When James Clavell’s Shōgun was previously adapted for the screen, times were a bit different. More than 40 years after the 1980 series, FX brings the story forward with a new adaptation better suited for a modern audience and one that marries Clavell’s fictional elements with the true Japanese history that inspired his stories. As a prisoner of war in Japan during World War II, the British-born author of the beloved book first heard about the first English man to arrive in Japan while in confinement.
(Kurt Iswarienko/FX)
English pilot John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) had been looking for Japan for a long time when he arrived there in 1600 aboard a nearly wrecked ship with a skeleton crew. Knowing that the Portuguese and Spanish had already discovered the island nation, he came in hopes of opening up trade directly with England, a Protestant country at war with the Catholic nations. But with the only English-speaking translators already on the side of the Portuguese, Blackthorne immediately finds himself treated as a criminal upon arrival, imprisoned, and caught in the midst of a brutal civil war.
Shōgun primarily follows two merging plot lines, that of John Blackthorne and the other of Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and his allies. When the reigning Taikō (retired emperor’s advisor) passed away with an heir too young to rule, he assembled a Council of Regents comprised of the five reigning bushos (warlords) to lead until the child came of age. This includes Toranaga, whose fellow regents are conspiring against him and moving toward impeachment. The arrival of a foreigner with knowledge of the rest of the world, which has been kept secret by the Portuguese, quickly becomes a valuable asset to Toranaga, one who could turn the tide of war in his favor.
Completing the show’s complex triad of lead characters is Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a Christian noblewoman with a dark past. Through Mariko, much of the Sengoku period context needed to understand the nuances of the series are delivered. But more than that, she also offers a unique perspective on gender roles in this era, a time when women weren’t equal to men, but had more rights and responsibilities than they would in the Edo period that succeeds it.
(Kurt Iswarienko/FX)
The production values of Shōgun are incredibly cinematic. There are only a handful of moments when the show’s real shooting location (Vancouver) can be felt. A lot of care went into making sure that everything on screen was as authentic to this period of Japanese history as possible, and it really shows in the final product. The one downside is that digital set extensions aren’t always as seamless as they need to be and occasionally become a distraction. The solution is often a blurring effect that doesn’t do the trick.
I can’t attest to having read James Clavell’s novel, but from the five (out of ten) episodes I screened, the main story beats are faithfully adhered to. Purists may take issue with efforts to present a more accurate version of events, with the names of most characters (except for Blackthorne, Toranaga, and Mariko) changed to those of the real historical figures that inspired them, and with what is known about them helping to influence this version of their portrayal. The same goes with any story conflicts with actual history, such as Blackthorne teaching an army how to use guns (which had been introduced to Japan more than a hundred years before his arrival).
The series is full of incredible performances, with Anna Sawai stealing the show as Mariko. She delivers such subtle hints to her closely guarded feelings that your eyes can’t help but be drawn to her whenever she is on screen. Another standout performance comes from Tadanobu Asano, who plays Kashigi Yabushige, a self-serving lord in Toranaga’s fief whose loyalties really align with whoever has the most power. A character who lives in the gray space between black and white, Tadanobu Asano livens up all of his scenes and keeps viewers on their toes.
(Kurt Iswarienko/FX)
Shōgun was one of my most anticipated shows of 2024, and it does not disappoint. With a story about a Westerner assimilating into the East, and a production that cohesively collaborates in the same fashion, everything about it is brilliant. And it has a little bit of everything – intense action, forbidden romance, soul-stirring emotions, lighthearted laughs, steamy sex, and an unquenchable thirst for power.
I give Shōgun 5 out of 5 stars.
Shōgun premieres with two episodes on Tuesdays, February 27th, at 9/8c on FX and Hulu. New episodes are released on Tuesdays at 9/8c through April 23rd.