I have spent a lifetime wondering how Hiroyuki Sanada hasn't been a consistent leading man. The man has the cool, the calm, the presence to absolutely kill whatever he's in.
That scene in Last Samurai where they fight the Imperial Army. They're getting ready for the charge and my boy just spits blood in disgust has been stuck in my head for 20 years
According to the left Asians are too white to be diverse. Also, the show is not diverse in a normal sense of the word either. And that's how it should be.
@@frankie3010exactly, what little diversity existed in history looked like this. Not at all like what you see in modern historical documents and movies, especially in Europe and asia.
@@frankie3010Because it don't fit into the American view of what race is? The most diverse show ever was made 20 years ago and started with a plane crash.
They spent 11 years making this, and had a whole bunch of experts brought in to train the actors on behaviors, speech, and movements appropriate to the time. All this down the even the fine details of hand gestures and the differences in eating and drinking tea in a variety of settings. Hiroyuki Sanada has been involved in the conception and production from the very beginning 11 years ago. With the amount of time and efforts spent on the show it's no wonder they did as well as they did.
The guy's basically a Japanese Peter Jackson in terms of attention to detail. Which is very high praise in my book. Holy moly. Oh yes, this is interesting.
This is why Hollywood should be focused on taking their time on specific and historical content, rather than spewing out shit hero nonsense. We don't need superheroes, we need to learn HISTORY. Because, and I can GUARANTEE YOU THIS. History is infinitely more interesting, has more depth, and carries more weight than anything fictional Hollywood can currently generate.
To me, the best part of Shogun is that it doesn’t shy away from historic cultural differences between two societies. On one side, the Japanese natives’ overwhelmingly strict adherence to their values of virtue and honor is able to create a functioning society that’s cohesive and well organized, but that clashes heavily with the western-import of self-determinism and all the philosophies of free will and liberty it carries with it. But the clash of these two philosophies is not only done rather subtly, it’s done with a dialogue with back-and-forth rather than a one-sided debate where winner takes all. The show doesn’t make it known which side it really endorses, as it shows the beauty and ugly sides which both worldviews come with.
Well put, I think this encapsulates a good portion of why I find this series so refreshing. The culture clash is presented extremely well, and creates so many enjoyable and engaging scenes without trying to obnoxiously tell you one is right or wrong. It's not something many series have been able to pull off for a long time now, too many show runners feel some weird duty to try and insert the 'correct' interpretation of a cultural interaction because it's unfortunately a sensitive subject in the modern day, and it always takes me out of the moment especially in historical series or movies.
Some 30 years ago, I was invited to speak at a software development conference in Tokyo. In preparation for the trip, I read several books on Japanese society and culture. I was particularly struck by a comment by one Japanese author, who said (more or less): "If you as a Westerner want to understand Japanese culture and society, read _Shogun_ by James Clavell." I already had - I was a long-time Clavell fan - but I did go back and re-read it prior to my trip. Glad to hear the series was done well; I had my doubts. Definitely will watch it now.
@@richnolan4280 Gave me some insight, of course things have changed. Generally speaking, Japan has always been a crowded place. To achieve privacy ( alone time/peace ) you go inside your mind. Extreme politeness was used in attempt to diffuse conflict . Of course, it only works some of the time. I read the book in the late 70's, been a while.
Btw for anyone wondering. This was co-written and show ran by Justin Marks who was one of the writers on Top Gun Maverick. The other writer and showrunner is his wife Rachel Kondo who is Japanese American.
Shōgun has been a breath of fresh air in a sea of shyte. Good old fashioned storytelling done right. Even with the book changes the show still remains pretty faithful to James Clavell's novel.
This show is fucking incredible. Sanada was so based telling the studio he would not be involved unless all Japanese Characters were played by Japanese people. If only western actors did that
I like how it doesn't depict the Japanese as being any "better" or more moralistic than the white European and Portuguese characters. The Japanese are depicted as being just as "bigoted" and intolerant as the European and Portuguese. If this were made by Disney, the Japanese society would be depicted as some "Pwogwessive" utopia where everyone is tolerant and welcoming of outsiders, while all the white characters would be ignorant racists etc... The moral alignment of the characters in this show has nothing to do with their ethnicity. Like it used to be in most TV shows prior to 2010...
@@JadeRunner I prefer this as well, i want Asians to be portrayed with the ugly and the bad along with all the good...that is who we are, we dont want to be the progressive libs...we want to be free from western influence and ideology.
I'm quite impressed with Sanada’s portrayal of Toranaga, in that, for those versed in the history it’s based on, it’s like seeing Tokugawa Ieyasu in the flesh. The way Torunaga's quiet, firm, unfailingly shrewd and clever presence just dominates a room shows that Sanada has clearly modeled his portrayal on the actual figure. In that sense, we are in fact getting "good history" even within a fictional tale-something we can all agree is almost totally lacking these days.
Exactly. That is what the book was praised for. In fact it was required reading by scholars for students to understand that time period of Japanese history
Japanese tradition of honor and self-discipline is always a fascinating concept for narrative. Add in the complexity of Shogun politics and a ever increasing presence of western influence and you have a story that captivates.
That's only because everything else is so terrible, like winning the special olympics. Objectively it is not very good and not true to the original, or the culture.
the thing i love most about this series is how much they rely on accuracy as opposed to spectacle to hook the audience. Instead of throwing bombastic action and gaudy CGI as a superficial hook, the show immediately puts in the effort to immerse you in the setting before anything else. The attention to detail is used to make you believe you are there in the moment, and as you better understand these details the more you pick up of the characters without it having to be exposited to you. The better you understand the world, the more you understand the people in it and it adds so much depth to the narrative without anyone having to say anything. I know this isn't something this show invented, but it's so damned refreshing to see a series that respects my intelligence this way. Give me time and i will pick up the subtleties. This is why historical accuracy and historical authenticity matters even in fiction. The more effort you put into the world your presenting the more effective your story can be... it's great to have a series from people who properly understand this for a change.
some reactors actually complained that the battle in ep 3 wasn't "action packed". they were expecting hollywood style sword fights, not one two slash, you're dead.
Hiroyuki Sanada is one of those actors who always catches my attention. The Last Samurai was a surprise hit among my friends and I, and we were all talking about what a great actor Sanada-san was.
Indeed, I recently saw him in Bullet Train and thought he was one of the standouts. He doesn't have a huge role, but his presence still adds a lot to the movie.
Shogun is based on 1975 novel by James Clavell, which itself takes inspiration from the true story of William Adams. Look him up, but it might lead you to spoilers for the show.
It's been almost a decade since I've lavished every minute of a show with a genuine dread in my heart that I'll have to wait another week when the 50 minutes are up. I'd forgotten what that felt like; not wholly absorbed or immersed into it, rather letting each bite and scene savour and melt in your mouth as though you'd taken a drive to a week long booking at a Michelin tasting menu. My wife and I received a delivery toward the end of episode 5 and I found myself say to here, "We have 7 more minutes of the good show left when I get back."
@kylehansbrockmann848 1. White guy comes to oreign land to learn there ways. 2. White guy falls and bangs the hot native chick. Her mam angry (usually). 3. The give him weapon/sword. And no I'm talking about avatar, last samurai or dance with wolves and so many more. Same house different location.
I knew you'd like this one. I noticed when Lord Toda presented his sword to Blackthorne (after their saké competition in episode five) he did so with the cutting edge facing himself, giving away his respectful intent (obliviously overlooked by the outraged Blackthorne, of course) before he even began to apologize. If he were about to challenge Blackthorne he would have had the edge facing his enemy. I enjoyed how such an occult clue could so radically change the tone and pacing of the scene, evaporating the tension and highlighting the vast gulf of understanding separating them, each convinced the other is the barbarian. That's just one example, but it's this subtle attention to detail and play with perspective which really draws you in and shows how much care Michaela Clavell put into the production. I'm glad to see her father's work (and historical Japanese culture) honored so well.
Well Buntaro in real history (Hosokawa Tadaoki) is known to have severe temper issues (he killed 36 of his own retainers once) but also extremely competent if one were to overlook his flaws. I'd even wager that that sword was the same one he killed his own retainers with, the legendary Kasen Kanesada.
This series is based on a book that was written like 30+ years before the last Samurai was ever conceived lol. In fact the Last samurai pretty much used everything from the book but moved forward a few hundred years in time.
It really is fucking good. Glad it's getting more lip service. It' 10 episode miniseries of a book thats been done. So it *shouldn't* have a GoT-esque finale.
In my 50s. Heavy reader. If you haven't read Shogun, please consider it. You're in for a treat. It's easily in my top 10 favorite novels. I've read it multiple times (which I rarely do with a novel). Great review, Drinker!
I watched the 1980 version on TV when it came out as a teenager, and loved it. Must have read the novel 20 times, and absolutely love it. And I am loving the new show just as much; it's absolutely great. Ten thumbs up.
I echo all your sentiment, but I have to add that although this Cosmo Jarvis is a decent actor, Richard chamberlain is much more of everything in comparison.
Thanks for reviewing this! Shogun is one of my all-time favorite novels and I never watched the earlier adaptation because I was afraid they’d mess it up. There is a lot in the novel (the paperback is around 1200 pages) so I imagine some cutting is necessary. I was in the Navy when I read this novel and it was passed from sailor to sailor. Then for weeks we talked like samurai: “I have failed. I cannot live with this shame. I humbly beg permission to commit seppuku.” My boss, without skipping a beat: “Permission is denied. You have not earned that honor. You were born samurai by mistake!” 😊
My grandpa served in the army during WWII and was an anti-aircraft gunner stationed in the Philippines. Shogun was his favorite novel, I know he read it 8 or 9 times during his life.
@@SeanFication The TV series you refer to came out in 1980, and obviously there were certain standards etc that TV had to adhere to as there were pretty much (in the UK anyway) only 3 channels (yes, 3 !!!). As I was only 10 at the time, I obviously didn't get to watch it but I remember there being a bit of hoo-ha over it and I watched it much later on and it was a great production for it's time (like Tenko etc). Adaptations of books will always be very subjective as the reader of a book has a world created in their own mind of how it should look etc, and not everyone's mind is the same (the world would be very boring and probably the human race would be dead if they were). It's the TV producers and the directors job to try and picture an amalgamation of all those worlds to try and best describe the words on the pages visually - not an easy task. And as they say, you can please some of the people all the time, you can please all the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all of the time. It is what it is, and this series so far (I've watched all 5 episodes) I imagine pleases some of the people all the time - which I think is it's best outcome. That's all I've got for today, so go away now x 🙂
They didn't mess it up, although they certainly had to abridge a sizeable portion of the novel's story, primarily by playing down some of the political intrigue. It feels very authentic Japanese, and they don't spoonfeed you by watering down the culture or the language. They were quite resourceful in having the Japanese characters actually speak Japanese the whole time, but still let us understand what's going on. We get to experience learning the culture and even some Japanese words and phrases along with Blackthorne---wakarimasu ka? And the legendary Orson Welles narrates at just the proper times without dominating the show or us having to read endless English subtitles slapped onto the lower screen.
Hiroyuki Sanada has been trying to correct the incorrect portrayal of Japan and its history in Hollywood films for many years, including The Last Samurai, but has been beaten down so many times. He has worked hard to gain credibility in Hollywood, believing that no one will listen to him unless he has the title of producer. This success is the culmination of his efforts. I am very happy for you, and congratulations to Sanada and the Shogun team! Edit: Don't get me wrong, I love Last Samurai as a film. I've seen it so many times. But there are several things that made me feel uncomfortable: the ninja, the Imperial Palace, the depiction of the village and its people, etc. The Japanese actors including Sanada were particularly opposed to the appearance of the ninja (as it was set after the Meiji Restoration) but the director and other American staff members insisted that they wanted to include ninjas scene even though they knew it was historically wrong, so they left it as is. It seems clear that they were more concerned with creating content for Westerners than with historical accuracy.
@@mikegriffin8403 Think: actor = NOT producer. Actor = does what they're told. Producers = do other things, including, erhm... producing i.e. actually having a say in what's being made ? Tell me if you need a drawing, or a Power Point Presentation with that ?
@@mikegriffin8403He might have gone in thinking the movie was going to be more accurate. And on a surface level, the use of actual Japanese locations/language might have made it seem that way. Especially while they were filming it. But a lot can happen between filming and post production. Last Samurai feels very much like some CEO or producer saw the first cut of the film and went "this won't be relatable to a western audience. Put more focus on Tom Cruise and the romance story in post."
@@ThumperooYour arrogance reveals you as a libtard. don't contend the "Last Samurai" was a documentary. For example, "Tom Cruise's character in The Last Samurai isn't based on the true story of an American soldier but is inspired by the real history of a French Army officer named Jules Brunet. In 1866, Brunet was sent to Japan to train military forces and ultimately fought in the Boshin War after refusing orders to return home. In 1867, military dictator Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigned, leading to the end of a Shogun-centric world in Japan and spurring the Meiji Restoration under the 14-year-old Emperor Meiji." The Last Samurai's timeline is mostly accurate to the true story of history. When Algren arrives in Japan, the real-life Brunet would also have been arriving to train Japanese soldiers. Also, according to historians, the costumes and overall productions are spot-on. In general, The Last Samurai's premise is historically accurate. Japan was undergoing major cultural changes during the late 1860s, and the Emperor was indeed regarded as a "living God." In the span of a decade, rebels fought to retain the old way of life but were ultimately defeated. Incidentally, samurai culture ended with the failed Satsuma Rebellion, and the right to wear a katana sword in public was abolished. And so, five percent of the Japanese population - samurais - were forced to adapt. In real life, various events unfolded over a decade, but for pacing purposes, The Last Samurai has an organic feel, almost like it is taking place within a short period. screenrant.com/last-samurai-movie-true-story-algren-jules-brunet/
Hollywood could certainly take note. Two characters who I admire due to their strength is Mariko and Fuji. Not because they're Mary Sues who can beat men in hand to hand combat but because they have lost practically everything and have a cloud of dishonor that follows them around due to the actions of men they are associated with, and instead of pissing and moaning they pick up their cross and continue to walk which is so damn admirable. Practically everytime one of those two characters is in a scene they are the strongest character on screen.
@@BlahMcJones me too. You don’t have to be an 80 pound woman throwing 300 lb guys around to be a strong woman. Strength is shown in many, many forms and Mariko was a stone cold badass til the end. She won this war for Toranaga without ever swinging a weapon.
@@chriskoschik391 True, thats where i started hating Blue eyed samurai. Well animated show but how mizu a 65 kg girl slicing 90 kg guys with no effort was something terrible to watch. I know its an animation but adapting story from real events and fucking up the fundamental thing of the anime was something terrible to watch.
The "Dinner with Buntaro sama" long scene is reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino's basement bar situation in how the drama, knife's edge tension and pace was portrayed. Excellent!
Soo. fcuking boring. Fawning over Japanese etiquette . More happened in 2 episodes of Thrones S1 than has happened in 5 episodes of this. We get it, the Japs have a lot of foibles and the English guy is undisciplined by comparison. GET ON WITH IT FFS.
Mariko and Fuji are how you write strong female characters, smart, competent yet grounded in reality and have their own flaws. Even minor character like Uejirou, the gardener had so much depth despite lack of scene time and relied much of the characterization on (seamless) expositions. The set and visual are not only realistic but also incredibly beautiful and grand with the perfect cinematic mix of Japanese's simplicity and Hollywood modern visual. For the 5 eps that I watched (in one sitting!), I only spot 2 very minor conveniences/details that lower my immersion a bit (The scene where, by luck, Toranaga's plan wasn't exposed at the first daughters
Such a great show, such amazing actors. The books go into so much more detail and depth of character development, in that they tell actual inner thoughts of the characters you see acting onscreen. That these actors could convey much of it without that exposition, though, is a great feat of acting. I hope this show wins all the awards it deserves.
Hiroyuki Sanada is an excellent talent for the role of Toranada. He's well experienced playing the solemn samurai characters and shows just enough subtle hints to convey emotions of distrust, approval or concern. Always loved his other roles in likes of 'the last samurai' where he worked really well with ken watanabe and tom cruise or his brief appearance in 'john wick 4'.
The writing is so good they made me hold my breath during a scene of two characters just.. talking. Oh how I wish Rings of Power could have been made by these people.
Idk man i liked ring of power, sure there are problems with it but i didn't read the books and if i compare with other fantasy shows or most of the stuff that comes it s very enjoying for me
In the first 15 minutes of the show… Osaka was referred to as a “shithole” which wasn’t said by anyone in that matter for 100+ years after that age.. and then in blackthorns speach he uses shitsmelling and shit picking in the same speach every other word in the show is shit this and shit that the novel isn’t like that… and this isn’t to say the writing is bad it’s just lazy where it doesn’t draw directly from the source material and also this isn’t a problem with the writing but in the first episode when the priest finds out about blackthorns writings blackthorn with his hands tied together reaches for something to kill the priest who draws a gun and tells him go up on deck and look at Japan he walks up with his hands tied now behind his back…
@@shwix6534and that’s because most stuff that comes out today is absolutely shit so comparing shit to shit some shit is better than the other shit but it’s all still shit
My dad showed me the series during the end of 80s/beginning of 90s. Since that time we ALWAYS referenced to it: "Hai, anjin-san" etc Fantastic series, great memories.
The Toshiro Mifune/ Richard Chamberlain "Shogun" is very good. I remember it fondly. The gentleman playing Lord Toranaga in this adaptation has the daunting task of playing a role done by a master. The book is very good too, but it is very thick and starts slowly. I started trying to read it at the age of twelve, but only finished it after the third attempt, as it only becomes gripping at about page 280 (of 1200 and some for the edition that I read). James Clavell wrote bricks of literature. "Taipan" is set in the Opium Wars leading to the founding of Hong Kong as a British possession. "Whirlwind" is set during the the fall of the Shah of Iran and the Islamic Revolution. Both are good books. I have not read "King Rat".
The original holds up, but sadly I can only find a somewhat abridged version on the internet and not the full show. I like the actor who Yabu in the original, he just looks so much the part of a conniving toadie. The actor in the new one looks too cool.
I watched the 80's mini-series with Richard Chamberland as Blackthorne & Toshiro Mifune as Toranaga, as a young man, read the book by Clavell in my 20's (loved them both) and I'm so delighted by this series, I was dreading yet another, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars level Mangling of a beloved story. It almost gives me hope that not everything on TV has to suck.
@@rhetorical1488 Kind of a precursor to the scene where he threatens to commit seppuku if the village is held accountable for him not learning "enough" of the language. "tonight Angin-san your soul is japanese"
I too read Shogun, along with all the books in Clavell’s Asian saga, some 25 years ago. I subsequently reread them all (and some 3 times over) including Shogun, Gai Jin, Tai pan, Noble House and of course, King Rat. Huge works of fiction, loosely based on historical events, they are without doubt some of my favourite novels and one of my favourite authors of all time. I never watched the original adaptation of Shogun but I was so happy to see the imminent release of it this time. Aside from the famous movie adaptation of King Rat in 1965, I always wondered why the rest of the novels had not been adapted for the screen, the obvious answer being they are “Tolkienesque” in their size and scope! A series is a great solution to that and a welcome reprieve from a lot of the guff we have seen lately on our screens. There is so much more material in this series of novels, they could keep releasing them for the next ten years, Ok by me!😂 The books are masterpieces, I’d highly recommend to anyone who hasn’t delved in!
Clavell's Shogun is to Japan as Jennings' Aztec is to Mexico. Both are towering works of quality historical fiction which illustrate both cultures in detail.
Yes the "Tai Pan" adaptation exists, though it could have been a lot better. And "Noble House" was made into a mini-series starring Pierce Brosnan. I am enjoying the new series, except for Mariko who reads more like a California Girl than a 1600s Japanese lady. However if you haven't seen the 1980 production, you are cheating yourself. Seems like practically no one putting out rave reviews for the new show has either read the novel or seen the original series.
Since you have read the novel, I want to ask you and anyone who has also read the book: What´s your opinion on episode 5? The last one. They deviated big time from the book. SPOILERS AHEAD. In the book, Ochiba never had enough power to boss the regents. But in the final minutes of the episode she just bossed Ishido like he was a random dude. Ishido is the most powerful guy in Japan, it´s nuts that Ochiba talked to him like that. Of course she has some leeway with him because she is also important, but not enough to be at the same level of power as him or any regent. Also, in the book, when they get back to the village, Toranga or Yabu (can´t remember) issues a decree, saying that If Blackthorne fails to learn japanese and other important stuff, the village and it´s people were going to get killed. This puts a tremendous big weight on John´s shoulders, which lead him to demand Yabu to eliminate the decree. When faced with Yabu´s denial of his request, he decides to commit suicide by stabbing himself in front of them (Yabu, Omi, Mariko and a minor character). Omi stops him just in time, but Anjin was so determined to kill himself, that he enters a sort of trance preparing to be dead, it was masteful written. When Blackthrone snapped out of it and realise he was still alive, he felt like he was reborned, and had a better understanding about karma and the japanese culture. This was a before and after in John Blackthorne´s story, it was the start of his new life. But in the show, they skipped this altogheter, and I can´t imagine a reason to do this. I still have hopes that this happens in the next episode, even tho it should have happen in episode four. It would be such a big mistake to scrach that moment. Anyways, what´s your take?
The 1980's adaption was wonderful and if you like this modern version you will love the 1980's version. One thing I found of interest about the 1980's adaption was no subtitles. The mini series was purposly filmed without subtitiles so the viewer would feel the same way Blackthorne felt arriving in a country that was alien to him. Listening to a speech his ears had never heard before. You know what they say... It's the little things.. I agree with the review, being old enough to remember the original mini series and seeing the excellent work of the new. They have done an excellent job on all fronts remaking this classic.
Decided to stream the movie myself - before watching this new series. First, I think they begin the movie in 1980's version in the middle of the actual story; so I appreciated seeing Blackthorn land rather than the buffoonish dance he teaches the Lord in the movie. Second - the movie focus' REALLY hard (and apparently so does the book) on building up the Love Interest between Blackthorn & Mariko, who plainly states that she is married. She also - and I think this is a massive missed opportunity in both the book and the movie - states the ONLY way she can be with Blackthorn (after it's clear she really wants to be) is IF her husband dies. At one point it's actually not clear that he hasn't. In the show I've read it's heavily implied that she sleeps with him. [In the movie it's presented to be someone else - though it's not clear if it was Fuji, and I would've preferred it be frankly, since she's SUPPOSED to be his consort, and that should have been part of the deal] The sticking point for me was by the end of the movie; and to the end of the book... that love story goes nowhere. The author simply does not let it. There is a point in all possible spoilers where Blackthorn does ask for her hand from their lord... and gets denied. For what reason? There's no chance Lord doesn't know what the hell is up between her and hubby. If he values her that much and respects Blackthorn or values him as much as is built up, it shouldn't have been a problem. * There's also no mention of kids between them in the movie. So I don't know why Mariko suddenly has a son, and Blackthorn has two of his own. That's just random. Not necessary, and further on will add nothing to the problem of the love story that this book SHOULD have been. I get it's called Shogun, but for two so centrally set characters to get pushed to the side and screwed that badly - in the movie at one point the audio makes it fairly insinuated she's being "coitused non consensually" shall we say. because TH-cam doesn't like certain words... and she literally admits to Blackthorn she's NEVER let her husband do it consensually - it's just not very palatable to me. There was a point they were involving Chritian and Catholic religion in the story, but it's weird to me that Lord would behave so Til Death Do You Part. Especially given some of the philosophy, and exactly how chop happy they were if you screwed up. Anything. If there was supposed to be such difference between cultures shown, one would think the story would be better served to let the Lord's word on it be the end of. In a better way than it was. Or straight up... Husbando definitively DIES. Problem solved. (Yes, I know these characters were based on real people, but the author is allowed some creative liberties - I did look up the character Bios, and I had to look up the end to the movie because when I watched it the last three minutes were cut out and it was nowhere near a viable end to the actual tale) Overall, still going to watch it. However I would warn for people thinking there's gonna be some epic romance here; you're going to be heavily disappointed. Also find it funny that Hollywood is so dead for new IP that they're cannibalizing a book that was turned into a TV series, then turned into a movie, just to turn it BACK into a TV series. With as far as I can see, slightly more detail added. At this point Shogun is less ground beef than it is mystery meat. Refried, refried beans. ; )
You saved the best statement for last. It's pathetic that the entertainment industry has such little creativity in it's ranks that they can't create anything original. With that being said, the romance between Blackthorn and Mariko is a romance that is displayed in nothing but raw emotion. The relationship never becomes physical. In both the 1980's version and this one the closest the two make it to joining physically is Mariko putting her perfume and kimono on Blackthorn's consider to truck him into thinking it's Mariko. She knew Anjin would've never willing just slept with his construct because he loved Mariko. Likewise, the only time Mariko experiences the physical act of a relationship is violently which is a direct representation of the culture if Japan in that time. The last point the book made ever so suddenly throughout the entire story is that Blackthorn, no matter how best efforts, would never leave Japan. And he never did. Sometimes he seemed to find a small measure of happiness that would allow him to accept his fate that he would never leave but there was always a piece of his heart trying to get back to his own country if for only his been but fate would never allow him.
I was waiting for you to cover this. I've been a fan of this story since I've read the novel when I was 12. Then watched the 1980s tv show (highly recomend that one too), and I was so excited for this to come out. I've been loving it so far. Hiroyuki Sanada is truly amazing in this one.
Once again, I'm thankful to be pointed in the direction of this excellent series. It isn't fully finished yet, but from what I've seen so far, this is definitely worth watching. Excellent acting, an intriguing story, beautiful shots, realistic setting, there is not much more you can ask for. Thanks Drinker for yet another good recommendation!
CD I totally agree, this is beautifully done production. Each week I'm blown away by the scenery as I'm gently but firmly pulled along by the story. Until this mini series I'd never noticed Cosmo Jarvis before. Shogun will change that man's career forever.
The use of 16th century Japanese grammar, the walks, the pouring of tea, calligraphy inspired by contemporary masters of the form, a lot of effort went into making this one of the best period pieces ever filmed for any screen. The authenticity abounds in this show and it's stunning. It's a big reason why long dialogue scenes feel completely organic and necessary, because we're fully immersed by the attention to detail both in the foreground and background. Love this show, will rewatch it many many times.
You're 100% correct. What makes this series so profound is that every, single word has meaning; every look, every voice inflection is so important to the characters and the plot.
@@nightwolf2666 Then why were the subtitles translated four times to garble them out of their meaning? Translation process went: English Script, to Japanese, to 17th Century Japanese Script, subtitled back to English. Except the subtitles aren't nuanced at all. They hold no double meanings. They are not utilized as a narrative tool in a clever way whatsoever.
My favorite thing that I have learned about this show is that, in figuring out the many ways to best (and efficiently) represent the Japan of the period, the shows creators put together what they call a "bible" of how tos (it's an actual book that rivals the tome that serves as the show's source material in length). Because they told their entire planned story in this one miniseries, they don't plan on another "season" or anything like that...but do hope others will look to use their bible for future productions. Very cool!
No need for another Shogun when Taipain is sitting there waiting for its own adaptation. In normal times, a redo of King Rat might work as well but not in today's woke world.
Shogun is a one of a kind miniseries. The best part is that Hiroyuki Sanada is involved in this not just an actor but as a producer. Not to mention that Japanese people really loved the series. They say it’s better than the 1980 version (and I can understand why).
@@geraldmorgan6906 tell you what look up the map of the world for the new shogun and compare to the 1980 version if you like the clip you'll like the full thing
@@geraldmorgan6906 You may find the new Blackthorne irritating, at least I did. Aside from the fact that he is way too buff for someone half-starved from being at sea for months with dwindling provisions, he also tends to look borderline stupid at times, even when the character is doing something smart. But that's nitpicking. The show is different, but still very good. It feels denser, with less time wasted on playing out japanese stereotypes that are much more present in today's culture than they were back then.
i´m 4 episodes in and i can say it is incredible! the tension of the foreign cultures but yet respect/understanding, you can literally feel it. awesome! i wish it would be 5 seasons long!
Shows like this give hope that there's still some good people left in the entertainment history that care about those old traditional sacred values of telling a story and developing its characters so the audience can relate and be immersed in the world that's being presented.
What "old traditional sacred values"? Not that I disagree with the sentiment, but this is such a weird and religious way of talking about what we, today, consider a "good" story.
Fun fact: Blackthorne is based on a real-life historical figure, navigator William Adams AKA "Miura Anjin" ( "Navigator of Miura Island"), the first Brit who traveled to Japan in the early 1600´s. He became a military/ naval advisor for Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu, the later Shogun ( Lord Torunaga is based on him) and build European type ships for him, trained crews and organized trading expeditions to Vietnam & Thailand. For his service, Adams was given the title of Samurai and he ended up marrying a Japanese noble woman. Adams is still today highly regarded in Japan, there are several memorials for him & his wife, a museum and even an annual festival in his honor. And yes, he´s the main character in the videogame Nioh. P.S. Adams & Tokugawa Ieyasu are both, well-known historical figures, so shut up about "muh spoilers". What´s next? You gonna complain about spoilers for HBO´s "Rome", when I tell you that Julius Caesar gets assassinated? The novel by James Clavell, the show is based off, is like a more fictionalized version of Adams´ story anyway and Clavell took some artistic license to tell his story.
When I read the book, I had the pleasure of not knowing how it was going to turn out for Toranaga. All these comments need big spoiler warnings edited in at the top.
I mean I think knowing the historical context makes it cooler, Taiko being Hideyoshi and Akiko being the daughter of "Mitsuhide" and her family is hated for having betrayed "Nobunaga".
This is why I follow The Drinker. When I first saw the trailer for Shogun my first thought afterwards was "Oh God theyve done it with Medieval Japan". As a lover of history that is one of my favorite time periods in Japanese history. The war and power struggles of the Sengoku Jidai and how Japan was reshaped by this conflict and set it's history for the next 300 years. Only for "modern writers" to come along and put their own spin on history. I'm grateful to hear the Drinker not only says it's a good show but enthusiastically recommends it. That's the next show I'm setting up for me and my girlfriend to get into. Heres to you Critical Drinker, my faithful guide for modern entertainment. Cheers mate! 🍻
Shogun was honestly so so good. I was struck by all the same things you talked about, but the character development was what I was most grateful for. Especially the love story between Mariko and the Anjin. So many modern depictions of love are so rushed and unbelievable. They took their time with this show, with all the characters. And what a difference that makes. 10/10
I wasn't sure I wanted to watch the remake since I had absolutely adored the mini series in the 80s. Everyone was home the evening of the last installment - it was riveting. I'm happy to say this is a brilliant adaption of James Clavell's novel and so far I've enjoyed every moment of it!
This show is so good I've been watching it each week it airs and patiently waiting for next episode I usually wait for the full season but it's too good to wait.
My dad, brother and I love this show and the historical connections. We watch it every other Saturday for two episodes so that gives us 3 hours of uninterrupted enjoyment.
Yeah, I stumbled across it a while back and was surprised by how good it was. Second season wasn't quite so good, but it still great overall. Ended up reading a load of Conn Iggulden's Ghengis Khan series off the back of it.
It was very expensive to make - that's why Netflix cancelled it. It is also high quality - one of the best Netflix originals (back when almost all of them were great).
Just noticed a very small detail that that movie (at least going with the clips you showed) gets right that many many other movies (even great movies like Lotr) get wrong. At 6:21 you can see a couple archers in waiting position with bows at the ready. But they DON'T have their bows drawn. That is absolutly correct. You wouldn't draw your bow and then hold it for an extended period of time simply because you couldn't. These warbows have draw weights of at least 100 pounds, arnold schwarzenegger in his prime couldn't hold such a bow drawn for more than a couple seconds.
i was a big fan of the original series (which i have on DVD) but never read the books. Im loving this show. Watching it with the missus and we look forward to it every week. incredible what good writing, acting and zero pandering can do for a show
I'd like to add that one of the great points of Shogun is that is it historical fiction. It is based on actual historical events and people. The characters are named differently however, Blackthorne corresponds to William Adams and Toranaga is the founder of the actual Tokugawa shogunate. Nearly all the cast have similar counterparts, so it's not just a story that sounded cool. The author took what was real and made a great story out of it. Even the women warriors, onna-musha, were a real thing. If they had put this much accuracy and love of the source material into RoP just think what they could have done. Thank you for the excellent recommendation Drinker.
I saw the first TV adaptation of Shogun when I was 13. We only had one TV and it was a network TV spectacle at the time......plus I think my mom had thing for Richard Chamberlain. Fast forward to now and I am counting days until the next episode drops on Hulu. This is a well written and well acted series and the production value so high it's a joy to watch. Bravo to the producers for bringing this new adaptation to the screen.
There was a black samurai who arrived in Japan before the character that Blackthorne is based on. His name was Yasuke, and he became a very high ranking bodyguard of Japan's greatest warlord. Apparently, theyre trying to make a movie about his story
@plr2473 at this point, I don't care if he is historically accurate or not, I won't watch it. I'm sick of seeing the bastards everywhere and being forced to, not only approve of them, but like them. The forced diversity could not have had a more opposite effect on me.
Just finished this series. The ending had be a bit puzzled but otherwise floored, and it was definitely one of the more memorable series I've watched. You can tell everyone on board for this series is passionate about the project and the material and all the actors really give it their all.
The 1980's version is also well worth the watch. While the core story is the same there are some fantastic actors and it has its own kind of attention to detail.
I watched series the based on a recommendation and loved it. What really stood out was the earthy beauty of the scenes, they buildings and landscape were not picture perfect, but more realistic with their flaws. Great show and a fair assessment from the drinker.
I read the book, watched the 80's version and am now watching the remake. I'm so happy with this show for all the reasons you mention. Tuesday night is something to look forward to again.
@@Fardawg Michaela Clavell is known to be very protective of her father's work. Especially Shogun because much of what James Clavell learned about the oriental mindset was gleaned from his time in Changi after being taken prisoner by the Japanese in 1942.
You’re too young to know this but there was a great Shogun mini-series in 1980. So popular; everyone was learning Japanese along with Blackthorne, played by Richard Chamberlain. It was awesome. Can’t wait to watch this new one!
Not to mention Toshiro Mifune (Toranaga) and John Rhys Davies (Rodrigues). Loved the book. Loved the original series. Fearing having to subscribe to Disney to watch this well-recommended remake.
The 1980’s version was truly awesome. I loved that it didn’t have sub-titles, we had to learn what was going on at the same time as Blackthorne based on what Mariko was translating or someone else was telling him. Which gave a totally different experience.
You have excellent timing. I’m currently visiting Shizuoka city, which is the location of the castle that “Torunana-sama” retires to at the end of the story. the best thing about Shogun is, it’s all real, everything happened pretty much as it did in the novel, although the names are all changed. I’m absolutely floored by the fact that, while King Lear or Macbeth were being performed for the first time in London, an English navigator became a few to Lord over in Japan, for real. On my way home I’m considering visiting the graveside of the real “John Blackthorne“ (although his real name was William Adams.
i've been watching this series since the first episode dropped and i instantly fell in love with. this is exactly what i was missing in modern entertainment. a compelling, complex story with multi-layered characters that have both good and evil in them. set in an intriguing time period full of conflict, wars and power struggles. plus it does sooo much better job than Blue Eye Samurai when it comes to portraying the spirit of japanese culture and explaining it to the western audience with mostly showing and rarely telling. the screenwriters don't treat their audience like idiots and it benefits everybody
The book is worth reading, too. Clavell was an excellent author, especially if anyone enjoys historical fiction.I would recommend Shogun and Tai-Pan. Also, the 1980 miniseries is worth checking out.
I grew up with Chamberlain's Shogun.. John Rhys-Davies.... excellent ... and this new mini-series is an amazing updated cinematographic take. Refreshing
I grew up on the original and read the book.....as soon as I saw Hiroyuki Sanada was a producer and cast as Toranaga I knew this would be good. I'll have to binge it once its all done.
Everyone involved in this show did a wonderful job, with well-written and well-acted characters, a faithful premise to the James Clavell novels that even native Japanese people adored, and genuine _heart and soul._
You really should consider watching more subtitled shows, There’s tons of good shows and movies out there. I’ve mostly given up on western entertainment and now mostly watch Korean and Japanese entertainment. They don’t have any woke messaging or political agendas and they make genuinely good stuff.
I'll give it a shot. Usually whenever I've watched subtitled movies/shows I get overwhelmed trying to keep up with the dialogue and visuals on the screen. Shōgun for me has been able to keep me engaged in both.
03:14 Cool! Being a Portuguese myself, I distinctly remember from the Shogun show from the 1990's the scene where the English protagonist explains the concept of the Treaty of Tordesillas - so many times wrongly interpreted as dividing the world between Portugal and Castille, when the division was to establish spheres of influence where the other part could not interfere. Still remember from back then a special coin minted in that time's national currency, the _Escudo_ (Portuguese for "shield"), celebrating our arrival at Japan, with the word "Tanegashima" writen. _Heróis do Mar_ (Heroes of the Sea) indeed!
Wait seriously?? We learn in Brasil that Tordesillas was a "dividing the world" thing. I guess I should've expected that, as we are conditioned to hate the Portuguese in school...
'Spheres of influence' great powers have used the term a lot it sounds benign but doesn't always turn out that way for lesser powers within those spheres .
I was *BLESSED* to witness and enjoy the first 'Shogun' broadcast across the once-FREE airwaves, decades ago. By all accounts, everyone that's watching this remake likes it, and from what I've seen from their 'Reaction' channels, it seems like it honors the book and characters, and that alone gives it some cred! Modern film making and the special effects that go with it certainly add to the visual experience, no doubt!
This is rhe first show I've seen in a long time that i absolutely loved. I just finished the last episode and can say that rhey kept the quality up the whole way through. I hope other showrunners take note of all the praise and attention this show is getting.
I actually started the "old" Shogun series yesterday, thinking "I'll watch that before I watch the new one - for as long as it is good" and I'm 3 hours into the series and its GREAT! I'm going to watch the "old" shogun till the end, and I recommend that one too!
Yeah, the original miniseries is dope. Whole thing shot in Japan, with Japanese actors. Instead of subtitles, you feel what it’s like to be Anjin by not understanding what’s going on (unless you speak Japanese). That’s something that makes that old show more intriguing to me. And Mariko, who is cunning, has a graceful delicacy to her in the old show, as opposed to this girl boss in the new show.
@@Rabbithole8 She's just very modern. Compare her acting with the actress playing Usama Fuji or the 1980s Mariko. Sawai's performance has no layers and doesn't feel very culturally Japanese.
@@AndSendMe I didn't ask you about your views on Sawai's take on Mariko. I asked JamalBlakk how she is a "girl boss." I suspect you haven't even stepped foot in Japan. Why don't you come to Japan and live here for over a decade and also ask Japanese friends and family what their take is on the character regarding the cultural feel. As far as, your assessment of Sawai's performance, statements that include terms such as "layers' are things people say to justify criticism about acting. I simply can state her performance is layered. Now what? Give me an example.
When they were diving on a boat that looked awful like it was filmed in a pool. The story is good to say the cinematography is excellent is really pushing it. Its very cheap
One of the best shows I've seen in a long time. I remember seeing the original as a youngster which also very good is incredible dated now. The cast are really good and Cosmo just pitches his English "Barbarian" perfectly. After all the episodes so far I've just been craving more. A truly sublime offering of a series that everyone should see! As close to a 10/10 there has been in recent years.
I have spent a lifetime wondering how Hiroyuki Sanada hasn't been a consistent leading man. The man has the cool, the calm, the presence to absolutely kill whatever he's in.
That scene in Last Samurai where they fight the Imperial Army. They're getting ready for the charge and my boy just spits blood in disgust has been stuck in my head for 20 years
Even 47 Ronin, lol.
I know that movie is clowned on but I actually really liked it. Guess it's just a guilty pleasure?
@@problematicspaghettios 47 Ronin was a good movie.
He's got over 200 movies in his career. He was even in everything from 70's martial arts movies to the Japanese Ring to the Avengers.
ive read this exact comment on another shogun video a week ago wtf
Oh look, Diverse characters in an accurate environment! This is how it should be 🇯🇵
They are not diverse
@@frankie3010 Nor should they be.
According to the left Asians are too white to be diverse.
Also, the show is not diverse in a normal sense of the word either. And that's how it should be.
@@frankie3010exactly, what little diversity existed in history looked like this. Not at all like what you see in modern historical documents and movies, especially in Europe and asia.
@@frankie3010Because it don't fit into the American view of what race is? The most diverse show ever was made 20 years ago and started with a plane crash.
They spent 11 years making this, and had a whole bunch of experts brought in to train the actors on behaviors, speech, and movements appropriate to the time. All this down the even the fine details of hand gestures and the differences in eating and drinking tea in a variety of settings. Hiroyuki Sanada has been involved in the conception and production from the very beginning 11 years ago.
With the amount of time and efforts spent on the show it's no wonder they did as well as they did.
The guy's basically a Japanese Peter Jackson in terms of attention to detail.
Which is very high praise in my book. Holy moly. Oh yes, this is interesting.
That is awesome. I noticed some of these things on the show, looks amazing and everything they do is with a purpose
This is why Hollywood should be focused on taking their time on specific and historical content, rather than spewing out shit hero nonsense. We don't need superheroes, we need to learn HISTORY. Because, and I can GUARANTEE YOU THIS. History is infinitely more interesting, has more depth, and carries more weight than anything fictional Hollywood can currently generate.
A quick search on Google will inform you that they spent at most 6 years making this... a far more reasonable amount of time.
it's a show or a film?
To me, the best part of Shogun is that it doesn’t shy away from historic cultural differences between two societies. On one side, the Japanese natives’ overwhelmingly strict adherence to their values of virtue and honor is able to create a functioning society that’s cohesive and well organized, but that clashes heavily with the western-import of self-determinism and all the philosophies of free will and liberty it carries with it.
But the clash of these two philosophies is not only done rather subtly, it’s done with a dialogue with back-and-forth rather than a one-sided debate where winner takes all. The show doesn’t make it known which side it really endorses, as it shows the beauty and ugly sides which both worldviews come with.
Well put, I think this encapsulates a good portion of why I find this series so refreshing. The culture clash is presented extremely well, and creates so many enjoyable and engaging scenes without trying to obnoxiously tell you one is right or wrong. It's not something many series have been able to pull off for a long time now, too many show runners feel some weird duty to try and insert the 'correct' interpretation of a cultural interaction because it's unfortunately a sensitive subject in the modern day, and it always takes me out of the moment especially in historical series or movies.
Toranagaaaaa!!!
but that itself is a stereotypically western view of 16th century japan.
@@reiszrie it’s stereotypically western because it’s accurate.
@@reiszrie It's an accurate view.
Some 30 years ago, I was invited to speak at a software development conference in Tokyo. In preparation for the trip, I read several books on Japanese society and culture. I was particularly struck by a comment by one Japanese author, who said (more or less):
"If you as a Westerner want to understand Japanese culture and society, read _Shogun_ by James Clavell."
I already had - I was a long-time Clavell fan - but I did go back and re-read it prior to my trip.
Glad to hear the series was done well; I had my doubts. Definitely will watch it now.
Concur. Read the book many years ago.
Did the book help you gain a better insight into modern japanese culture?
@@richnolan4280 Gave me some insight, of course things have changed. Generally speaking, Japan has always been a crowded place. To achieve privacy ( alone time/peace ) you go inside your mind. Extreme politeness was used in attempt to diffuse conflict . Of course, it only works some of the time. I read the book in the late 70's, been a while.
If you are a fan of the book, I think that you will be a little disappointed in the series. There are a lot of deviations - some work - some do not.
@@wimpymcsteel4458 I have very much enjoyed the series so far. Pretty much the same story. Few differences. Really like the cinematography.
Btw for anyone wondering. This was co-written and show ran by Justin Marks who was one of the writers on Top Gun Maverick. The other writer and showrunner is his wife Rachel Kondo who is Japanese American.
That explains a lot. We need more competent writers like this in Hollywood.
He also wrote "Counterpart" which was amazing.
Is she hot?
This makes so much more sense
@@SierraSierraFoxtrot That is a hard word, I'm impressed
Shōgun has been a breath of fresh air in a sea of shyte. Good old fashioned storytelling done right. Even with the book changes the show still remains pretty faithful to James Clavell's novel.
Your coverage of shogun has been great, I’m glad more channels are starting to discover it. Looking forward to your ep 5 review.
THE ASHIKAGA SHOGUNATE HAS RULED FROM KYOTO FOR 200 HUNDRED YEARS!
". . . a breath of fresh air in a sea of shyte." Ah, somebody who understands how to use words.
and so many of the book changes were done to INCREASE historical accuracy... that I can get behind!
This show is fucking incredible. Sanada was so based telling the studio he would not be involved unless all Japanese Characters were played by Japanese people. If only western actors did that
Careful, LGBT is going to call you for being sexist...or something.
too bad we dinno japnes
I like how it doesn't depict the Japanese as being any "better" or more moralistic than the white European and Portuguese characters. The Japanese are depicted as being just as "bigoted" and intolerant as the European and Portuguese.
If this were made by Disney, the Japanese society would be depicted as some "Pwogwessive" utopia where everyone is tolerant and welcoming of outsiders, while all the white characters would be ignorant racists etc...
The moral alignment of the characters in this show has nothing to do with their ethnicity. Like it used to be in most TV shows prior to 2010...
Im Portuguese and I wonder. Am I gotta be pooped on in the show or do they try to keep it neutralish?
@@JadeRunner I prefer this as well, i want Asians to be portrayed with the ugly and the bad along with all the good...that is who we are, we dont want to be the progressive libs...we want to be free from western influence and ideology.
I'm quite impressed with Sanada’s portrayal of Toranaga, in that, for those versed in the history it’s based on, it’s like seeing Tokugawa Ieyasu in the flesh. The way Torunaga's quiet, firm, unfailingly shrewd and clever presence just dominates a room shows that Sanada has clearly modeled his portrayal on the actual figure. In that sense, we are in fact getting "good history" even within a fictional tale-something we can all agree is almost totally lacking these days.
Sanada is great in everything. A man of real charisma
Sanada is ok but in 80 s show you have one amazing presence of Toshirô Mifune,which ofc nailed that part..way better Tokugava then Sanada ..
Sanada carries the show in a manner quite similar to how Sean Bean carried GoT in season 1.
Exactly. That is what the book was praised for. In fact it was required reading by scholars for students to understand that time period of Japanese history
I'm waiting for the awards
Japanese tradition of honor and self-discipline is always a fascinating concept for narrative. Add in the complexity of Shogun politics and a ever increasing presence of western influence and you have a story that captivates.
Shogun is one of the best things ive seen in recent years. On the edge of my seat every episode. And I genuinely care about the characters.
this cant be true, there are no minority lesbian Samauri how can you enjoy this racist homo phobe show?
Yep, only good thing I’ve seen on television in awhile
Exactly, I highly recommend watching the original tv miniseries via a streaming portal like Fmovies and then watch Tokyo Vice!
Don't tell em about the old man😢😮
That's only because everything else is so terrible, like winning the special olympics. Objectively it is not very good and not true to the original, or the culture.
After that 9th episode and all the badassery Mariko does, she desserves a video from the drinker as a beacon of actual strong female characters.
Agree. Even first scene at gate was excellent.
I second this
The willpower of that character was astounding, really felt the impact of the character in the story unlike any modern writing that comes to mind.
Exactly, she was great, very accurate and yes a badass. It was common in those days for women to be great fighters, even ninjas.
💯💯💯
the thing i love most about this series is how much they rely on accuracy as opposed to spectacle to hook the audience. Instead of throwing bombastic action and gaudy CGI as a superficial hook, the show immediately puts in the effort to immerse you in the setting before anything else.
The attention to detail is used to make you believe you are there in the moment, and as you better understand these details the more you pick up of the characters without it having to be exposited to you. The better you understand the world, the more you understand the people in it and it adds so much depth to the narrative without anyone having to say anything. I know this isn't something this show invented, but it's so damned refreshing to see a series that respects my intelligence this way. Give me time and i will pick up the subtleties.
This is why historical accuracy and historical authenticity matters even in fiction. The more effort you put into the world your presenting the more effective your story can be... it's great to have a series from people who properly understand this for a change.
I suggest Metatron's video here on youtube, which analyzes the historical accuracy.They did the research. they cared, and it shows.
@@havocgr1976It was a pleasant surprise to see him so happy and bubbly, talking about the things a production got right for once lol
some reactors actually complained that the battle in ep 3 wasn't "action packed". they were expecting hollywood style sword fights, not one two slash, you're dead.
@petriew2018 thank you, you have convinced me it is worth having a look at
Great comment
Hiroyuki Sanada is one of those actors who always catches my attention. The Last Samurai was a surprise hit among my friends and I, and we were all talking about what a great actor Sanada-san was.
Indeed, I recently saw him in Bullet Train and thought he was one of the standouts. He doesn't have a huge role, but his presence still adds a lot to the movie.
@@marychocolatefairy Same. We just watched Bullet Train and as always Sanadas' presence is crazy.
He was the best part of steaming pile of shit named Mortal Kombat, in 2021. Perfect cast as Scorpion and had the only good fight scenes.
47 Ronin
I also liked him in John Wick 4
Shogun is based on 1975 novel by James Clavell, which itself takes inspiration from the true story of William Adams. Look him up, but it might lead you to spoilers for the show.
Spoilers dude, spoilers!!!
@@MrHarumakiSenseiits like spoiling the end of titanic xD
Yea. I was just about to ask if this was based on that James Clavell's thick book.. And apparently it is. Thanks!
@@MrHarumakiSensei edited to remove spoilers! Thought it was common knowledge.
The video game Nioh also took inspiration from William Adams.
It's been almost a decade since I've lavished every minute of a show with a genuine dread in my heart that I'll have to wait another week when the 50 minutes are up. I'd forgotten what that felt like; not wholly absorbed or immersed into it, rather letting each bite and scene savour and melt in your mouth as though you'd taken a drive to a week long booking at a Michelin tasting menu. My wife and I received a delivery toward the end of episode 5 and I found myself say to here, "We have 7 more minutes of the good show left when I get back."
White saviour. We seen these before.
@@Beautyofanime1 Did you watch the series or read the book, because no, the protagonist is more recognizable for his blunders than saving anyone.
@kylehansbrockmann848
1. White guy comes to oreign land to learn there ways.
2. White guy falls and bangs the hot native chick. Her mam angry (usually).
3. The give him weapon/sword.
And no I'm talking about avatar, last samurai or dance with wolves and so many more.
Same house different location.
@Beautyofanime1
You're so wrong it isn't even funny. I can tell you didn't watch it. Keep that narrative going strong, bud.
@@Beautyofanime1 brain dead take.
I knew you'd like this one. I noticed when Lord Toda presented his sword to Blackthorne (after their saké competition in episode five) he did so with the cutting edge facing himself, giving away his respectful intent (obliviously overlooked by the outraged Blackthorne, of course) before he even began to apologize. If he were about to challenge Blackthorne he would have had the edge facing his enemy. I enjoyed how such an occult clue could so radically change the tone and pacing of the scene, evaporating the tension and highlighting the vast gulf of understanding separating them, each convinced the other is the barbarian. That's just one example, but it's this subtle attention to detail and play with perspective which really draws you in and shows how much care Michaela Clavell put into the production. I'm glad to see her father's work (and historical Japanese culture) honored so well.
Well Buntaro in real history (Hosokawa Tadaoki) is known to have severe temper issues (he killed 36 of his own retainers once) but also extremely competent if one were to overlook his flaws. I'd even wager that that sword was the same one he killed his own retainers with, the legendary Kasen Kanesada.
The Last Samurai: "Are you challenging me?"
Shogun: "Yes."
This series is based on a book that was written like 30+ years before the last Samurai was ever conceived lol. In fact the Last samurai pretty much used everything from the book but moved forward a few hundred years in time.
Shogun: "Who do you think built all this?"
Shogun: 'Hold my saki'.
Shogun: Challenge accepted.
@@Glenuig There is something to be said for the directness of the The Last Samurai.
After that fifth episode, this recommendation is well needed.
Watch. This. Show. People.
No.
It really is fucking good. Glad it's getting more lip service. It' 10 episode miniseries of a book thats been done. So it *shouldn't* have a GoT-esque finale.
@@GigglingStoners : Oh? why not?
Yes @@GigglingStoners
@@justabill5780Heard some writers from Rings of Power are involved.
I also recommend reading Clavell's novel Shogun.
It's worth your time.
He's a very good writer.
His best book imo. The whole series is good.
if that novel doesn't make you love Japanese culture, nothing will. It is an ode to Japan and its history. I loved it from start to finish
I think they are sticking to the source material really well! Shogun is one of my favorite books
@@irkanorphyn
Shogun was the best, followed by Tai Pan and King Rat.
Drinker you magnificent bastard! Greetings from Cape Town, South Africa 🇿🇦
Stay safe🙏👍
In my 50s. Heavy reader. If you haven't read Shogun, please consider it. You're in for a treat. It's easily in my top 10 favorite novels. I've read it multiple times (which I rarely do with a novel). Great review, Drinker!
I learned a lot from Shogun and all the subsequent novels of the far east by Clavell.
Some of my favorite books and all would make great movies!
Tai Pan is my second favorite of the series. Shogun is a classic.
I watched the 1980 version on TV when it came out as a teenager, and loved it. Must have read the novel 20 times, and absolutely love it. And I am loving the new show just as much; it's absolutely great. Ten thumbs up.
Ditto here 😀
Yup!
Yep, really enjoyed the book and teh series back then.
I echo all your sentiment, but I have to add that although this Cosmo Jarvis is a decent actor, Richard chamberlain is much more of everything in comparison.
It seems there is a lot of Mariko fighting in these clips, so how badly did they butcher her character?
Thanks for reviewing this! Shogun is one of my all-time favorite novels and I never watched the earlier adaptation because I was afraid they’d mess it up. There is a lot in the novel (the paperback is around 1200 pages) so I imagine some cutting is necessary.
I was in the Navy when I read this novel and it was passed from sailor to sailor. Then for weeks we talked like samurai: “I have failed. I cannot live with this shame. I humbly beg permission to commit seppuku.” My boss, without skipping a beat: “Permission is denied. You have not earned that honor. You were born samurai by mistake!” 😊
The original series is outstanding. Looking at the clips for this new one, I'd say the old one is more faithful to the book. Hey, it's Netflix.
FX@@SeanFication
My grandpa served in the army during WWII and was an anti-aircraft gunner stationed in the Philippines. Shogun was his favorite novel, I know he read it 8 or 9 times during his life.
@@SeanFication The TV series you refer to came out in 1980, and obviously there were certain standards etc that TV had to adhere to as there were pretty much (in the UK anyway) only 3 channels (yes, 3 !!!).
As I was only 10 at the time, I obviously didn't get to watch it but I remember there being a bit of hoo-ha over it and I watched it much later on and it was a great production for it's time (like Tenko etc).
Adaptations of books will always be very subjective as the reader of a book has a world created in their own mind of how it should look etc, and not everyone's mind is the same (the world would be very boring and probably the human race would be dead if they were). It's the TV producers and the directors job to try and picture an amalgamation of all those worlds to try and best describe the words on the pages visually - not an easy task. And as they say, you can please some of the people all the time, you can please all the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all of the time.
It is what it is, and this series so far (I've watched all 5 episodes) I imagine pleases some of the people all the time - which I think is it's best outcome.
That's all I've got for today, so go away now x 🙂
They didn't mess it up, although they certainly had to abridge a sizeable portion of the novel's story, primarily by playing down some of the political intrigue. It feels very authentic Japanese, and they don't spoonfeed you by watering down the culture or the language. They were quite resourceful in having the Japanese characters actually speak Japanese the whole time, but still let us understand what's going on. We get to experience learning the culture and even some Japanese words and phrases along with Blackthorne---wakarimasu ka? And the legendary Orson Welles narrates at just the proper times without dominating the show or us having to read endless English subtitles slapped onto the lower screen.
Hiroyuki Sanada has been trying to correct the incorrect portrayal of Japan and its history in Hollywood films for many years, including The Last Samurai, but has been beaten down so many times. He has worked hard to gain credibility in Hollywood, believing that no one will listen to him unless he has the title of producer. This success is the culmination of his efforts. I am very happy for you, and congratulations to Sanada and the Shogun team!
Edit: Don't get me wrong, I love Last Samurai as a film. I've seen it so many times. But there are several things that made me feel uncomfortable: the ninja, the Imperial Palace, the depiction of the village and its people, etc. The Japanese actors including Sanada were particularly opposed to the appearance of the ninja (as it was set after the Meiji Restoration) but the director and other American staff members insisted that they wanted to include ninjas scene even though they knew it was historically wrong, so they left it as is. It seems clear that they were more concerned with creating content for Westerners than with historical accuracy.
Sanada was a key actor in "The Last Samurai". I don't see how he allowed the movie to be an incorrect portrayal.
@@mikegriffin8403 Think: actor = NOT producer. Actor = does what they're told. Producers = do other things, including, erhm... producing i.e. actually having a say in what's being made ? Tell me if you need a drawing, or a Power Point Presentation with that ?
@@mikegriffin8403He might have gone in thinking the movie was going to be more accurate. And on a surface level, the use of actual Japanese locations/language might have made it seem that way. Especially while they were filming it. But a lot can happen between filming and post production. Last Samurai feels very much like some CEO or producer saw the first cut of the film and went "this won't be relatable to a western audience. Put more focus on Tom Cruise and the romance story in post."
@@ThumperooYour arrogance reveals you as a libtard. don't contend the "Last Samurai" was a documentary. For example, "Tom Cruise's character in The Last Samurai isn't based on the true story of an American soldier but is inspired by the real history of a French Army officer named Jules Brunet. In 1866, Brunet was sent to Japan to train military forces and ultimately fought in the Boshin War after refusing orders to return home. In 1867, military dictator Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigned, leading to the end of a Shogun-centric world in Japan and spurring the Meiji Restoration under the 14-year-old Emperor Meiji."
The Last Samurai's timeline is mostly accurate to the true story of history. When Algren arrives in Japan, the real-life Brunet would also have been arriving to train Japanese soldiers. Also, according to historians, the costumes and overall productions are spot-on. In general, The Last Samurai's premise is historically accurate. Japan was undergoing major cultural changes during the late 1860s, and the Emperor was indeed regarded as a "living God."
In the span of a decade, rebels fought to retain the old way of life but were ultimately defeated. Incidentally, samurai culture ended with the failed Satsuma Rebellion, and the right to wear a katana sword in public was abolished. And so, five percent of the Japanese population - samurais - were forced to adapt.
In real life, various events unfolded over a decade, but for pacing purposes, The Last Samurai has an organic feel, almost like it is taking place within a short period.
screenrant.com/last-samurai-movie-true-story-algren-jules-brunet/
You're not seriously trying to tell us the Last Samurai was historically accurate, are you?
Hollywood could certainly take note. Two characters who I admire due to their strength is Mariko and Fuji. Not because they're Mary Sues who can beat men in hand to hand combat but because they have lost practically everything and have a cloud of dishonor that follows them around due to the actions of men they are associated with, and instead of pissing and moaning they pick up their cross and continue to walk which is so damn admirable. Practically everytime one of those two characters is in a scene they are the strongest character on screen.
RIP Mariko :( Amazingly strongly written female character.
Well Hollywood made Shogun so taking notes are not needed
@chriskoschik391
My favorite. 🙌🏻
@@BlahMcJones me too. You don’t have to be an 80 pound woman throwing 300 lb guys around to be a strong woman. Strength is shown in many, many forms and Mariko was a stone cold badass til the end.
She won this war for Toranaga without ever swinging a weapon.
@@chriskoschik391 True, thats where i started hating Blue eyed samurai. Well animated show but how mizu a 65 kg girl slicing 90 kg guys with no effort was something terrible to watch. I know its an animation but adapting story from real events and fucking up the fundamental thing of the anime was something terrible to watch.
I love that foreign movies and series are winning. Hollywood needs a reality check.
Shogun isn't a foreign series. It was made by hollywood.
I’ve found myself watching and liking lots of foreign material this last year. And I had never used to watch anything foreign.
@@Crow12619All the actors are foreign tho and the guy who wrote Top Gun Maverick is the showrunner
@@Crow12619 Oh, thanks. But my point still stands.
It's really more of joint production.
The "Dinner with Buntaro sama" long scene is reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino's basement bar situation in how the drama, knife's edge tension and pace was portrayed. Excellent!
That scene was phenomenal. Made me anxious as hell
Shame the ending hinted at another 'strong' female character bossing around men.
dont forget map of the world scene
Soo. fcuking boring. Fawning over Japanese etiquette . More happened in 2 episodes of Thrones S1 than has happened in 5 episodes of this. We get it, the Japs have a lot of foibles and the English guy is undisciplined by comparison. GET ON WITH IT FFS.
@@Mopantsu You've apparently never read the novel. Also Japan had quite a few empress regents, they didn't get there by being weak.
This show kicks ass
Mariko and Fuji are how you write strong female characters, smart, competent yet grounded in reality and have their own flaws. Even minor character like Uejirou, the gardener had so much depth despite lack of scene time and relied much of the characterization on (seamless) expositions.
The set and visual are not only realistic but also incredibly beautiful and grand with the perfect cinematic mix of Japanese's simplicity and Hollywood modern visual.
For the 5 eps that I watched (in one sitting!), I only spot 2 very minor conveniences/details that lower my immersion a bit (The scene where, by luck, Toranaga's plan wasn't exposed at the first daughters
Such a great show, such amazing actors. The books go into so much more detail and depth of character development, in that they tell actual inner thoughts of the characters you see acting onscreen. That these actors could convey much of it without that exposition, though, is a great feat of acting. I hope this show wins all the awards it deserves.
I agree. Especially that scene in e9 where Mariko faces off with the soldiers. It is all about her making a point. Not about kicking ass.
Hiroyuki Sanada is an excellent talent for the role of Toranada. He's well experienced playing the solemn samurai characters and shows just enough subtle hints to convey emotions of distrust, approval or concern.
Always loved his other roles in likes of 'the last samurai' where he worked really well with ken watanabe and tom cruise or his brief appearance in 'john wick 4'.
He's great in all these roles but now he's dangerously close to getting typecast
The writing is so good they made me hold my breath during a scene of two characters just.. talking.
Oh how I wish Rings of Power could have been made by these people.
Idk man i liked ring of power, sure there are problems with it but i didn't read the books and if i compare with other fantasy shows or most of the stuff that comes it s very enjoying for me
In the first 15 minutes of the show… Osaka was referred to as a “shithole” which wasn’t said by anyone in that matter for 100+ years after that age.. and then in blackthorns speach he uses shitsmelling and shit picking in the same speach every other word in the show is shit this and shit that the novel isn’t like that… and this isn’t to say the writing is bad it’s just lazy where it doesn’t draw directly from the source material and also this isn’t a problem with the writing but in the first episode when the priest finds out about blackthorns writings blackthorn with his hands tied together reaches for something to kill the priest who draws a gun and tells him go up on deck and look at Japan he walks up with his hands tied now behind his back…
@@shwix6534well the problems with the source material aren’t the issue the writing is terrible “the sea is always right”
@@shwix6534and that’s because most stuff that comes out today is absolutely shit so comparing shit to shit some shit is better than the other shit but it’s all still shit
@@shwix6534same. I don't get the hate
Episode 5 was insane. Every release is getting better and better!
The original Shogun had me hooked so much I still remember my 'konichi wa' and wakarimasu ka?' from over 40 years ago.
My dad showed me the series during the end of 80s/beginning of 90s.
Since that time we ALWAYS referenced to it: "Hai, anjin-san" etc
Fantastic series, great memories.
Glad it's not just me then.🙂
The original was the best 👍
The Toshiro Mifune/ Richard Chamberlain "Shogun" is very good. I remember it fondly. The gentleman playing Lord Toranaga in this adaptation has the daunting task of playing a role done by a master.
The book is very good too, but it is very thick and starts slowly. I started trying to read it at the age of twelve, but only finished it after the third attempt, as it only becomes gripping at about page 280 (of 1200 and some for the edition that I read). James Clavell wrote bricks of literature. "Taipan" is set in the Opium Wars leading to the founding of Hong Kong as a British possession. "Whirlwind" is set during the the fall of the Shah of Iran and the Islamic Revolution. Both are good books. I have not read "King Rat".
The original holds up, but sadly I can only find a somewhat abridged version on the internet and not the full show. I like the actor who Yabu in the original, he just looks so much the part of a conniving toadie. The actor in the new one looks too cool.
I watched the 80's mini-series with Richard Chamberland as Blackthorne & Toshiro Mifune as Toranaga, as a young man, read the book by Clavell in my 20's (loved them both) and I'm so delighted by this series, I was dreading yet another, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars level Mangling of a beloved story. It almost gives me hope that not everything on TV has to suck.
My favorite part of the 80s series was when blackthorne becomes disgusted with his own men in the "nighttime" establishment.
@@rhetorical1488 Kind of a precursor to the scene where he threatens to commit seppuku if the village is held accountable for him not learning "enough" of the language. "tonight Angin-san your soul is japanese"
Shogun is absolutely fantastic.
The fact it's set in Japan kinda sucks for me though.
@sincerelynotme3522 why?
@@sincerelynotme3522 bye Felicia
@Loathsome_Lynx Not interested in old Japan. I find old Egypt, Rome, and China far more interesting.
@sincerelynotme3522 then watch Rome (HBO)
I too read Shogun, along with all the books in Clavell’s Asian saga, some 25 years ago. I subsequently reread them all (and some 3 times over) including Shogun, Gai Jin, Tai pan, Noble House and of course, King Rat. Huge works of fiction, loosely based on historical events, they are without doubt some of my favourite novels and one of my favourite authors of all time. I never watched the original adaptation of Shogun but I was so happy to see the imminent release of it this time. Aside from the famous movie adaptation of King Rat in 1965, I always wondered why the rest of the novels had not been adapted for the screen, the obvious answer being they are “Tolkienesque” in their size and scope! A series is a great solution to that and a welcome reprieve from a lot of the guff we have seen lately on our screens. There is so much more material in this series of novels, they could keep releasing them for the next ten years, Ok by me!😂
The books are masterpieces, I’d highly recommend to anyone who hasn’t delved in!
Tai Pan was, in fact adapted into a TV movie / miniseries, with Bryan Brown playing the lead (back in the early 90's I believe).
Clavell's Shogun is to Japan as Jennings' Aztec is to Mexico. Both are towering works of quality historical fiction which illustrate both cultures in detail.
Yes the "Tai Pan" adaptation exists, though it could have been a lot better. And "Noble House" was made into a mini-series starring Pierce Brosnan. I am enjoying the new series, except for Mariko who reads more like a California Girl than a 1600s Japanese lady. However if you haven't seen the 1980 production, you are cheating yourself. Seems like practically no one putting out rave reviews for the new show has either read the novel or seen the original series.
Important parts of this 2024 adaptation have been modified from the original story, and some of it for obviously woke reasons.
Since you have read the novel, I want to ask you and anyone who has also read the book: What´s your opinion on episode 5? The last one. They deviated big time from the book. SPOILERS AHEAD. In the book, Ochiba never had enough power to boss the regents. But in the final minutes of the episode she just bossed Ishido like he was a random dude. Ishido is the most powerful guy in Japan, it´s nuts that Ochiba talked to him like that. Of course she has some leeway with him because she is also important, but not enough to be at the same level of power as him or any regent.
Also, in the book, when they get back to the village, Toranga or Yabu (can´t remember) issues a decree, saying that If Blackthorne fails to learn japanese and other important stuff, the village and it´s people were going to get killed. This puts a tremendous big weight on John´s shoulders, which lead him to demand Yabu to eliminate the decree. When faced with Yabu´s denial of his request, he decides to commit suicide by stabbing himself in front of them (Yabu, Omi, Mariko and a minor character). Omi stops him just in time, but Anjin was so determined to kill himself, that he enters a sort of trance preparing to be dead, it was masteful written. When Blackthrone snapped out of it and realise he was still alive, he felt like he was reborned, and had a better understanding about karma and the japanese culture. This was a before and after in John Blackthorne´s story, it was the start of his new life. But in the show, they skipped this altogheter, and I can´t imagine a reason to do this. I still have hopes that this happens in the next episode, even tho it should have happen in episode four. It would be such a big mistake to scrach that moment.
Anyways, what´s your take?
The 1980's adaption was wonderful and if you like this modern version you will love the 1980's version. One thing I found of interest about the 1980's adaption was no subtitles. The mini series was purposly filmed without subtitiles so the viewer would feel the same way Blackthorne felt arriving in a country that was alien to him. Listening to a speech his ears had never heard before. You know what they say... It's the little things..
I agree with the review, being old enough to remember the original mini series and seeing the excellent work of the new. They have done an excellent job on all fronts remaking this classic.
Decided to stream the movie myself - before watching this new series. First, I think they begin the movie in 1980's version in the middle of the actual story; so I appreciated seeing Blackthorn land rather than the buffoonish dance he teaches the Lord in the movie. Second - the movie focus' REALLY hard (and apparently so does the book) on building up the Love Interest between Blackthorn & Mariko, who plainly states that she is married. She also - and I think this is a massive missed opportunity in both the book and the movie - states the ONLY way she can be with Blackthorn (after it's clear she really wants to be) is IF her husband dies. At one point it's actually not clear that he hasn't. In the show I've read it's heavily implied that she sleeps with him. [In the movie it's presented to be someone else - though it's not clear if it was Fuji, and I would've preferred it be frankly, since she's SUPPOSED to be his consort, and that should have been part of the deal] The sticking point for me was by the end of the movie; and to the end of the book... that love story goes nowhere. The author simply does not let it.
There is a point in all possible spoilers where Blackthorn does ask for her hand from their lord... and gets denied. For what reason? There's no chance Lord doesn't know what the hell is up between her and hubby. If he values her that much and respects Blackthorn or values him as much as is built up, it shouldn't have been a problem.
* There's also no mention of kids between them in the movie. So I don't know why Mariko suddenly has a son, and Blackthorn has two of his own. That's just random. Not necessary, and further on will add nothing to the problem of the love story that this book SHOULD have been. I get it's called Shogun, but for two so centrally set characters to get pushed to the side and screwed that badly - in the movie at one point the audio makes it fairly insinuated she's being "coitused non consensually" shall we say. because TH-cam doesn't like certain words... and she literally admits to Blackthorn she's NEVER let her husband do it consensually - it's just not very palatable to me. There was a point they were involving Chritian and Catholic religion in the story, but it's weird to me that Lord would behave so Til Death Do You Part. Especially given some of the philosophy, and exactly how chop happy they were if you screwed up. Anything. If there was supposed to be such difference between cultures shown, one would think the story would be better served to let the Lord's word on it be the end of. In a better way than it was. Or straight up... Husbando definitively DIES. Problem solved. (Yes, I know these characters were based on real people, but the author is allowed some creative liberties - I did look up the character Bios, and I had to look up the end to the movie because when I watched it the last three minutes were cut out and it was nowhere near a viable end to the actual tale) Overall, still going to watch it. However I would warn for people thinking there's gonna be some epic romance here; you're going to be heavily disappointed. Also find it funny that Hollywood is so dead for new IP that they're cannibalizing a book that was turned into a TV series, then turned into a movie, just to turn it BACK into a TV series. With as far as I can see, slightly more detail added. At this point Shogun is less ground beef than it is mystery meat. Refried, refried beans. ; )
You saved the best statement for last. It's pathetic that the entertainment industry has such little creativity in it's ranks that they can't create anything original.
With that being said, the romance between Blackthorn and Mariko is a romance that is displayed in nothing but raw emotion. The relationship never becomes physical. In both the 1980's version and this one the closest the two make it to joining physically is Mariko putting her perfume and kimono on Blackthorn's consider to truck him into thinking it's Mariko. She knew Anjin would've never willing just slept with his construct because he loved Mariko. Likewise, the only time Mariko experiences the physical act of a relationship is violently which is a direct representation of the culture if Japan in that time. The last point the book made ever so suddenly throughout the entire story is that Blackthorn, no matter how best efforts, would never leave Japan. And he never did. Sometimes he seemed to find a small measure of happiness that would allow him to accept his fate that he would never leave but there was always a piece of his heart trying to get back to his own country if for only his been but fate would never allow him.
I really enjoy your "Drinker recommends". I hope you keep doing them. Thanks 👍
I'm pretty sure he likes doing them too, the only problem is that movies or shows have to be actually good in order to do so
I also really enjoy the "Drinker recommends". I hope Hollywood keeps letting him do them.
I hadn't seen a 'recommends' video in awhile, was afraid these were going away. Glad to see another one, keep them coming!
Same
Amen!
I was waiting for you to cover this. I've been a fan of this story since I've read the novel when I was 12. Then watched the 1980s tv show (highly recomend that one too), and I was so excited for this to come out. I've been loving it so far. Hiroyuki Sanada is truly amazing in this one.
Once again, I'm thankful to be pointed in the direction of this excellent series. It isn't fully finished yet, but from what I've seen so far, this is definitely worth watching. Excellent acting, an intriguing story, beautiful shots, realistic setting, there is not much more you can ask for. Thanks Drinker for yet another good recommendation!
I watched the older mini series and this is a worthy successor, beautifully done, good call drinker.
CD I totally agree, this is beautifully done production. Each week I'm blown away by the scenery as I'm gently but firmly pulled along by the story. Until this mini series I'd never noticed Cosmo Jarvis before. Shogun will change that man's career forever.
Finally shogun on the drinker🎉🎉
The use of 16th century Japanese grammar, the walks, the pouring of tea, calligraphy inspired by contemporary masters of the form, a lot of effort went into making this one of the best period pieces ever filmed for any screen. The authenticity abounds in this show and it's stunning. It's a big reason why long dialogue scenes feel completely organic and necessary, because we're fully immersed by the attention to detail both in the foreground and background. Love this show, will rewatch it many many times.
You're 100% correct. What makes this series so profound is that every, single word has meaning; every look, every voice inflection is so important to the characters and the plot.
@@nightwolf2666 Then why were the subtitles translated four times to garble them out of their meaning? Translation process went: English Script, to Japanese, to 17th Century Japanese Script, subtitled back to English. Except the subtitles aren't nuanced at all. They hold no double meanings. They are not utilized as a narrative tool in a clever way whatsoever.
My favorite thing that I have learned about this show is that, in figuring out the many ways to best (and efficiently) represent the Japan of the period, the shows creators put together what they call a "bible" of how tos (it's an actual book that rivals the tome that serves as the show's source material in length). Because they told their entire planned story in this one miniseries, they don't plan on another "season" or anything like that...but do hope others will look to use their bible for future productions. Very cool!
No need for another Shogun when Taipain is sitting there waiting for its own adaptation. In normal times, a redo of King Rat might work as well but not in today's woke world.
@@ktall6749 Nah, this show proves why there needed to be a new Shogun.
Shogun is a one of a kind miniseries.
The best part is that Hiroyuki Sanada is involved in this not just an actor but as a producer.
Not to mention that Japanese people really loved the series. They say it’s better than the 1980 version (and I can understand why).
I liked the 80s miniseries, is this going to piss me off? Should I just avoid this if so?
@@geraldmorgan6906no, it'll make you love it even more
@@geraldmorgan6906 tell you what look up the map of the world for the new shogun and compare to the 1980 version if you like the clip you'll like the full thing
@@geraldmorgan6906 nah it's pretty much awesome
@@geraldmorgan6906 You may find the new Blackthorne irritating, at least I did. Aside from the fact that he is way too buff for someone half-starved from being at sea for months with dwindling provisions, he also tends to look borderline stupid at times, even when the character is doing something smart. But that's nitpicking. The show is different, but still very good. It feels denser, with less time wasted on playing out japanese stereotypes that are much more present in today's culture than they were back then.
i´m 4 episodes in and i can say it is incredible! the tension of the foreign cultures but yet respect/understanding, you can literally feel it. awesome! i wish it would be 5 seasons long!
You should watch the original one. This one is disappointing.
@@krzysztofkukwa190 there is literally nothing that could have said "don't watch the original one" more than your comment
Shows like this give hope that there's still some good people left in the entertainment history that care about those old traditional sacred values of telling a story and developing its characters so the audience can relate and be immersed in the world that's being presented.
What "old traditional sacred values"? Not that I disagree with the sentiment, but this is such a weird and religious way of talking about what we, today, consider a "good" story.
Thanks for the recommendation with no spoilers, this channel is my main source for the rare nuggets of decent film and TV we get these days.
Fun fact: Blackthorne is based on a real-life historical figure, navigator William Adams AKA "Miura Anjin" ( "Navigator of Miura Island"), the first Brit who traveled to Japan in the early 1600´s.
He became a military/ naval advisor for Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu, the later Shogun ( Lord Torunaga is based on him) and build European type ships for him, trained crews and organized trading expeditions to Vietnam & Thailand.
For his service, Adams was given the title of Samurai and he ended up marrying a Japanese noble woman.
Adams is still today highly regarded in Japan, there are several memorials for him & his wife, a museum and even an annual festival in his honor.
And yes, he´s the main character in the videogame Nioh.
P.S. Adams & Tokugawa Ieyasu are both, well-known historical figures, so shut up about "muh spoilers". What´s next? You gonna complain about spoilers for HBO´s "Rome", when I tell you that Julius Caesar gets assassinated? The novel by James Clavell, the show is based off, is like a more fictionalized version of Adams´ story anyway and Clavell took some artistic license to tell his story.
I must get back to Nioh and finish it.
When I read the book, I had the pleasure of not knowing how it was going to turn out for Toranaga. All these comments need big spoiler warnings edited in at the top.
Why ruin the show like this?
Still a better portrayal of William Adams than The Last Samurai.
I mean I think knowing the historical context makes it cooler, Taiko being Hideyoshi and Akiko being the daughter of "Mitsuhide" and her family is hated for having betrayed "Nobunaga".
This is why I follow The Drinker. When I first saw the trailer for Shogun my first thought afterwards was "Oh God theyve done it with Medieval Japan".
As a lover of history that is one of my favorite time periods in Japanese history. The war and power struggles of the Sengoku Jidai and how Japan was reshaped by this conflict and set it's history for the next 300 years. Only for "modern writers" to come along and put their own spin on history.
I'm grateful to hear the Drinker not only says it's a good show but enthusiastically recommends it. That's the next show I'm setting up for me and my girlfriend to get into.
Heres to you Critical Drinker, my faithful guide for modern entertainment.
Cheers mate! 🍻
Did you enjoy it? I'm curious :)
Shogun was honestly so so good. I was struck by all the same things you talked about, but the character development was what I was most grateful for. Especially the love story between Mariko and the Anjin. So many modern depictions of love are so rushed and unbelievable. They took their time with this show, with all the characters. And what a difference that makes. 10/10
The original mini series with Richard Chamberlain was great too, definitely recommend watching it
I wasn't sure I wanted to watch the remake since I had absolutely adored the mini series in the 80s. Everyone was home the evening of the last installment - it was riveting. I'm happy to say this is a brilliant adaption of James Clavell's novel and so far I've enjoyed every moment of it!
We are hooked . We just finished watching the 5 episodes tonight. I can't wait for next week
Talk about a cliff hanger 😮
This show is so good I've been watching it each week it airs and patiently waiting for next episode I usually wait for the full season but it's too good to wait.
My dad, brother and I love this show and the historical connections. We watch it every other Saturday for two episodes so that gives us 3 hours of uninterrupted enjoyment.
I'm really enjoying Shogun so far. It's well made, well written and well acted. Can't ask for more.
Except the contact wearing armenian.
I also recommend to people the show "Marco Polo" which is surprisingly good, tho unfortunately Netflix canceled it after 2 seasons.
Yeah, I stumbled across it a while back and was surprised by how good it was. Second season wasn't quite so good, but it still great overall. Ended up reading a load of Conn Iggulden's Ghengis Khan series off the back of it.
Netflix only cancels the good stuff and renews the bad stuff, while increasing their prices and wonders why people constantly complain about that.
@@zuriyel5368 The good stuff is expensive and offends their social sensibilities, and people tend to only complain (not quit), so they don't care.
@@duncanhamilton5841 weird i thought season 1 wasnt great, but season 2 improved upon it. Either way real shame they cancelled it.
It was very expensive to make - that's why Netflix cancelled it. It is also high quality - one of the best Netflix originals (back when almost all of them were great).
I am loving this series so far! Beautifully shot and well written/acted. More shows like this please!
These are the best video you release, Drinker Recommendations should be a stand alone channel.
Just noticed a very small detail that that movie (at least going with the clips you showed) gets right that many many other movies (even great movies like Lotr) get wrong. At 6:21 you can see a couple archers in waiting position with bows at the ready. But they DON'T have their bows drawn. That is absolutly correct. You wouldn't draw your bow and then hold it for an extended period of time simply because you couldn't. These warbows have draw weights of at least 100 pounds, arnold schwarzenegger in his prime couldn't hold such a bow drawn for more than a couple seconds.
Thank you!! I love when I'm watching something and the drinker starts talking about it
Same here .. if the drinker recommends it, 99% of the time i either agree or go watch it myself to find out
@archerhawkings472 - what channel is it on? I don’t seem to be able to find it.
@@bryanduncan1640 i got you. It's on FX or Hulu
@@bryanduncan1640 i watch it on hulu but its an fx show
i was a big fan of the original series (which i have on DVD) but never read the books. Im loving this show. Watching it with the missus and we look forward to it every week.
incredible what good writing, acting and zero pandering can do for a show
I'd like to add that one of the great points of Shogun is that is it historical fiction. It is based on actual historical events and people. The characters are named differently however, Blackthorne corresponds to William Adams and Toranaga is the founder of the actual Tokugawa shogunate. Nearly all the cast have similar counterparts, so it's not just a story that sounded cool. The author took what was real and made a great story out of it. Even the women warriors, onna-musha, were a real thing. If they had put this much accuracy and love of the source material into RoP just think what they could have done. Thank you for the excellent recommendation Drinker.
I saw the first TV adaptation of Shogun when I was 13. We only had one TV and it was a network TV spectacle at the time......plus I think my mom had thing for Richard Chamberlain.
Fast forward to now and I am counting days until the next episode drops on Hulu. This is a well written and well acted series and the production value so high it's a joy to watch.
Bravo to the producers for bringing this new adaptation to the screen.
I am black and I am offended that I am not represented in this series. I now want the studio to completely rewrite Japansese history!
There was a black samurai who arrived in Japan before the character that Blackthorne is based on. His name was Yasuke, and he became a very high ranking bodyguard of Japan's greatest warlord. Apparently, theyre trying to make a movie about his story
@plr2473 at this point, I don't care if he is historically accurate or not, I won't watch it.
I'm sick of seeing the bastards everywhere and being forced to, not only approve of them, but like them.
The forced diversity could not have had a more opposite effect on me.
@@plr2473 If that really happened, there should be a movie about it.
@@surferdude4487 an assasins creed game is being created based on that samarai. All set in Japan.
@@plr2473 we don't give a rats ass about your afro we wuz fantasies.
he was a slave on a portuguese ship, that was kept around as a pet ornament.
Just finished this series. The ending had be a bit puzzled but otherwise floored, and it was definitely one of the more memorable series I've watched. You can tell everyone on board for this series is passionate about the project and the material and all the actors really give it their all.
The first "must-watch" show I've seen this year. Can't wait for each new episode to drop!
The 1980's version is also well worth the watch. While the core story is the same there are some fantastic actors and it has its own kind of attention to detail.
Tokyo Vice, Blue Eye Samurai, Shogun, Lone Wolf and Cub, Vagabond and Ghost of Tsushima ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nioh
Tokyo Revengers 1 and 2, and Kingdom 1, 2 and 3.
I agree, Tokyo Vice i feel goes a little under the radar but really good but Shogun truly is must see T.V.
Thanks for the tip, drinker! I will certainly check out this blast from the past.
Yes! This show is a breath of fresh air. Loving it so far.
I watched the last episode this morning. It’s amazing. 100/10. What I loved is respecting and understanding different cultures.
I watched series the based on a recommendation and loved it. What really stood out was the earthy beauty of the scenes, they buildings and landscape were not picture perfect, but more realistic with their flaws. Great show and a fair assessment from the drinker.
Love the show! Hope they stay faithful to the original material!
I read the book, watched the 80's version and am now watching the remake. I'm so happy with this show for all the reasons you mention. Tuesday night is something to look forward to again.
I only just noticed that there is a Clavell family member as executive producer. I was really happy to see that.
That’s not always a good thing though.
@@Fardawg Michaela Clavell is known to be very protective of her father's work. Especially Shogun because much of what James Clavell learned about the oriental mindset was gleaned from his time in Changi after being taken prisoner by the Japanese in 1942.
You’re too young to know this but there was a great Shogun mini-series in 1980. So popular; everyone was learning Japanese along with Blackthorne, played by Richard Chamberlain. It was awesome. Can’t wait to watch this new one!
If he's too young to know that, how come he mentions "the 1980 adaptation" at 0:54 ?
Not to mention Toshiro Mifune (Toranaga) and John Rhys Davies (Rodrigues). Loved the book. Loved the original series. Fearing having to subscribe to Disney to watch this well-recommended remake.
The 1980’s version was truly awesome. I loved that it didn’t have sub-titles, we had to learn what was going on at the same time as Blackthorne based on what Mariko was translating or someone else was telling him. Which gave a totally different experience.
And narrated by Orson Welles. His voice added so much gravitas to the series.
Thanks! I watched it twice and missed that both times.
You have excellent timing. I’m currently visiting Shizuoka city, which is the location of the castle that “Torunana-sama” retires to at the end of the story. the best thing about Shogun is, it’s all real, everything happened pretty much as it did in the novel, although the names are all changed. I’m absolutely floored by the fact that, while King Lear or Macbeth were being performed for the first time in London, an English navigator became a few to Lord over in Japan, for real.
On my way home I’m considering visiting the graveside of the real “John Blackthorne“ (although his real name was William Adams.
Game of Thrones (Seasons 1 - 4), but set in Japan?? I'm sold!
im here@Deadpool-mk7so
Would it not be more accurate to say Games of Thrones is Shogun in a mythical fantasy land? James Clavell died before Game of Thrones was written.
@Deadpool-mk7so yeah we're sure it is
Lengii is the Japan of ASOIAF word. Could be great some Spin-off story from here.
I actually think Season 6 of GoT is my favorite season.
i've been watching this series since the first episode dropped and i instantly fell in love with. this is exactly what i was missing in modern entertainment. a compelling, complex story with multi-layered characters that have both good and evil in them. set in an intriguing time period full of conflict, wars and power struggles. plus it does sooo much better job than Blue Eye Samurai when it comes to portraying the spirit of japanese culture and explaining it to the western audience with mostly showing and rarely telling. the screenwriters don't treat their audience like idiots and it benefits everybody
The book is worth reading, too. Clavell was an excellent author, especially if anyone enjoys historical fiction.I would recommend Shogun and Tai-Pan. Also, the 1980 miniseries is worth checking out.
John thinks the Japanese are barbarians and they think he's a barbarian. And they both have a point. It's great writing.
I grew up with Chamberlain's Shogun.. John Rhys-Davies.... excellent ... and this new mini-series is an amazing updated cinematographic take. Refreshing
Shogun has been fantastic to this point!
I grew up on the original and read the book.....as soon as I saw Hiroyuki Sanada was a producer and cast as Toranaga I knew this would be good. I'll have to binge it once its all done.
Not a single complaint mentioned in this whole video. Impressive
i've heard of Shogun my whole life. my mom read the book and saw the mini series in 1980. so far it's everything my mom has told me
Everyone involved in this show did a wonderful job, with well-written and well-acted characters, a faithful premise to the James Clavell novels that even native Japanese people adored, and genuine _heart and soul._
The fact that I don't normally watch shows with subtitles shows how engaging it is for me. Its an early highlight for tv show of the year tbh.
only utter ameritards even even consider subtitles worth mentioning.... its just the obvious correct thing to do if a language we dont understand
You really should consider watching more subtitled shows, There’s tons of good shows and movies out there. I’ve mostly given up on western entertainment and now mostly watch Korean and Japanese entertainment. They don’t have any woke messaging or political agendas and they make genuinely good stuff.
I'll give it a shot. Usually whenever I've watched subtitled movies/shows I get overwhelmed trying to keep up with the dialogue and visuals on the screen. Shōgun for me has been able to keep me engaged in both.
Completely different genre but the German series "Dark" is spectacular. Though it's possible you watched the dubbed version.
I'd much rather watch subtitled movies than dubbed-into-English ones.
Always love your recommendations! Thanks Drinker.
I’ve been contemplating watching this series, thank you for helping me decide on this drinker🙏🏽
03:14 Cool!
Being a Portuguese myself, I distinctly remember from the Shogun show from the 1990's the scene where the English protagonist explains the concept of the Treaty of Tordesillas - so many times wrongly interpreted as dividing the world between Portugal and Castille, when the division was to establish spheres of influence where the other part could not interfere.
Still remember from back then a special coin minted in that time's national currency, the _Escudo_ (Portuguese for "shield"), celebrating our arrival at Japan, with the word "Tanegashima" writen.
_Heróis do Mar_ (Heroes of the Sea) indeed!
Granted, it is told from Blackthorne's POV, and he's biased.
Wait seriously?? We learn in Brasil that Tordesillas was a "dividing the world" thing.
I guess I should've expected that, as we are conditioned to hate the Portuguese in school...
Of course Tordesillas divided the world to be split up between Portugal and Spain.
'Spheres of influence' great powers have used the term a lot it sounds benign but doesn't always turn out that way for lesser powers within those spheres .
@@Pinky.Meerkathow utterly ridiculous. Most of you are Portuguese. Granted, mixed with a bunch of shit. Majority Portuguese ancestry just the same.
I was *BLESSED* to witness and enjoy the first 'Shogun' broadcast across the once-FREE airwaves, decades ago. By all accounts, everyone that's watching this remake likes it, and from what I've seen from their 'Reaction' channels, it seems like it honors the book and characters, and that alone gives it some cred!
Modern film making and the special effects that go with it certainly add to the visual experience, no doubt!
This is rhe first show I've seen in a long time that i absolutely loved. I just finished the last episode and can say that rhey kept the quality up the whole way through. I hope other showrunners take note of all the praise and attention this show is getting.
I actually started the "old" Shogun series yesterday, thinking "I'll watch that before I watch the new one - for as long as it is good" and I'm 3 hours into the series and its GREAT! I'm going to watch the "old" shogun till the end, and I recommend that one too!
Yeah, the original miniseries is dope. Whole thing shot in Japan, with Japanese actors. Instead of subtitles, you feel what it’s like to be Anjin by not understanding what’s going on (unless you speak Japanese). That’s something that makes that old show more intriguing to me. And Mariko, who is cunning, has a graceful delicacy to her in the old show, as opposed to this girl boss in the new show.
@@JamalBlakk How is she a girl boss in the current adaption?
As update, I did binge-watch old Shogun. Loved it.
@@Rabbithole8 She's just very modern. Compare her acting with the actress playing Usama Fuji or the 1980s Mariko. Sawai's performance has no layers and doesn't feel very culturally Japanese.
@@AndSendMe I didn't ask you about your views on Sawai's take on Mariko. I asked JamalBlakk how she is a "girl boss."
I suspect you haven't even stepped foot in Japan. Why don't you come to Japan and live here for over a decade and also ask Japanese friends and family what their take is on the character regarding the cultural feel.
As far as, your assessment of Sawai's performance, statements that include terms such as "layers' are things people say to justify criticism about acting. I simply can state her performance is layered. Now what? Give me an example.
I especially watch Shogun on my projector to bask in its magnificence. That's how good it is, plus the cinematography is breathtaking.
When they were diving on a boat that looked awful like it was filmed in a pool. The story is good to say the cinematography is excellent is really pushing it. Its very cheap
@@chiquita683That is the only clunky shot in the whole show so far
One of the best shows I've seen in a long time. I remember seeing the original as a youngster which also very good is incredible dated now. The cast are really good and Cosmo just pitches his English "Barbarian" perfectly. After all the episodes so far I've just been craving more. A truly sublime offering of a series that everyone should see! As close to a 10/10 there has been in recent years.