Shōgun (2024)

[Jotun]

Premiered today on Disney Plus (yeah, yeah, I know).
After watching the first episode, I give the show five out of five tatami cut.
The crew really saw to it that every single detail of Japan in the year 1600 is accurately depicted, and it shows. The gushing reviews I read in the last few days certainly do not exaggerate.

That is all.

PS: There is more blood in the first two episodes than in the entire 1980 miniseries (which I use as a general benchmark to judge the new version because it was damn near perfect and still holds up today). And not one drop of it is gratuitous.
Hiroyuki Sanada is a perfect Lord Toranaga, easily on the same level as the late, great Toshiro Mifune.

[Dirk Mothaar]

Premiered today on Disney Plus (yeah, yeah, I know).
After watching the first episode, I give the show five out of five tatami cut.
The crew really saw to it that every single detail of Japan in the year 1600 is accurately depicted, and it shows. The gushing reviews I read in the last few days certainly do not exaggerate.

That is all.

PS: There is more blood in the first two episodes than in the entire 1980 miniseries (which I use as a general benchmark to judge the new version because it was damn near perfect and still holds up today). And not one drop of it is gratuitous.
Hiroyuki Sanada is a perfect Lord Toranaga, easily on the same level as the late, great Toshiro Mifune.

I’m two episodes in and so far it is fantastic. No notes.

[Micael]

Agreed with the above speakers. Well worth the watch.

[warshipadmin]

Good book as I remember, I'll watch out for this.

[Jotun]

I just watched the latest episode. It contains an impressive, gory depiction of the effects of chain shot on humans. That scene surprised me.

[Calder]

I will add my voice to the others that I really like this version of 'Shogun.


Has anyone here seen the original TV miniseries from 1980? Is it worth seeing or has it aged poorly?

[Jotun]

I will add my voice to the others that I really like this version of 'Shogun.


Has anyone here seen the original TV miniseries from 1980? Is it worth seeing or has it aged poorly?

It has aged quite well, thanks to being a historical epic, and made with a lot of respect to Japanese culture.
Toshiro Mifune himself modified the Japanese dialogue to be period-accurate.

[Dirk Mothaar]

I have gotten busy and have only just finished episode three, which was again fantastic. The detail in the weapons and armor is, to my my mostly untrained eye, excellent. The quality of the acting is just top-notch. I have zero complaints and am hoping I will have to watch episode four soon.

[Dirk Mothaar]

I will add my voice to the others that I really like this version of 'Shogun.


Has anyone here seen the original TV miniseries from 1980? Is it worth seeing or has it aged poorly?

I have not re-watched the 1980 mini-series, but I did watch it in 1980 (when I was all of 9). The clips I have seen on YouTube do seem pretty good, but you can tell that it was made for broadcast TV in 1980.

Bizarrely, because I think Richard Chamberlain is good actor and did good work, I really like Cosmo Jarvis’ performance as Blackthorne better so far.

[Nathan45]

Got the Critical Drinkers thumbs up...


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=il9mREwxK ... tlcg%3D%3D

[Jotun]

I will add my voice to the others that I really like this version of 'Shogun.


Has anyone here seen the original TV miniseries from 1980? Is it worth seeing or has it aged poorly?

I have not re-watched the 1980 mini-series, but I did watch it in 1980 (when I was all of 9). The clips I have seen on YouTube do seem pretty good, but you can tell that it was made for broadcast TV in 1980.

Bizarrely, because I think Richard Chamberlain is good actor and did good work, I really like Cosmo Jarvis’ performance as Blackthorne better so far.

Jarvis' Blackthorne behaves like a man very much out of his depth, who uses a LOT of snark and off-beat humor to cope with his situation. Chamberlain's Blackthorne seemed...dull...in comparison.

[Jotun]

In case you haven't yet, watch the latest episode. It is...beautiful, for lack of a better word. The aborted seppuku of Lady Mariko is a major departure from the novel and old series, but damn, the change is near perfect.

[warshipadmin]

Big thumbs up from me. Oh, one grouse. The title sequence is a bit lame. I can live with that.

[Nathan45]

Yeah honestly I really enjoyed this series, a rare example of a show with a great start that actually stuck the landing. It also surprised me a couple times. (I did see the original mini series or read the book, although I may try them now.)

Show also appears to have been financially successful, enough that they are actually considering creatine new content for a sequel show. I'm of 2 minds of this, one the one had, the story is done, they will have to create new content just for this show. That doesn't mean it will suck, but does mean it will probably suck. On the other hand there is tons of historical content from Japan they could adapt, and I love the actors, on the third hand a lot of my favorite actors on the show are...well dead.

[warshipadmin]

A couple of authenticity things - the ambush in the forest as they walk to the ship. The baddies used fire arrows. Now, fire arrows make for great TV, but they reveal where the archers are, they need braziers, and they make the arrow less accurate.

Secondly the smaller ship that they escape on is a galley, with vertical oars, and is shown catching up to the Black Ship. I can see that walking around with oars is better than sitting on a bench for long trips, but it doesn't seem likely to be fast.

[Micael]

‘SHOGUN’ has won 18 Emmys, an all-time record for a single season of TV.

• Best Drama
• Best Directing
• Best Sound Mixing
• Best Sound Editing
• Best Picture Editing
• Best Cinematography
• Best Period Costumes
• Best Main Title Design
• Best Production Design
• Best Prosthetic Makeup
• Best Stunt Performance
• Best Casting for a Drama
• Best Special Visual Effects
• Best Period/Fantasy Makeup
• Best Period/Fantasy Hairstyling
• Best Lead Actress (Anna Sawai)
• Best Lead Actor (Hiroyuki Sanada)
• Best Guest Actor in a Drama (Néstor Carbonell)

[Jotun]

Absolutely deserved!

What irks me is that a second season is being made.
WHY? Yeah, yeah, money, I know…but apart from that, Tokugawa-era Japan is not exactly a fountain of interesting goings-on. Japanese society pretty much stagnated until Commodore Perry kicked the door in.