TL;DR : "Last Samurai Standing," a Japanese live-action series based on the novel and manga Ikusagami by Shogo Imamura, premieres on Netflix November 13, 2025. Set in 1878 Japan, 292 samurai compete in a deadly game called Kodoku for a 100 billion yen prize; only one will survive. The lead character Shujiro Saga, played by Junichi Okada, fights to save his cholera-stricken family. The show blends historical drama with action and thriller elements, reflecting Japan's Meiji era turmoil after the samurai class was abolished. The series consists of six episodes, all released simultaneously and features an ensemble cast including Hideaki Itô and Kazunari Ninomiya.
Series Summary:
- Set in post-samurai Japan (1878), 292 samurai, stripped of their status and swords, are lured into Kodoku, a deadly survival tournament from Kyoto to Tokyo with a 100 billion yen prize; only one survives.
- The protagonist, Shujiro Saga (Junichi Okada), joins the fight to save his wife and son from cholera.
- The series is based on the Naoki Prizewinning novel Ikusagami by Shogo Imamura, also serialized as a manga in Kodansha's Morning magazine.
- Directed by Michihito Fujii and produced/starred by Junichi Okada, the series aims for a global audience with authentic Japanese historical themes and intense action.
- "Last Samurai Standing" will premiere all 6 episodes at once on Netflix worldwide on November 13, 2025; episodes are about 40-50 minutes each.
- The story explores major historical themes such as the Meiji Restoration, the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, and samurai culture’s decline, with rich period details like the Tōkaidō route and Tenryu-ji temple.
- The cast includes Junichi Okada, Hideaki Itô, Kazunari Ninomiya, and others, supported by large-scale battle scenes blending practical and CG effects.
The cast
- Junichi Okada as Shujiro Saga
- Riho Yoshioka as Shino Saga
- Yumia Fujisaki as Futaba Katsuki
- Kaya Kiyohara as Iroha Kinugasa
- Masahiro Higashide as Kyojin Tsuge
- Hiroshi Tamaki as Ukyo Kikuomi
- Hideaki Ito as Bukotsu Kanjiya
- Shôta Sometani as Kocha Kamui
- Takayuki Yamada as Jinbe Ando
- Wataru Ichinose as Raizo Tachibana
- Taichi Saotome as Shikura Adashino
- Yûya Endô as Sansuke Gion
- Taiiku Okazaki as Jinroku Keage
- Jyo Kairi as Shinnosuke Sayama
- Kazunari Ninomiya as Enju
- Yasushi Fuchikami as Sakura
- Gaku Hamada as Toshiyoshi Kawaji
- Arata Iura as Toshimichi Okubo
- Tetsushi Tanaka as Hisoka Maejima