Shōgun is a historical drama television miniseries, which premiered on February 27, 2024 on FX, Hulu, and Disney+. The 10-episode limited series is an original adapatation of James Clavell's bestselling novel.
Shōgun was created for television by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, with Marks serving as showrunner and executive producer alongside Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca and Kondo. The series was produced by FX Productions.
Premise[]
Shōgun is set in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as Lord Yoshii Toranaga who is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village. Its English pilot, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), comes bearing secrets that could help Toranaga tip the scales of power and devastate the formidable influence of Blackthorne’s own enemies — the Jesuit priests and Portuguese merchants. Toranaga’s and Blackthorne’s fates become inextricably tied to their translator, Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a mysterious Christian noblewoman and the last of a disgraced line. While serving her lord amidst this fraught political landscape, Mariko must reconcile her newfound companionship with Blackthorne, her commitment to the faith that saved her and her duty to her late father.
The series features an acclaimed Japanese cast, unprecedented for an American production, including Tadanobu Asano as “Kashigi Yabushige,” a notorious backstabber and close ally of Toranaga; Hiroto Kanai as “Kashigi Omi,” the young leader of the fishing village where Blackthorne’s ship was found; Takehiro Hira as “Ishido Kazunari,” a powerful bureaucrat who is Toranaga’s chief rival; Moeka Hoshi as “Usami Fuji,” a widow who must find new purpose amidst her lord’s fight; Tokuma Nishioka as “Toda Hiromatsu,” Toranaga’s trusted general and closest friend; Shinnosuke Abe as “Buntaro” (“Toda Hirokatsu”), Mariko’s jealous husband; Yuki Kura as “Yoshii Nagakado,” the brash son of Toranaga with a strong desire to prove himself; Yuka Kouri as “Kiku,” a courtesan renowned for her artistry throughout Japan; and Fumi Nikaido as “Ochiba no Kata,” the revered mother of the heir who will stop at nothing to put an end to Toranaga and his threat to her son’s power.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga
- Cosmo Jarvis as John Blackthorne
- Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko
- Tadanobu Asano as Kashigi Yabushige
- Hiroto Kanai as Kashigi Omi
- Takehiro Hira as Ishido Kazunari
- Moeka Hoshi as Usami Fuji
- Shinnosuke Abe as Toda "Buntaro" Hirokatsu
- Tokuma Nishioka as Toda Hiromatsu
- Yasunari Takeshima as Muraji
- Yuki Kura as Yoshii Nagakado
- Fumi Nikaido as Ochiba No Kata
- Tommy Bastow as Father Martin Alvito
- Yuka Kouri as Kiku
- Yoriko Dōguchi as Kiri No Kata
- Ako as Lady Iyo/Daiyoin
Supporting[]
- Toshi Toda as Sugiyama
- Hiro Kanagawa as Igurashi
- Junichi Tajiri as Uejiro
- Néstor Carbonell as Lord Vasco Rodrigues
- Nobuya Shimamoto as Nebara Jozen
- Yuki Kedoin as Takemaru
- Mako Fujimoto as Shizu No Kata
- Haruno Niiyama as Natsu No Kata
- Hiromoto Ida as Kiyama ukon Sadanaga
- Takeshi Kurokawa as Ohno Harunobu
- Yuko Miyamoto as Gin
- Yoshi Amao as Sera
- Sen Mars as Lord Nakamura Yaechiyo
Crew[]
- Justin Marks - Co-Creator, Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer
- Rachel Kondo - Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer
- Michaela Clavell - Executive Producer
- Edward L. McDonnell - Executive Producer
- Shannon Goss -Co-Executive Producer
- Jonathan van Tulleken - Co-Executive Producer, Director
- Erin Smith - Producer
- Eriko Miyagawa - Producer
- Matt Lambert - Consulting Producer, Writer
- Caillin Puente - Associate Producer, Story Editor, Writer
- Maegan Houang - Story Editor, Writer
- Emily Yoshida - Staff Writer, Writer
- Charlotte Brändström - Director
- Frederick Toye - Director
- Lauro Chartrand-Del Valle - Stunt Coordinator
- Lisa Lancaster - Set Decorator
- Jonathan Lancaster - Set Decorator
Episodes[]
| # | Title | Director | Writer | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anjin | Jonathan van Tulleken | Rachel Kondo, Justin Marks | February 27, 2024 |
| 2 | Servants of Two Masters | Jonathan van Tulleken | Rachel Kondo, Justin Marks | February 27, 2024 |
| 3 | Tomorrow is Tomorrow | Charlotte Brändström | Shannon Goss | March 5, 2024 |
| 4 | The Eightfold Fence | Frederick E.O. Toye | Nigel Williams, Emily Yoshida | March 12, 2024 |
| 5 | Broken to the Fist | Frederick E.O. Toye | Matt Lambert | March 19, 2024 |
| 6 | Ladies of the Willow World | Hiromi Kamata | Maegan Houang | March 26, 2024 |
| 7 | A Stick of Time | Takeshi Fukunaga | Matt Lambert | April 2, 2024 |
| 8 | The Abyss of Life | Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour | Shannon Goss | April 9, 2024 |
| 9 | Crimson Sky | Frederick E.O. Toye | Rachel Kondo, Caillin Puente | April 16, 2024 |
| 10 | A Dream of a Dream | Frederick E.O. Toye | Maegan Houang, Emily Yoshida | April 23, 2024 |
Production[]
Behind the Scenes[]
- See Shōgun TV Series/Production Design
- See Shōgun TV Series/Hair
- See Shōgun TV Series/Makeup
- See Shōgun TV Series/Gestures and Movements
- See Shōgun TV Series/Costume Design
- See Shōgun TV Series/Stunts and Choreography
- See Shōgun TV Series/Cinematography
Development[]
Filming[]
The show was filmed in Vancouver, Canada.
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Photos[]
