About this season
The Samurai is a Japanese historical fiction television series made by Senkosha Productions during the early 1960s. Its original Japanese title was Onmitsu Kenshi. The series premiered in 1962 on TBS and ran continuously until 1965 for ten self-contained story arcs, usually of 13 episodes each. Also created were two black-and-white feature films by Toei Company, made in 1964 by the same crew which has created the TV series, and a stage show. The Samurai proved to be highly successful despite its initially very limited budget. It was the first Japanese TV program ever screened in Australia, where it premiered in 1964 and built up a remarkably large fan-base among the local young audience at the time, rapidly becoming a cult favourite. Despite its massive popularity in Australia as well as success in Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines, the series was not widely screened elsewhere and its fame remains largely restricted to those countries.
Episodes (13)
1. Touch of Death
Aired 5 January 1964 • 24 min
2. A Trap for Tombei
Aired 12 January 1964 • 24 min
3. Taroza the Toad
Aired 19 January 1964 • 24 min
4. Secret of the Wind Fort
Aired 26 January 1964 • 24 min
5. The Barrier Gate
Aired 2 February 1964 • 24 min
6. The Deserter
Aired 9 February 1964 • 24 min
7. The Stolen Map
Aired 16 February 1964 • 24 min
8. The Water Castle
Aired 23 February 1964 • 24 min
9. A Narrow Escape
Aired 1 March 1964 • 24 min
10. Return of Kitobo
Aired 8 March 1964 • 24 min
11. Saved by a Ninja
Aired 15 March 1964 • 24 min
12. Yaheiji the Typhoon
Aired 22 March 1964 • 24 min
13. The Fire Tower
Aired 29 March 1964 • 24 min