The Samurai
- 1962 – 1987
- Ended
- Comedy · Drama
- ~24m / ep
- 10 seasons
- 10.0/10
The Samurai is a Japanese historical fiction television series made by Senkosha Productions during the early 1960s. Its original Japanese title was Onmitsu Kenshi. The series premiered in 1962 on TBS and ran continuously until 1965 for ten self-contained story arcs, usually of 13 episodes each. Also created were two black-and-white feature films by Toei Company, made in 1964 by the same crew which has created the TV series, and a stage show. The Samurai proved to be highly successful despite its initially very limited budget. It was the first Japanese TV program ever screened in Australia, where it premiered in 1964 and built up a remarkably large fan-base among the local young audience at the time, rapidly becoming a cult favourite. Despite its massive popularity in Australia as well as success in Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines, the series was not widely screened elsewhere and its fame remains largely restricted to those countries.
Latest: Season 1 · 1987
View all seasonsE1. OVA
Nov 1, 1987 · 24m
Shintarō saves a young Ainu wrongly accused of murder, relying on his wits and his pistol.
E2. Duel at Kiritap
Oct 14, 1962 · 24m
Shintarō captures an escaped thief and takes him to the town of Kiritap to be held until Kiba arrives. However, the villagers' greed allows the thief to free himself and kill one of them and hold another to ransom.
E3. Sword Storm
Oct 21, 1962 · 24m
Shintarō comes upon a woman and her young son who are being terrorised by a loan-shark and his offsider, a disreputable but skilled swordsman.
E4. Revenge of the Ainus
Oct 28, 1962 · 24m
A group of Ainu take a wagon carrying gold from the goldmine on the Shibuchari River in revenge for the death of the son of one of them caused by two of the guards.
E5. Imitation Prince
Nov 4, 1962 · 24m
A shipwrecked rōnin impersonates Matsudaira Nobuchiyo at the instigation of a smuggler of guns so he can get them to the Ainu who has purchased them.
E6. Sudden Death
Nov 11, 1962 · 24m
Shintarō helps a young boy find his mother who was taken by Onibishi, an Ainu chief. Kiba persuades Onibishi to set a trap for Shintarō.
+7 more episodes — open all seasons to browse every episode.
