Awaiting Kirin (2020): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2020, Awaiting Kirin is a drama and war & politics series.

What it’s about. After the Onin War, the world is plunged into chaos. Amid this situation, heroes of the warring states begin to emerge in an attempt to unify the country and rule in these turbulent times. In the mid-1540s, there is a young wandering samurai in Mino which is strategically located between the East and West. His name is Akechi Mitsuhide. At this time, there is plenty of internal strife within the Toki clan which rules Mino. Surrounded by the Oda of Owari, the Imagawa of Suruga and the Asakura of Echizen, Mino has constantly faced the risk of invasion. Mitsuhide is pulled into battle and destroys the enemy. His bravery as well as stratagem catches the attention of Saito Toshimasa, the chief retainer of the Toki clan, and he is singled out. This man who is also known as Saito Dosan will go on to takeover the Toki and make Mino his own.

Who’s in it. Awaiting Kirin stars Masahiro Motoki as Saitou Toshimasa / Saito Dousan [the "Viper of Mino"], Shota Sometani as Oda Nobunaga, Hiroki Hasegawa as Akechi Mitsuhide and Haruna Kawaguchi as Oda Kicho [Nobunaga's legal wife], among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.4/10, Awaiting Kirin sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Awaiting Kirin page.

If you liked it. Fans of Awaiting Kirin tend to enjoy Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Attack on Titan.