Last Samurai Standing Episode 1: Cultural Context Explained

Netflix original series Last Samurai Standing（JapaneseTitle：Ikusagami） has earned high praise on Rotten Tomatoes.
Set in early Meiji-era Japan, it vividly portrays the psychological unrest of a society where old values and symbols are crumbling.

Here, we’ll walk you through the historical background and cultural context behind Episode 1 — without spoilers — in an easy-to-follow Q&A format!

The Historical Setting of “Last Samurai Standing”

Based on the narration “two years since the Sword Abolishment Edict (Haitōrei),” Episode 1 is set in the year Meiji 6 (1873).

At this time, peaceful Edo-era Japan had come to an end just about a decade prior.
※The Edo period had a unique dual governance system: the Emperor (symbolic authority) and the Shogun (actual power) were separate. To put it simply, the Emperor was like the Pope, while the Shogun acted as the King or Supreme Commander.

After 700 years of samurai rule, Japan plunged into rapid Westernization through the Meiji Restoration. This is the era just before the events of the film The Last Samurai.

Some people were building the new age, others adapting, and many were being left behind. That’s where this story takes place.

Last Samurai Standing Explained: Episode 1 Q&A

Q1. Was that battle scene based on a real war?

A. Yes — it’s based on the Boshin War.

The Boshin War was Japan’s last internal conflict over whether to preserve the old Shogunate system (feudal society) or to establish a new modern nation-state led by the Emperor.
At the time, Japan was under heavy pressure from the West and feared becoming a colony. That’s why the pro-Emperor new government army, equipped with modern rifles, clashed with the pro-Shogun old guard, and the Emperor’s side won — marking the definitive end of samurai rule.

Samurai battles were like a massive, life-or-death version of chess.

• Honjin (本陣): The command base, where the “king” is stationed. If this falls, it’s game over.
• Taisho (大将): The General. He sits deep in the command post, directing the troops.
• Taisho-ki (大将旗): A huge banner showing the General’s location. It boosts ally morale, but also gives away his position to the enemy.
• Kamon (家紋): Think of this as a samurai version of team logos or uniforms. Since most armor looked alike, soldiers used these family crests to tell friend from foe instantly.

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Q2. Was cholera still spreading in Japan at that time?

A. Yes. Early Meiji Japan experienced several major cholera outbreaks.

From a modern perspective, this looks like a contradiction — Japan had adopted Western medicine, but not the infrastructure to support it.
Western countries were already reducing cholera cases with water sanitation, but in Japan:

• sewer systems hadn’t caught up
• people didn’t know cholera spread through contaminated water
• daily habits (like using shared wells or how waste was handled) didn’t change quickly enough

This disconnect led to repeated outbreaks.

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Q3. Why could ordinary people read?

A. Because Edo-era Japan left behind a strong legacy of literacy.

In 19th-century Europe, most peasants couldn’t read.
But in Japan, even before mandatory public education, terakoya (private temple schools) taught children reading and arithmetic. Thanks to this system, high literacy rates persisted even into the early Meiji era.

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Q4. Why was the sword worthless?

A. Japan’s shichiya (pawnshops) go way back to the Heian period, but really flourished during Edo times as public financial services.

Compared to Western pawnshops, Japanese ones had long dealt with high-end goods like art and kimono, and were known for careful appraisal and safekeeping.
However, by the time of the Sword Abolishment Edict, swords were banned — meaning:

• illegal to possess
• devalued as a good
• unsuitable as collateral

Ironically, the very item that once symbolized status had become worthless.

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Q5. Can a sword really get stuck in its sheath?

A. Yes, it happens.

Unlike Western swords with leather or metal sheaths, Japanese katanas are stored in precisely fitted wooden scabbards with a layer of oil to protect the blade.
The blade is made of high-carbon steel, which rusts easily. Without proper care:

• oil dries out
• the sheath absorbs moisture and swells
• the blade starts to rust and stick

Eventually, the blade can become completely fused to the scabbard.
It’s a uniquely Japanese issue — a side effect of making the sword both functional and artfully precise.

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Q6. Why do they all carry different weapons?

A. The weapons are visual “codes” that show each character’s background.

• Katana: Ronin or fallen samurai
• Tachi: An old-school warrior lineage
• Tantō (dagger): Commoners or underworld figures
• Naginata (polearm): Female warriors or temple soldiers
• Shuriken (throwing stars): Ninja descendants
• Snider rifle: Former soldiers from the new Meiji government (Satsuma or Chōshū factions)
• Western-style bow: Possibly Ainu heritage or added for cinematic effect

In short, it’s a chaotic gathering of people who were “left behind” by the Meiji shift — and that’s what makes Episode 1 so intriguing.

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Q7. Can a head really be chopped off that easily?

A. No, it can’t.

For international viewers, “one-slice beheading” is often seen as a dramatic symbol of the katana’s sharpness and samurai technique — but in reality, it’s extremely difficult.

Fun fact: There was a specific role for this in Japanese history — the kaishaku-nin (assistant executioner) in seppuku rituals. Their job was to cut off the head cleanly, but not too cleanly — ideally leaving just a flap of skin so the head didn’t roll away.
It required precise timing, sharp blades, and elite skill.

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Q8. What does “Shin-Gi-Tai” mean?

A. It’s the three-part philosophy of strength found in Japanese martial arts:

• Shin (心): Mental discipline — keeping cool under pressure
• Gi (技): Technical skill — posture, timing, precision
• Tai (体): Physical ability — endurance, strength, flexibility

You’ll find this concept in kendo, judo, kyudo, and more.
It’s often said: “A true warrior needs all three in balance.”

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Q9. Why does no one have a chonmage (samurai topknot)?

A. Because by this time, topknots had mostly disappeared.

In Meiji Year 4 (1871), the government issued the Datsutōrei (Cut-Hair and Sword Edict), which:

• made traditional hairstyles optional
• led to the decline of chonmage
• also started phasing out swords in public

In major cities especially, chonmage were seen as “outdated,” and many men had already adopted Western-style clothing and short hair.
So yes, the cast’s hair is historically accurate.

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Q10. Is Edo the same as Tokyo?

A. Yes — Edo = Tokyo.

In 1868, the Meiji government issued a decree officially renaming Edo as Tokyo (“Eastern Capital”), and in 1869, Emperor Meiji relocated from Kyoto to Tokyo.

The name “Tokyo” was chosen to reflect its relationship to Kyoto, the original capital in the west.
So literally, “Tokyo” means Eastern Kyoto.

Bonus trivia: Some Kyoto locals still say “The Emperor is just on a long business trip to Tokyo” — joking, of course… maybe.

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Would you like to watch it again?

After reading this far, would you like to try it a second time? You might find that your impressions are different from the first time.

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