Netflix is seeking to hold their worldwide success streak alive and effectively with Final Samurai Standing, which the workforce behind it guarantee is greater than the exhibits it is being in comparison with. Developed by Kento Yamaguchi and Michihito Fujii, the collection serves as a live-action adaptation of Shogo Imamura’s manga of the identical identify, by which a warrior enters a battle royale within the hopes of successful the funds wanted to assist his sick spouse and youngster.
Led by Junichi Okada, who additionally serves because the present’s artistic director and motion choreographer, Final Samurai Standing is already discovering itself in comparison with the likes of Netflix’s Squid Recreation, given its central conceit of a problem involving tons of of contestants competing for life-changing wealth, and FX’s Shogun, with its interval Japanese setting. Having premiered on the thirtieth Busan Worldwide Movie Pageant, the present is already garnering early reward, significantly for its large-scale set items and tight sword choreography.
In anticipation of the present’s premiere, Joe Deckelmeier interviewed Michihito Fujii and Junichi Okada for ScreenRant to debate Final Samurai Standing. When requested concerning the comparisons to Shogun and Squid Recreation, the co-creator started by acknowledging the influence that the previous has had on worldwide storytelling, significantly due to Hiroyuki Sanada main the solid and producing the collection, calling the Emmy winner “one in every of Japan’s biggest actors“:
Michihito Fujii: He launched Japanese custom as he labored overseas, and he did his finest. Squid Recreation is Korea’s reply to the loss of life sport style, and it is nice leisure that I’ve numerous respect for.
In terms of Final Samurai Standing, Fujii finds that one factor actually setting the collection other than the pack is that it is “a personality drama” that occurs to be “filled with motion“, recalling his and Okada’s early discussions incessantly utilizing the phrase “loopy“. Going into the Netflix manga adaptation with the aim of getting “this never-before-seen sort of motion“, the pair went on to debate the methods by which they may pull that off, whereas additionally including “homages to different interval items“.
Trying on the journey of bringing Imamura’s four-volume manga to the display screen, Fujii, who has expertise adapting issues for the display screen with the likes of 2019’s The Journalist, acknowledged that the processes of “adapting a novel to a film and to a TV collection are completely totally different“. Even nonetheless, the chance to get to accomplice with Netflix proved an attractive one, particularly as a way to faithfully translate Final Samurai Standing to the display screen, as the binge-watch mannequin can hold viewers hooked during:
Michihito Fujii: I do not need the viewers to be bored for even a minute. There are components of a street journey film, there is a loss of life sport, and there are extra exterior components. It isn’t solely motion, however you additionally see the expansion of the protagonist. Beside the protagonist, there’s Futaba, performed by Yumia Fujisaki. You watch how she grows, what sort of future they’ve, and the way they principally survive or die. There’s the human drama facet, which we maintained as we have been engaged on the script. It was a really enjoyable time for me, personally. And should you can watch all of the episodes, you will see the story nonetheless continues. And we do hope to proceed.
For Okada, one of many largest keys in approaching his a number of roles within the collection was to make sure he was “respecting the unique” materials, as he wished followers of the Final Samurai Standing manga “to be happy” with the variation. Expressing his perception that the present “achieved” that accordingly, Okada went on to guarantee the unique creator’s involvement within the present, explaining that, “Mr. Imamura has additionally been a giant a part of bringing interval items to the present era“:
Junichi Okada: He is about my age, however by Final Samurai Standing, he had the thought of delivering the style of historic drama to a youthful era. I’ve the identical need to not simply do one other old school interval piece. I need younger individuals to be proud, and I need this to be a set off for them to really feel pleased with their tradition. I really feel a lot admiration for Imamura-san, who infused a lot of the leisure component into this story. To have Netflix wish to do Final Samurai Standing along with me was an honor. They satisfied me, and I felt it was virtually destiny for me to have the ability to get entangled within the challenge.
Okada’s First-Time Producing Place Was “Complicated On A Day by day Foundation”, However That Did not Maintain Him Again
ScreenRant: You are not solely main the collection as Shujiro Saga, however you are additionally producing and designing the motion. How did carrying all three hats change the best way you strategy every day on set?
Junichi Okada: In terms of the motion choreography and planning, I’ve already been concerned in previous initiatives, so I’ve worn these two hats on the identical time. However with regards to producing, that is actually the primary expertise for me. It was complicated each day as a result of calculating the funds is one factor, however I even have to know every little thing that is taking place whereas producing. I consider it as contradictory at instances as a result of there are issues that I wished to do because the motion choreographer, however from the producer’s perspective, they can’t be carried out. As an actor, I’ve to be purely targeted on my position, however I’ve to have the ability to perceive what’s taking place throughout. Generally it hinders my potential to focus on performing, however luckily, I’m truly fairly skillful. [Laughs] With assist from the solid and crew, I’ve been capable of full every little thing.
ScreenRant: You might be identified for doing your personal stunts. What was essentially the most tough or harmful sequence you insisted on performing your self?
Junichi Okada: This time, we wished to problem ourselves. However on the identical time, we wished to create a devoted Japanese interval piece. After all, we discovered from the earlier interval items, however I wished to replace our story, which was essential for us. We tried to seize every little thing in a single take when doable, and on the identical time, I wished to essentially concentrate on the second. One query was how a lot we have been going to make use of CGI. We wished to cut back the share of CG, which is sort of the other of what is taking place in filmmaking at this time. We wished to verify Final Samurai Standing was large in scale, however we additionally wished an intimate concentrate on the martial arts. We wished to verify the digicam may seize all of the free actions, even throughout lengthy takes. We wished to maximise all these components, however most particularly concentrate on capturing every second, one thing that was all the time current in Kurosawa’s movies. We wished to verify we captured one thing actual in every take, so there have been numerous factors that I needed to take care of. However the timing may be very difficult, and it took numerous teamwork to do all that. It was a steady battle on a day-to-day foundation.
ScreenRant: You are a fifth-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which influenced the swordfighting choreography right here. How did you merge trendy martial arts with genuine Nineteenth-century Samurai fight?
Junichi Okada: In martial arts, respiration may be very, essential. We now have to assume not from the mind, however extra from the heart or the abdomen. That’s how we predict. After all, we have now to assume utilizing the mind, however I’ve to really feel with the abdomen or the intestine. We should not hesitate, and we shouldn’t be negatively impacted by exterior forces. Because the main position, Shujiro ought to not likely hesitate, and he should not be influenced. The principle character should draw individuals into the story, so he should specific himself in a approach that captures the viewers. To play him, I truly researched how the physique ought to transfer, reminiscent of how a Samurai would watch. The ratio between authenticity and cinematic motion is perhaps 70% to 30%; that’s the ratio that I’ve stored. And I wished to verify, in sure moments, audiences see the true approach a Samurai would stroll, for instance. That is the true half, however then the opposite half ought to be motion. I used to be capable of make that call in every scene, which was actually a power for me.
ScreenRant: Shujiro enters the survival sport to save lots of his household. Are you able to discuss balancing his deep emotional arc with the bodily calls for of nonstop motion?
Junichi Okada: My character, Shujiro, had a really unhappy expertise previously. He was raised with the only real objective of preventing and skilled many battles, the place he was harm and suffered from PTSD. That is the trail that he has taken, and now he has decides to take part within the sport for the household. Additionally, as a Samurai, making an attempt to save lots of the woman is sort of like saving himself. He is not likely aggressive, however figuring out the unhappiness of the preventing as he proceeds all through the sport was a particularly necessary component for me. As a result of I’m a Samurai, there must be a weight to my position, and since he’s the primary character, there’s a depth to his actions. I feel having these two issues already makes it an awesome story, however understanding his unhappiness can be an important half. From the attitude of the motion scenes, he turns into somebody who’s not likely prepared to make use of the sword. When he decides to make use of the sword, and why, are necessary questions. What would it not take to get him to the subsequent stage of liberation? I’ve been speaking with the director during to have the ability to get that proper.
ScreenRant: You mentioned that you really want Japanese motion to compete globally. Do you see Final Samurai Standing as a step in direction of redefining how worldwide audiences see Samurai dramas?
Junichi Okada: Effectively, if that is the case, I would be very completely happy. The world is now changing into extra full of CGI, and there might be great pictures created by it. However Japan has been creating drama extra virtually. Animation and manga have superior, however with regards to live-action, we’re not likely but to the extent of Hollywood or different movie industries. There are lots of causes for that, however the query is how can we create, and what can we create? There must be originality in every nation. One distinctive component is the Japanese interval piece, and one other is the historical past of the Japanese tradition. I need the younger era to essentially concentrate on this, and work out how we will create lovely artwork reflecting that with trendy expertise; one thing actually cool and produced with intention. In terms of Japanese tradition, we have now to redefine or replace ourselves. That is the query that I stored asking myself. I feel by attending to the core of that query, a part of it’s answered by artwork. Movie is artwork, manga is artwork, and even martial arts depend. So, I feel studying genuine martial arts is one actual factor I can talk to the remainder of the world. After which I resolve how I will create after going by the method.
Final Samurai Standing’s Epic Scale Gave Fujii A Profession-First Expertise
ScreenRant: Final Samurai Standing is each brutal and exquisite. How do you discover the appropriate tone so it by no means suggestions too far in a single path?
Michihito Fujii: It is a interval piece, and it is an motion drama. It is a battle royale, and there are numerous components, however I used to be working with Junichi Okada, who is aware of numerous historical past and motion. He is a producer and the lead actor, whereas my position was to introduce intense characters from this world of fiction. How can I introduce interesting, engaging characters who’re very energetic? And I feel I did my finest.
ScreenRant: You reunited with Junichi Okada after Arduous Days. How was your collaboration this time, particularly since he is additionally serving as a producer and motion choreographer?
Michihito Fujii: Sure, he was the lead actor on Arduous Days, and I used to be the director. Again then, we have been capable of strictly work on our jobs. However this time, we actually labored collectively, fought collectively, labored on the script collectively, and labored on the motion collectively. We have been type of like a married couple, or like a buddy cop comedy. We have been all the time there for one another. If Junichi expressed one thing he wished to do, as director, I attempted to accommodate. And he additionally adjusted his efficiency to my needs at instances. I feel it was a implausible collaboration.
ScreenRant: The story begins with practically 300 Samurai competing for survival. From a directing standpoint, what was the largest problem in balancing scale and intimacy throughout six episodes?
Michihito Fujii: We had 300 individuals! I’ve had earlier experiences taking pictures 300 extras, however this time they have been all contestants. Everyone had a character, and it was 292 of them in opposition to one in every of me. That was a primary for me. I needed to break down the characters as people, in order that was very time-consuming. It was a really tough job, and we could not use extras as a result of every one in every of them needed to have their very own philosophy. We needed to set up why they have been taking part in that battle as a result of that was the character drama that we wished to painting. Due to that, we considered every of their weapons, about what number of have been girls, what number of have been worldwide, and so forth. We went by so many rehearsals and discussions, which was essentially the most tough factor to do.
ScreenRant: The Meiji period was a time of large upheaval in Japan. How necessary was it to floor a collection in actual historical past fairly than simply an motion spectacle?
Michihito Fujii: The Meiji interval is a time of transition for Japan. We had individuals coming in from abroad. As an alternative of the Samurai fashion of tied hair, they began carrying Western clothes. What’s superb about Shojo Imamura, the creator, is that he finds numerous issues in widespread with our trendy age. Within the Meiji period, they’d cholera. At the moment, we have now COVID. In trendy instances, we have now AI. And previously, individuals have been additionally shedding jobs due to modernization. I feel trendy audiences will be capable of establish with this, so I took it as a constructive factor.
ScreenRant: What was essentially the most difficult sequence to seize on digicam?
Michihito Fujii: The primary sequence; the one-shot that I needed to stage within the preliminary scene was a really tough scene. You needed to do building on the precise location, after which we needed to choreograph tons of of Samurai, and ensure we had the timing for the canon and explosion. I needed to go to the situation many instances. It is a very spectacular scene that exposed our resolve to excellent the motion sequences. There’s all the time a chance of accidents, however as a substitute of counting on VFX, Junichi and I wished to give you real fights and make a convincing scene. That was a problem.
Final Samurai Standing begins streaming on Netflix on November 13.
- Launch Date
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November 13, 2025
- Community
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Netflix
- Administrators
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Michihito Fujii
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Junichi Okada
Shujiro Saga
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Yumia Fujisaki
Futaba Katsuki
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Kaya Kiyohara
Iroha Kinugasa
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Masahiro Higashide
Kyojin Tsuge