FX’s historical epic,Shōgunhas taken the internet and the wider viewing audience by storm since it made its premiere in late February. In the series' first three episodes, katanas, assassins, and political scheming were at their very peak. However, withLord Yoshii Toranaga(Hiroyuki Sanada)having made his escape from Osaka, feudal Japan is set to descend into chaos and war. New episodes of the historical epic premiere on FX and Hulu every Tuesday, and ahead of the series' upcoming episode,FX has released a new trailer and one thing is clear - civil war is about to break out acrossmedieval Japan.
In the show’s third episode, “Tomorrow is Tomorrow”, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) survives a deadly assassination attempt. Toranaga-sama had always been aware that his presence in Osaka meant he was surrounded by enemies on all sides, but this represented the tipping point.The Lord of Edo decides to ferry himself and his allies out of the capital- a move which would have far-reaching consequences going forward. In the new trailer, Lord Toranaga has made it to Izu away from his enemies, and now has to mass his forces. His decision to escape Osaka without the permission of Lord Ishido Kazunari (Takehiro Hira), the protector of the castle, means thatToranaga-sama has challenged the authority of the Council of Regents. Leaning on the Japanese inclination towards honor,Toranaga rallies his troops to protect the legacy of the late Taiko, while the sparks seemingly begin to fly between Blackthorne and Toda Mariko(Anna Sawai). The shady and unpredictable Kashigi Yabushige(Tadanobu Asano) has been deployed to the frontlines, and seemingly in peril. Katanas will be drawn and pistols fired.
FX’sShōgunis seen by many as the most interesting series at the moment. Boasting aRotten Tomatoesscore of 99% from over 75 votes, the limited series' premiere episodeamassed 9 million views globallyacross Hulu, Disney+ and Star+ in its first week. Adapted fromJames Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name, the show has been lauded for its impressive storyline andstunning production design.
‘Shōgun’Draws Noteworthy Comparisons
Since the show premiered, the historical drama has drawn comparisons with HBO’s hit fantasy show,Game of Thrones. While both show’s feature deadly political intrigue and scheming,Shōgun’s directorJonathan van Tullekendisagrees with the comparison, suggesting that eitherSuccessionorHouse of Cardswould be a better comparison. Whilediscussing the show,van Tulleken said:
Truly, it is a character piece and it is about this intrigue. This is a dangerous world where violence can come out of nowhere, but the real danger is in the machinations. A conversation can be as dangerous as anything else. A better comparison [than Game of Thrones] would be Succession or House of Cards. This is made hand in hand with the Japanese because it is a story about two cultures encountering each other and seeing ourselves in each other. We are way past [the western gaze] in terms of audience sophistication and the stories we want to tell. What we really want to tell is a story of political intrigue, imprisonment and entrapment.
The first three episodes are streaming on the aforementioned services.New episodes are releasedevery Tuesday. Watch the trailer above.
Shogun (2024)
When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, Lord Yoshii Toranaga discovers secrets that could tip the scales of power and devastate his enemies.
