Want to watch the Japanese Martial Arts Drama Series? Find the curated list of all astounding Japanese Dramas here. Martial Arts are deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Since 70’s Japan has been known for producing some of the best Martial Arts dramas, movies, and marvelous anime.
From Samurai to Ninjas, Japanese Dramas never failed to represent its Martial Arts culture to the world with its amazing cast and intriguing plotline. In many historical dramas of Japan, Martial Arts have always been a center of attraction that will teach you, inspire you, and fill you with lots of thrill and action.
If you are the one who is looking for Martial Arts Japanese Dramas to binge-watch, we have got you covered! So, here’s a list of the best 31 dramas that we recommend you to watch if you are a huge fan of Martial arts, Samurais, and Ninjas.
1) The Hero Yoshihiko
Released in the year 2011, The Hero Yoshihiko, a Japanese comedy series, follows the story of the protagonist Yusha Yoshihiko who goes on a quest to find the cure to the Plague that surrounded his village a long time ago. People of the village call him Hero Yoshihiko because he is the second one to go to the castle of the evil king who supposedly knows the cure for the plague.
However, reaching the castle is not an easy task. On his journey, he encounters many difficulties and enemies who try to block his way toward the castle. Hero Yoshihiko, using his marvelous skills, defeats every hurdle to reach the castle. Since 2011, a total of 3 seasons have been released, consisting of 35 episodes, and each episode runs for not more than 45 minutes.
- Written and Directed by: Yuichi Fakuda
- Main Cast: Takayuki Yamada, Azusa Okamoto, Shin Takuma, Haruka Kinami & Jiro Sato
- IMDB Ratings: 8/10
2) Tsuma Wa Kunoichi
If you are interested in historical ninja dramas, then this TV series is for you. Tsuma Wa Kunoichi is majorly famous for the name, ‘My Wife is a Ninja.’ Tsuma Wa Kunoichi will take you to the Japanese Edo period, where the astronomer protagonist marries a beautiful young woman. He loves her a lot; however, only after a month of their marriage she disappears from his life.
The protagonist then decides to find his wife and the reason behind her leaving him unknowingly. On his quest, he discovers many truths that change his life.
Spoiler: As the name suggests, the protagonist’s wife is a ninja.
- Written and Directed by: Kaneko Narito
- Main Cast: Takimoto Miori, Matsumoto Koshiro X, Tanaka Min, Wada Soko, Wakamura Mayumi, Kajihara Zen
- IMDB Ratings: 6.5/10
3) (Princess) Go
Based on the novel of the same name by Kumiko Tabuchi, (Princess) Go, despite many criticisms, is one of the classic dramas to watch. If you are into psychologically dark and political dramas, Princess Go is the one we recommend to you.
This drama series encircles the life of Princess Gou, who was surrounded by some of the most prominent warriors and martial artists in history. This drama depicts her life as a daughter of Oichi, the wife of Saji Kazunari and Toyotomi Hidekatsu.
The drama portrays the life of women through the eyes of Princess Gou during the Edo and Sengoku period. (Princess) Go was released in the year 2011 and ended with a total of 46 episodes.
- Written and Directed By: Kumiko Tabuchi
- Main Cast: Juri Ueno, Rie Miyazawa, Asami Mizukawa
- IMDB Ratings: 7.4/10
4) Alice in Borderland
One of the best drama series at the moment, Alice in Borderland, will take you to the world of survival game competitors who must complete all the games in order to survive. Like Squid Games, even Alice in Borderland has become one of the greatest survival shows in history.
Although the whole series is not based on Martial Arts, participants in the game do require certain Martial Arts techniques to survive in the dangerous game they play. Alice In Borderland also introduces us to the martial arts characters such as Hikari Kuina, who was born into a Martial Arts family and depicted her best skills throughout the series.
Also Read: 41 Martial Arts Chinese Drama To Watch Right Now
The first season of Alice in Borderland was released in the year 2020, and subsequently, due to its major fame, the show renewed for its second season in the year 2022. You can watch Alice in Borderland on Netflix.
- Written and Directed By: Shinsuke Sato
- Main Cast: Kento Yamazaki, Asahina Aya, Tao Tsuchiya, Ayame Misaki, Dori Sakurada
- IMDB Ratings: 7.7/10
5) Girl Boxer
One of the inspiring dramas of Japan, Girl Boxer, motivates women to accomplish their dreams no matter what society says. Girl Boxer is based on the life of the protagonist, Hikaru Saotome, an orphan who never feels satisfied with the job she does. Subsequently, when she gets to know that boxing is her passion, she looks no further and works hard to pursue her dream.
Even though society does not accept her because of her passion, she proves that even girl boxers are as great as men boxers. Girl Boxer was released in the year 2008, with each episode running for approximately 45 minutes.
- Written and Directed By: Kinoshita Takao
- Main Cast: Mariko Kaga, Toshiki Ayata, Mayuko Iwasa
- IMDB Ratings: 7.7/10
6) Mirai E No. 10 Count
Released in the month of April 2022, another boxing drama that may inspire you to pursue your dream. Mirai E No.10 Count will take you to the world of Kiriswa Shogo, an ambitious boxer. He wins many awards during his High School life; however, as he gets older, he leaves his dream to become a boxer and works in a part-time job.
Subsequently, he again gets an offer to become a boxing coach, and this time despite many difficulties, he happily pursues his dream. Mirai E No.10 Count is a limited series consisting of only nine episodes, with each episode running for not more than 45 minutes.
- Written and Directed By: Kawai Hayato, Hoshino Kazunari
- Main Cast: Kimura Takuya, Mitsushima Hikari
- IMDB Ratings: 7.7/10
7) Samurai Gourmet
Samurai Gourmet will take you to the world of Takeshi Kasumi, who unwinds with his love for food and drinks. However, he does not belong to the 21st century. He is a warrior from the Japanese war era.
More than martial arts, Samurai Gourmet depicts the world of delicious Japanese cuisine in the ancient era. Takeshi Kasumi, a retired samurai who finds his love in food, wanders all around the city just to eat the tasty food he desires.
This limited series was released in the year 2017, with 12 episodes. You can watch Samurai Gourmet on Netflix and Apple TV.
- Written and Directed By: MH Mamoru Hoshi
- Main Cast: Tetsuji Tamayama, Naoto Takenaka, Honami Suzuki
- IMDB Ratings: 8.1/10
8) Yae No Sakura
Yae No Sakura depicts the life of Yae Nijjima, who worked hard for the safety of women in the Edo period. She was skilled in both gunnery and swordsmanship. Yae Nijjima also made her mark in numerous wars, fighting skillfully. After marrying a Christian man, she founded a Japanese University.
Ayase Haruka played the role of Yae Nijjima in the series, who flaunted very well in resembling the best skills of real Yae Nijjima. Yae No Sakura was released in the year 2013 and soon received much love from fans. You can watch this Yae No Sakura on Amazon Prime.
- Written and Directed By: Mutsumi Yamamoto, Katu Tako
- Main Cast: Haruka Ayase, Mei Nagano,Hiroki Hasegawa
- IMDB Ratings: 6.9/10
9) Naruto Hichou
The 2018 drama Naruto Hichou will take you to the Edo period in the world of Norizuki Gennojo, who goes out of the village to train himself in swordsmanship.
When he returns back to the village, dressing himself up as a monk, he goes on a quest to find out the secret records of Naruto in which the pledge is sealed with blood to bring down the Shogunate (Military Dictatorship).
Naruto Hichou is the TV Series adaption of the novel Secrets of Naruto. If you are interested in watching war dramas filled with thrill and lots of Martial Arts, then this drama is good to go.
- Written and Directed By: Teinosuke Kinugasa
- Main Cast: Koka Yoami, Nono Sumika, Hayami Akari, Yamamoto Koji
- IMDB Ratings: 6.7/10
10) Baki
The animated series adaption from the manga series Grappler Baki was released in the year 2001. The main genre of this anime is Martial Arts, in which a boy named Baki undertakes rigorous training to become the world’s strongest martial artist.
Once he becomes sure of his skills, he then decides to defeat his father, who is also the strongest martial artist. Baki wanders around the world, meet the greatest martial artist, and tries to defeat them to get stronger and stronger. There is a total of 48 episodes that were released during the year 2001, with the episodes running not more than 30 minutes. You can watch Baki on Netflix.
- Written and Directed By: Yoshihisa Araki, Yuji Asada
- Main Characters: Baki Hanma, Yuujirou Hanma, Jack Hanma, Pickle
- IMDB Ratings: 6.7/10
11) Samurai Sensei
If you are intrigued by humourous samurai dramas, then you should not miss watching Samurai Sensei. With the unusual concept, Samurai Sensei will make you laugh hard while inspiring you till the end. Takechi Hanpeita, a samurai from the ancient era, accidentally time travels 150 years into the later modern era, and things change for him. However, an old teacher adopts him and makes him the teacher of his tuition.
While teaching his martial arts skills to the students, he encounters many difficulties in the modern village he lives in, but he, with his martial arts and samurai skills, overcomes all hurdles. Samurai Sensei was released in the year 2018, with a total of 8 episodes.
- Written and Directed By: Kazushi Watanabe, Ssuke Kuroe
- Main Cast: Hayato Ichihara, Shugo Oshinari, Yukijiro Hotaru, Iriya Take
- IMDB Ratings: 6.4/10
12) Naotora: The Lady Warlord
Taiga dramas have always been loved in Japan when it comes to depicting history, historical personalities, and the great skill of martial arts. Since the ’80s, NHK Taiga dramas have received so much significance in Japan due to their perfect depiction of history.
Naotora: The Lady Warlord is one of those Taiga dramas which throws light on the Sengoku period of Japan and Naotora Li, the greatest lady warlord of history who soon becomes a successor of the Li family as every male warrior from her family loses their life in the war.
With a total of 50 episodes, Naotora: The Lady Warlord, which was released in December 2017, marked its last episode in the month of January 2018.
- Written and Directed By: Kazutaka Watanabe, Hideki Fujinami, Takashi Fukagawa, Naoki Murahashi, Daisuke Andō
- Main Cast: Ko Shibasaki, Haruma Miura, Issey Takahashi, Yūya Yagira, Masaki Suda
- IMDB Ratings: 5.4/10
13) Ninpuu Sentai Hurrincaneger
If you are a Ninja Superhero fan, then this drama series is for you. With the perfect combination of thrill, action, and comedy, Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger has proved to be one of the most entertaining dramas for kids as well as for adults.
Hurrincaneger is the superhero who exists in the world of the protagonists who study at Hayate-Style ninja school. Some evil forces known as Jakanja, attack the school and slaughter many students.
Hurrincanegers, using their superhero ninja abilities, defeat Jakanjas to save the world. This action show has always been a favorite among children which was first released in the year 2002. Currently, Ninpuu Sentai Hurrincaneger is available to watch on Amazon Prime.
- Written and Directed By: Katsuya Watanabe
- Main Cast: Shun Shioya, Nao Nagasawa, Kohei Yamamoto, Yujiro Shirakawa
- IMDB Ratings: 7.5/10
14) Warigami
Warigami, a Japanese- American fiction series, will take you to the world of Wendy Ohata, a Japanese girl who is a descendant of people of a Japanese village who are known for turning origami paper into deadly weapons.
Wendy is in search of her brother, Vincent Ohata, to fulfill the ancient prophecy. With amazing Martial Arts skills and the power to turn a mere piece of paper into a weapon, Wendy Ohata tries her best to defeat enemies while finding her only brother.
Also Read: 42 Best War Movies Of All Time You Must Watch
Warigami was released in the year 2019 and dramatically got viral among both Japanese and American fans. With ten episodes approximate runtime of 45 minutes, Warigami ended in the year 2020.
- Written and Directed By: Jason Lepeyre
- Main Cast: Kai Bradbury, Emily Piggford, Miho Suzuki
- IMDB Ratings: 7.5/10
15) Naruto Shippuden
When it comes to Martial Arts, the one animated drama series that always comes to mind is Naruto Shippuden. From 2002 to 2017, for 16 years, Naruto is unforgettable for fans. Even today, Naruto’s fan base never decreased, but it is still increasing day by day.
Naruto follows the story of a young orphan boy who desires to become the greatest ninja and works hard with other students to acquire all the ninja skills. However, the path to his success is filled with many difficulties, evils, and rivals, but he overcomes all hurdles and becomes the greatest Ninja in his town.
Naruto Shippuden is available on multiple OTT platforms such as Netflix, Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime.
- Written and Directed By: Masahi Kishimoto
- Main Chracters: Naruto, Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi Uchihha, Kakashi Hatake, Madara Uchiha
- IMDB Ratings: 8.4/10
16) Lone Wolf and Cub
Based on the Japanese Manga series of the same name, Lone Wolf and Cub is the critically acclaimed drama series of 2002. The Manga has got various adaptions due to its unusual plotline that never fails to intrigue fans.
Lone Wolf and Cub follows the story of Ogami Itto, who gets surrounded by false accusations, conspiracy, and betrayal by the people of the Yagyu Clan. He leaves the Yagyu Clan and his village but returns with a 3-year-old kid to get an act of revenge on the whole clan as an assassin.
Lone Wolf and Cub is a must-watch drama if you are a huge martial arts fan. Also, the amazing storyline will keep you intrigued till the end. So, do not miss watching Lone Wolf and Cub if you are really into martial arts and Japanese history.
- Written and Directed By: Kenji Misumi, Kazuo Koike, Goseki Kojima
- Main Cast: Tomisaburu Wakayama, Fumio Watanabe, Go Kato
- IMDB Ratings: 7.7/10
17) Kunoichi Ninpocho Hotarubi
Okei, Omiyo, and Otama are young, beautiful, and gorgeous girls whom anyone could fall for. Even though they look like ordinary girls, they are ninjas who try to save the world from the terrible rule of the Shogunate.
The drama was released in the year 2018, with a total of 12 episodes. This drama is recommended for those who are intrigued with extreme martial arts and would love to watch female protagonists as ninjas.
Kunoichi Ninpocho Hotarubi received a lot of love after its release because of the amazing depiction of women during ancient times.
- Written and Directed By: Hattori Daiji
- Main Cast: Becky, Kurokawa Mei, Hinoi Asuka
- IMDB Ratings: 7.5/10
18) The One-Pound Gospel
Based on the manga series of the same name, The One Pound Gospel will introduce you to an ambitious Boxer and a Nun. Kosaku Hatanaka, the protagonist, is known for his excellent games and punches throughout the world.
However, he cannot stop eating. He gets hungry all of a sudden and wants to eat everything he sees in front of him. Because of this habit, Kosaku gains weight which adversely affects his boxing career.
The Nun comes into his life and helps him to control his hunger. The show was released in the year on 2008 and used to air on Nippon TV from January 2008 to March 2008, with a total of 9 episodes. You can enjoy the drama on YouTube by directly searching its title on the search bar. You can even watch anime adaption of it on YouTube.
- Written and Directed By: Ozamu Desaki
- Main Cast: Kazuya Kamenashi, Meisa Kuroki, Yoshinori Okada
- IMDB Ratings: 7.3/10
19) Gunshi Ganbei
The 53rd NHK Taiga Drama introduces another greatest historical personality Gunshi Ganbei, who was loved by many who watched the drama. The drama will take you to the ancient Japanese era when strategist Gunshi Ganbei was born.
His life story is worth watching as his life took many turns, from ruling the province to getting incarcerated by the enemy. However, he fought hard and paved the way to become a strategist for the samurai Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Throughout the series, you will be mesmerized by seeing the various martial arts techniques and sword fights that the people of the ancient era were skilled in. This drama consists of 50 episodes, with each episode running for 45 minutes.
- Written and Directed By: Tanaka Kenji
- Main Cast: Juni’ichi Okada, Gaku Hamada, Miki Nakatani
- IMDB Ratings: 7.5/10
20) Onihei Hankacho
Onihei Hankacho is based on the novel by Shotaro Ikegami. Since 1989, this drama has aired on the Japanese Television Network Fuji till 2016.
Heizo Hasegawa, a detective from the Edo era, works hard to catch the criminals in his town with his intelligent mind and outstanding martial arts skills. Even though he seems tough and reckless from the outside, he is as sweet as honey on the inside.
Inspired by his behavior and his work, even the thieves he caught start working for him and help him to maintain peace in the town. Onihei Hankacho’s main character was played by Tatsujiro Namino, currently died in the year 2021. The anime adaption of Onihei Hankacho is available on Crunchyroll.
- Written and Directed By: Ozu Sai
- Main Cast: Kichiemon Nakamura, Yumi Takigawa, Etsushi Takahashi
- IMDB Ratings: 6.2/10
21) Shadow Warriors
One of the classic Ninja shows in history, Shadow Warriors, was released back in 1980. With three seasons, Shadow Warriors was the favorite show among all viewers back then, and even today, it is one of the best Ninja shows around the world.
Shadow Warriors depicts the story of Ninja Warriors who try to save their town from the group of evil ninjas who attack the locals of the town whenever they get the opportunity.
There are 119 episodes that were released from the year 1980 to 1985. If you are a huge Ninja Fan, you should definitely watch Shadow Warriors.
- Written and Directed By: Kinji Fukasaku, Eiichi Kudo
- Main Cast: Shin’ichi Chiba, Kirin Kiki, So Yamamura
- IMDB Ratings: 8.7/10
22) Street Fighter II V
Street Fighter is an animated television series which released back in 1995. This anime chronicles the life of some martial artist friends who goes on a journey to become the greatest martial artist in the world.
While on the journey, they fight many criminals and enemies and improve their martial arts skills in no time. Street Fighter II V released 29 episodes, and each episode runs for not more than 30 minutes. You can watch this amazing Martial Arts anime on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
- Written and Directed By: Gisaburo Sagi
- Main Cast: Ryu, Ken, Guile, Chun-Li, Fei Long
- IMDB Ratings: 7.5/10
23) Komoyo Ga Tsuji
NHK Taiga dramas are the heart of the Japanese entertainment culture. It represents Japanese history to the world in the form of drama series and honors the warriors of history who made some significant changes in Japanese culture.
Komoyo Ga Tsuji follows the story of such an influential couple who existed during the Sengoku period in Japan. Yamauchi Chiyo, an ambitious lady who became the reason for making the samurais of the Yamauchi Clan strong, was accompanied by her husband, Yamauchi Kazutoyo, the lord of Owari province, during the Sengoku Period.
This drama was released in the year 2005 and ended with 45 episodes in the year 2005. Each episode runs for not more than 45 minutes.
- Written and Directed By: Mitsunobu Ozaki
- Main Cast: Katsuhisa Namase, Atsuho Ohuchi, Akiko Matsumoto
- IMDB Ratings: 6.9/10
24) To heart: koishite shinitai
One of the classic romantic dramas of the 90s, To Heart: Koishite Shintai, will surely make you feel joyful. This series follows the story of a female protagonist who falls in love with the boxer in an instant.
However, the boxer does not feel the same for her because he loves an older woman. How will this story end? Who will the boxer protagonist end up with? To know everything, watch To Heart: Koishite Shintai on Crunchyroll.
- Written and Directed By: Hiroshi Matsubara, Tamaki Endo
- Main Cast: Tsuyoshi Domoto, Miura Toko
- IMDB Ratings: 7.7/10
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25) Awaiting Kirin
The 59th Taiga series, Awaiting Kirin, will take you to the time of Japanese warring states. After the war, many heroes took the authority to unify the nation and support the fully devastated states. One of those heroes was Akechi Mitsuhide.
Throughout the series, there are many scenes where you will get to see the protagonist’s excellent martial arts skills that he uses to fight his enemies. There are a total of 45 episodes released in the year 2020, with approx. Running time of 45 minutes for each episode.
- Written and Directed By: Shunsaku Ikehata, Yōichi Maekawa, Taku Ohara
- Main Cast: Hiroki Hasegawa, Shota Sometani, Mugi Kudowaki, Takashi Okamura
- IMDB Ratings: 7.2/10
26) Ranma ½
Ranma ½ is an animated drama series adaption from the Manga series by Rumiko Takahashi. The 16-year-old boy, Ranma, will make you laugh hard throughout the series due to his unusual ability to turn into a girl when he gets wet with cold water. This wholesome drama is recommended for those who love to watch rom-com dramas.
With a total of 143 episodes, Ranma ½ was released in the year 1989 and subsequently ended in the year 1992. You can watch this anime on Hulu and Amazon Prime.
- Written and Directed By: Totomi Mochizuki, Tsutomu Shibayama
- Main Characters: Ranma Saotome, Genma Saotome, Nokoda Saotome, Akane Tendo, Soun Tendo
- IMDB Ratings: 7.9/10
27) Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl is a story about an ordinary girl who does not want to become a Judo artist. However, with the rigorous training given by her grandfather, she even wins the Olympics.
Even though she is shown running away from Judo, her admiration for her grandfather again attracts her towards it, and she always struggles between not wanting to pursue Judo as her career but still does.
This anime was released back in the year 1988 and completed in the year 1192 with 124 episodes. You can watch this adorable and funny anime on Odawa Judo’s YouTube Channel.
- Written and Directed By: Kazuo Yoshida, Ikeu Sekimoto
- Main Characters: Yawara Inokuma, Jigoro Inokuma, Sayaka Honami
- IMDB Ratings: 7.4/10
28) The Samurai
One of the classic creations of Senkosha Productions, The Samurai has always been loved by fans. Even though the drama series was released in the year 1964, it is still famous among Japanese audiences. The Samurai was also screened all around the world since its release, and even now, fans love to stream this drama online.
The Samurai chronicles the life of the protagonist, who is a detective samurai. He lives with a different identity to uncover the crimes happening among people. His main work is to gather information about the rival groups and spies who are living behind the shadow of normal people.
There is a total of 124 episodes released in the year 1962 on the Japanese Television Network TBS Japan. You can watch this excellent Samurai drama on YouTube.
- Written and Directed By: Sadao Funatoko, Toro Toyama, Masaru Igami, Yasushi Kato
- Main Cast: Ose Koichi, Fuyukichi Maki,Omori Shunsuke, Bin Amatsu
- IMDB Ratings: 8.9/10
29) Heart of a Samurai
Heart of Samurai is another NHK Taiga drama that viewers loved watching. It encircles the life story of Naoe Kanetsugu, a young, handsome, and loyal warrior who served his master for a very long.
After the death of his master, he acted as his adopted son and proved to be an asset to the village he lived in. He always supported and protected the people of his village from their enemies and always assisted them in need.
Heart of Samurai perfectly depicts how a warrior or samurai’s conduct should be and how he should treat his loved ones and the people of his town. There are 47 episodes of Heart of a Samurai, which were released in the year 2009.
- Written and Directed By: Masahi Hisaka
- Main Cast: Satoshi Tsumabaki, Kazuki Kitamura, Anne Watanabe
- IMDB Ratings: 5.9/10
30) Neko Zamurai
Whether it is a television drama or anime, Japanese dramas always come up with something unique that always baffles fans. When it comes to Samurai dramas, Japan has made numerous variations, from depicting modern-age samurais to the ancient age, from historical to fiction, that fans have always loved.
Neko Zamurai is one of those fans loved dramas in which the protagonist oaths to kill a goblin cat who supposedly possesses a man’s soul; however, the cat is so adorable. The hilarious connection between the cat and the samurai will surely laugh your head off.
You can watch Neko Zamurai for free on YouTube and on Amazon Prime. So, watch Neko Zamurai know how the esteemed samurai is going to use his martial arts skill to kill an adorable cat.
- Written and Directed By: Yoshitaga Yamaguchi, Takeshi Watanabe
- Main Cast: Kazuki Kitamura, Kaoru Hirata, Megumi Yokoyama
- IMDB Ratings: 7.2/10
31) Nekonin
Just like Samurai, the cat even encounters a prominent ninja in the Japanese television series Nekonin. However, his story is different from the story of the Samurai. The protagonist, the ninja, finds a similarity between the cat and his ninja father, who left him at the age of 10.
He encounters a cat and strangely feels his father’s vibes seeing the cat. So, is the cat really his father? Or did he use a ninja technique to transform himself into a cat? Well, we won’t spoil your fun.
But to know what exactly is going to happen with this handsome but naïve Ninja, you should stream the fan-favorite Japanese ninja and martial arts drama Nekonin.
- Written and Directed By: Takeshi Watanabe
- Main Cast: Takuro Ono, Akira Emoto, Izumi Fujimoto
- IMDB Ratings: 6.7/10
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