HBO Max Acquires Japanese Period Action Drama ‘Song of the Samurai’

HBO Max is about to bow “Song of the Samurai,” a live-action jidaigeki collection rooted in a single of Japan’s most enduring manga franchises, on May 9.

The present is drawn from “Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem,” the long-running manga by Umemura Shinya, whose work on “Record of Ragnarok” earned him a global following after the title was tailored into a well-liked anime collection. “Chiruran” has sustained a faithful readership across more than a decade, with 36 collected volumes and upwards of three million copies offered. It has also spawned anime and stage variations over the years.

The manufacturing brings together three major Japanese leisure gamers: broadcaster TBS, streaming service U-Next and manufacturing home The Seven, whose earlier credit embody “Alice in Borderland” and “Yu Yu Hakusho.” The collection arrives on HBO Max by means of Warner Bros. Discovery’s present content partnership with U-Next.

The drama unfolds in late-Edo interval Kyoto and follows the Shinsengumi, the storied samurai corps that served as the shogunate’s last line of protection during one of Japan’s most turbulent political transitions. At its heart is Hijikata Toshizo – a former road fighter performed by Yamada Yuki – whose unlikely brotherhood with Kondo Isami and Okita Soji shapes the emotional core of the collection. Loyalty, betrayal, sickness and conflict all bear down on the group as the outdated order crumbles round them.

Rounding out the forged are Go Ayano and Nakajima Kento. Sakai Masaaki penned the scripts, Watanabe Kazutaka helms the course, and Morii Akira, Inoue Mamoru and Shimomura Kazuya produce.

Japanese audiences will get an early look through a two-night broadcast event on TBS TV – “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo” – on March 26 and 27, with episodes streaming on U-Next straight after each airing. The second chapter, “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto,” will then roll out weekly on U-Next every Friday as a streaming exclusive.

James Gibbons, president, Asia Pacific at Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “With a growing appetite for this genre, we hope fans enjoy this captivating new samurai story – rooted deep in Japanese culture, with passionate action and a charismatic ensemble cast.”

U-Next president and consultant director Tsutsumi Tenshin added: “This project was developed with global distribution and broadcast integration in mind, aiming to expand the reach of Japanese content. With The Seven’s production quality, TBS’s creative strength, and a world-renowned manga at its core, we are confident the series will captivate international viewers.”

TBS Television president and consultant director Masamine Ryuho said: “Set against the upheaval of the Bakumatsu era, this large-scale drama captures the spirit of young men living through one of Japan’s most transformative periods.”

Morii, who serves as VP, CCO and chief producer at The Seven, said the team set out to reimagine the jidaigeki style for youthful audiences. “Built on an exceptional manga original, ‘Song of the Samurai’ is brought to life through the committed performances and action of Yamada Yuki and an outstanding cast, with a contemporary vision of the samurai spirit,” he said.

Yamada, who leads the collection as Hijikata, added: “In mid-19th century Japan, the Shinsengumi were among the so-called last samurai warriors who upheld the way of the sword during a time of profound change. To me, the samurai spirit is the wish to protect someone; a universal feeling that is shared across borders. I hope audiences can enjoy the action, while also feeling the emotion carried within each blade.”

Local language subtitles and dubs will likely be obtainable in choose markets.

Meanwhile, HBO Max will launch direct-to-consumer in new markets across Asia Pacific on March 26, including Bhutan, Fiji, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.