Following the launch of Japanese drama Song of the Samurai on HBO Max, star Yuki Yamada takes DQ inside this thrilling series that blends Japanese period dramas and samurai culture to tell a story about loyalty, brotherhood and betrayal. From superhero-style actions series like Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger to a role in Oscar-winning feature film Godzilla Minus One, Yuki Yamada has proven to be one of Japan’s biggest acting talents over his 15-year career. He is now playing the lead in Song of the Samurai, a series that marks the first major collaboration between Japanese commercial broadcaster Tokyo Broadcasting System, the country’s largest streaming platform U-NEXT and producer The Seven (Alice in Borderland). It’s also the latest Japanese title to launch on HBO Max through Warner Bros Discovery’s partnership with U-NEXT. Based on the manga series Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem, the six-part action-drama is a blend of jidaigeki (classic Japanese period dramas) and samurai culture. This live-action adaptation is set in Kyoto at the end of the Edo period and depicts the intense and passionate lives of the Shinsengumi – the samurai force that defended Kyoto in the final years of Japan’s shogunate. Yamada stars as street brawler Toshizo Hijikata, who forges a bond of loyalty and brotherhood with Isami Kondo and Soji Okita. But their loyalty is tested by betrayal, illness and war, as they fight not just their enemies but their own ideals. Directed by Kazutaka Watanabe, the cast also includes Ayano Go and Kento Nakajima. The series is written … Continue reading Song of the Samurai: How star Yuki Yamada channelled his ‘samurai spirit’ for this historical Japanese drama → Drama Quarterly subscriber content Subscribe to Drama Quarterly and stay up to date with the shows you love and the stories behind them HERE (Subscriptions cost just £7.50/month or £75/year) Existing subscribers can log in HERE.