Here’s a bunch of samurai movies and shows to stream after Shōgun

Sadly, all good things must come to an end.

Such is the case for Shōgun, one of the best new TV shows in recent memory. Based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name, the FX series is set in 1600 Japan and follows Lord Yoshii Toranaga as he fights for his life against the Council of Regents.

The series, which has garnered significant critical acclaim, just wrapped up its 10-episode run on Disney+. With Shōgun Tuesdays officially over, you’ll likely be left looking for something else to fill that fresh hole in your heart.

Thankfully, we’ve got you covered. Here’s where you can stream a bunch of samurai or samurai-inspired movies and shows in Canada. (Note that the original 1980 Shōgun series is unfortunately not streaming in Canada on any platform right now, not even for rental or purchase.) This list could also just be focused on the works of legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, so for the sake of variety, we’ve only included a few of them.

Now, without further ado, let’s get into it.

Blue Eye Samurai

The most recent release on this list, Blue Eye Samurai is an adult animated series that dropped last year from wife-and-husband team Amber Noizumi and Michael Green (Logan). Set in 17th century Japan, a half-white, half-Japanese warrior seeks vengeance against four white men who illegally remained in Japan during the closure of its borders.

Stream Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix.

The 47 Ronin

Not to be confused with the 2013 Keanu Reeves film 47 Ronin, 1941’s The 47 Ronin follows the titular group as they seek to avenge the death of their lord who was forced to commit seppuku. It should be noted that this was originally released in two parts, but you can stream it all as one nearly four-hour film.

Stream The 47 Ronin on the Criterion Channel and Tubi (free with ads). The film is also available on YouTube (see above).

Harakiri

Harakiri tells the story of a ronin seeking to commit seppuku who is then told of a brutal suicide of another ronin. Notably, it’s the highest-rated film on popular movie logging service Letterboxd, which is certainly no small feat.

Stream Harakiri on the Criterion Channel.

Kill Bill Vol. 1

Quentin Tarantino was heavily inspired by samurai films with Kill Bill, an action film about a former assassin who seeks vengeance against former allies who tried to kill her. In the first film, she goes to Tokyo and fights the yakuza for even more direct visual homages.

Stream Kill Bill Vol. 1 on Netflix, Crave and AMC+. The second film, Vol. 2, which is admittedly more of a Western, can also be streamed on Netflix, Crave and AMC+.

The Last Samurai

This is the film that introduced many Westerners to legendary Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Toranaga in Shōgun. In The Last Samurai, Tom Cruise stars as a U.S. army veteran who helps the Japanese emperor train his army in modern warfare techniques.

Unfortunately, The Last Samurai isn’t on any premium video-on-demand service (PVOD), so you’ll have to rent or buy it on platforms like Apple TV and Google Play, starting at $4.99.

Rashomon

This iconic Kurosawa film explores the fallout of a murder of a samurai in a forest and how various people offer different accounts of what happened. It’s worth noting that in contrast to the lengthy Seven Samurai, Rashomon runs at a clean 88 minutes, making it a perfect watch at any time.

Stream Rashomon on the Criterion Channel.

Seven Samurai

This epic Kurosawa masterpiece about a samurai who must recruit six others to help defend a village from bandits. (Just keep in mind that the film runs for a beefy three-and-a-half hours.)

Stream Seven Samurai on the Criterion Channel.

13 Assassins

In 1844 Japan, twelve samurai and a hunter secretly plot to assassinate Lord Matsudaira Naritsugu before he can be appointed to the powerful Shogunate Council. This is the most recent film on this list, having released in 2010, and it drew favourable comparisons to Kurosawa’s filmography.

Stream 13 Assassins on Hoopla, a free service that can be accessed with supported local library cards.

Yasuke

The Japanese-American original net animation (ONA) series is loosely based on the African samurai historical figure of the same name. In Yasuke, the Black Samurai is drawn back into conflict after he takes a little girl with mysterious powers under his wing.

Stream Yasuke on Netflix.

Yojimbo and Sanjuro

Yojimbo, one of many Kurosawa classics, follows a rōnin (Toshiro Mifune) who arrives in a small town and is caught between two rivalling crime lords. In the sequel, Sanjuro, the warrior helps a young man who’s trying to save his uncle who has been framed and imprisoned.

Both Yojimbo and Sanjuro are streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Of course, that only scratches the surface of samurai films and TV shows, given the breadth of brilliant Japanese media, plus all of the Western works that they inspired.

What are your favourite samurai titles? Let us know in the comments.

Image credit: The Criterion Channel