This review may contain spoilers
The Obliteration of the Samurai
Last Samurai Standing is about an impoverished and struggling ronin just trying to make ends meet in the Meiji era where the samurai class had been abolished, wearing swords is considered illegal, and the remnants of his kind are shunned and treated like scum. Saga Shujiro is a former distinguished retainer of the powerful Satsuma clan that helped restore the Meiji rule in Japan and defeated the Tokugawa shogunate. He is betrayed and discarded like trash by the very people he reinstated in power. In a world where the samurai have become as obsolete as their katana and code of honor, they are forced to resort to drastic means just to survive, including engaging in a deadly game orchestrated by those in power.
At a glance, this seems like a simple story about people killing each other for survival. But it really is not. This doesn't only have a historical setting but also features known figures in Japanese history. Lord Okubo, the Home Minister was a real person who led the Satsuma clan during the Boshin War. He was named the Home Minister of the Meiji empire and helped shape the future of the country with his ideals and accomplishments. Unfortunately, with change always comes resistance and though he quelled many rebellions (many were led by his former associates), he ultimately couldn't escape assassination by his own former comrades. That segment of Japanese history is the core of this drama. It is also the reason why the “Kodoku” exists. The abhorrence for the samurai and the old ways stems from their inability to accept and adapt to change as well as their gruesome history of bloodshed, unsquashable belief in their code, and their previous position as the elite military class of feudal Japan that they so vehemently abused. There is no unfounded hatred for them, they were hated as much as they were revered. Kawaji most likely suffered or have seen people suffer from the hands of the samurai who demanded respect from peasants and ordinary folk. I do not condone his actions but I do understand his hatred.
The Zaibatsu or the four powerful oligarchs involved in the Kodoku are based on real power hungry families who had a hand in governing the new Meiji empire. They were most likely in favor of obliterating the samurai considering their positions in government and their desire for reform. The death game aspect in Last Samurai Standing is merely a tool to demonstrate the lengths that this new government took to rid itself of its former military class in order to modernize Japan. I just wish they had written them in a less caricature-ish way, though.
The rest of the characters are more complex, thankfully. Shujiro is not your typical hero. In fact, he's flawed, cowardly, and selfish. He left his siblings to fend for themselves because he was afraid. He fought under the Meiji banner with the goal of reforming his country, but he was betrayed, lost allies, and drifted away into obscurity. He started a family but is on the verge of losing them to another enemy, the cholera epidemic that hit Japan. He wanted only to save himself and his family until he met a young girl who reminded him of his dead daughter. So no, he didn't join the Kodoku to save his village. Far from it. Even Kanjiya is not your cookie cutter villain either. In a time when warriors that were bred to do just one thing, which is to kill, lose their purpose, they struggle to find their place in the world and refuse to accept a world that no longer needs them. Sakura is also an interesting character, a former samurai who decided to help oligarchs eliminate his own brethren. His story has yet to be revealed.
While the plot may be more straightforward with little to no twists, I don't think it's that predictable. For one, some characters that were played by prominent actors were killed off almost immediately after being built up to be potential contenders in the game. So really, how did they know who will die exactly? Not to mention Tsuge's character is still a mystery. Do people who say that it's predictable actually know his plan? Who is he? What kind of twists do they want to see? That Saga Shujiro is actually the mastermind? I just can't with some of the comments and reviews of this drama that I've seen on MDL and Reddit. lol
Yes, it's no Shogun, I've been telling people that from the start. But it's not like any other death game story either. It is not a Squid Game-wannabe. In fact, the “death game” concept was popularized in Japan as early as the 1990's, reaching global heights in 2000 with the highly acclaimed Battle Royale. It doesn't rip off from Squid Game. If anything, it's Squid Game that follows this Japanese trend. But that's another argument.
It's also not Rurouni Kenshin. Although the setting is the same and both main characters were former retainers of powerful clans who supported the Meiji restoration, Shujiro is no Kenshin. He doesn't have a strong “no-kill” code and he's not idealistic or self-righteous. He became a samurai because he was raised as one and that's all he knows unlike Kenshin who had a traumatic childhood that drove him to pursue fighting for the weak and affecting change. The fights in this are visceral, bloody, and undeniably brutal that mirrors the horror of Feudal Japan. The fight choreography is more grounded and less stylized, very reminiscent of samurai films of old.
The cast is perfection! Okada Junichi channels a young Sanada Hiroyuki with every swagger and precise strike of his sword. Ito Hideaki is almost unrecognizable as the monstrous Kanjiya, fully immersing himself in the role and probably having a blast with it. Almost all of the cast members are highly popular actors. If you're familiar with J-entertainment, you could probably recognize all of them. lol
This is a well-produced and excellently acted drama that deserves more praise than it's getting. I would recommend it to anyone who has an ounce of interest in Japanese history and samurai culture. Action-fans will no doubt find this enjoyable too. It is now the number 1 most watched show on Netflix globally so a season two is certain at this point. The only question is, when will it come out?
At a glance, this seems like a simple story about people killing each other for survival. But it really is not. This doesn't only have a historical setting but also features known figures in Japanese history. Lord Okubo, the Home Minister was a real person who led the Satsuma clan during the Boshin War. He was named the Home Minister of the Meiji empire and helped shape the future of the country with his ideals and accomplishments. Unfortunately, with change always comes resistance and though he quelled many rebellions (many were led by his former associates), he ultimately couldn't escape assassination by his own former comrades. That segment of Japanese history is the core of this drama. It is also the reason why the “Kodoku” exists. The abhorrence for the samurai and the old ways stems from their inability to accept and adapt to change as well as their gruesome history of bloodshed, unsquashable belief in their code, and their previous position as the elite military class of feudal Japan that they so vehemently abused. There is no unfounded hatred for them, they were hated as much as they were revered. Kawaji most likely suffered or have seen people suffer from the hands of the samurai who demanded respect from peasants and ordinary folk. I do not condone his actions but I do understand his hatred.
The Zaibatsu or the four powerful oligarchs involved in the Kodoku are based on real power hungry families who had a hand in governing the new Meiji empire. They were most likely in favor of obliterating the samurai considering their positions in government and their desire for reform. The death game aspect in Last Samurai Standing is merely a tool to demonstrate the lengths that this new government took to rid itself of its former military class in order to modernize Japan. I just wish they had written them in a less caricature-ish way, though.
The rest of the characters are more complex, thankfully. Shujiro is not your typical hero. In fact, he's flawed, cowardly, and selfish. He left his siblings to fend for themselves because he was afraid. He fought under the Meiji banner with the goal of reforming his country, but he was betrayed, lost allies, and drifted away into obscurity. He started a family but is on the verge of losing them to another enemy, the cholera epidemic that hit Japan. He wanted only to save himself and his family until he met a young girl who reminded him of his dead daughter. So no, he didn't join the Kodoku to save his village. Far from it. Even Kanjiya is not your cookie cutter villain either. In a time when warriors that were bred to do just one thing, which is to kill, lose their purpose, they struggle to find their place in the world and refuse to accept a world that no longer needs them. Sakura is also an interesting character, a former samurai who decided to help oligarchs eliminate his own brethren. His story has yet to be revealed.
While the plot may be more straightforward with little to no twists, I don't think it's that predictable. For one, some characters that were played by prominent actors were killed off almost immediately after being built up to be potential contenders in the game. So really, how did they know who will die exactly? Not to mention Tsuge's character is still a mystery. Do people who say that it's predictable actually know his plan? Who is he? What kind of twists do they want to see? That Saga Shujiro is actually the mastermind? I just can't with some of the comments and reviews of this drama that I've seen on MDL and Reddit. lol
Yes, it's no Shogun, I've been telling people that from the start. But it's not like any other death game story either. It is not a Squid Game-wannabe. In fact, the “death game” concept was popularized in Japan as early as the 1990's, reaching global heights in 2000 with the highly acclaimed Battle Royale. It doesn't rip off from Squid Game. If anything, it's Squid Game that follows this Japanese trend. But that's another argument.
It's also not Rurouni Kenshin. Although the setting is the same and both main characters were former retainers of powerful clans who supported the Meiji restoration, Shujiro is no Kenshin. He doesn't have a strong “no-kill” code and he's not idealistic or self-righteous. He became a samurai because he was raised as one and that's all he knows unlike Kenshin who had a traumatic childhood that drove him to pursue fighting for the weak and affecting change. The fights in this are visceral, bloody, and undeniably brutal that mirrors the horror of Feudal Japan. The fight choreography is more grounded and less stylized, very reminiscent of samurai films of old.
The cast is perfection! Okada Junichi channels a young Sanada Hiroyuki with every swagger and precise strike of his sword. Ito Hideaki is almost unrecognizable as the monstrous Kanjiya, fully immersing himself in the role and probably having a blast with it. Almost all of the cast members are highly popular actors. If you're familiar with J-entertainment, you could probably recognize all of them. lol
This is a well-produced and excellently acted drama that deserves more praise than it's getting. I would recommend it to anyone who has an ounce of interest in Japanese history and samurai culture. Action-fans will no doubt find this enjoyable too. It is now the number 1 most watched show on Netflix globally so a season two is certain at this point. The only question is, when will it come out?
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