TV Asahi's Epic Ninja Saga Shadows of the Ten Ninja to Stream on Netflix Globally

TV Asahi Corporation announced today that Shadows of the Ten  Ninja (Japanese title: Sanada Juyushi) — the network's most ambitious original production to date  — will stream globally on Netflix. Filmed entirely on location in Kyoto, with world-class visuals brought  to life through AI, VFX, and CG technology, the epic ninja action-adventure series will premiere in  Japan in October 2026, with episodes also available to viewers around the world on Netflix. 

The series arrives at a defining moment for Japanese period drama on the global stage, following  the historic international success of Shogun, which swept the Emmy Awards and Golden Globes.  Against this backdrop, TV Asahi committed unprecedented resources — from a full-scale location  shoot in Kyoto to next-generation visual production combining AI, VFX, and CG — positioning it as  a flagship title for international expansion and a bold new take on Japan's iconic ninja mythology. 

A Legendary Story of Rebellion 
Set in Japan 14 years after the pivotal Battle of Sekigahara (1600), the story follows a band of ten  legendary ninja warriors who unite behind the real-life samurai general Sanada Yukimura to rise up  against Tokugawa Ieyasu, the all-powerful ruler of Japan. At the center of the story is Sasuke Sarutobi,  a lone-wolf ninja of extraordinary athletic ability who has never fought for anyone but himself — until  he meets true companions, and grows alongside them in search of a cause worth risking everything  for. 

Starring Hikaru Iwamoto of Snow Man 
The role of Sasuke Sarutobi is played by Hikaru Iwamoto, a member of Snow Man — one of Japan's  most popular idol groups. Iwamoto has also displayed his exceptional physical prowess on the  competition show SASUKE (aka Ninja Warrior), and brings that same real-life athleticism to a  character defined by gravity-defying acrobatics and unconventional combat. 

TV Asahi — Ikuhide Yokochi, General Producer: 'Shadows of the Ten Ninja is TV Asahi's flagship title for Japanese ninja entertainment. We've taken a beloved,  traditional story rooted in Japanese history and reshaped it for today's audiences, bringing in the latest in  action filmmaking. At its core is a story about standing up to overwhelming power: Sanada Yukimura, a brilliant  tactician, and his ten warrior companions rise up against Tokugawa Ieyasu, a man who held even greater  power than the shogun himself. Shot on a large scale in Kyoto — a city that still preserves the streets of old  Japan — with a compelling cast, the series pushes the boundaries of visual storytelling with AI and VFX  technology, blending real sword-fighting performed by Hikaru Iwamoto and his fellow cast members with  cutting-edge digital techniques to create a viewing experience unlike anything seen before. This series brings  together TV Asahi's spirit of innovation, the tradition of Japanese period drama, and the latest in visual  technology — ninja entertainment made for the world. We hope you'll enjoy it'.

Netflix — Rie Sawaoka, Director, Content: 'Shadows of the Ten Ninja delivers powerful action alongside a story world that draws viewers in deeply.  Netflix has distributed TV Asahi titles to audiences around the world before, but with this series we're going  further, producing subtitles in multiple languages along with English and Spanish dubbed versions, and  releasing it globally. We're delighted to bring this title to our members in more than 190 countries and regions'.

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