Shogun - Season 1

Shogun is a series full of intrigue, crazy settings and a good cast. It has all the ingredients to make a strong series and it clearly succeeded. James Clavell's book Shogun has been high on my list of favorite books for years. When it was announced that the book would be adapted into a series (again), I immediately put it at the top of my watch list. Shogun was previously adapted into a film in 1980 in the form of a five-episode miniseries that was well received (winner of a number of Golden Globes and Emmys). The recent adaptation of 2024 consists of ten episodes and it would not surprise me if this series also won major awards at the Golden Globes and the Emmys. It is a very strong series that immediately draws you in and is also incredibly well made.



Shogun is set in Japan around 1600 and is mainly about the English sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis: Raised by wolves) who ends up in Japan due to a shipwreck - of a Dutch ship, no less. Another important character is the Japanese Daimyo (a warlord of great power) Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada: Westworld). Blackthorne is initially held captive, but is quickly used by Toranaga for his political games. As a viewer you are completely taken into Japanese life and the customs that come with it. You quickly discover that honor is an important asset in Japan and that losing it often means asking permission to commit Seppuku (a specific method of suicide with a sword used by the Samurai). It is therefore a rough series in which a lot is depicted.

It wouldn't surprise me if this series also won major awards at the Golden Globes and the Emmys

The book Shogun, and therefore the series, is based on true facts that have been romanticized in certain areas. But many elements of the book are true. For example, an English sailor actually ended up in Japan and played a role in the (political) formation of the country. Many characters are based on real people of which only the names have been changed or where people have been combined into one character. This made (for me anyway) the series even more impressive.

Shogun has a convincing cast, consisting of actors who can convey the story credibly. What I also find special is that the Japanese characters actually speak Japanese in the series. It is often chosen to use the English language. It was often difficult to stop watching as it really is a feast for the eyes. Beautiful environments and classic Japanese architecture make you practically feel like you're in Japan.



The series is faithful to the book, with many dialogues literally appearing in the series. Of course, there are plenty of differences, which is logical given the thickness of the book (over 1100 pages). But the tone remains the same. My hope is that other books by James Clavell in the so-called “Asian saga” will receive the same kind of treatment. If they resemble Shogun in quality, then FX/Disney has struck gold.

In short: Shogun is a strong series with a good story. It is also graphically pleasing to the eye. The casting is very believable. The actors know how to lift the series to a high level. Hopefully, there will be more series like this. There are rumors going around that there could be multiple seasons of Shogun. Since the book has been fully covered in the series, I am curious about the premise. Anyway, I'll check it out!

Based on the foregoing, the first season of Shogun gets a well-deserved 9.5.