Ikusagami: Last Samurai Standing

This show is a great edition to the genre.

It is Squid Games meets Death Race with anime samurai tropes.

The combat scenes are absolutely fantastic.

The anime vibes are grounded just enough to not feel campy.

I will say that I hope they wrap it up by the end of next season. I feel like the pacing was well done. It would be a shame to spoil it by dragging it out more than it has to be.

Definitely worth the watch for anyone that wants some high octane sword fights.

I was not expecting Last Samurai Standing to be nearly as good as it was. I was expecting some cheesy action show where I can just turn my brain off and enjoy it. It's much more than that. It's a mix of Shogun, Battle Royale & Squid Game. The only negative is it's only six episodes long. There are plenty of characters and backstories that would've benefited from a longer season. Every episode has enough action and drama to entertain just about any action fan.

The title says it all. "Last Samurai Standing"' plot is generally laid out in its title with some interesting, intriguing twists. The six episode premiere of "Chapter One" effectively lays out the main general plot and introduces the primary characters, along with their motivations effectively.

Fans of FX's 2024 remake of "Shogun" and Takashi Miike's 2010 "13 Assassins" will likely enjoy "Last Samurai Standing". The melodrama in between set action pieces sometimes drops an anchor on momentum, but not so much to derail the story.

Let's hope Netflix generates enough positive interest for Chapter Two and this first season offering abruptly ends -ala iajutsu.

Although this show plays to several tropes that could be better served.

The trope of a tired broken down soldier is beyond old... Do something different. The other trope is the one of the hopeless little girl who need saving, this is monumentally irritating as it sets up somebody who's going to sacrifice himself for the monumentally inept person.

Otherwise I do enjoy all the scenes. I just wish they wouldn't use some of the old tropes.

Imagine taking squid games and Alice in Borderland setting it in old Japan. That's kind of the premise of this. It takes a bit to get going and figure out who the main characters besides the man slayer would be, but once it does, it sucks you in and you can't stop watching. The fight scenes are epic, the pacing good, and the scenery beautiful. I'm not sure how historically accurate they are, but the sets are pretty. There were a couple of characters, I wish I could have seen more of, one or two that I saw too much of, but those are minor issues. I also wish it was more than six episodes. If you're looking for a day to binge a show, try this one. It was great!