Netflix recently announced that the new global hit series Last Samurai Standing will return for a second season. The show, which has similar themes as Shogun and Squid Game, came out on November 13 and instantly made its way into Netflix’s global top 10 for a non-English show. The renewal highlights the show’s rapid rise in popularity and its strong international appeal.
Last Samurai Standing renewed for Season 2 by Netflix
Netflix has confirmed the renewal of Last Samurai Standing for a second season following the global success of Season 1 (via Tudum). In the week of its release, the show charted at Netflix’s no. 2 spot globally, for a non-English show.
It then climbed up to no. 1 in the following week, staying in the top 3 until the end of the first week of December. Addressing the show’s renewal, Junichi Okada, producer, lead actor and action choreographer for the show, said, “I’m excited to get back into this wild world and once again charge into battle with the production team.”
“We hope to make the next season even more energetic and action-packed,” he added. Last Samurai Standing follows the story of 292 samurai participating in a battle royale style contest called Kodoku.
The last man standing will win a huge cash prize, similar to the plot of Squid Game, where players compete in challenges while trying to survive until the end. Meanwhile, the protagonist Shujiro Saga, played by Okada, joins the contest to collect funds for his sick family. This live-action show is based on the Japanese novel series Ikusagami by Shogo Imamura.
Speaking of his vision for the series, along with that of screenwriter and director Michihito Fujii, Okada said, “My hidden goal was to create a new kind of period drama, one that’s also an action drama. … Something made entirely in Japan, but made for the world. It’s grounded in serious themes, but the characters are sharply drawn, and the story is truly entertaining.”
All six episodes of Season 1 are currently streaming on Netflix.
Originally reported by Elton Fernandes on ComingSoon.
