The trailer for Last Samurai Standing portrays the six-episode Netflix series as a dazzling spectacle of samurai slicing each other up in an explosion of red-blooded violence. Luckily, this sensational sizzle reel is a mere hook to get you engrossed in a series that is soaked with tales of political intrigue, lost identity, found family, war-based trauma, and a turn of the century that is leaving the old ways behind. In short, Last Samurai Standing is equal parts the drama and political intrigue of FX’s Shogun and the hyper violence of Kill Bill Volume 1 — and if that sounds like your cup of tea, then buckle up and get ready.
Last Samurai Standing takes space during the Meiji era of Japan where a cholera outbreak has devastated the village, and home life of former famed samurai Shujiro Saga (Junichi Okada) aka Kokushu the Manslayer, who is riddled with PTSD after he and his men were slaughtered by gun and cannon fire after winning a large land battle.
In order to buy medicine for his sick wife, he travels to Kyoto to enter himself into an event called the Kodoku. He finds himself amongst 292 other fighters who have gathered for the chance of 100,000 yen. The game requires the samurai to amass wooden tags, which are around all the competitors’ necks, and then make it to Tokyo in order to collect their prize.
The contest explodes as samurai cut each other down in an unabashed orgy of violence. Amidst the blood and violence, our main characters are identified — the young country girl Futaba (Yumia Fujisaki), Iroha (Kaya Kiyohara) a skilled warrior with a mysterious past, Kyojin (Masahiro Higashide) the charming yet shady as hell strategist, the barbaric Bukotsu Kanjiya (Hideaki Itō) and the ghastly Gentosai (Hiroshi Abe).
The series intercuts between these characters on the Kodoku’s path — encountering various opponents in near video game “boss level” fights — and the political intrigue behind who is running this game, and how it might just be used to undercut the entire Japanese empire. This element of political intrigue is given a proper slow burn treatment. It unravels in a way that feels like you’re reading through chapters of a history book, as opposed to diving into a mystery box. This felt very much akin to ShoGun, especially as the series uses historical context to fuel this storyline.
The action in Last Samurai Standing is absolutely bonkers and this is all due to Junichi Okada who serves as not only the star of the series, but also its fight choreographer. His work with the sword play and action sequences are a brutal ballet. They are as physical and forceful as they are graceful and artistic. The cinematography of Keisuke Imamura and Hiroki Yamada is absolutely breathtaking, as they take the camera and deploy it in wildly unique ways. Wild close-ups, sweeping crane shots, and just brilliantly blocked scenes, combined with Okada’s choreography make Last Samurai Standing one of the most dynamic and memorable action series of the year.
Outside of action, Okada gives a strong performance as the highly conflicted death dealer, who must figure out a way to save his family, uncover a potential national conspiracy and protect the young Futaba (who is on a similar mission to save her mom and village) from a cavalcade of killers. Yumia Fujisaki does a tremendous job of taking a character that is such a terrible trope (the young damsel) and turns her into a beacon of humanity for those that surround her. Meanwhile, Masahiro Higashide provides well-timed and often much-needed levity to the proceedings as the mastermind who none of us can trust, but we all really want to.
Last Samurai Standing is a fantastic series that will satiate those looking for a bloody good time, and those who are in for a historical epic filled with intrigue and character development. It’s a well-paced series that breezes through its six episodes. In short, a perfect holiday weekend viewing.
