Kokushu the Manslayer, aka Shujiro Saga (Junichi Okada), lives to fight another day. Last Samurai Standing has officially been renewed for Season 2.

The Japanese series — which follows a once undefeated samurai as he participates in a deadly game called Kodoku in hopes of saving his family — will return for another chapter of the epic that has captivated audiences across the globe. 

“I’m honored to say that the series has officially been greenlit for a second season,” says writer-director Michihito Fujii. “It gives me chills just thinking about all the exciting days that lie ahead with this amazing production team led by Junichi Okada. There’s no doubt that Season 2 will be even bigger and better than the first.” Okada — not only the lead actor but also a producer and action choreographer — adds, “I’m excited to get back into this wild world and once again charge into battle with the production team. We hope to make the next season even more energetic and action-packed.”

With this adaptation of Ikusagami, a best-selling historical fiction novel written by Naoki Prize-winning author Shogo Imamura and illustrated by Katsumi Tatsuzawa, Okada set out to “create a new kind of period drama, one that’s also an action drama. ... Something made entirely in Japan, but made for the world.” Given Season 1’s popularity, he has certainly succeeded. Following its debut, Last Samurai Standing was not only the No. 1 Netflix show in Japan for four consecutive weeks, but it also reached No. 1 on the Netflix Weekly Global Top 10 for Non-English Series, charting in the Top 10 in 88 countries. 

“I’m pleased to see that Last Samurai Standing has reached global audiences,” says Okada. In another historic milestone, the series became the first all-Japanese production ever nominated in the Best Foreign Language Series category at the Critics’ Choice Awards, further expanding its reach as a Japanese original embraced globally.

At Season 1’s close, Kodoku rages on, with only the strongest warriors remaining. After receiving a mysterious summons, Shujiro hastens to Tokyo with Futaba Katsuki (Yumia Fujisaki), a desperate girl who is also caught up in the game of survival, not just to continue this battle royale but to figure out exactly who is behind it. Meanwhile, Shujiro’s adopted siblings — Iroha Kinugasa (Kaya Kiyohara), Shikura Adashino (Taichi Saotome), and Sansuke Gion (Yûya Endô) — resolve to reunite with their brother to take on Gentosai (Abe Hiroshi), the samurai who once trained them and is now hunting them down. Soon, fans will see what’s next for these fallen samurai in this action-packed saga. Check back here for more details ahead of Last Samurai Standing Season 2.