Is 'Last Samurai Standing' Based On A True Story? Know The Real Inspiration Behind Japanese Show

The latest Japanese show, Last Samurai Standing, which was released on November 13, 2025, has managed to instantly grab a lot of attention from viewers because of its intense fights, tension and beautiful look of the show. While the show is making a lot of headlines, it has also raised questions on whether the events shown in Last Samurai Standing are based on real-life stories or not. Well, read on to know more about it.

Is Last Samurai Standing based on real life events?

In simple words, the show, Last Samurai Standing is completely fictional and is not based on any true story. The reason the show feels real is because a few things shown are real like the show is set in the Meiji era, which is real time. The setting of poverty, social change and political tension is all real, which makes the show feel authentic and accurate. Apart from this, the big events like the personal life of characters and the 'Kodoku' tournament are all fictional. 

Last Samurai Standing is based on a book

While the show is not based on any real-life events, it is adapted from a best-selling historical fiction novel, Ikusagami by Naoki prize winning author, Shogo Imamura. Interestingly, the book was later turned into a manga by Katsumi Tatsuzawa, before being adapted by Netflix. The live-action show, Last Samurai Standing is directed by Michihito Fujii and it stars Junichi Okada, Yumia Fujisaki, Kaya Kiyohara and more. 

Plotline of the show, Last Samurai Standing

Last Samurai Standing is set in Japan’s Meiji era, a time when samurai lost their old place in society and life became very hard for many people at that time. The show uses this real historical moment as the backdrop for a violent, emotional story. The show follows the story of 'Shujiro Saga', a former samurai who is poor and desperate after losing members of his family to disease. The show also features a month-long contest, 'Kodoku', which promises a huge money prize to the last samurai standing.

The 'Kodoku' is brutal and clever. Contestants have to move through different checkpoints on the old Tokaido road. The contestants will earn points by taking tags from other players. They must also survive attacks, make alliances and go through betrayals. During the difficult journey, 'Shujiro' also meets other players, including several rivals and more. Throughout the game, it tests a person's honour, skills and communication. 

Where to watch Last Samurai Standing?

Last Samurai Standing is streaming on OTT platform, Netflix. The show premiered on November 13, 2025, and all the episodes are available now. While the show is originally in Japanese, Netflix provided subtitles and dubbed audio in multiple languages. For those who don't know, till now the show has received positive reviews from critics and the audience. It has been widely appreciated for strong performance by actors, action scenes and more. 

More about Junichi Okada

Junichi Okada is a well-known Japanese actor and former pop star. He began his career in 1995 as a member of the boy band, V6. Later, he moved to acting. Over the years, he has appeared in projects like Hard Days, Hell Dogs, The Fable, It Comes, The Last Mission and more. Apart from this, he is a trained martial artist and fight choreographer. Reportedly, he was an actor, producer and action choreographer on Last Samurai Standing. Over the years, he has won several awards. In his personal life, he is married to Aoi Miyazaki.

What are your thoughts on the show, Last Samurai Standing? Let us know. 

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