With Ghost of Tsushima releasing on the 17th July 2020, we thought it might be fun to look at and recommend other samurai media in an effort to fuel your hype. As such, we've compiled a list of 15 samurai games, movies, and anime that we think are well worth checking out, even if you're totally new to samurai stuff in general.
Games
Samurai Shodown
Genre: Fighting Game
Length: N/A
Release Date: 2019
Samurai Shodown is a long running fighting game series from SNK. And its latest instalment, simply titled Samurai Shodown, is a must-play if you're into classic samurai action. The game's combat system is built around the romanticised concept of classic samurai duels, complete with blasts of blood and lightning fast swordplay.
What sets Samurai Shodown apart from other fighting games is its commitment to huge damage. Heavy attacks can cut your health bar down to size in seconds, and so the title thrives on creating tension. One wrong move can lead to either brutal defeat or glorious victory.
This emphasis on single, powerful strikes also means that difficult combos aren't as important as they are in other fighting games. Samurai Shodown may be unforgiving, but it's easy to pick up, play, and understand. It also boasts a great cast of characters, each of them with their own distinct weapons and fighting styles.
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Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Genre: Action Game
Length: 35 hours average
Release Date: 2019
Although you certainly don't play as an honourable samurai in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, From Software's intense action title still takes countless cues from samurai media. The game's most memorable moments come in the form of deadly one-on-one duels with boss enemies, resulting in frantic blade-based battles.
You fill the shoes of Sekiro, or Wolf -- a ninja and the sworn protector of a young lord. Although the game makes use of many fantastical elements, there are still nods to Japanese history here, and as alluded, the swordplay is going to appeal to anyone who has an interest in samurai stuff.
As you'd expect from the makers of Dark Souls, Sekiro is not an easy game. Combat revolves around parrying incoming attacks, and subsequently forcing your opponent into a vulnerable state. It takes time and practice to properly learn the ins and outs of Sekiro's struggle, but once mastered, the game's combat is hugely rewarding.
Oh, and it probably has the best blood spray on PS4.
Onimusha: Warlords
Genre: Action Game
Length: 5 hours average
Release Date: 2001 (PS2), 2019 (PS4)
A PS2 classic remastered on PS4, Onimusha: Warlords has its roots in feudal Japanese history, but as the story progresses, more and more supernatural elements are introduced. And while the game does show its age from time to time with fixed camera angles and pre-rendered backgrounds, it still makes for an engaging adventure.
You play as Samanosuke Akechi, a swordsman who sets out to rescue his cousin -- a princess, no less -- from a demonic army. Gameplay is made up of action-based combat encounters, exploration, and puzzle solving. It's very much a traditional Capcom title in the mold of Resident Evil, but with a much greater emphasis on battle, as Samanosuke unlocks and upgrades various deadly weapons.
Onimusha: Warlords is another game that delights in adapting classic samurai combat, complete with all of those cool sword-clashing sound effects. As an interactive samurai experience that you can cut through in around five hours, it's well worth a look.
Nioh 2
Genre: Action RPG
Length: 55 hours average
Release Date: 2020
Team Ninja's follow-up to the already rock solid Nioh, Nioh 2 is a fantastic action RPG that boasts a great deal of depth. Set in late 1500s feudal Japan, this is another game that fuses history with fantasy, as your custom character embarks on a quest to silence the demonic hordes that sweep the nation. Unforgiving fights and mountains of loot await.
While Nioh 2 isn't for everyone, it's the combat that hooks most players. You can go classic samurai style with a katana, or kick things up a notch with a suitably huge odachi. There are a bunch of other weapon types as well, but no matter which instrument of death you choose, the result is consistently frantic fights with foes of all shapes and sizes.
Samurai Warriors 4
Genre: Action Game
Length: 35 hours average
Release Date: 2014
Omega Force's Warriors games aren't exactly subtle, but Samurai Warriors 4 is one of the developer's finest works. Taking its huge roster of playable characters straight from feudal Japanese history, the title does a surprisingly great job of telling a historical story. Its campaign mode covers many of Japan's most famous clans, their beliefs, and the people that guided them through an era of bloodshed.
In typical Warriors fashion, the game sees you hack and slash your way through thousands of enemies across a number of historical battlefields. Sure, it gets a bit repetitive after a while, but the title's broad character roster and slick presentation keep things feeling fresh for a lot longer than you might think.
As a relatively quick and entertaining overview of feudal Japanese history, Samurai Warriors 4 is definitely worth considering, despite being a totally over-the-top action title.
Movies
Seven Samurai
Length: 3 hours 27 minutes
Release Date: 1954
Widely regarded as one of -- if not the greatest samurai movie ever made, Seven Samurai is perhaps legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most well known work. Despite being over 60 years old, the film still excels in telling a gripping character driven story, as seven warriors join forces in order to protect a village from raiding bandits.
It's a long watch, but the atmosphere, tension, and eventual payoff make Seven Samurai an absolute must for anyone even remotely interested in samurai cinema. Across its lengthy runtime, there isn't a great deal of action -- don't go in expecting samurai duels every five minutes -- but the film's masterful craftsmanship ensures that you'll come away from the experience with a greater appreciation and understanding of samurai in general.
13 Assassins
Length: 2 hours 5 minutes
Release Date: 2010
Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins is a remake of the 1963 film of the same name. Unlike a lot of classic samurai films, 13 Assassins has a heavier emphasis on action, as lots of blood-soaked fight scenes punctuate a rather dramatic story.
The movie kicks things off with a local lord who commits horrendous crimes without fear of punishment due to the fact that his half-brother is the ruling Shogun. As the lord's actions continue unopposed, it becomes clear that his growing political power could throw the region into chaos. A plot to assassinate the lord is hatched, and a group of experienced samurai are hired to get the job done.
Needless to say, the assassins run into a number of obstacles as they attempt to off the big baddie, leading to some fantastic action scenes. Its last battle in particular is famously long and brilliantly put together. 13 Assassins comes recommended if you're eager to see loads of samurai going sword-to-sword.
Lady Snowblood
Length: 1 hour 36 minutes
Release Date: 1973
A dark and seriously bloody tale of vengeance, Lady Snowblood offers something a little different from your more typical samurai movie. The story is told in a nonlinear fashion, as a young woman hunts the men who destroyed her family. It's a beautifully brutal film that leans heavily on often over-the-top samurai-style action.
If you're here purely for the blood-spraying carnage of samurai cinema, then Lady Snowblood is an excellently crafted, easy recommendation.
Yojimbo
Length: 1 hour 50 minutes
Release Date: 1961
The second Akira Kurosawa film on this list, Yojimbo tells the story of a wandering samurai in late 1800s Japan. Our unnamed warrior is arguably one of the coolest samurai in cinema, boasting incredible sword skills and a calm, cocky demeanour. He comes across a town that's being torn apart by a conflict between two rival gangs, and basically decides to get rid of them.
If that plot sounds familiar, it's because Yojimbo was the blueprint for Western classic A Fistful of Dollars. As expected of Kurosawa, Yojimbo is a brilliantly made movie, complete with tense action, character drama, and even some comedy. Another absolute must watch if you're new to samurai cinema.
The Last Samurai
Length: 2 hours 34 minutes
Release Date: 2003
While it certainly isn't an undisputed classic, The Last Samurai acts as a great gateway movie if you're interested in the genre. It's essentially a Hollywood take on samurai drama, with Tom Cruise playing a US civil war solider who's hired by the emperor of Japan to help train a more modern army -- an army that's capable of crushing the now outdated samurai.
Naturally, things don't quite go as planned. Cruise's character, Nathan Algren, ends up a prisoner of the samurai, and gradually begins to adopt and appreciate their way of life. The Last Samurai remains a rather unique film in the sense that it's told from the perspective of an outsider in a completely foreign land.
Again, it's far from being a perfect movie, but it's got an engaging, straightforward story, good characters, and some great action.
Anime
Samurai Champloo
Length: 26 episodes
Release Date: 2004
After working on legendary anime series Cowboy Bebop, director Shinichiro Watanabe's next anime gig was Samurai Champloo. Much like his previous project, Samurai Champloo is a very character driven show. Wandering warriors Mugen and Jin end up travelling across feudal Japan with a young woman named Fuu, as she searches for a samurai who smells of sunflowers.
Spread across 26 episodes, the ragtag group gets into all kinds of trouble, and we get to learn more about the party as the series progresses. It helps that the whole thing is wonderfully drawn and animated, with some top notch character designs adding to an already stylish, hip-hop infused anime. It's an easy, enjoyable watch, and some of the fight scenes -- especially later on -- are intensely entertaining.
Samurai 7
Length: 26 episodes
Release Date: 2004
As its name kind of suggests, Samurai 7 is based on Seven Samurai, the classic Akira Kurosawa film mentioned earlier in this article. It's an anime retelling that adds some interesting sci-fi elements. Much like the 1954 movie, seven samurai band together in order to defend a village from bandits -- only this time, the bandits are giant robots.
Samurai 7 may feature a lot more explosions than Seven Samurai, but it still does a fantastic job of fleshing out its characters and their motivations, while also telling a dramatic and thoroughly engaging story. Later episodes in particular really up the stakes, leading to a number of memorable moments.
Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls
Length: 24 episodes
Release Date: 2005
Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls, not to be confused with 2018 follow-up Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls, is an anime series about two warring ninja clans in feudal Japan. It started out as an award winning manga based on a 1958 novel, and the anime adaptation is well worth checking out if you're into political plots, cool characters, and often crazy combat scenarios.
While Basilisk does have its fair share of almost supernatural ninja abilities, the show is still rooted in Japanese history, which gives it a surprisingly grounded feel as well as a dramatic edge.
Sword of the Stranger
Length: 1 hour 42 minutes
Release Date: 2007
Sword of the Stranger is a brilliantly animated film that follows Kotaro, a young boy who's being hunted by a group of deadly swordsmen. Kotaro and his trusty dog Tobimaru run across a nameless samurai who ends up protecting them, resulting in loads of blood-soaked fight scenes.
The movie's easy to follow and a pleasure to watch, making it a great go-to anime option if you're in the mood for some samurai-based action, but aren't quite ready to commit your free time to a full episodic series.
Afro Samurai
Length: 5 episodes, 1 movie (Afro Samurai: Resurrection, 1 hour 40 minutes, 2009)
Release Date: 2007
With its dramatic art direction and dark tone, Afro Samurai remains an iconic manga and anime property. It tells the straightforward tale of Afro Samurai, a swordsman who strives to be the best warrior in the land. It's a bold and bloody anime that's a treat for the eyes, both in its unique style and its animation quality.
If you're looking for something a little different to the more traditional anime on this list, then Afro Samurai comes highly recommended. Spread across just five episodes and one feature length movie, it doesn't demand a huge amount of your time, and you'll be rewarded with a memorable anime experience.
Do you have any samurai games, movies, or anime that you'd like to recommend? Unsheathe your blade in the comments section below.
Comments 45
Brilliant list, basically all Kurosawa movies are required viewing and Samurai Champloo is one of my favourite anime of all time. Takashi Miike is one of my favourite directors and his remake of 13 Assassins really is superb with his distinct style coming through too. I’d also recommend Takeshi Kitano’s Zatōichi movie (yes, from Takeshi’s Castle) and Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai, a crazy neo-Samurai movie by Jim Jarmusch.
Great list! I haven't seen any Akira Kurosawa movies in quite some time so I should give them a rewatch soon!
I can't wait for Ghosts of Tsushima; I'm really hyped for it. I'm currently playing Nioh 2 with my fiancée and it is an experience to say the least!
I do have a couple anime recommendations. Obviously Rurouni Kenshin, but if you're in the mood for something recent and with a supernatural flair, I would highly recommend Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
Easily a 10/10 when it comes to it's fluid animation that enhances the storytelling to such a degree that it elevates an otherwise seemingly bog standard story.
It has some truly great characters.
Thank you for this article. Yojimbo is a masterpiece! I am sure we will see Kurosawa's influence in Sucker Punch's game.
I want to point out particular part of this list I love, but they're all great picks, honestly.
@1_W1NG3D_4NG3L Tenchu is a great series, I still have fond memories of playing the original as a kid and not knowing what the hell I was doing. But for this list we wanted to stick to PS4 games, otherwise Tenchu would have been tempting!
The essential weeb list.
Ghost of Tsushima is just a playable Akira Kurosawa movie change my mind
The last samurai is a amazing movie.onimusha.nioh.sekiro all PlayStation legendary games.word up son
Man it's so surreal to me that we are finally getting Ghost of Tsushima, and not too long after TLOU2 too!
Basilisk is one of my favorite anime and you should totally watch if you haven't.
And you should totally not watch the Ouka Ninja Scrolls follow up series because its straight trash.
@Constable_What It's been a while since I've watched some Kurosawa films too! It's as good a point as any to rewatch them now I suppose. My favourite would probably be either Rashomon or Ran.
Stop it I'm meant to be saving money and this isn't helping
Good list! Samurai Champloo is great and Sword of the Stranger is a beautiful movie. I didn't know there was an anime of basilisk, I read the manga a long time ago and I remember I liked it a lot at the time. You should make more lists like this!
The 47 Ronin (1940's) is awesome.
Going to watch Last Samurai again real soon, it's jolly good!
Samurai Champloo is ace, I only watched it for the first time last year.
And I'm going to get my hands on Yojimbo and Seven Samurai, thanks for those!!
Afro Samurai is such a great series. I didn’t expect to fall as in love with it as I had.
Samurai Champloo...that is all...oh wait NUJABES
RIP
Really, really looking forward to GoT. I actually watched the state of play again today and it looks set to be amazing. Love the whole setting. Ive got the urge to watch something samuraiee now but alas, netflix is naff and has none of the listed movies in the UK.
Great list. I'd also like to add that anyone who is into samurai films owes it to themselves to watch Yoji Yamada's Samurai Trilogy - The Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honor.
@ShogunRok No Samurai X? (Well Ruroni Kenish, it was Samurai X over here back when I watched it.) We just finished Cowboy Bebop and I was actually going to ask you on Twitter for suggestions, so I'll go w/ Samurai Champloo, thanks. Have you gotten Sammy to watch anything yet, he's such a hater.
@nessisonett Ghost Dog is so Jarmusch. I still need to see his new zombie movie.
@rjejr His zombie movie’s OK, not as bad as the critics made out but definitely a step below his classics. Ghost Dog, Stranger than Paradise and Coffee and Cigarettes are completely different and yet all brilliant in their own way.
I need to dig out my kurosawa bluray set and give them a rewatch. Same goes with the last samurai, such a brilliant movie, i can't wait to play ghost of tsushima. For years i hoped the AC series would have gone with the feudal japan setting, but at least now we're getting a game from a more competent developer. This could be the samurai equivalent of red dead redemption.
@TheFrenchiestFry
I completely agree, especially using that 'samurai cinema' option they revealed in the last gameplay showcase.
With my hype for Ghost of Tsushima at an all time high, I wholeheartedly endorse this list. And for anyone who wants to go super hardcore then read:
Seven Samurai is one of those rare films where 3+ hours flies past like 90 minutes.
Would also add the "Samurai trilogy" also starring Mifune as Miyamoto Musashi. The second in particular is brilliant.
And the novel Taiko by Eiji Yoshikawa about the life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi from peasant, up through the ranks of feudal society as a retainer for Oda Nobunaga, to eventually unify the country. It's long, but very readable, with some truly epic battles, but also intricately detailed, philosophical and immersive, and you learn a lot about the history and culture on the way.
Also . . . no love for the Way of the Samurai games!?
@DanM There's even a live-action-movie-adaptation called "Shinobi - Heart under Blade" from the mid-2000s. I remember it being okayish, pretty typical Asian stuff from that time period. But I haven't read the manga or seen the anime for comparison.
Came here to see, if "Sword of the Stranger" is among the recommend Anime, because that is one of the best action-movies of all-time. The story is somewhat simple, but it's just such an insane pleasure and endlessly rewatchable.
"Samurai Champloo" is a cult-classic. It's a masterpiece. Nothing to add.
@ApostateMage Even if it wasn't for your unnecessary trolling, you would still be wrong and clearly don't know what "weeb" means.
@ShogunRok Thanks for the recommendations! I have been meaning to give Samurai Champloo, Basilisk, and Afro Samurai a try but never gotten around to it, despite all being on my plan to watch list for 10+ years lol...
I did start to watch Samurai 7 ages ago but still need to finish it, been so long I will have to start over from the beginning again.
I have seen Sword of a Stranger and The Last Samurai though, great films!
Those movies are fine, but as a pretty big fan of samurai films, I'd suggest:
Throne of Blood (1957)
Harakiri (1962)
The Sword of Doom (1966)
Samurai Rebellion (1967)
Demons (1971)
Ran (1985)
Another great Samurai anime is Katanagatari, absolute masterpiece.
13 Assassin's is one of the all time greats. That film is just a brilliant piece of cinematic art.
Well, this certianly did the trick - can't wait for Tsushima!
Thanks I'm going to look these movies up!
Their is one great Anime your missing on this list and that is Angolmois. Which takes place during these events and actually has some actual moments that happened and some great action. Also a great OP.
I'll add a film, Goemon from 2009. It's about shinobi mainly, bit still relevant.
And one anime, Shigurui. Very heavy and violent fyi.
@nessisonett
My nickname and PSN name come from Samurai Champloo's character.
Been using it for years:)
I wouldn't bother with The Last Samurai, it's a load of white washed Tom Cruise bollocks. I'd recommend Hairkiri and Throne of Blood as 2 far better Samurai movies.
Really need to play more Samurai games. I had fun with the first 2 Way of the Samurai games on the PS2, but since then I've just played a few of the Samurai Warriors games & Onimusha Warlords on Switch (though I also want to point out that Okami is great for the Sengoku Jidai setting, though not samurai centric).
As for films I've seen the Last Samurai, plus the modern versions of 13 Assassins, Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, & Zatoichi, all of which are good.
Need to watch some newer samurai anime as well. I wasn't big on Samurai 7, but I adore Rurouni Kenshin, InuYasha (not technically a samurai series, though), and really liked the Ninja Scroll movie if I remember correctly.
I would recommend Sanjuro, a sequel of sorts to Yojimbo. It’s up there with Seven Samurai and Throne of Blood as arguably Kurosawa’s best samurai-themed works.
With there being such interest shown in the Kurosawa mode in GoT, it would be interesting to study his two colour samurai films, Kagemusha and Ran, in comparison to the game. The colour palettes in both films are striking, with bold use of colour throughout. A sequence from Ran to illustrate:
https://youtu.be/w-VxyEjPlRU
It’s refreshing to see that GoT looks so colourful, the game could have been markedly different and adopted a muted, muddy aesthetic and I was pleasantly surprised to see how vibrant the game looks in the run up to release.
On a side note, anyone exploring other works by Kurosawa should watch Dersu Uzala - filmed in Russia, it’s a wonderful tale of man’s relation with nature and one of the better films of his later career.
Lone wolf and cub .
I prepped by rewatching 7 Samurai, and Sanjuro, the two best Samurai movies of all time, then got out all my old Iaido/kenjitsu gear and practiced my swordsmanship. I trained in these styles many years ago and it was great to do it again.
I needed this last Friday 😆
But thanks anyway! Some good stuff in there.
An absolutely brilliant Japanese Samurai film is Twilight Samurai. Its a 5* masterpiece and while not as popular as others is fantastic nevertheless. Very highly recommended.
Don't forget Samurai Jack even though it is an American based cartoon but it counts in the Samurai genre.
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