What did we think of “Shôgun”, the historical Disney+ series which immerses us in feudal Japan in the 17th century?
What is it about ?
In 1600 in Japan, at the dawn of a civil war that would mark the century, John Blackthorne, the English commander of a mysterious ship abandoned on the beach of a neighboring fishing village, carries secrets that could tip the balance in favor of Lord Yoshii Toranaga, engaged in a fight to the death against his enemies on the Council of Regents. They would at the same time reduce the influence of Blackthorne’s enemies, the Jesuit priests and Portuguese traders.
The destinies of Toranaga and Blackthorne will be inextricably linked to their translator, Toda Mariko, a mysterious Christian of noble origin, the last of a line that has fallen into disgrace. While serving her lord in this tense political landscape, Mariko will have to balance her relationship with Blackthorne, her commitment to the faith that saved her, and a daughter’s duty to her late father.
Who is it with?
The role of English sailor John Blackthorne was given to Cosmo Jarvis. The British actor, seen in particular in Peaky Blinders, succeeds Richard Chamberlain, the character’s interpreter in the first adaptation of Shôgun broadcast in 1980. This new interpretation emphasizes the gruff and impulsive side of the character more than in the previous series.
The new version of Shôgun also sees Hiroyuki Sanada lend his features to Lord Yoshii Toranaga. On this occasion, the Japanese actor – seen in particular in John Wick 4 and Avengers Endgame – succeeds the legendary Japanese actor Toshirô Mifune in the role. This adaptation paints a more nuanced and complex portrait of the character.
FX/Disney+
In the first version, Lady Mariko was played by Yōko Shimada whose performance was rewarded with a Golden Globe. In this new adaptation, this essential character – who provides the link and communication between Blackthorne and Toranaga – is played by New Zealand actress Anna Sawai (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters).
The series also features several well-known faces from Japanese cinema. In particular the chanbara specialists Tadanobu Asano (Zatoichi) and Shinnosuke Abe (13 Assassins) or the actress Fumi Nikaidō (Himizu).
It’s worth checking out ?
At the origin, there is the novel Shogun published in 1975 by James Clavell. This novel, which is part of the Asian Saga (six volumes) by the British writer, is by far his most famous book. A true bestseller in bookstores, the work also became known through its 1980 television adaptation, which brought together Richard Chamberlain and Toshirô Mifune in the main roles.
While the original series has never really fallen into obscurity, thanks in particular to its numerous rebroadcasts on television, Shôgun is making its comeback today in the form of a new adaptation. This long-term project was announced in the summer of 2018, but filming did not begin until three years later in September 2021, for a duration of ten months.
A new, more authentic version
Forty years after the first adaptation, a new version of Shôgun is arriving on our screens. Relying on a large budget, this series promises to be a more faithful adaptation of the novel, but also closer to historical reality.
“In the 80s it was different, the story was adapted for Western audiences”analyzes Hiroyuki Sanada to our colleagues at Variety. “But these days, there’s a sushi restaurant in any town. We had to be realistic down to the smallest detail.”
While the first version focused more on the cultural gap of its two main heroes, the new Shôgun series stands out by precisely exploring the shogunal system of the time.
The quality of the program was the priority
The abundance of resources is seen on the screen, from the first episode. However, Shôgun does not intend to rely on superfluous digital special effects, but relies on its magnificent costumes and breathtaking sets to amaze us.
The large budget also made it possible to spend as long as necessary on writing and then filming. Few productions these days have extra time to ensure quality content, so it seems necessary to emphasize this.
FX/Disney+
Of the two episodes offered this Tuesday, February 27 on Disney+, the first takes the form of a particularly effective exposition episode, which presents us with precision the main issues of the series as well as its main protagonists.
Without falling into a deluge of gratuitous violence, the series nevertheless includes sequences of disconcertingly realistic brutality, like the punishment reserved for one of the British sailors in the first episode – scalded alive out of pure sadism.
An actor involved in every detail of the production!
The show’s casting is one of the program’s biggest successes. If Cosmo Jarvis’ larger-than-life performance endears John Blackthorne from the first minutes, what can we say about Hinoyaki Sanada’s interpretation?
A very talented actor, the latter was personally involved in every aspect of the production. To the point of humorously confiding to our colleagues at Variety that the moments when he was most relaxed on set were those when he appeared in front of the camera.
True control freakthe latter – also credited as producer of Shôgun – has in fact gotten into the habit of checking every detail of the filming (costumes, extras etc…) without even taking the time to take off his samurai armor!
FX/Disney+
We also welcome the decision to shoot the series in the original languages of the main characters. While dialogues in Japanese were rather rare in the old Shôgun series, the new version opts for a more realistic bilingual approach, but also more risky, particularly among the general American public who are not very fond of VOST.
An entertaining series in form but nevertheless demanding in substance, Shôgun is now one of the most ambitious and accomplished mini-series of recent years.
While the first version had the effect of a real revolution when it was broadcast in the early 1980s, there is no doubt that this new adaptation will also mark the history of television.
The series has already convinced critics across the Atlantic. The American press in fact gave a unanimous triumphant welcome, propelling Shogun as a worthy heir to Game of Thrones. It now remains to be seen whether the series will experience similar success with the French public!
The Shôgun mini-series can be found every Tuesday exclusively on Disney+.
Discover the list of series currently available on the platform!