‘Song of the Samurai’: HBO Max sets May premiere for Japanese period drama

HBO Max is set to launch Song of the Samurai on May 9, a live-action jidaigeki series drawn from the acclaimed manga Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem. The manga, which has sold over three million copies across 36 volumes, has also inspired anime and stage adaptations, building a devoted fanbase over more than a decade.

The series is produced in collaboration with Japanese broadcaster TBS, streaming service U-Next, and production house The Seven, known for projects including Alice in Borderland and Yu Yu Hakusho. Through Warner Bros. Discovery’s partnership with U-Next, HBO Max will deliver the drama to international audiences, with local language subtitles and dubs available in select markets.

Set in late-Edo period Kyoto, the story follows the Shinsengumi, a samurai corps defending the shogunate during a period of political upheaval. Central to the narrative is Hijikata Toshizo, played by Yamada Yuki, whose bond with Kondo Isami and Okita Soji drives the emotional heart of the series. Themes of loyalty, betrayal, illness, and war shape the group as the old order collapses. The cast also includes Go Ayano and Nakajima Kento, with scripts by Sakai Masaaki and direction from Watanabe Kazutaka.

Japanese viewers will see an early release in a two-night broadcast on TBS TV titled ‘Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo’ on March 26 and 27, with episodes streaming on U-Next immediately after. The second chapter, ‘Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto,’ will stream weekly on U-Next as an exclusive.

James Gibbons, president of Warner Bros. Discovery Asia Pacific, described the series as a captivating tale rooted in Japanese culture with a charismatic ensemble cast. U-Next president Tsutsumi Tenshin emphasised the global ambition of the project, while TBS president Masamine Ryuho highlighted its portrayal of young men navigating a transformative era. Morii Akira of The Seven noted the series aims to reimagine the jidaigeki genre for younger audiences, blending action with the enduring samurai spirit.

Yamada Yuki added, “The samurai spirit is the wish to protect someone; a universal feeling shared across borders. I hope audiences can enjoy the action and the emotion carried within each blade.”