The first trailer for Netflix's upcoming series Last Samurai Standing is like a perfect blend between Shogun and Squid Game, with warriors fighting to the death for a large cash prize.
The action-packed footage, which you can see above, teases the details of this bonkers premise and the blood and brutality that unleashes among almost 300 participants. The rules are simple: whoever can steal the wooden tags distributed to each of them and reach Tokyo will win the money.
Set in the late 19th century during the Meiji period, the story focuses on Shujiro Saga (played by Junichi Okada) as he arrives in Tenryuji Temple in Kyoto to participate in the tournament, determined to use the money to save his ailing wife and child.
"Under the veil of night, the temple grounds are filled with unease and the presence of bloodthirsty warriors. When the signal is given to begin the game, the combatants launch into their relentless battle for survival," reads the official synopsis.
Based on the Ikusagami series by Shogo Imamura, the show has been hailed as a "game-changer for the Japanese serial drama industry" (via Netflix). Involving more than 1,000 cast and crew members, the epic action "pushed the boundaries of visual storytelling, blending modern CG advancements with practical effects to deliver some of the most realistic and visceral action scenes ever seen in Japanese television."
When the series was unveiled for this year's slate back in February, Netflix's Japan content head Kaata Sakamoto said the story wants to shine a light on a different side of samurai history.
"When most people think about samurai, they think about this very glamorous period in Japanese history," he told Variety. "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."
Last Samurai Standing is arriving on Netflix on November 13, 2025. In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best Netflix shows to stream now.
