Shogun: How much historical truth does the popular Disney+ series contain?

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“Shogun” has been running on Disney+ since February 27, 2024 and the episodes that have been released so far impress with exciting characters and intrigue that are in no way inferior to “Game of Thrones”. The series is based on the novel of the same name by James Clavell and takes place in Japan in 1600. A time when Portuguese Catholics conducted brisk trade with the East Asian country.

Due to the historical setting, many viewers naturally ask themselves how much of the series is based on real facts and what of it is fiction. And Clavell actually took inspiration from some real people.

John Blackthorne is based on the Englishman Will Adams

The Englishman Will Adams, who was the first Englishman to travel to Japan as a navigator on board a private Dutch fleet, served as a very loose model for the main character of “Shogun”, John Blackthorne. He became an advisor to Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who served as the model for the series character Toranaga Yoshi. Toranaga’s opponent, Ishido Kazunari, is also based on the real samurai and military leader Ishida Mitsunari.

Other very loose character models include João Rodrigues, on whom the character of Father Martin Alvito is based, the Portuguese priest who often serves as an interpreter to Toranaga Yoshi; Alessandro Valignano, who inspired the character Father Visitator, the head of the Jesuit order in Japan, and Jan Joosten, who in the series and book is based on the role of Johann Vinck, the crew member of the Erasmus.

Toda Mariko, who becomes an interpreter for Toranaga, and her husband Toda Buntaro were also inspired by historical figures: Hosokawa Gracia and Hosokawa Tadaoki. However, usually only individual elements from the lives of historical figures were taken and woven into the fictional story. For example, Hohokawa Gracia (Mariko) probably never met Will Adams (Blackthorne) in real life.

The presence of the Portuguese and Jesuits in Japan is also historically accurate, as is the demarcation line used by Spain and Portugal to divide potential colonies. The division of power in Japan between five daimyos after the death of the taiko and the subsequent fight for the title of shogun is also taken from Japanese history.

So “Shogun” is a fictional story with some historical references. The grand finale of the mini-series awaits you on Disney+ on April 23, 2024. Although the story of the novel ends at the end of the season, we reveal how “Shogun” could still continue.

We may even be expecting a second season of “Shōgun”. Although the series is designed as a miniseries and the story of the novel is told completely in season 1, the series proved to be a great success for FX, Hulu and Disney+.

The US magazine Variety reports that the first episodes of “Shogun” were seen around 9 million times worldwide within the first six days of release. “Shōgun” became the most successful series for Disney General Entertainment internationally.