Thanks to a plethora of media depicting feudal Japan, the period has become legendary in the eyes of contemporary audiences. In 1975, Australian novelist James Clavell published the massive book “Shogun.” Few stories had a greater impact on how Westerners saw this period.
Imagining several points of view, it vividly brings the world of 17th-century Japan to life in this massive and meticulously researched work of historical fiction. When an NBC version of the critically acclaimed book debuted in 1980, it attracted an even wider audience.
At the height of the blockbuster TV miniseries period, the five-part effort garnered three Primetime Emmy Awards and tremendous viewership, starring Richard Chamberlain and Toshiro Mifune.
But some fans were let down since it wasn’t the most accurate adaptation. Thankfully, things have evolved. On its way to FX, a brand new limited series of “Shogun” looks fantastic. Everything we know about the premium cable network’s thoughtful adaptation of “Shogun” for tiny screens is here.
Shōgun Release Date
Presently, February 2024 is the planned debut date for the 10-episode series. The first two episodes of the limited series will premiere on February 27, 2024, on Hulu in the United States, Star+ in Latin America, and Disney+ in every other territory, according to Variety. New episodes will be available on streaming services weekly, and they will air once a week on the FX linear channel.
Shōgun Cast
- Cosmo Jarvis as Pilot Major John Blackthorne
- Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga
- Fumi Nikaido as Ochiba No Kata
- Tokuma Nishioka as Toda “Iron Fist” Hiromatsu
- Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko
- Tadanobu Asano as Kashigi Yabushige
- Hiro Kanagawa as Igurashi
- Junichi Tajiri as Uejiro
- Takehiro Hira as Ishido Kazunari
- Ako as Daiyoin Lady Iyo
- Shinnosuke Abe as Toda Buntaro
- Yuka Kouri as Kiku
- Yuki Kedoin as Takemaru
- Néstor Carbonell as Vasco Rodrigues
- Yasunari Takeshima as Muraji
- Hiroto Kanai as Kashigi Omi
- Toshi Toda as Sugiyama
- Nobuya Shimamoto as Nebara Jozen
- Yoriko Dōguchi as Kiri No Kata
- Yuki Kura as Yoshii Nagakado
- Tommy Bastow as Father Martin Alvito
- Moeka Hoshi as Usami Fuji
- Mako Fujimoto as Shizu No Kata
- Haruno Niiyama as Natsu No Kata
Shōgun Plot
The 1975 best-selling novel by James Clavell is the inspiration for the FX limited series. The first Englishman to approach Japan, English sailor John Blackthorne became famous in Shogun after being shipwrecked at the Izu Peninsula on the country’s southern coast.
In his quest to become Shogun, the head of Japan, he steps into a society where powerful families compete for control. While staying at Lord Toronaga’s mansion, Blackthorne observes the approval of his new “master” and the ensuing court intrigue. Lady Mariko, a mysterious female warrior from a noble but dishonorable family whom he encounters here, struggles with feelings of love and duty.
Shogun is a story of power, honor, culture, love, and the setting of a developing civil conflict. William Adams, the first Englishman to enter Japan and the first to acquire the rank of samurai, was a shipwrecked adviser to Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in the 1600s, and the plot is based on his actual ascent to power with the help of Adams.
Shōgun Creators
The television series Shogun was developed by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks; Marks also served as executive producer and showrunner. Kondo, Michael De Lu, Edward L. McDonnell, Michaela Clavell, and himself will all serve as executive producers. Sanada is the showrunner, while FX Productions is the production company.
Shōgun Trailer
On November 2, 2023, an exciting official trailer for Shōgun was unveiled. As a precursor to the miniseries, the video enthralls viewers with vivid, fascinating elements of Japanese culture while simultaneously issuing chilling warnings and eventually delving into violent sequences. “Do not be fooled by our politeness, our bows, and our maze of rituals,” as the video cautions. “Death is in our air, sea, and earth.”
The Shōgun teaser also suggests that the new miniseries would primarily concentrate on the Japanese viewpoint, staying loyal to its origins, unlike its predecessor. Despite sharing a similar premise with the 1980 miniseries, Richard Chamberlain’s perspective was given more attention in that version. The departure from several previous works that fail to authentically portray significant historical figures and events in FX’s Shōgun will be a refreshing change.
Where to watch Shōgun?
Hulu users in the US will be able to see Shōgun, while viewers in the UK and other foreign regions will be able to watch it on Disney Plus. Latin American viewers will be able to watch it on Star Plus.
To watch Shōgun online, you must have a membership with the relevant provider. Each is accessible alone, but Hulu with Live TV, Hulu’s live TV streaming option, or the Disney Bundle, which combines Hulu with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, are the best alternatives for US users.