Last Samurai Standing star explains the show’s Avengers fight scene

by

Last Samurai Standing combines elements of shows like Squid Game and Shogun with the fast-paced action of battle royale games such as Call of Duty: Warzone. Junichi Okada, the show’s producer and lead actor, described how they crafted a climactic, large-scale showdown reminiscent of the Avengers movies.

This new series is set in Japan in the late 1800s, a time when the samurai class was being dissolved. The story centers around Shujiro Saga, played by Junichi Okada, who fights in a dangerous competition with a huge prize of 100 billion yen. He hopes to win the money to help his wife and son, who are suffering from cholera.

I’m so excited about Kodoku! It’s this incredible tournament where 292 fighters compete, traveling all the way from Kyoto to Tokyo over a month. The really cool part is, every time someone wins a fight, they have to collect a wooden tag from the defeated fighter as proof. It’s actually based on this amazing historical fiction novel called Ikusagemi – it’s by Shogo Imamura, and the illustrations are by Katsumi Tatsuzawa. I highly recommend checking out the source material!

I’m really getting invested in all the characters on this show – there are so many to cheer for as they compete in this brutal tournament! But there’s this one scene that was just amazing. A bunch of my favorites actually teamed up, and it totally felt like watching the Avengers assemble – it was epic!

Last Samurai Standing scene is the show’s big Avengers-style fight

Episode 4 of Last Samurai Standing, titled ‘The Mastermind,’ features a thrilling fight scene where Shujiro and his friends are ambushed by a rich spectator. The episode quickly escalates into a chaotic brawl, highlighted by an impressive single-shot action sequence that martial arts enthusiasts are sure to enjoy.

Junichi Okada, wearing multiple hats as an actor, producer, and choreographer, shared the reasoning behind the surprising collaboration.

Regarding the seafood restaurant scene, we knew it needed to showcase a lot of people and talent. We carefully considered how many characters to introduce at once,” he explained to The Hollywood Reporter. “We approached it like a big superhero reveal, similar to how characters are introduced one by one in a movie like The Avengers.”

He explained that they intentionally avoided excessive violence, wanting to ground “Last Samurai Standing” in historical accuracy rather than turning it into a purely fantastical story.

We used violence to convey how terrifying and awful that time period was, but we deliberately avoided making it overly fantastical with exaggerated or instantly fatal attacks, unlike what was present in the original story.

If the show Last Samurai Standing continues, we might see characters develop abilities similar to those of the Avengers, according to creator Okada. He explains that the source novel explores a spiritual connection with a higher power, which could translate into superpowers on screen.

During the first season, we featured the kagura dance, which has roots in spiritual practices and suggests a connection to supernatural abilities. We’re exploring ways to build on this and introduce the idea of divine power.

You can now watch Last Samurai Standing on Netflix. For more viewing options, explore the new movies coming to Netflix this month, discover the best live-action anime adaptations, and see what’s on the horizon with our 2025 TV show schedule.

Read More

2025-11-17 17:19