Shōgun is the epic Game of Thrones-like miniseries that has taken the TV world by storm. Based on the 1975 James Clavell novel, it follows Lord Yoshii Toranaga in the midst of a conflict with the Council of Regents. When a marooned European ship is discovered at a nearby village, he employs a barbarian in his fight against the higher, oppressive powers.
At every turn, Shōgun flexes its dramatic narrative, phenomenal characters, edge-of-seat tension and impressive world building. It's written to near perfection from start to finish and sucks you into a world running rampant with cultural politics, religious conflict and huge power swings. While it moves and progresses at a very slow pace, it's always doing so with a sense of purpose. As it jumps around between locations and characters, it's never overwhelming or difficult to follow - it takes its time to flesh out every relationship and convey how every big moment shapes the world around it. It doesn't do so through heavy, lazy exposition either - it relies on quality dialogue and deep, gripping conversations to guide its story and clue the audience into what's happening. Every conversation and interaction feels real due to the authenticity of the dialogue, strength of the characters and brilliance of the performances.
The character development throughout is some of the best ever put to screen. Every episode is packed with small character-focused moments that are exceptional in fleshing out the entire ensemble. Yes, there's the bigger picture narrative that carries through, but the series never forgets to scale back and focus in on the most important relationships. As much as the big moments are awesome to see play out, the emotionally impactful character interactions are just as valuable to the story. Most of the best scenes feature no action whatsoever, they just have two or more characters in tense, emotion-fuelled conversations and it's just as riveting. All this work builds an ensemble where every character has an intriguing arc to follow - it means there's no wasted scenes and every arc is fully fleshed out to a fulfilling climax. The breadth of personalities results in a perfect mix of characters you love, characters you love to hate and characters you hate to love.
Let's talk about tension, because one of the many things Shōgun excels in is how it not only introduces a deeply tense atmosphere, but how it manages to hold that sky-high level of suspense for ten episodes over ten weeks. With twists, turns and unbelievable cliffhangers aplenty, the feud between Toranaga and the Council of Regents develops in some of the most unpredictable ways. After fuelling a week's worth of speculation, the series constantly pulls the rug out from under you, subverting expectations in rewarding fashion. Just when you think the suspense can't get any sharper, it doubles and triples in intensity as it moves towards it finale. The consistent quality of this series is unmatched - it doesn't break its stride even for a moment and culminates in a finale that captures every meaning and message the series has been building towards.
There's no question, Shōgun will be nominated for Emmys across the board, and one area it's sure to get a lot of love is with its performances. In a series that's loaded with characters, it's astounding to think how many award-worthy performances are present. First, Hiroyuki Sanada (Toranaga) is one of the most brilliant Japanese actors, and he proves exactly why here, where he is also a producer. This man absorbs the personality of Toranaga and vanishes into the role, doing so much with so few lines of dialogue. He nails the character's stoic expressions and calm, collected demeanour, turning him into the most intriguing character in the series. The power in every line he utters is felt through the screen - you feel his influence on everyone around him just by the way he carries himself. It's the best performance I've ever seen from him - a true standout amongst a talented ensemble. There's nothing I'd love more than an audiobook of Cosmo Jarvis simply swearing in the cadence of John Blackthorne. Aside from a brief stint in Raised by Wolves, I wasn't familiar with him, but I sure am now. Jarvis' character exhibits the most growth over the series, and much of that is conveyed through the strength of his performance.
By far the most impressive performance in here is that of Anna Sawai who plays Mariko, the nominated translator for Blackthorne. This is the perfect example of how good writing of dialogue and character can allow a talented actor to really shine. Her presence in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters left much to be desired - her character exhibited no chemistry with her counterparts and was unlikeable as a protagonist. In Shōgun, Sawai is breathtaking across nearly every one of her scenes, enhancing the heart, emotion and pain of many of the series' most crucial moments. The subtlety in her performance speaks volumes - there's moments where all she gives is a look and it's oh so powerful and beautiful. In complete contrast to her subtle performance is the presence of Tadanobu Asano as Yabushige. The mannerisms he brings to the role made him instantly loveable despite the circumstances of his introduction. His charisma lights up the series with plenty of joy and big laughs, a valuable addition to a series that's draped in a serious tone.
The grand, cinematic nature of the series is where so many people will draw comparisons to Game of Thrones, and in that I'd say this series surpasses it. The attention to detail in bringing 1600's Japan to life is utterly exquisite. From the highly detailed costuming to the beautiful physical sets, it all perfectly replicates the time period. The authenticity assists with overall immersion - there's not a single bone in my body that thought this was filmed anywhere besides Japan... which it is not. The cinematography is stunning and it's accompanied by a score that complements and enhances each moment big or small.
In the end, Shōgun is a period drama of the highest quality - a certified must-watch with a riveting narrative, incredible characters and jaw-dropping moments aplenty. The Emmy-quality writing and performances are not to be missed, bringing to life one of the most gripping stories that will be seen all year. While it is a miniseries limited to one season, there's no question it's the biggest, most epic series to hit the small screen since Game of Thrones. See for yourself the spectacle that is Shōgun.
10/10
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