New Japanese series Sanctuary is dropping on Netflix next month, so this is everything we know about the sumo drama, including release date, trailer, cast, plot, and more.
Netflix is looking to grow subscribers in Japan over the next few months, so a slate of Japanese-language shows are set to hit the streaming service.
Recent releases include First Love and Alice in Borderland, while the likes of City Hunter and Yu Yu Hakusho – both live-action versions of classic manga – are both coming soon.
But before their respective releases, Sanctuary is heading to Netflix, a YA story set inside the reclusive world of sumo wrestling.
Does Sanctuary have a release date?
Yes, Sanctuary will hit Netflix on May 4, 2023. As is customary with shows on the streamer, all episodes are set to drop that day.
Sanctuary was shot in Tokyo in early 2022 and completed production earlier this year, with Kan Eguchi directing, from a script by Tomoki Kanazawa.
Sanctuary trailer
The trailer for Sanctuary can be viewed below via the Netflix Japan YouTube account…
As you’d expect, this first look features lots of sumo wrestling, as well as what appears to be a glimpse into the dark side of the sport.
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Sanctuary cast: Who’s in it?
Sanctuary has a large ensemble, with the main players as follows…
- Kimiko Yo
- Chase Yi
- Gorô Kishitani
- Koyuki
- Katsuya Maiguma
- Shôta Sometani
- Akira Nakao
- Pierre Taki
- Wataru Ichinose
- Shioli Kutsuna
- Takashi Sasano
- So Kaku
- Tomorowo Taguchi
- Kei Kobayashi
- Suzuki Matsuo
- Daichi Kaneko
- Nobuko Sendô
- Rio Teramoto
- Kitarou Katsuya
- Kazuya Yoshii
Santuary plot: What’s it about?
The Hollywood Reporter lists the Sanctuary synopsis as follows: “the series follows a juvenile delinquent who becomes a sumo apprentice – and soon finds himself on a collision course with a voiceless wrestler carrying a secret.”
While the streamer describes the show thusly: “A tough, desperate kid becomes a sumo wrestler, captivating fans with his cocky attitude, and upsetting an industry steeped in tradition.”
Elsewhere Netflix calls it: “a gritty look into the underbelly of professional sumo, a world full of young men with ambitions for money, women, fame, and power.”
With the streamer adding: “This is the story of the sumo ring, where some may find sanctuary with a history of more than 1,500 years in Japan’s traditional culture and as a religious ceremony.”
Sanctuary streams from May 4, while for more Netflix coverage head to our dedicated section here.
