Image Credit: Netflix
After finishing Netflix’s latest battle-royale series, last samurai standingFans were left left with a lot of cliffhangers. It looks like Netflix has already greenlit Season 2 thanks to a hastily deleted tweet from our friends at Netflix France, but we’re still waiting Officer Confirmation. Here’s the latest.
mixture of Squid Game and Shogun, netflix series last samurai standing It is set in 1878 Japan, during the Meiji era, approximately a decade after the Boshin War. Attracted by a huge cash prize, 292 samurai from villages across the country participate in a competition. The competition is called Kodoku, in which samurai are tasked with traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo.
But it’s not just a race: each participant is given a wooden tag, and they have to kill and steal others’ tags to advance. Our main character, Shujiro Saga (Junichi Okada), enters the game in a last ditch effort to save his struggling and sick family. The series is based on the novel by Shogo Imamura, which was also made into a beloved manga.
last samurai standing season 2 renewal status
Netflix hasn’t done it yet officially green light last samurai standing for Season 2, but we may be ready for an official renewal soon. That’s because Netflix France (who have been great at jumping the gun in the past) has revealed and announced that the series will indeed be returning for Season 2. He posted on December 18 at 08:00 CET: “The Last Samurai Standing series is returning for a second season.”
The tweet was hastily deleted but the internet never forgets.
Screencap of Netflix FR tweet on December 18th
Furthermore, other signs for the future of the series have been positive from the start with positive reviews across the board.
The series has been strong in terms of viewership. It started with the specialty Daily top 10 in 93 countries. In its first week, it received 6.2 million views, surpassing most other Japanese live-action series released in recent years. Alice in Borderlands S3 and Yu Yu HakushoWhich were established titles.
Overall, the series remained in the weekly top 10 for a total of 4 weeks before dropping out with 94 million viewing hours, which is equivalent to 18.3M views.
| week in top 10 | week period | hours watched | visual/cve | weekly rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 9 to November 16, 2025 Initial release | 31,700,000 (New) | 6,200,000 | 2 |
| 2 | November 16 to November 23, 2025 | 37,200,000 (+17%) | 7,200,000 | 1 |
| 3 | November 23 to November 30, 2025 | 16,600,000 (-55%) | 3,200,000 | 2 |
| 4 | November 30 to December 7, 2025 | 8,500,000 (-49%) | 1,700,000 | 3 |
Here’s how its first two weeks compare to other Japanese series on Netflix:
How does season 1 end? And what can we expect from Season 2?
Junichi Okada (left)
WARNING: The following section contains spoilers. proceed with caution!
By the end of Season 1, over 200 contestants had died. We learn that the game of Kodoku was not merely a sadistic test, but part of a vast underlying web of conspiracy perpetrated by some of the most powerful people in Japan. The concept was dreamed up by General ‘Mastermind’ Kawaji (Gaku Hamada) of Japan’s police force, who saw it as a way to rid the land of samurai. The game was funded by a group of businessmen who saw it as a game and a fun way to bet on winners.
It features all kinds of powerful and fearsome competitors, including a pair who have a personal connection to Shujiro himself. The most notable is the bloodthirsty samurai Bukotsu (Hideki Ito), Shunkiro’s former ally in the Boshin War. Having lost the previous battle, Bukōtsu – perhaps out of pride – wanted to fight with Shujirō to the death. Subsequently, Shujirō seriously injures him, and Bukōtsu vows that this will not be the end of their feud. Fast forward to the game of Koduku, and Bukotsu is out to get Shujiro. After a dramatic meeting in Episode 1, they face off once again in the finale, during a long and bloody battle in which both men are set on fire. Ultimately, Shujiro was victorious and killed Bukōtsu. The second time, he showed no mercy.
After surviving his battle against Bukōtsu, Shujirō soon receives a message from government official Lord Majima asking him to immediately travel to Tokyo.
Amidst a web of conspiracies and mysteries, the series takes a shocking turn with the death of Home Minister Okubo (Arata Iura). After confirming his belief that the government and samurai could work together, Kawaji assassinated Okubo. When Shujiro learns of Ōkubo’s death, he believes it to be connected to Kodoku: “It’s no coincidence,” he says.
So what can we expect from season 2?
last samurai standing Season 1 ends with several cliffhangers, bringing ‘Chapter One’ to an action-packed finale. Looking ahead to Season 2, fans can expect the game of Kodoku to continue, as participants compete to be a part of the Final 9 in Tokyo. But what awaits them there? Will they be forced to kill each other for the cash prize? Will it be divided between them?
Furthermore, the game of Kodoku is not just for the sadistic pleasure of rich gamblers – it is embedded in political intrigue. The criminals are completely rotten and corrupt. Season 1 explored this, but more episodes will add even more context and clarify further motivations.
According to series creator Michihito Fuji, his vision for the entire series would see it last for “two or three seasons”, he explained. screenrant“However, sometimes future seasons come two or three years later, and viewers forget what happened in the past, Because I’m a fan of Netflix, I try to tell as much as I can in one season, I like to do as much as possible,”
Further interviews have suggested that superpowers may be on the agenda for the second season. Junichi Okada told heart“For our show, for the first season, we don’t have superpowers, but if Last Samurai Standing is very popular and well received, and if we were to continue with a second season, there might be a possibility that we could introduce some aspects of those.”
do you see last samurai standingWhat do you hope to see in Season 2, Let us know in the comments below!