FX has released another awesome trailer for its Japanese historical epic Shōgun. The ten-episode limited series is an adaptation of James Clavell’s bestselling novel, and it looks like an incredible project that I’m very excited about watching!
The story is set in Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. In the series, “Lord Yoshii Toranaga’ (Hiroyuki Sanada) is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village.”
Its English pilot, ‘John Blackthorne’ (Cosmo Jarvis), “comes bearing secrets that could help Toranaga tip the scales of power and devastate the formidable influence of Blackthorne’s own enemies — the Jesuit priests and Portuguese merchants. Toranaga’s and Blackthorne’s fates become inextricably tied to their translator, ‘Toda Mariko’ (Anna Sawai), a mysterious Christian noblewoman and the last of a disgraced line.”
While serving her lord amidst this fraught political landscape, “Mariko must reconcile her newfound companionship with Blackthorne, her commitment to the faith that saved her and her duty to her late father.”
The series was created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks and when the project was first announced, John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks said: “The story of Shogun has captivated audiences since James Clavell first released his epic novel more than 40 years ago. The themes of an outsider encountering a new culture are as relevant today as then. We are honored to bring the series to today’s viewers.”
He added: “There’s a lot of really fun and fascinating work going on to try to balance the story out and tell it from both points of view. We’re also casting … really, really wonderful Japanese actors. I agree with your assessment that if [it is to] just sort of exoticize and fetishize Japanese culture through Western eyes and the male gaze, it would probably not fly. But I think there’s an exciting opportunity to tell the collision of two cultures from both perspectives.”
The cast includes Tadanobu Asano as Kashigi Yabushige, a notorious backstabber and close ally of Toranaga; Hiroto Kanai as Kashigi Omi, the young leader of the fishing village where Blackthorne’s ship was found; Takehiro Hira as Ishido Kazunari, a powerful bureaucrat who is Toranaga’s chief rival; Moeka Hoshi as Usami Fuji, a widow who must find new purpose amidst her lord’s fight; Tokuma Nishioka as Toda Hiromatsu, Toranaga’s trusted general and closest friend; Shinnosuke Abe as Toda Hirokatsu (“Buntaro”), Mariko’s jealous husband; Yuki Kura as Yoshii Nagakado, the brash son of Toranaga with a strong desire to prove himself; and Fumi Nikaido as Ochiba no Kata, the revered mother of the heir who will stop at nothing to put an end to Toranaga and his threat to her son’s power.
The limited series will drop on Hulu in the U.S., as well as Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in all other territories in February of 2024.
