you, Swordfather.
[Mizu bows before Eiji. In the present, Mizu takes a needle and thread; she stitches her shoulder wound in the water. The scene now goes back to the same flashback]
Mizu : Before I leave, Swordfather... there's something more I must confess.
The Swordmaker : You have spoken enough nonsense today.
Mizu : We cannot part in a lie.
The Swordmaker : That is your burden to keep.
Mizu : I have made your swords unclean.
The Swordmaker : Quiet! You came to me as a stupid lost boy. If you insist on leaving now, it will be as a stupid lost man.
[Eiji turns away from Mizu. He begins sharpening a tool. Mizu lowers her head in sadness for a bit; then, she puts on her kasa and gets up to leave]
The Swordmaker : If you must do this, take a sword.
Mizu : I already have one, Swordfather.
[She empoweringly unsheathes her katana and taps its tip on the ground. The clanking sound creates a unique echoing chime that Eiji recognizes. He opens his blind eyes, knowing that Mizu had used the metal from the meterorite that he could not do. In the present, Mizu is lounging in the hot springs in peace. A dark figure moves through some trees. The footsteps alarm Mizu. She quickly gets out of the water to grab her sword. She aims it at the intruder, who happens to be Ringo]
Ringo : [surprised and spooked] Ah!
[after a second, Ringo realizes that it's Mizu. Even more still, he discovers that Mizu is, in fact, a female. Mizu, wet and naked, lowers her weapon and glares at Ringo]
Ringo : Peaches.
[Screen goes black]
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Mizu : To a man lost in the dark, an ember can light the way. Thank you for my ember. I was lost without course so long. Please. Let this ember's light brighten the path from this Heiji Shindo to the men I seek. Please guide my steps until I find them. Please give me strength to kill them... or let me die. Please, protect Swordfather from time and harm.
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[repeated line]
Mizu : Thank you for my ember.
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Shindo samurai : Taigen has won twenty-four duels. How many have you won?
[Mizu looks at the several samurai on the floor that she defeated]
Mizu : Should I have been counting?
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[Madame Kaji enters]
Mizu : I said, "No, thank you," to company.
Madame Kaji : The gentleman asked for me.
[sits and bows]
Mizu : Madame Kaji?
Madame Kaji : I understand not one of my girls caught the gentleman's interest. If it is boys he is after, he need only ask. Many famous samurai prefer the stamen to the pistil.
Mizu : Madame Kaji's tea house is known for catering to peculiarities.
Madame Kaji : Nothing desired is peculiar. Any woman can study woodcuts and master the twelve and twenty positions. I offer what the rare heart hungers.
[Both Madame Kaji and Mizu look at a man laughing due to his foot being tickled]
Mizu : Strong men come here to be weak, uncentered. They make themselves fools.
Madame Kaji : I hope the gentleman isn't one of those monkish samurai who cares only about the sword. Isn't it said, "To master the way of battle, one must become acquainted with every art?"
Mizu : Sex? An art?
Madame Kaji : Hmm. The gentleman was wise to seek me.
[Madame Kaji stands up]
Madame Kaji : Come.
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[Akemi sits outside of Mizu's room. She opens the a pot of sake. She pulls out a vial of liquid from the pocket of her kimono, removes the bottle cap, puts two drops in the sake, and stirs the liquid]
Akemi : May I serve you?
[Akemi opens the door, enters, and places the tray on the floor. She then pours sake. She lifts the serving to Mizu, who turns around to face her. Akemi looks at Mizu in surprise]
Akemi : Your eyes!
Mizu : Whatever clever insult comes next is not as clever as you think.
Akemi : [gasps] They're beautiful.
[Mizu raises her eyebrows in surprise over Akemi's compliment. She then takes the serving a sake from Akemi]
Akemi : A color I've never seen outside the sea and sky.
Mizu : Huh, I see. Your Madame explained how it's some essential part of the soul that draws men to brothels when it's only naked flattery. Do men usually fall for this?
Akemi : The ones I've known. Yes.
Mizu : [lifts the cup of sake and looks at it] I thought it was tea. I don't drink.
Akemi : [bowing] Madame thought you might prefer sake to help you relax. Maybe just a sip.
Mizu : If you'll join me. I have ugly business coming.
[Mizu serves Akemi a serving of sake and passes her the cup]
Mizu : Suddenly, I'm glad for company.
[Akemi hesitates, but takes the cup with a feigned smile. Mizu smirks]
Mizu : To flattery.
[Mizu slowly moves the cup to her lips. Akemi watches. However, Mizu doesn't drink it]
Mizu : Hot.
Akemi : Where I'm from, that's how the men prefer it. Kyoto.
Mizu : I've only been there once, recently.
Akemi : Beautiful, isn't it?
Mizu : Dirty and crowded. Full of puffed-up crows posing as swordsmen. I beat the most ridiculous samurai there. If you can call him that. I cut off his chignon. Then he came chasing after me, demanding a rematch, saying I ruined his engagement. I think he was angrier about his hair than his marriage. What was his name? I can't remember. Anyway, he's dead now.
Akemi : [gasps] What?
Mizu : Oh yeah. I killed him.
[Enraged, Akemi pulls out a tiny knife and lunges at Mizu. Mizu quickly disarms her and grabs her. Prostitutes hear the commotion]
Prostitute : She's good.
[Mizu straddles Akemi and pins her on the floor]
Akemi : Let me go! Get off me!
Mizu : You think I don't remember you? Princess Akemi of the Tokunobu clan. You drugged my cup.
Akemi : I wish it was poison! Oh, Taigen!
[Akemi begins to sob; Mizu rolls her eyes]
Mizu : Oh, shut up. I didn't kill him. I left him with his life and a contract to fight.
[Mizu gets off Akemi and stands up]
Akemi : He's alive? Where is he?
Mizu : You came all this way to save a doomed engagement? Your father probably lined up a nice young replacement lord to marry.
Akemi : The shogun's son.
Mizu : Women in our world don't have a single good option. Except you. Like some magical forest creature, you could have anything you want, and then you beg to eat trash.
[Mizu turns her back at Akemi. Akemi grabs her knife and again lunges at Mizu. The screen goes black]
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Ringo : You got a girl. A *pretty* girl.
[Akemi is tied up]
Ringo : Wait, how does that work?
Mizu : She's not a girl. She's a princess. She's Taigen's princess, and she tried to kill me. She screams, kill her. She moves, kill her.
Ringo : What? I can't kill her.
Mizu : What do you think an apprentice does?
[Ringo tries to glare intimidatingly at Akemi. Mizu leaves]
Akemi : Do you have to stare?
Ringo : [looks away] Sorry.
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[first character lines]
Mizu : Hmm. Impressive. I've never seen a gun like it.
