Common Sense Media Review
Murder, gore, animal abuse in this mature live-action anime.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Golden Kamuy - The Hunt of Prisoners in Hokkaido -
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
GOLDEN KAMUY – THE HUNT OF PRISONERS IN HOKKAIDO- is a live-action TV show based on the Golden Kamuy manga series by Satoru Noda. Set in the Meiji Era of Japan (1868-1912), the show follows Saichi Sugmioto (played by Kento Yamazaki), an immortal war veteran and Aspira (played by Anna Yamada), an Ainu tribal woman who work together to find the legend of an Ainu tribe's hidden gold treasure. The location of the treasure will be found on the tattoos of 24 prisoners who escaped from Abashiri Prison. Together and with the help of their friends, they hurry to find and hunt these prisoners down and get the coordinates before their enemies do. They run into many situations where they do what they must to survive, which includes killing other people, killing animals to eat and stay warm, and defending themselves from bears and wolves.
Is It Any Good?
This show is super creative, but also excessively violent. Golden Kamuy – The Hunt of Prisoners in Hokkaido – shows the brutal reality of a greedy bunch of people who will stop at nothing to become rich with a legend's treasure. The different ways that characters die range from being shot in war to being poisoned and being mauled by wolves or bears is intense and can leave the viewer feeling even a bit queasy. The sense of adventure and legend chasing is fun to watch, and the anticipation of the main characters being chased gives the viewer a sense of anxiety while rooting for the protagonists to win. The setting and design of the show is also worth mentioning; there are frequent stunning views of the snowy mountain landscapes in Japanese wintertime.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about when Aspira saves a man who was trying to kill her and her wolf when he is hit with a poison arrow trap set originally for deer. If you were in the same position and faced with the decision to show mercy or get away safely, what would you choose?
Families can talk about the impact that gold mining had on the tribal lands. Can you make the connection between the legend of the show and real life? Can you give examples?
TV Details
- Premiere date : February 6, 2025
- Cast : Kento Yamazaki , Anna Yamada , Yûma Yamoto
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Friendship , History
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate