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Last Samurai Standing Debuts on Netflix, Drawing Early Praise for Visceral, Character-Driven Action

The adaptation of Shogo Imamura’s Ikusagami highlights large-scale practical stunt work under director Michihito Fujii with star-producer Junichi Okada leading the action.

Overview

  • All six episodes are now streaming on Netflix, with early reviews and viewers praising its choreography, intensity and emotional focus.
  • The 1878-set story follows 292 warriors who must steal opponents’ wooden tags and survive a trek from Kyoto to Tokyo to claim a 100 billion yen prize.
  • The series adapts Imamura’s novel Ikusagami as well as its manga illustrated by Katsumi Tatsuzawa.
  • Junichi Okada plays Shujiro Saga and also served as producer and action choreographer, overseeing sequences staged with real performers rather than crowd CGI.
  • Production details include a weeks-long opening battle using hundreds of actors, fireproof gear for burning-body effects, and a stated aim to balance spectacle with character depth, drawing comparisons to Squid Game and Shogun.