Last Samurai Standing (TV series)

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Last Samurai Standing
Promotional poster
Japanese name
Kanjiイクサガミ
Transcriptions
RomanizationIkusagami
Genre
Based onLast Samurai Standing
by Shogo Imamura
Written by
Directed by
Creative directorJunichi Okada
Starring
Music byKo Omama [ja]
Country of originJapan
Original languageJapanese
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producerShinichi Takahashi
Producers
Cinematography
Running time47–58 minutes
Production companies
  • Office Shirous
  • Netflix
Original release
NetworkNetflix
Release13 November 2025 (2025-11-13)

Last Samurai Standing (Japanese: イクサガミ, Hepburn: Ikusagami) is a 2025 Japanese Netflix original live-action television series adapted from the novel of the same name written by Shogo Imamura. Starring Junichi Okada, Yumia Fujisaki and Kaya Kiyohara, and set in the late 19th century during the Meiji period, the series takes place at the Tenryūji monastery in Kyoto.[1][2]

The first two episodes of the series premiered at the 30th Busan International Film Festival in the On Screen section on September 18, 2025.[3] Following its festival release, the six episodes series became available to stream worldwide on Netflix from November 13, 2025.[4]

Synopsis

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During the Meiji era (late 19th century), 292 fighters come together at Tenryū-ji Temple in Kyoto, drawn by the chance to win a grand prize of ¥100,000. The challenge is clear: take each other's wooden tags and make it all the way to Tokyo. The winner takes the prize. One of the warriors, Shujiro Saga, joins the dangerous contest with a personal mission: to help his sick wife and child.

Cast

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Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Kodoku"Michihito FujiiKento Yamaguchi & Michihito FujiiNovember 13, 2025 (2025-11-13)
Former samurai Shujiro Saga loses his daughter to cholera, and his wife also falls sick. In order to save his family, Shujiro responds to a notice about a martial arts tournament in Kyoto that has a prize of ¥100,000. The participants arrive at Tenryū-ji and are told by Enju, an official, that they are to play a game called "Kodoku". Participants are each given a numbered tag and must pass seven checkpoints on the Tōkaidō Road from Kyoto to Tokyo and arrive in one month, by June 5th. Points are needed to pass each checkpoint, and are gained by taking other participants' tags. After a countdown, the participants erupt into fighting. Shujiro is initially paralyzed but rouses himself to help Futaba Katsuki, a young participant who reminds him of his daughter. Shujiro is unable to draw his sword but collects a tag for Futaba, while another participant recognizes Shujiro as "Kokushu the Manslayer" and gives him a spare tag to proceed. After leaving the shrine, Shujiro is attacked by Bukotsu Kanjiya, another participant who recognizes him. The game is being watched by four wealthy men, who thank the organizer for inviting them.
2"Awakening"Michihito FujiiKento Yamaguchi & Michihito FujiiNovember 13, 2025 (2025-11-13)
Bukotsu provokes Shujiro into drawing his sword but Shujiro does not complete a killing blow, enraging Bukotsu. Futaba helps Shujiro escape and they are approached by Kyojin Tsuge, the participant who helped them. According to Kyojin's points calculation, a maximum of 9 players can win the game, so he suggests they form an alliance and investigate the organizer's intentions. Futaba tells Shujiro she is a shrine maiden who joined the game to provide for her sick mother and the children in her shrine, and asks to join him. In Tokyo, Superintendent General Kawaji reports to Home Minister Lord Okubo about a "tournament" of outlawed samurai. Bukotsu harasses villagers while trying to find Shujiro, and is confronted by Ukyo Kikuomi, a game participant and former samurai who was abandoned by his master; Bukotsu kills Ukyo. Shujiro and Futaba stumble on a group of participants who are killed by Kodoku officers when they quit the game. Enraged, Shujiro kills the entire squad of officers.
3"Fate"Kento YamaguchiKento Yamaguchi & Michihito FujiiNovember 13, 2025 (2025-11-13)
Shujiro and Futaba are joined by participant Iroha Kinugasa, Shujiro's adoptive sister of the Kyohachi-ryu sword school. The trio avoid participants who attack them and are helped by Kamuykocha, an Ainu participant who promises not to attack them when they are with Futaba. When Shujiro, Futaba and Iroha pass through the Seki-juku checkpoint, they are told by the Kodoku officer that Shujiro and Iroha are familiar with "Kodoku" — the pair were once ordered to kill their fellow sword siblings by Gentosai, head of Kyohachi-ryu, though Shujiro fled before he could be forced to participate. The trio find Kyojin and join him for an alliance. Kawaji reports to Okubo news of former samurai fighting each other and slowly moving towards Tokyo, and that the guns used at Kyoto were purchased by four zaibatsu. The zaibatsu are the four men who are following and betting on the game. Gentosai is participating in the game to hunt surviving successors of Kyohachi-ryu.
4"The Mastermind"Toru YamamotoKento Yamaguchi & Michihito FujiiNovember 13, 2025 (2025-11-13)
Iroha joined the game after being invited by Kyohachi-ryu sibling Sansuke, who wants to use the game to flush out and kill Gentosai. Kyojin explains his plan to his group of allies. At Kuwana-juku, the group are ambushed at a teahouse but fight off the attackers and arrange for the responsible participant to be arrested by the police. Another participant, Shinnosuke Sayama, joins the group. Kyojin sees Kodoku officers execute the participant in order to hide the secret of the game, and is caught by them. Following Kyojin's plan, Shujiro pretends to be dead and is taken by Kodoku officers to a zaibatsu bank, where he is confronted by Hanjiro Nakamura, his samurai friend from the past who has become a Kodoku officer. In Yokkaichi-juku, Bukotsu encounters Kamuykocha and provokes him into a fight, which is broken up by Kodoku officers. Kawaji promises Okubo to find and arrest the four zaibatsu, but he is secretly the game organizer in league with them.
5"Specters"Kento YamaguchiKento Yamaguchi & Michihito FujiiNovember 13, 2025 (2025-11-13)
Kyojin escapes the Kodoku officers. Shujiro fights Hanjiro to a stalemate, which is broken up by Iroha, who helps him escape. The group regather and conclude that the central Police Bureau are involved with the game. Kawaji meets up with the four zaibatsu but reports to Okubo that he hasn't found anything. Shujiro sends a message to Hisoka Maejime, an old contact who works closely with Okubo, asking for protection. At the Chiryu-juku checkpoint, Futaba successfully convinces the others to give Shinnosuke their spare tags so he can pass. Kyojin decides they should split up for safety, and goes with Shinnosuke while Shujiro travels with the others. Shinpei, Okubo's secretary, deciphers the zaibatsu's telegrams but is intercepted by Enju and killed before he can report his findings. Kyojin makes contact with Sansuke and Shikura, Shujiro and Iroha's sword siblings.
6"Mortal Combat"Michihito FujiiKento Yamaguchi & Michihito FujiiNovember 13, 2025 (2025-11-13)
Shujiro, Iroha and Futuba stumble upon a matsuri. Bukotsu finds them there and attacks Shujiro and Futaba; Shujiro wins the fight. Iroha realizes Gentosai is also at the matsuri and draws him away into another fight. Sansuke and Shikura, who were told where to go by Kyojin, arrive to help Iroha but they are unable to kill Gentosai and escape. Okubo is killed by Hanjiro on Kawaji's orders. Shujiro and Futuba arrive at Okazaki-juku, where they're supposed to come under Maejime's protection, but receive a telegram supposedly from Maejime telling them to proceed to Tokyo. Iroha believes that they can only defeat Gentosai if all the siblings fight him together. Kyojin is secretly working with Gentosai.

Production

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Netflix announced the production of a "Last Samurai Standing" series, starring Junichi Okada, who is also producer and action choreographer. Michihito Fujii and Kento Yamaguchi are its writer and director, produced by Office Shirous. About his multi-role in the drama, Okada said:

When Netflix executive producer Mr. Takahashi reached out to me, I was still acting in historical dramas. Back then, I was already thinking of ways to make this genre a hit, not just in Japan, but all over the world. I saw their potential for action, drama, social commentary, and entertainment, but I knew they could be taken further. That’s when I came across Imamura’s novel. It was written in a way that modern audiences could enjoy, and I was excited about the idea of adapting it.[1][5]

The adaption of the novel into a multi-episode drama series involved significant creative challenges for the directors Michihito Fujii and Junichi Okada, it was like producing three feature-length films. They worked carefully to preserve the original story’s core themes, while enhancing its visual and dramatic appeal. The production featured nearly 300 actors, each requiring his own costume, which demanded consistent coordination and commitment from the entire crew.[1][6]

Release

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Last Samurai Standing has been selected for the 'On Screen' section at the 30th Busan International Film Festival, where the first two episodes of the series were screened on September 18, 2025.[7][8] The series is available to stream from November 13, 2025 on Netflix.[9][4]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 11 critics' reviews are positive.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Netflix Announces Production of 'Last Samurai Standing': An Epic Battle Royale for Survival in Historic Japan". Netflix Newsroom. April 18, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  2. ^ Netflix [@netflix] (April 18, 2024). "Last Samurai Standing, a new series directed by Michihito Fujii and starring Junichi Okada, is coming to Netflix. In post-samurai era Japan, 292 fallen samurais are lured into a survival game where the last competitor standing claims 100 billion yen. Prepare to witness a battle royale like no other. Based on Shogo Imamura's "Ikusagami" (©️Shogo Imamura/kodansha)" (Tweet). Retrieved August 16, 2025 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ Ahn Jin-yong (August 11, 2025). "부산영화제, 올해도 OTT와 손잡았다…6편 소개" [The Busan International Film Festival partners with OTT again this year, introducing six films.]. Munhwa Ilbo (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Epic Battle Royale 'Last Samurai Standing' Debuts Teaser Trailer and Additional Cast Members Ahead of November 13 Premiere". Netflix Newsroom. September 8, 2025. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  5. ^ "岡田准一×藤井道人でNetflixシリーズ「イクサガミ」制作、今村翔吾の時代小説を実写化" [Junichi Okada and Michihito Fujii to Produce Netflix Series "Ikusagami," a Live-Action Adaptation of Shogo Imamura's Historical Novel]. Natalie. April 19, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  6. ^ Naman Ramachandran (February 12, 2025). "'Shogun' Meets 'Squid Game': Netflix Unveils Epic Samurai Battle Series in 2025 Japan Slate". Variety. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  7. ^ "日本から世界へ！ Netflix日本発2作品「匿名の恋人たち」「イクサガミ」W選出 - 「第30回釜山国際映画祭」 "オンスクリーン部門" 正式招待決定！" [From Japan to the world! Two Japanese Netflix titles, "Anonymous Lovers" and "Ikusagami," have been officially selected for the "Onscreen Section" of the 30th Busan International Film Festival!] (Press release) (in Japanese). Netflix Newsroom. August 11, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  8. ^ Naman Ramachandran (August 11, 2025). "Shu Qi's 'The Resurrected' Among Netflix-Heavy Busan Film Festival Drama Lineup". Variety. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  9. ^ "'Last Samurai Standing' Unveils 14 New Cast Members Ahead of November Debut Japan". Netflix Newsroom. February 4, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  10. ^ "Last Samurai Standing: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
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