Netflix’s Best New Show Is The Perfect Reminder A 25 Year Old Dystopian Masterpiece

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In 2025, Netflix continued to dominate the streaming world, offering a strong lineup of original series and films, alongside popular licensed content. As the holidays approached, Netflix became even more popular with both new and returning shows gaining worldwide attention. Notably, one hit series not only captivated audiences but also sparked renewed interest in a beloved, 25-year-old film.

The new Netflix action series, Last Samurai Standing, began streaming on November 13th. Based on a popular Japanese novel and manga by Shogo Imamura, the show features samurai, ninja, and ronin competing in a dangerous tournament from Japan’s late Feudal era, with a life-altering prize at stake. Many viewers have noted the show’s similarities to the 2000 film Battle Royale, particularly in how the tournament is structured, its rules, and the high stakes involved.

Last Samurai Standing Story Explained

Last Samurai Standing centers around Shujiro Saga, a skilled but retired samurai, who gave up fighting when guns and cannons changed warfare in Japan. Tragedy strikes when cholera hits, and Shujiro loses his daughter and expects to lose his wife soon after. He then accepts a dangerous offer: compete in a martial arts tournament in Kyoto with a huge gold prize. Upon arriving, Shujiro discovers the tournament is actually a deadly competition called “Kodoku,” a month-long deathmatch between elite warriors. Each participant wears a wooden piece, and must travel from Kyoto to Tokyo, passing checkpoints along the way. To proceed at each checkpoint, players need to display an increasing number of identification tags.

To win the race, players must eliminate opponents and collect tags. If a player fails to finish within the time limit or breaks the rules, they are immediately disqualified. Meanwhile, powerful figures are watching and betting on the outcome, and a hidden political motive drives the competition – the goal is to eliminate the most skilled warriors from a bygone era.

Is It Fair to Compare Last Samurai Standing and Battle Royale?

The 2000 film Battle Royale, directed by Kinji Fukasaku, was based on a 1999 novel and manga by Koushun Takami. The story takes place in a futuristic, controlling Japan where the government tries to suppress rebellious youth by forcing a class of students into a yearly, televised deathmatch called “Battle Royale.” The students are sent to an island equipped with explosive collars and must scavenge for weapons and supplies while avoiding traps and dangerous areas. They’re pitted against each other, with many eager to resolve old conflicts through violence. Ultimately, a few students manage to overcome the system and become a symbol of resistance.

It’s clear from these summaries that several franchises borrow from the core idea of Battle Royale. Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series has often been accused of being too similar, and many viewers saw Netflix’s Squid Game as a more mature, Korean take on the same concept. Last Samurai Standing appears to be the latest in this line of adaptations – but does simply building on an existing idea make it a copy, or does it still stand on its own as a good show?

Many fans might not realize that the author of Battle Royale, Koushun Takami, drew inspiration from a surprising mix of sources: professional wrestling, a vivid dream about school, video games, and Stephen King’s short story, The Long Walk. Interestingly, just before The Last Samurai appeared on Netflix, The Long Walk received a new film adaptation directed by Francis Lawrence, who also directed the Hunger Games films starting with Catching Fire in 2013. He’s even working on another prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, due in 2026. This raises a question: if Lawrence is concerned about ideas being recycled or authors borrowing from each other, who is actually the one doing the borrowing?

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2025-12-03 01:41