Song of the Samurai Season 1 Episode Guide: Upcoming Release Date and More

If you are a fan of live-action adaptations and you haven’t tuned in recently on HBO Max, you’re really missing out. On May 9, 2026, the Song of the Samurai TV series premiered globally and has simply cemented itself as one of the most intriguing live-action adaptations of the modern day.

The TV series is adapted from the manga titled Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem, written by Shinya Umemura and illustrated by Eiji Hashimoto. Without further ado, let’s jump right into everything you need to know about the Song of the Samurai series – episode recaps, global release date, time, and more.

Song of the Samurai Episode 5 Global Release Date and Time

Song of the Samurai Episode 5 is scheduled to be released on June 6, 2026, at 12:00 am Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). While the date is the same for the global release of the episodes, the timing varies due to changes in streaming platforms. However, it is more or less on Saturdays in every major country in which the TV series is available.

Here is a brief listing of the release timing of the series in every major US region and global countries for Song of the Samurai Episode 5:

TIME ZONE	RELEASE DATE	RELEASE TIME
Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	12:00 am
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	3:00 am
Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	1:00 am
Central Daylight Time (CDT)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	2:00 am
Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT)	Friday, June 5, 2026	11:00 pm
Hawaii-Aleutian Daylight Time (HST)	Friday, June 5, 2026	10:00 pm
British Summer Time (BST)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	8:00 am
Central European Summer Time (CEST)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	9:00 am
Indian Standard Time (IST)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	6:00 am
Japanese Standard Time (JST)	Friday, June 5, 2026	7:00 pm
Australian Central Standard Time (ACST)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	4:30 pm
Gulf Standard Time (GST)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	11:00 am
Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT)	Saturday, June 6, 2026	4:00 am

Song of the Samurai TV Series: Where to Watch?

The Song of the Samurai TV series is exclusively available on HBO Max in the US. It can also be watched as a channel add-on via Prime Video. For other countries, the streaming platforms are quite vivid and can easily be lost track of. In India, the series is available via subscription on the JioHotstar website and mobile application.

Japan releases the episodes under the title Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem in two specific outlets every Friday – U-NEXT (streaming) and TBS (television broadcast). In Canada, the title is available to stream on Crave, and fans from the UK and Australia can watch it on HBO Max with a subscription. The show can also be streamed via VPN in available countries.

How Many Episodes Are There in Song of the Samurai Season 1?

Song of the Samurai Season 1 is listed with 8 episodes.

While the official accounts of the live-action adaptation TV series do not reveal a complete episode count for the debut season, we found the next best thing for the required information, the reliable ranking and archive website IMDb. The Song of Samurai Season 1 is listed with 8 episodes (via the IMDb website).

Here is a full breakdown list of the release details of every episode in Season 1:

EPISODE NUMBER	RELEASE DATE	TIME (PDT/EDT)	IMDb RATINGS (As of June 1, 2026)
Episode 1	May 9, 2026	12:00 am/3:00 am	9/10
Episode 2	May 16, 2026	12:00 am/3:00 am	9/10
Episode 3	May 23, 2026	12:00 am/3:00 am	8.8/10
Episode 4	May 30, 2026	12:00 am/3:00 am	8.6/10
Episode 5	Jun 6, 2026	12:00 am/3:00 am	N/A
Episode 6	Jun 13, 2026	12:00 am/3:00 am	N/A
Episode 7	Jun 20, 2026	12:00 am/3:00 am	N/A
Episode 8	Jun 27, 2026	12:00 am/3:00 am	N/A

Please bear in mind that the date and time aforementioned are subject to change in case of any production delays. This article will be updated in case any changes occur in the release schedule of the TV series’ Season 1.

Song of the Samurai Season 1 Cast

Based on IMDb’s listing for the cast of Song of the Samurai Season 1 (via website), here are some of the notable actors and actresses from the TV series, along with the characters they are playing:

• Yamada Yuki – Hijikata Toshizo
• Nobuyuki Suzuki – Kondo Isami
• Aoi Nakamura – Yamanami Keisuke
• Kanata Hosoda – Okita Soji
• Shuhei Uesugi – Nagakura Shinpachi
• Kisetsu Fujiwara – Saito Hajime
• Shuntaro Yanagi – Harada Sanosuke
• Shuto Miyazaki – Todo Heisuke
• Hihio Iwanaga – Inoue Genzaburo
• Meru Nukumi – Ichikawa Makoto
• Yuki Sakurai – Oume
• Eita Okuno – Niimi Nishiki
• Mitsuomi Takahashi – Hirayama Goro
• Nobuaki Kaneko – Sasaki Tadasaburo
• Go Ayano – Serizawa Kamo

A Brief Recap of Song of the Samurai Series So Far

Episode 1 – The Soul of Baragaki, Burning With Friends

The first episode mainly focuses on the beginning of the story for Hijikata Toshizo, a wandering medicine merchant who goes from dojo to dojo and brawls with them, just to sell his medicine. However, his life takes a turn as he stumbles into the Shieikan Dojo, where his life changes forever as he becomes part of the family.

Episode 2 – Farewell Youth, Meet the Demon

A new villain is introduced as Hijikata confronts the ruthless Serizawa Kamo in Kyoto. The episode follows themes of betrayal, loss, and the return of a friend-turned-assassin, which forces Hijikata into a new reality, a much more brutal one.

Episode 3 – Blood Between Brothers

One of the more dramatic episodes of the TV series so far, Hijikata reunites with Izo, who has now become a deadly assassin. Their meeting leads to a tragic duel, which reinforces the idea of forging a ruthless code to protect his remaining brothers.

Episode 4 – The Broken Code

After the death of a young member, Nagakura Shinpachi is pushed toward execution. However, Kondo sacrifices his pride to save his comrade. But one of the most shocking betrayals in the series so far comes to light following that.

What to Expect From Song of the Samurai Episode 5?

After being provoked by Serizawa, Sagwa drew his sword and was ready to fight the main antagonist of the series. However, before either of them could make a move, Hijikata intercepted Serizawa and claimed himself as the opponent for the duel, as Episode 4 ended with a massive cliffhanger. Based on that, Episode 5 is going to be one of the most explosive battles in the series so far – Hijikata vs. Serizawa.

TITLE	Song of the Samurai
CREATOR	Shinya Umemura
ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE	May 9, 2026
EPISODE 5 RELEASE DATE	June 6, 2026
IMDb RATING (As of June 1, 2026)	8.1/10
WHERE TO WATCH	HBO Max

What are your thoughts on the Song of the Samurai TV series so far? Are you excited for the upcoming episode? We’d love to hear your opinions in the comments below.

All Episodes of the Song of the Samurai TV series are available to watch on HBO Max, and the upcoming Episode 5 will be released on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 12:00 am PDT.