Netflix is making a new epic docudrama and now the hole Game of Thrones left in my heart can finally be filled. ‘Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan‘ is being co-produced with Smithsonian Canada, and is going to be filled with epic battle scenes and warlord drama.
As reported by Deadline, the show is going to be about several warring kingdoms for the control of feudal Japan. The stylised drama will pay homage to Noir graphic novels and traditional Japanese art. It will be set around 400 years ago, following four Samurai warlords. It’ll focus on one particularly powerful Samurai though.
The Iconic Samurai ‘One-eyed Dragon’
The historical drama will centre around the ‘One-eyed Dragon’, a notorious Samurai who’s real name is Date Masamune. He’s an iconic warrior in Japan’s history, remembered for his incredible battle tactics. And the fact that as a kid he yanked out his own infected eye so it wouldn’t be an issue in battle. Which is like, gross but awesome.
This guy led his first campaign at 14 years old, and then succeeded his father at 17. He had a fearsome reputation, partly because of his iconic black armour and golden helmet. He conquered other clans and managed to unite many of them under his rule over Northern Japan. This is the guy Darth Vader’s look was thought to be modelled after – so if that doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will.
It’ll be really cool to get a medieval historical drama that isn’t set in European world, and the fact that the Canadian Smithsonian is part of producing it makes me hope it’ll be decently factual. I mean, it is a documentary series so that’s probs obvious. Getting a rare non-western battle epic is exciting AF, and we’re keen.
Just thinking about the (hopefully historically accurate) costuming is exciting enough on it’s own for a history nerd like me. Please let us get badass, based-off-real-life set designs and character outfits that’ll blow other period dramas out of the water.
The show’s filming is in the US, Canada and Japan. There doesn’t seem to be any release date yet, but it’s expected to be released later this year.
Sources: Wikimedia Commons, Canva.
