TV Asahi casts Shadows of the Ten Ninja as its flagship global project, blending historic settings with large-scale production and cutting-edge visual storytelling.

The series, titled Sanada Juyushi in Japanese, is an original action-adventure that will stream on Netflix after its Japan premiere in October 2026, marking TV Asahi’s largest-ever original production and a major step in its global strategy.

The central figure is Sasuke Sarutobi, a highly capable lone-wolf ninja who finds purpose alongside a band of companions.

Set in early 17th-century Japan, fourteen years after the Battle of Sekigahara, the story follows ten legendary ninjas who join forces with samurai general Sanada Yukimura to rebel against Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The series stars Hikaru Iwamoto from Snow Man and was filmed entirely on location in Kyoto, merging sprawling period drama with ninja action and state-of-the-art AI, VFX, and CG to reimagine ninja mythology for a global audience.

TV Asahi executives describe Shadows of the Ten Ninja as a modern reinterpretation of traditional ninja tales, emphasizing courageous resistance to overwhelming power through a blend of authentic swordplay and advanced digital technology.

Netflix will distribute the series globally to more than 190 countries and regions, offering subtitles in multiple languages plus English and Spanish dubs.