Shogun (Season 1)

 

Shortly after finishing the great samurai game Ghost of Tsushima, the TV series Shogun debuted on FX. The timing could not have been better for me. I was still in the mood for more samurai action, so the show was a welcome extension of the awesome action that I experienced in the game. The show is fictional, but is loosely based on real events that occurred in feudal Japan in the 1600s. The current Shogun dies, and his heir is a child too young to lead. A council of regent leaders is established, and what follows is a power struggle amongst the council members to become the next leader of Japan. This situation has very strong Game of Thrones vibes. Throw in a European with unknown intentions and some religious tensions between Christians and Protestants, and the scene is set for an epic drama.

I admittedly struggled to keep the characters straight initially. However, after the first few episodes, it becomes apparent that there are two main characters from the council battling for power. Lord Toranaga is the main character, who is able to use wits more so than strength to win the crown of Shogun. In reality, his Shogun ruled Japan for over 200 years, which is amazing to think about. The show relies more on drama than action, which I was OK with. When the English Protestant sailor John Blackthorne arrives in Japan, Torananga takes him captive and essentially uses him as a political chess piece. Christians from Spain have already arrived to spread Christianity (and to take advantage of the Japan-China-Europe trade triangle to benefit Spain) and Blackthorne's intentions are unclear and thus the Japanese are suspicious. Obviously there is a language barrier, and although he learns Japanese along the way, much of his interactions rely on translation. Lady Mariko becomes his main translator. She is from a dishonorable family, and must prove her allegiance and value. Toranaga, Blackthorne, and Mariko form the 3 main characters, as they attempt to out maneuver Toranaga's political rivals. 

One of my favorite parts of the show was the inside look of what feudal 1600s Japan was like. After playing Ghost of Tsushima, my interest was piqued on the topic. Assuming the show is at least somewhat accurate, it is really interesting to me to see their customs and way of life, especially regarding the samurai and their loyalty. Samurai are commonly featured in pop culture, but beyond knowing that they are Japanese soldiers who use swords, I knew nothing about them. I found this aspect of the show the most enjoyable, on top of the great drama and story telling. The show ended at a point that I thought was appropriate for this to be a one season mini series, but it was recently announced that it was renewed for seasons 2 &3, so I will be looking forward to watching it in the future.