Netflix has launched a major new Japanese period drama, Last Samurai Standing, boasting an all-star cast from Japan and a gripping, high-stakes plot that is already drawing comparisons to the global phenomenon, Squid Game.
A Deadly Game for Fallen Warriors
Set in 1878 Japan, a decade after the golden era of the samurai, the series depicts a time of great social inequality where the warrior class has been stripped of its status and faces poverty. The story centres on 292 fallen samurai who, grappling with a pandemic and a new regime that views them as relics, are enticed into a violent competition known as Kodoku.
The brutal contest promises a life-changing cash prize for the sole survivor. The series is inspired by the bestselling historical fiction novel, Ikusagami, written by Naoki Prize-winning author Shogo Imamura.
The Stellar Cast Behind the Series
Leading the ensemble is one of Japan's most celebrated actors, Junichi Okada, who takes on the triple role of star, producer, and action choreographer. He portrays Shujiro Saga, a once-feared samurai who enters the deadly Kodoku tournament to save his wife and son from cholera.
The impressive cast also includes fellow film icon Hideaki Itô, known for Umizaru and Netflix's Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan. Adding to the star power is Kazunari Ninomiya, a J-Pop sensation famed for his career in the legendary boy band Arashi.
The full cast list is as follows:
- 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
Created in Japan for a Global Audience
Producer and star Junichi Okada revealed his ambition for the project, telling Netflix's Tudum platform that his 'hidden goal was to create a new kind of period drama'. He aimed to craft a series that is an action drama, made entirely in Japan but designed for a worldwide audience.
Okada emphasised that while the show is grounded in serious historical themes, the characters are sharply drawn and the story is thoroughly entertaining. Infused with the unique spirit and aesthetic of Japanese cinema, Last Samurai Standing brings a thrilling and emotional chapter of history to life for viewers across the globe.
All six episodes of Last Samurai Standing are available to stream on Netflix now.
