Golden Kamuy Final Season Episode 1 Review: The Brutal Beginning of Immortal Sugimoto's Last Hunt

It’s been a long road, but we are finally here. The beginning of the end.

Golden Kamuy has never been a typical anime. It’s a chaotic mix of intense historical warfare, Ainu culture lesson, and absolutely unhinged cooking show comedy. But as the Final Season premieres, the comedy is gone.

Episode 1 makes one thing clear: The gold hunt is over. The war has begun.

!NOTE This series is part of our Winter 2026 Anime Lineup. Check out what else is airing this season!

The Calm Before the Bloodstorm

The episode opens with a chilling shot of Hakodate. The atmosphere is heavy. We know everyone is converging on one location: Goryokaku.

Sugimoto isn't the loud, yelling protagonist we met in Season 1 anymore. He’s quieter, deadlier. The weight of his promise to Asirpa hangs on him like a shroud. The setup here is masterful—moving pieces into place not with exposition durability, but with tension you can cut with a knife. It feels less like a shonen anime preparing for a tournament and more like a Quentin Tarantino film preparing for a standoff.

A Masterclass in Seinen Storytelling

What separates Golden Kamuy from its peers is how it handles history.

This isn't just a backdrop; it is the plot. The distinct factions—the 7th Division, the Shinsengumi remnants, the Ainu—all feel like legitimate historical forces colliding. This finale promises to close the book on an era of Japanese history, and you can feel the melancholy in every frame. It rivals the narrative depth of Vinland Saga, treating its characters not as anime tropes, but as men and women trapped by their times.

Why You Cannot Miss This

If you have followed Sugimoto and Asirpa this far, you are already invested. But for those watching from the sidelines?

This is Japanese storytelling at its peak. It is violent, educational, hilarious, and heartbreaking all at once. The first episode is a promise that the ending will be spectacular.

Score: 9.5/10

Pros: Incredible tension building, movie-quality direction, emotional weight of the finale.

Cons: If you haven't watched S1-S4, you will be completely lost.