HBO Max is set to bow “Song of the Samurai,” a live-action jidaigeki series rooted in one of Japan’s most enduring manga franchises, on May 9.
The show is drawn from “Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem,” the long-running manga by Umemura Shinya, whose work on “Record of Ragnarok” earned him a global following after the title was adapted into a popular anime series. “Chiruran” has sustained a devoted readership across more than a decade, with 36 collected volumes and upwards of three million copies sold. It has also spawned anime and stage adaptations over the years.
The production brings together three major Japanese entertainment players: broadcaster TBS, streaming service U-Next and production house The Seven, whose previous credits include “Alice in Borderland” and “Yu Yu Hakusho.” The series arrives on HBO Max through Warner Bros. Discovery’s existing content partnership with U-Next.
The drama unfolds in late-Edo period Kyoto and follows the Shinsengumi, the storied samurai corps that served as the shogunate’s last line of defense during one of Japan’s most turbulent political transitions. At its center is Hijikata Toshizo – a former street fighter played by Yamada Yuki – whose unlikely brotherhood with Kondo Isami and Okita Soji shapes the emotional core of the series. Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.
Rounding out the cast are Go Ayano and Nakajima Kento. Sakai Masaaki penned the scripts, Watanabe Kazutaka helms the direction, and Morii Akira, Inoue Mamoru and Shimomura Kazuya produce.
Japanese audiences will get an early look via a two-night broadcast event on TBS TV – “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo” – on March 26 and 27, with episodes streaming on U-Next straight after each airing. The second chapter, “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto,” will then roll out weekly on U-Next every Friday as a streaming exclusive.
James Gibbons, president, Asia Pacific at Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “With a growing appetite for this genre, we hope fans enjoy this captivating new samurai story – rooted deep in Japanese culture, with passionate action and a charismatic ensemble cast.”
U-Next president and representative director Tsutsumi Tenshin added: “This project was developed with global distribution and broadcast integration in mind, aiming to expand the reach of Japanese content. With The Seven’s production quality, TBS’s creative strength, and a world-renowned manga at its core, we are confident the series will captivate international viewers.”
TBS Television president and representative director Masamine Ryuho said: “Set against the upheaval of the Bakumatsu era, this large-scale drama captures the spirit of young men living through one of Japan’s most transformative periods.”
Morii, who serves as VP, CCO and chief producer at The Seven, said the team set out to reimagine the jidaigeki genre for younger audiences. “Built on an exceptional manga original, ‘Song of the Samurai’ is brought to life through the committed performances and action of Yamada Yuki and an outstanding cast, with a contemporary vision of the samurai spirit,” he said.
Yamada, who leads the series as Hijikata, added: “In mid-19th century Japan, the Shinsengumi were among the so-called last samurai warriors who upheld the way of the sword during a time of profound change. To me, the samurai spirit is the wish to protect someone; a universal feeling that is shared across borders. I hope audiences can enjoy the action, while also feeling the emotion carried within each blade.”
Local language subtitles and dubs will be available in select markets.
Meanwhile, HBO Max will launch direct-to-consumer in new markets across Asia Pacific on March 26, including Bhutan, Fiji, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
