One of Japan’s most acclaimed samurai manga is getting a major global live-action adaptation. Song of the Samurai, based on the manga Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem, is set to premiere internationally on HBO Max on May 9, 2026. Produced by the studio behind Alice in Borderland and Yu Yu Hakusho, the series arrives as one of the most ambitious Japanese period action dramas to reach global streaming audiences in recent years.
When Is Song of the Samurai Premiering on HBO Max?
Song of the Samurai will premiere internationally on HBO Max on May 9, 2026, across more than 100 countries. In Japan, audiences will get an early look via a two-night broadcast event on TBS TV on March 26 and 27, 2026, with episodes simultaneously streaming on U-NEXT after each airing. The international HBO Max premiere follows the Japanese broadcast by approximately six weeks.
For Indian audiences, HBO Max content is typically made available through the platform’s regional partnerships. The series’ global rollout across 100+ countries makes it one of the widest international distributions for a Japanese live-action production in recent memory.
What Is Song of the Samurai About?
Song of the Samurai is a live-action adaptation of Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem, a manga series by Shinya Umemura that ran in Monthly Comic Zenon from 2010 to 2023, spanning 36 collected volumes and selling over three million copies. The series centres on the Shinsengumi — the iconic samurai force that defended Kyoto during the turbulent final years of Japan’s Edo period, as the shogunate collapsed and modern Japan began to emerge.
The story follows Toshizo Hijikata (Yuki Yamada), a street brawler who finds an unexpected new family when he joins Isami Kondo and Soji Okita in forming the Shinsengumi. What begins as a bond forged through combat and shared purpose is tested over time by betrayal, illness, war, and the weight of their own ideals — as the men fight not only their enemies but the contradictions within themselves. The series blends spectacular action with the emotional intimacy of a story about loyalty and brotherhood in an era of irreversible change.
Who Stars in Song of the Samurai?
Yuki Yamada leads the series as Toshizo Hijikata, the street brawler who becomes one of the Shinsengumi’s most formidable figures. Ayano Go plays Kamo Serizawa, and Kento Nakajima takes on the role of Izo Okada. Jun Matsumoto appears as Katamori Matsudaira, the Kyoto Protector whose relationship with the Shinsengumi shapes much of the series’ political drama.
The series is written by Masaaki Sakai and directed by Kazutaka Watanabe. It is produced by THE SEVEN, the acclaimed Japanese studio whose previous live-action adaptations include the globally popular Alice in Borderland and Yu Yu Hakusho — both Netflix hits. The involvement of THE SEVEN is a significant signal of the production’s quality ambitions. The series is a collaboration between broadcaster TBS, streaming platform U-NEXT, and THE SEVEN, with Akira Morii, Mamoru Inoue, and Kazuya Shimomura serving as producers.
Where Can You Watch Song of the Samurai?
Song of the Samurai will stream internationally on HBO Max from May 9, 2026. The series is available across more than 100 countries through HBO Max’s global distribution. In Japan, episodes will be available on U-NEXT following the TBS broadcast in late March. For fans of Japanese period dramas, samurai action, and manga adaptations, Song of the Samurai arrives with strong source material credentials and a production pedigree — from THE SEVEN — that has already delivered globally acclaimed results in the live-action adaptation space.