Netflix has a new samurai series on the way, titled Last Samurai Standing, and it sounds like your next bingewatch.
The show, based on the Ikusagami series by Shogo Imamura, revolves around samurai warriors who compete for a massive cash prize.
"When most people think about samurai, they think about this very glamorous period in Japanese history," Netflix's Japan content head Kaata Sakamoto said as the streamer's Japanese content slate was unveiled (via 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. Think Shōgun meets Squid Game.'"
Judging by the official logline, that comparison is very accurate. "In the Meiji period, at Tenryuji Temple in Kyoto, 292 skilled warriors gathered at nightfall, lured by the promise of a huge cash prize," it reads. "The rules are simple: whoever can steal the wooden tags distributed to each of them and reach Tokyo will win the prize money. Among them is Shujiro Saga, who enters the deadly game with one goal: to save his ailing wife and child."
In the first look, which you can see above, star Junichi Okada (who is also action choreographer and producer) stands amid a crowd of warriors, looking ready for anything.
Shōgun, meanwhile, is confirmed for a season 2, and the latest update is that the scripts are complete and production is planned for the end of the year.
As for Squid Game season 3, that's releasing on Netflix this June 27. Season 2 has already become a huge hit for the streamer, breaking a record set by Wednesday and becoming one of its most-watched shows ever. Season 1 remains Netflix's most popular show of all time.
Last Samurai Standing is arriving on Netflix this November 2025. In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best Netflix shows to stream now.
