(Screenrant) — Showrunner Matthew Booi talks about his Netflix miniseries, Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan, a six-part epic about the bloody Sengoku Jidai period.
The samurai of feudal Japan nurture an evergreen fascination among historians and curious passersby alike. The juxtaposition of honor and violence has tickled the imaginations of millions, and countless films, books, video games, and novels have explored every facet of samurai culture and the ever-changing code of honor called Bushido. Now, a new Netflix docu-drama series aims to capture the brutal magic of the Sengoku Jidai period.
Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan tells the story of three families fighting for control of Japan during one of the most violent eras in human history. Though based on historical fact, the series is presented with dramatic flair and a focus on graphic novel-style visual storytelling. Basically, it's not a traditional documentary with talking heads and endless exposition, but a realistic snapshot of carnage and conquest, told over six parts.
While promoting the release of Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan on Netflix, showrunner Matthew Booi spoke to Screen Rant about his work on this new type of docu-series. He explains why samurai of this particular chapter of feudal Japan's long history are so particularly fascinating, and who it was so important for him to be as historically accurate as possible while remaining stylish and entertaining to audiences across all levels of scholastic interest. To that end, he emphasizes the importance of filling all the main roles with Japanese actors speaking their native language, as well as focusing on a very specific group of characters, to tell their story with a cinematic grandeur rarely seen in the docu-drama genre.