Samurai popular to follow and not return (5)
I believe the answer is:
ronin
'samurai' is the definition.
(I know that ronin is a type of samurai)
'popular to follow and not return' is the wordplay.
'popular' becomes 'in' ('in' can mean trendy).
'to follow' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other) (some letters go after or follow others).
'and not' becomes 'nor' ('nor' means 'and also not').
'return' is a reversal indicator.
'nor' reversed gives 'ron'.
'in' after 'ron' is 'RONIN'.
(Another definition for ronin that I've seen is " samurai without a lord".)