FX's Shōgun Honors the Past While Blazing Its Own Trail

When James Clavell’s historical fiction novel Shōgun was first adapted into a television miniseries in 1980, the Emmy-winning series was considered ahead of its time, especially when it came to cultural sensitivity. It was the first American show to be completely filmed in Japan with the Japanese characters being portrayed by Japanese actors — a far cry from the yellowface treatment in The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu and Flash Gordon, both released the same year.

Set in feudal Japan in the 1600s, Shōgun was told through the eyes of English navigator John Blackthorne (Richard Chamberlain) and his interactions with Lord Toranaga (the legendary Toshiro Mifune) before the Battle of Sekigahara. The series was predominantly in Japanese with no English subtitles, depending on Blackthorne’s interpreter Mariko (Yoko Shimada) to provide viewers an insight into this world.

In retrospect, the success and cultural respect earned by the 1980s version didn’t warrant a need for a remake. But FX Networks wanted to give the series an update to fit the times. “The story of Shōgun has captivated audiences since James Clavell first released his epic novel more than 40 years ago,” FX Chairman John Landgraf explained at the Television Critics Association Summer tour in 2018. “The themes of an outsider encountering a new culture are as relevant today as then.”

Fast forward to 2024, the lavish adaptation will premiere February 27 on FX. This time the mostly Japanese-spoken series will feature English subtitles to avoid the story being solely based on Blackthorne’s point-of-view. Shōgun co-creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo and their team of writers, alongside an impressive cast and stunning production design, entrancingly capture the essence of the novel while adding more cultural understanding and nuance of Japan’s history and its people.

The series opens up with English pilot Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), a Protestant, and his men on their Dutch ship, successfully crossing Magellan’s Pass to Japan with the hopes of disrupting Portuguese/Catholic-Japanese relations. The Portuguese Jesuits living among the villagers label Blackthorne a heretic and warn the Japanese that he is not to be trusted, demonstrating the unruly tensions between Catholics and Protestants. He and his men are arrested under the suspicion of being pirates.

After many near-death experiences, Blackthorne’s life is spared as he is seen as a potential ally for Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) in his rivalry against Lord Ishido (Takehiro Hira), who seeks to remove (and execute) Toranaga from the Council of Regents. Toranaga enlists Mariko (Anna Sawai), a lady of the court who is torn between her Catholic faith and her loyalty to Toranaga, to translate for the “heretic” Blackthorne as well as teach him Japanese customs.

While Blackthorne — and the audience — may find some of the cultural scenes a bit disturbing, there is an understanding of the importance behind it. For example, when a samurai has disgraced his master, the samurai and his infant kin are executed in order to bring honor back to the family name, leaving behind a grieving widow, Fuji (Moeka Hoshi), mourning the devastating loss of both her husband and son. While it seems cruel and unfair, this is treated as simply their way of life. “We grieve those we have lost by continuing their fight,” Mariko tells him.

Blackthorne remains disillusioned by the Japanese’s contempt for their circumstances, in which Mariko further explains the Japanese concept of “Eightfold Fence,” an imaginary place the Japanese use to mask their emotions. Many in society have studied this art since childhood, allowing them to focus on their task at hand. “Do not be fooled by our politeness, our bows, our ways of rituals,” she continues. “Beneath it all, we could be a great distance away… safe and alone.”

Sawai beautifully displays this silent strength throughout the series with grace and vulnerability. Compared to the novel, the series gives Mariko more agency over her story, exploring her past, including a childhood tragedy that still haunts her into adulthood. Her solemn facial expressions convey Mariko’s struggles and burden without her ever having to say a word. The same can be said for Sanada, whose body of work speaks for itself. While the actor is a staple in samurai roles in American productions such as Westworld, The Last Samurai, and 47 Ronin, Sanada never allows Toranaga to devolve into a stereotype or stock character.

Blackthorne is able to prove his loyalty to Toranaga after saving the Lord’s life multiple times, leading him to quickly climb the ranks within the clan. He also makes an effort to learn and understand the Japanese language and customs, which earns Mariko’s favor. They eventually become romantically involved, but the chemistry between the two feels out of place and forced. Jarvis plays Blackthorne with such urgency and aggression that when he displays a level of tenderness, it feels unsettling and awkward. The romance just doesn’t feel earned.

The action and battle sequences are absolutely stunning, filled with brutal violence and heart-pounding twists and turns. Shōgun has the same ferocity as historical epic dramas like Spartucus and Rome, showcasing the sacrificial costs of power-hungry politicians and war. For Shōgun, there is a reason for the bloodshed and excessive violence. Whether it be commiting the act of seppuku (death by suicide) or sacrificing yourself in the name of your lord, violence is glorified as a means to maintain honor or, in some cases, for strategy.

In one instance, a loyal samurai disagrees with his lord’s decision and threatens seppuku if his lord does not overturn his ruling. “This is between me and [my] Lord,” the samurai cries. “My one and only friend. You are throwing away all that we have fought for.” When the lord does not, the samurai commits this violent act, as his lord watches holding back his tears. “You live and you die,” Mariko sums it up to Blackthorne. “We control nothing beyond that.”

Throughout the brutality and carnage in the series, Marks and Kondo provide some moments of stillness that highlight the beauty of Japan and its culture. While awaiting their impending battle, a couple share an intimate cup of tea (or chanoyu), where making tea is its own art form. The husband slowly adds the matcha, delicately whisking the tea together. Even the pour into the cup is done so in a precise motion. Each moment is documented meticulously as if the tea was a character itself.

There are also a few instances of levity and humor when the ways of the East and West are compared. Blackthorne mentions several English old wives tales of the past, leaving the Japanese confused, including the idea that bathing more than once a week would contribute to illness; while tending to a wound, he alerts the doctor that the blood must be drained to “release the foulness from my blood.” As he becomes more accustomed to his life in Japan, he begins to realize how backwards and filthy his European customs once were.

New adaptations of previously adapted works must find innovative ways to be different and stand out, which FX’s Shōgun does. The writers give more depth to each of the characters, including ones that were one-dimensional in both the novel and the 1980s series, like Mariko’s stoic husband Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe), who, despite his abrasive exterior, cares deeply for his wife. With only 10 episodes for the limited series, Shōgun respects the source material, while also managing to elevate the rich history of Japan and the people behind it.

Shōgun premieres on February 27 at 12:01 AM ET on Hulu and 10:00 PM ET on FX. Join the discussion about the show in our forums.

Laura Sirikul is a freelance journalist covering entertainment, pop culture, and health. Her work has appeared in Empire Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Elle Magazine, What To Watch, Nerdist, IGN, Timid Magazine, and more.