Last Samurai Standing: Everything we know so far about the upcoming Netflix period drama

Last Samurai Standing is an upcoming period drama series announced via Netflix's upcoming Japanese shows lineup.

It looks like Shogun's sweeping victory at the recent Golden Globes has shifted the platform's focus on creating more Japanese shows, with some exciting titles announced, like Alice in Borderland Season 2, Bullet Train Explosion, Glass Heart, and many more.

Last Samurai Standing, based on the Ikusagami manga by Shogo Imamura, follows the tale of the 19th century, a time when the Samurai way of life was coming to an end.

What will become of these warriors as they begin on this arduous life-or-death journey, and who among them can make it in time? The show will explore this, and it will be released in November 2025.

More on Last Samurai Standing in our story.

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What has Netflix Japan's Head said about Last Samurai Standing?

Samurais were an aristocratic warrior class in Japan, predominantly in the 12th to 17th centuries. They were at the top of the social hierarchy during the Japanese Edo period but were abolished until the Meiji period. They are characterized by their fierce fighting skills, especially with a sword, and for their exceptional horse-riding skills.

Netflix Japan content head Kaata Sakamoto discussed the show in an interview with Variety:

“When most people think about samurai, they think about this very glamorous period in Japanese history,”

He added:

“But what a lot of people don’t realize is that, towards the end of the Edo period, the samurai lost a lot of their glamour and their power. ‘Last Samurai Standing’ is about what would happen if these warriors — the toughest and best in Japan — all of a sudden became common people and had to fight for their lives. Think ‘Shōgun’ meets ‘Squid Game.'”

The show takes place during the Meiji period at Tenryuji Temple in Kyoto, where 292 skilled warrior samurai are gathered together for a hefty prize money, in return for a simple game.

The one who collects all the wooden tags distributed to each of them and makes it to Tokyo will win and be awarded a huge prize that can change their lives.

With a promise to change the lives of their families for the better, all 292 warriors are lured at nightfall in front of the temple. Among these is the protagonist, Shujiro Saga, who is fighting for his sick wife and child, like many others.

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Cast and Characters of Last Samurai Standing

Last Samurai Standing is led by Japanese actor Junichi Okada, who plays the role of Shujiro Saga. He also acts as an action choreographer and first-time producer for the series.

The complete cast and character list for the show is as follows:

• Riho Yoshioka as Shino Saga, Shujiro's wife
• Yumia Fujisaki as Futaba Katsuki, a young girl
• Kaya Kiyohara as Iroha Kinugasa
• Yuya Endo as Sansuke Geon
• Taichi Saotome as Shikura Adashino
• Shota Sometani as Kocha Kamuy
• Jyo Kairi as Shinjiro Sayama
• Masahiro Higashide as Kyojin Tsuge
• Hiroshi Tamaki as Ukyo Kikoumi
• Takayuki Yamada as Jibe Ando
• Wataru Ichinose as Raizo Tachibana
• Yasushi Fuchikami as Sakura
• Hideaki Ito as Bukotsu Kanjiya
• Kazunari Ninomiya as Enzu

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