From “Extra Credits”. ( YouTube / Nebula )

📜 After you’ve learned about the End of the Samurai, head over to Kickstarter, where our 2026 "History Happens Every Day" Calendar is available for preorder! – https://bit.ly/ExtraHistory2026Calendar

Japan’s samurai era didn’t end with a whisper—it ended with rebellion, war, and betrayal. When foreign powers forced Japan to open its borders, everything changed. Merchants gained power, the Emperor took a political stance, and old systems crumbled. As unrest spread, the infamous Shinsengumi rose to keep order—but peace was short-lived. The Boshin War erupted, and when the dust settled, the samurai found themselves cast aside by the very empire they helped create. Led by Saigo Takamori, they made one final, dramatic stand as Japan transformed into a modern nation.

We really enjoyed revisiting this series and getting to implement the viewer feedback that Rob had previously only been able to address in Lies. Original Lies video here: https://youtu.be/7Fzy25qzW3g
Please let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed this, and we look forward to sharing the next one with you all.

* Watch Extra History ad-free & get 1-week early access on *NEBULA* https://go.nebula.tv/extrahistory
* Suggest & Vote on our next episodes, get exclusive content & 24-hour early access on *PATREON* https://bit.ly/EHPatreon
* Show off your fandom with *MERCH* from our store! http://extracredits.store/
* Interested in sponsoring an episode?* Email us: extracredits@standard.tv

https://twitter.com/extracreditz | https://www.facebook.com/ExtraCredits/ | http://instagram.com/extracredits | https://www.tiktok.com/@extracreditz
GAMING: https://www.youtube.com/@extracredits | http://www.twitch.tv/extracredits/
https://bsky.app/profile/extracredits.bsky.social

CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro to End of the Samurai
01:15 – Chapter 1: Black Ships
09:23 – Chapter 2: Gangs of Kyoto
18:55 – Chapter 3: The Boshin War
28:29 – Chapter 4: The Imperial Army
37:16 – Chapter 5: The Last Samurai

Thanks for the high-quality conversations & for following our community guidelines here: https://bit.ly/ECFansRNice

Artist: Nick DeWitt | Writer: Robert Rath | Showrunner & Narrator: Matthew Krol | Video Editor: Devon House Creative | Audio Editor: Clean Waves | Studio Director: Geoffrey Zatkin | Social Media: Kat Rider | ♪ "The Streets of Kyoto" by Tiffany Román

#ExtraHistory #Japan #History