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Japan's Last Samurai: Live-Action Series Arrives
25 Feb
Summary
- HBO Max will premiere "Song of the Samurai," a jidaigeki series on May 9.
- The series is based on the popular manga "Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem."
- It features major Japanese production houses like TBS and The Seven.
A new live-action jidaigeki series, "Song of the Samurai," is scheduled to premiere on HBO Max on May 9. This series is adapted from the widely popular manga "Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem," which has garnered a devoted following over more than a decade. The production is a significant collaboration involving Japan's leading entertainment companies: broadcaster TBS, streaming service U-Next, and production house The Seven, known for its work on "Alice in Borderland."
The drama is set in late-Edo period Kyoto and centers on the Shinsengumi, an elite samurai corps that formed the last defense of the shogunate during a tumultuous political transition. The narrative follows Hijikata Toshizo, a former street fighter, and his complex relationships with Kondo Isami and Okita Soji, exploring themes of loyalty, betrayal, and conflict as the old societal structure collapses.
Japanese audiences will have an earlier viewing opportunity through a two-night broadcast event on TBS TV on March 26 and 27, with immediate streaming on U-Next. Following this, "Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto" will be exclusively streamed weekly on U-Next every Friday. Warner Bros. Discovery highlighted the growing global appetite for such genres, expressing confidence that the series will captivate international viewers with its cultural depth, action, and charismatic cast.
