Netflix’s 100% RT ‘Squid Game’ Replacement Slays Streaming Competition

A group of samurais standing together in the Netflix series 'Last Samurai Standing' — A group of samurais standing together in the Netflix series ‘Last Samurai Standing’

Following the global success of Squid Game and Shōgun, Netflix has released a new series that combines the best aspects of both those shows. The new Japanese original series Last Samurai Standing also serves as a neat companion piece to the recently released Stephen King adaptation The Running Man, which debuted in theaters the same week. The six-episode series, which follows a samurai’s quest to save his family while participating in deadly duels along the way, opened to instant success. According to FlixPatrol, Last Samurai Standing was the number one show on the global Netflix charts on November 16, edging past a host of holdover hits.

Headlined by Junichi Okada, the show is based on a novel written by Shogo Imamura. Last Samurai Standing opened to critical acclaim and is still sitting at a perfect 100% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. In his review, Collider’s Jeff Ewing pointed out that the show has been in development since before Squid Game became a global sensation (and Netflix’s most-watched title ever), and described it as “an exceptional all-timer in the realm of action television thanks to a unique historical premise and world-class stunt work.”

‘Last Samurai Standing’ Slayed ‘The Witcher’

On November 16, Last Samurai Standing finished at the top of the Netflix streaming charts, beating out the likes of The Beast in Me and The Witcher. The show would hope to break out like the two older titles it’s being compared to. Squid Game emerged as a bigger hit than Netflix had ever imagined; the survival thriller ended its three-season run earlier this year. Shōgun was a major gamble by FX, but it paid off handsomely. Not only was it a ratings hit, but it also became one of the most awarded titles of last year. The massively mounted period drama is set to return for a second season soon.

Meanwhile, you can get on the Last Samurai Standing bandwagon and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.