The adventure series Shogun launched on Disney+ just two weeks ago. And with a temporary one Rating of 8.6 According to the Moviepilot community, the adaptation of James Clavell’s best-selling novel is well on its way to becoming one of the best series of the year after just a few episodes.
Shogun set streaming records right from the start. However, there are many series fans who are still hesitant due to the language barrier (about 70 percent of the series is in Japanese with subtitles). But don’t let that put you off.
I was able to immerse myself in all 10 episodes of the miniseries in advance. That’s why I can tell you: If you don’t watch Shogun, you’re missing out not only a current series event, but also an absolute masterpiece.
Shogun unleashes dangerous samurai power games on Disney+
What is Shogun about? Japan in the year 1600. Five princes share power over the empire as long as the deceased Taiko’s heir is not yet of age. This also includes Prince Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada from John Wick 4), who gets into a dangerous game of intrigue with the rest of the Council of Regents, while the Portuguese and Jesuits gain more and more influence in the country.
FX/Disney
Hiroyuki Sanada in Shogun
At the same time, the English navigator John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) and his crew of the Dutch merchant ship Erasmus are stranded on the coast of Japan and promptly become prisoners. Luckily, he has valuable knowledge that can be of use to Toranaga and rises in the daimyo’s favor as he grows closer to the translator Lady Mariko (Anna Sawai from Monarch: Legacy of Monsters).
Is Shogun a true story? Although the series is very specifically set in the history of Japan, shortly before the beginning of the Edo period, it is a fictional story. However, characters like Blackthorne and Toranaga are based on real personalities and their experiences.
Masterful series entertainment: Why you shouldn’t miss Shogun
Shogun already has some reviews and fans compared to the series milestone Game of Thrones. Of course, there are no dragons or dark magic to be seen here. But the rough and dirty world as well as the fine-meshed and complex intrigues are actually reminiscent of the narrative quality of earlier Westeros adventures.
On a visual level alone, Shogun knows how to convince and stand out from the monotony of the series. The impressive sets and costumes were captured in breathtakingly beautiful images. Even though huge units often move through the Japanese landscape, you shouldn’t expect an epic battle scene.
You can hear more about Shogun and the best series in March in the podcast:
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But don’t worry: Shogun shocks with plenty of bloody violence to make it clear to us Death and violence are a natural part of life in this culture whose customs are both strange and fascinating to Western eyes.
As John “Anjin” Blackthorne moves through the graceful world of Japan like a screaming (and profusely cursing) wild man, cultural differences and problems of communication often produce unexpectedly funny scenes – until he is confronted with the dramatic consequences of his cultural ignorance. Because in Shogun can Every action, every gesture and every word has devastating consequences even episodes later entail.
A wide-ranging adventure epic with numerous complex and nuanced characters, Shogun is simply captivating. Anyone who gets involved in the challenging story (and reads the subtitles carefully) will be rewarded with a series masterpiece that is already guaranteed a place among the best series of 2024.
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When is the Shogun series on Disney+?
The 10-part samurai epic has been running on Disney+ in Germany since February 27, 2024. The episodes are published weekly, always on Tuesdays. The finale of the completed miniseries can be seen from April 23, 2024.