Last Samurai Standing
Japanese manga series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Last Samurai Standing (Japanese: イクサガミ, Hepburn: Ikusagami; 'God of War') is a Japanese manga series adapted from the novel of the same name written by Shogo Imamura and illustrated by Katsumi Tatsuzawa. It has been serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Morning since December 2022, with its chapters collected in six tankōbon volumes as of November 2025.
| Last Samurai Standing | |
First tankōbon volume cover | |
| イクサガミ (Ikusagami) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Shogo Imamura |
| Illustrated by | Katsumi Tatsuzawa |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Morning KC |
| Magazine | Morning |
| Original run | December 8, 2022 – present |
| Volumes | 6 |
A live-action TV series was released on Netflix on November 13, 2025.
Media
Manga
Originally written by Shogo Imamura, based on his novel Ikusagami, and illustrated by Katsumi Tatsuzawa, Last Samurai Standing began publication in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Morning on December 8, 2022.[2][3][4] Kodansha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on April 21, 2023.[5] As of November 21, 2025, six volumes have been released.[6]
In North America, the manga has been licensed by Kodansha USA for release in English.[7]
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 21, 2023[8] | 978-4-06-531334-3 | July 22, 2025[9] | 979-8-88877-516-5 |
| 2 | July 21, 2023[10] | 978-4-06-532393-9 | September 23, 2025[11] | 979-8-88877-517-2 |
| 3 | December 21, 2023[12] | 978-4-06-534013-4 | November 11, 2025[13] | 979-8-88877-518-9 |
| 4 | May 22, 2024[14] | 978-4-06-535583-1 | January 13, 2026[15] | 979-8-88877-519-6 |
| 5 | October 23, 2025[16] | 978-4-06-538847-1 | July 14, 2026[17] | 979-8-88877-811-1 |
| 6 | November 21, 2025[6] | 978-4-06-541410-1 | — | — |
Live-action drama
Netflix announced the production of a Last Samurai Standing series, starring Junichi Okada, who also served as co-executive producer and action choreographer. Michihito Fujii and Kento Yamaguchi are its writer and director, produced by Office Shirous. About his multi-role in the drama, Okada said “When Netflix executive producer Mr. Takahashi reached out to me, I was still acting in historical dramas. Back then, I was already thinking of ways to make this genre a hit, not just in Japan, but all over the world. I saw their potential for action, drama, social commentary, and entertainment, but I knew they could be taken further. That’s when I came across Imamura’s novel. It was written in a way that modern audiences could enjoy, and I was excited about the idea of adapting it”.[18] The series started streaming on November 13, 2025[19] with Junichi Okada as protagonist Shujiro Saga; Riho Yoshioka as Shujiro's wife, Shino; Yumia Fujisaki as Futaba Katsuki; Kaya Kiyohara as Iroha Kinugasa; Taichi Saotome as Shikura Adashino; Yuya Endo as Sansuke Gion; Masahiro Higashide as Kyojin Tsuge; Shota Sometani as Kocha Kamuy; Hiroshi Tamaki as Ukyo Kikuomi; Takayuki Yamada as Jinbe Ando; Kairi Jo as Shinjiro Sayama; Wataru Ichinose as Raizo Tachibana; Hideaki Itō as Bukotsu Kanjiya; Yasushi Fuchikami as Sakura; and Enju, played by Kazunari Ninomiya.[20]
Reception
Aki Nakano of Kodansha Comic Plus finds the Last Samurai Standing manga adaptation of Shōgo Imamura's novel a gruesome, vividly rendered death game set in the chaotic early Meiji period, with a great sense of pacing and mesmerizing characters.[21] Zen Narita, in a review for Da Vinci News, praised Katsumi Tatsuzawa's manga art, describing them as "moment-to-moment", facial expressions and physical movements of the characters in battle as "dynamic and enjoyable."[22]
The series was included in the American Library Association's 2025 Best Graphic Novels for Adults list.[23]