My Thoughts on the Upcoming "Shogun" (2024 Miniseries) 

UPDATE: I have read the book now. Here are my thoughts of it! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5IfIQatJE18.html

The book is amazing. Mariko has a role in confronting the enemy samurai in order to force a hostage release. She picks up a sword but is unable to strike a blow. I’m hopeful that this is the extent of her combat role

I worked on this show. We had an army of authenticity experts including Japanese movement experts, Japanese weapons experts, Old Japanese language experts, etc. I'm glad you appreciate the results! Excited for people to see it.

Shogun isn't an action story about sword battles and spinning martial artists; ultimately it is the story of a stranger in a strange land, and how that unexpected wildcard,and the love between two unlikely lovers, changed history for millions. I thinks what Clavell understood very well is that in history the best made plans if lords and generals can be pushed aside by the unknown wildcards; the unforeseen little things in the grand scheme of the bigger picture. That one man that unexpectedly stands and fights a while host, a petty jealousy that comes to bare, or someone getting sick before a major battle and ends up being replaced, etc can all unexpectedly turn the course of events. Blackthorne is that wildcard, and he and Mariko's live affair turn the course of events in ways Toranaga-sama could never have predicted.

the novel is about clan rivalries, politics of the realm, the corrupt church and the scheming of the daimyos. it was not about battles. I was obsessed with the novel when I was young and the Mifune/Chamberlain mini-series was rather loyal to the story. Mifune had the presence to portray Toranaga. I hope this adaptation doesn't damage the original story too much but I'm not hopeful based on the trailer. I will give it a fair chance though.

The one thing I hope they get right is the way Toranaga was the master puppeteer in the book. How brilliant he was at playing people off each other and using them to get what he desired. Nudging people in a certain direction making them think that a certain path or action was their own idea all the while just being part of Toranaga's master plan. Just one of his many falcons he sends out to strike, only to give them a small morsel when they get back to keep them on their leash. When you get to read through his perspective and how he knew everything about Blackthorne and Mariko when they thought they were being sneaky and how he orchestrates everything perfectly the way he designed it was just amazing.

Hey thank you for the mention, very appreciated!

I'm not expecting a detailed showing of the battle of sekigahara, mainly because its not in the book. As for the part of Mariko facing off the spearmen, its in the book as others have mentioned. I hope they stick to the way it was portrayed in the book where she is basically trying to force a suicide in order to get the other hostages out.

It's amusing that in the current era many seem to think that physical prowess is tht only to have and express power. In the novel, Mariko has a lot of power, and it isn't expressed through combat; it's expressed through intelligence and manipulation. It is realistic for the time period, and for the culture in which the character is based. Making her an action warrior is to morph her into a modern Americanized trope.

If you haven't read the book it's pretty obvious you'd miss key elements and plot points. Sekigahara is mentioned only in the epilogue of the novel. Mariko's skill with weapons is explained as part of her training by her father, and yep the focus of the story is the love affair between Blackthorne and Mariko. I don't get people manifesdting their wish for a certain series film, when the source material is not about what they would like it to be...

In the novel Mariko was meant to spy at first, and then she genuinely fell in love with the hairy barbarian. And yeah, the point wasn't to be true to history, but to be an epic romance in the midst of history. So, yeah, I'd prefer it if they are true to history. (And I hated Chamberlain, lol)

Some of the comments on here are starting to worry me & do hope more people read the book after watching the show or before it. Shogun (the book) is a westernised STORY very loosely based on a period of Japanese history. It is not an historically accurate depiction. It is mainly character based &, while there are some battles, it does not feature the battle of Sekigahara which only appears in the epilogue. It is a fantastic read & will be better than any adaptation of it as the complexity of the plot & character development cannot be shown on screen. I am looking forward to the series & will reserve my judgement on it until after I watch it. Please read the source material for this show. It’s a masterpiece of storytelling.

Been watching the original miniseries & honestly it holds up. If this is a flop, at least we have the original that has the blessing of James Clavelle.

Also cautiously optimistic. Sanada-san is a *huge* plus.

Will it have someone playing Vasco Rodrigues, bellowing "Ingeles!" at every opportunity, with all the style and flair of John Rhys-Davies? If they cannot do that...then I'll pass. Lightning like that simply doesn't strike twice.

My reservations are the uber shinobi [mega ninja] polearm wielding, killing machine formerly known as Mariko -- and the fact that Blackthorne is a wooden plank of a character [based on the trailer], he is supposed to be our point of view into the story, the culture and people of Japan and his character is supposed to be charismatic and brazen enough to gain the respect and attention of some of the main characters [maybe with future trailers the character will show to be more, but as of now there's nothing to him, just a completely innocuous block of wood...

I just can't bring myself to be excited about any media anymore. I've been burned by just about every single show or movie involving my interests in the last decade. They show you a beautiful trailer that checks off everything, then it releases and you get blasted by constant subversions. I just want what I paid for sometimes.

Mariko's not a warrior in the traditional sense. The scene they show is one from the book when Mariko et al. leave Osaka castle, but are stopped by Ishido warriors. After losing several men, Mariko takes up a weapon to fight her way out. The opposing warriors simply let her tire herself out.

The book ends before the battle of Sekigahara, so it won't be included in this adaptation if it will follow the events of the book.

This version looks to be far more true to the book compared to the 80s version, I am currently rereading the novel (first read it back in the 80s) and the romance is very much a significant storyline in the novel so Im not sure why that would be an issue unless you completely don't know anything about the source material, and Mariko is samurai, the scene in the trailer where she is slowly moving forward swinging her naginata or whatever surrounded by enemy warriors is right out of the book, a pivotal moment in fact. Personally I think this series looks amazing, I am genuinely excited.

It's a risky project but it has potential.

Someone with a channel named "The Shogunate" NOT having read the original novel is just...c'mon, man! :) Great channel, great video...you just gotta read the book!

'Adaptation' is the word you're looking for.

I am somewhat conflicted on whether or not Sekigahara should be shown in its entirety in the movie. This battle only took place on one day but there were battles and skirmishes preceding it, plus the entire setup is somewhat involved and complicated in the arrangements of alliances and betrayals, even during the main battle itself (one really needs a program to follow all the players in the middle of all the intrigue here). There are many good movies already filmed about the battle and I think any type of abbreviated treatment of Sekigahara will not give it justice. It’s possible to do so I guess but this will be really tricky. I am looking forward to watching this.

I'll be curious to see how this compares to the book and the original mini series. I'll be tuning in to watch episode one that's for sure.

There is a specific time in the book where Mariko faces soldiers in grey and kills some, I believe that is what is shown at 5:10 above, though I thought it was with a sword. Another scene not in the other adaptation is shown in the first trailer. This could be a long miniseries to fit all this in.

The original mini-series started a life long love of the Japanese and their culture. This trailer looks like The Marvel Ninja Universe reboot.

Mariko was a warrior in the novel to an extent, In the retreat from the castle to free the hostages she takes up a sword to obey her masters instructions. She even explains to Blackthorn that women are samurai. Whilst not a fighter in the sense of being front and centre in battle she does take up the sword at one point.

Good review! I haven't finished it yet because I wanted to reassure you as to Mariko fighting samurai. I never managed to complete the TV series because it just couldn't compare to the book (which I've read at least 5 times and listened to the audiobook 3 times!). But in the novel, there's a sequence where Mariko has formally informed Ishido that she must leave his castle where she and some of Toranaga's wives are being held as hostages until Toranaga surrenders himself to the Heir. As she and her entourage are leaving they are attacked in a formal way by Ishido's samurai wearing brown uniforms. Each of Toranaga's grey clad samurai is attacked by a single brown in an endless stream, until it looks like Mariko will be defeated. She then takes a sword and tries to force her way through but ceases when she realizes that she'll be captured. I'm pretty sure that's the scene where she's being threatened by several samurai as she faces them with a katana. I'm a little worried that Blackthorne got so little time in the trailer since he was the main character and I'd hate it if FX's promising series goes the route that Amazon's butchering of the Lord of The Rings took when it made Galadriel an unstoppable girl boss, subordinating the men around her. Fingers crossed that they won't do that to Shogun! Edit: Unless it's added by the screenwriters, Sekigahara wasn't depicted in Clavell's book, just described as more of an epilogue, so while I'd love to see it, I won't be surprised or disappointed if it's not given much screen time.

Damn....Hiroyuki Sanada was a great actors in the Shogun television series. More Armor, More Weapon and More Costume.

I loved the original series watching it as a kid, several times again over the years, LOVED the book and ref it several times and I'm absolutely sure im going to love this one too ...

The irony of all the efforts to render the series accurate is that Clavell wrote the book sitting in the British Museum in London. Huge fan of the book. Read it when it first came out.

The trailer looks brilliant, I thought it was a movie and was so pumped when it announced it was a one off series. It may be bad, but it certainly looks and feels outstanding, here's hoping it's as good as the book

My prediction is that it would cover much more of the war aspect on Sengoku times, but it will be polluted and tainted with inclusivism ( a terrible thing ) and it would not be a surprise to see an army with two units of European sharpshooters, four units of shield(less)maidens on the front line... All lead by a black general which is probably Yasuke who according to ( their ) history was recruited personally by Tokugawa after Nobunaga's death. Joking aside, I want to express my immense thanks to the owner of this channel. Because thanks to him I've leaned so much about Japan's history, that I was able to ( on the fly ) identify the exact time in history, all the kamon ( clan logos ) , types of armor, weapons and even unique designs like Hideyoshi's armor... And I tell you all why learning from this channel has a colossal advantage. It's because you can clearly see that the creator is a TOTAL REALIST. He's not lured by legends, he does NOT like to romantize historical characters and when it comes to presumptions ( because it wasn't accurately recorded on history ) he is always very distinctive and logical with the possibilities. Which are always suggesting the best match according to similar historical accounts, specific era procedures and mentality. And now I will tell you why is this so important. Because on this ( delusional ) era, where personal sentiments, thoughts and dreams are above reality itself, they are doing something really offensive and abusive. They are DESTROYING history. Everyday I see this new article ( consisting on unrelated demented research ) saying that the Vikings were actually a mixed race. That they were traders not raiders. That women fought beside men. That they had elections ( on feudal Scandinavia ) and that medieval war horses were actually ponies. On the other hand, the sun must've been burning hot on the Mediterranean since Hector, Aquiles and Cleopatra ( who was also 100% Greek descendant ) were actually black. So you can see that all these people ( feminists, transgenderists, lesbians, gays, blacks, etc ) are on a quest to destroy discrimination as if it never existed. Crossing the line by very aggressively changing history itself.... And this is why channels like "The Sogunate" are so important on this present day... And I urge you all to understand the devastating effect of this trend. If you destroy history you cannot learn from the past. Making the word "experience" ( which is so beneficial in life ) useless ...

There is a scene in the book where Mariko takes up the sword and tries to fight Samurai she is one of the few womanw ho is trained in spear and sword the reason the other samurai don't outright kill her is cause she is a very important person and a woman and they are being extremely careful

Here’s hoping you review them all!

I think I'm still going to watch it just because I've read the book and saw the series. Hopefully it's entertaining with not too many inaccurate things. Thanks for the video

I cannot wait.

Feeling like you about Mariko's character. In the book she was a good Japanese wife until her feelings for Blackthorne changed that. Here she's somewhat Shinobi trained, and Shogun the book is a favorite of mine. Take the time to read it. The sets do look amazing. Not the stale Taiga drama sets but what it must've been like back then.

As a lot of us suggested pls read the book. That will give away why the romance line is so strong. Mariko represents Japan in all perspective which eventually leads Anjin san to become as japanese as a europian can become

How could you not like the 1980's miniseries? It may not be the most accurate thing, but it was fantastic. The romance was the story.

I didn't really think about the girl being a warrior, and you're right that if it is not done properly it can ruin things. And the way things are going nowadays with everything turning Woke and girl-boss, I hope this doesn't happen here.

Thos was the first book I ever read and have read it 17 times and watched the original mini series countless times. I've been waiting 24 years for this. Judging by the two trailors a lot of what was left out of 80s show has been added.

I'm right there with you on your concerns.

The book is a romance. Its main objects are 1) the "impossible" relationship between a man and a woman and 2) the conflicts between this man and people of a culture very different to him. It's not about History. It is a love story novel that takes place in a very interesting historical and political setting in feudal Japan.

I think to understand you have to read the book. Understanding the angle it’s taking as a historical fiction novel will let you appreciate it more. And also what they do change for modern audiences against the book would have more weight and meaning.

You really need to read the book. There is so much more to the story than was in the mini-series. Also, the romance between Blackthorne and Mariko is a major part of the plot and an essential component to the rest of the story. It actually helps move the story forward.

I've seen a lot of discussion of the role of Mariko in the first miniseries and in this new one. I loved the original miniseries and have watched parts of it many times throughout the years, and I've also read the book. I agree w those here that say that the great thing about the role portrayed by Mariko in the original was that thru her subtlety and "soft power" she was as powerful a figure as the men. And the romance between her and Blackthorne was one of the main parts of the story. I would not like it so much if she was portrayed as an active warrior like the men, as this is not what she did in either the original miniseries or the book. But what was not mentioned in the original miniseries but is mentioned in the book is that Mariko is a samurai herself. But this does not mean that she is a warrior, just that she is from a samurai family. Also, Fujiko, who is in both the original and in the book but apparently not in this remake, also is a samurai. Regardless of how Mariko is portrayed, the new version sounds exciting (looks like it will be 10 episodes (1 hour each?)) and I look forward to it, altho I'm not sure how I will watch it.

I share your concerns for Mariko's character. Her elegance in the miniseries Shogun was such a beautiful contrast to the man's world, it worked. To just make her basically another man would be a shame.

This is the reason I prefer the original plot and story from the book than the 1980 live action film- Don't get me wrong- The film was probably the best we have so far for a live action depiction of the book (Especially the actor who played Blackthorne and of course the legendary Toshiro Mifune- Both did amazing acting!) and I do agree that the "Mariko Love Story" subplot was not needed; however, my only guess as to why they may have included it was perhaps primarily for Western audiences as possibly an eye grabber given during the 80s it was known as the era of media romanticism. I hope that's not the case but given how recently the media has gone lengths to pander to different communities and groups- Even if they don't use the Mariko Love Story plot, who knows how they might use her character in this new adaptation. My only fear is they instill into her something that would be outlandish and unlikely of her character especially during the era of Sengoku Japan. Who knows really- But we'll have to wait and find out. I am looking forward to seeing Hiroyuki Sanada playing the role of Lord Toranaga. I wonder if he'll match the character exactly to when Mifune played the role or perhaps maybe exceed him. Hiroyuki has always done good acting roles of serious characters of different time periods for decades so it's always a pleasure to see him on the silver screen.

cant wait to hear your reviews of the mini series

So glad the series is getting remastered.

You should read the book. It’s great. And I’ll just spoil it for you now: you can expect to see the romance to be a fairly central theme in the story. It was in the books.

The problem I find is that if you haven’t read the book - similarly to Metatron, it’s hard for anyone to form an option, based on the trailer. Yes, you can discuss the aesthetics, but if you read the book, you’ll see that the trailer is very Mariko heavy - and almost shows her as a warrior/assassin, which is incorrect based on the book.

Mariko is a samurai trained with a sword in the book

I read the book, before the made for TV movie. The book was great, and I was happy with the movie.

Honestly this looks like a sengoku game of thrones which has peaked my interest

Man, you have got to get your hands on the book. It's almost sad that you haven't experienced it yet. Grab a trial audible membership and pick it as your free book. Listen to it on your commute, during some other quiet task, or like I mainly do when you lay down to bed.

I'm reading Musashi right now so it is hard to beat that.

Im at least giving it a chance, but dont have high hopes. I am looking forward to Kubi much more.

You should read the book, it's quite the page turner. It's a lot better than the miniseries. I don't have high hopes for the new show, as it looks like they've taken "embellishment" to a new level.

sekigahara from a foreigner’s perspective would be cool to see

I hope the guy playing Blackthorne is a better singer this time. I have no other notes on the 70s version.

I liked the role of Mariko in the first adaptation. Through she wasn't a warrior and was vulnerable? She acted as a major catalysis in unforeseen ways between the Toranagas & Ishidas factions and between the Jesuits and Captain Blackthorn ? Agreed the costumes and set designs & the veiws of cities and fortifications all appear very superb.

The thing I hate is I have to wait till February!

I find it odd hearing and reading comments about adaptations of the book made by people who haven't bothered to read the book.

Shogun 2024: So far the BEST TV show of the Century ! Forget Game of Thots ! (pun intended !), Shogun is Art at its finest !

At that time, if Richard Chamberlain was involved, it was going to be romantically motivated. Not his fault of course but that's how he was primarily cast during that time. It was the time of prime time dramas like Dallas, Knot's Landing and so on and that audience is who was the market demographic. Things are different now and I'm for thinking that this shouldn't be as big a problem.

Should read the book. It’s historical FICTION. The thing with historical fiction is it has to feel real but it doesn’t have to actually be real.

Whaaaat?!! I love the cheesy mini series. Didn’t know this was happening. This could be fantastic or be meh.

Damn it's only a mini series? Damn was hoping that it'll be at least 3 season show

I wish Kurosawa did a miniseries.

It was a great tv series I loved all of these types of series I want to see more of this type of series

The book ends just before the battle it's more about the lead up to the event

You should definitely read the book, it's amazing.

Lol when Metatron made his video I thought I hope The Shogunate does a video as well. Wish granted 😁

I never read the story, but I watched the 1980 series. I believe in the series Mariko explained that her family were assassins and because of that, they were all killed and she was forced to marry. I am guessing the new series is leaning on that one line about her past and making Mariko also one of the assassins like the rest of her family

Disney:"Okay, Historical fans are hype ours shows. Let woketified the series!!"

Yeah you watch it first. I don't want to see a Captain Marvel solo 100 soldiers and ruin my memories of the book and original show. lol.

Some fool spent $100 to ask Metatron to read the book. He's probably too cheap to do it again. Portraying Mariko as a warrior ruins the story. Yes there are a couple times where she picks up a sword, but on neither occasion does she use it effectively.

Totally agree with what you say. I would very interested in your opinion on the film "The Legend and Butterfly" which is now on Amazon. I realise it is a fictional account about Nobunaga and Nohime but I enjoyed it. The portrayal of Nobunaga was good & I love anything that Ayase Haruka does.

I fear they went Mary-Sue woke with Mariko making her a full blown girl-boss ninja master who can defeat any man in combat which is total nonsense both historically and within the source material.

...Shogun is a book all about an English Sailor in 1600 Japan, clashing cultures and fall in love - and in this trailer there is almost no Blackthorn - WTF, did they rewrite the story as todays oblige "empowered women" story with Mariko as main figure....??

Looking forward to seeing if it suits my taste.

Without reading the book, how will you know how true either series is to it? If you blame one or the other for not being true to history, it could be argued that you have missed the point, perhaps even looking for a thing that is not there. The book is primarily the story of a foreigner seeing people, events, and the environment through a foreigner's perspective. Even at the end, when Blackthorn is fairly well assimilated, he still builds ships to go home that somehow keep getting destroyed. He might be samurai, but at least a splinter of his heart still doesn't understand the thought processes of his Japanese lord. With that perspective, things that you might pick at for being inaccurate may be actually be a dead-on representation of of how Clavell explained Blackthorn's experience. The series are under no obligation to be flawlessly true to history or culture. If they share the name of the book, they ARE bound to be as accurate to the book as possible, and can only be judged by that criteria. Please, read the book.

Tom Hardy AI protrayal of Blackthorn will be amazing 😂

Oh my god of culture warriors in here trying to act like book experts is astounding. It’s obvious most of you haven’t read the book.

I was many years since I read James Clavells Shogun but I dont recall the battle for Segikahara being part of the book.

The real question: Do you think they even called anyone other than Hiroyuki Sanada?

I'm honestly quite excited, and I'm definitely going to read the source material before the show comes out. In ether case it would be nice to (hopefully) have a big budget samurai/warring states poltical intrigue series like Game of Thrones (when it was good lol) that i've been craving for so long! :)

are you gonna review Netflix new "blue eye samurai"? trailer sure looks good

It just blows me away that neither you nor Metatron have read Shogun…

Lady Mariko with a Kiwi accent.

Read the book!! Then you'd know that most of your complains about the first series were directly FROM the book. Yes, the middle of it was almost entirely focused on Blackthorne and Mariko's love affair-just like in the book. Also, yes, Mariko WAS a trained fighter as many Samurai women were and her father insisted that she learn all the skills, too. READ THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!

I think you shouldn't count on Sekigahara. The book finishes just before it.

Idk……. My first rule to life is: Never trust Hollywood post 1997. With that being said, I have a strong feeling I won’t get any arterial spray in true Japanese fashion…. 🤷‍♂️

The word you want is "adaptation."

I was a teen who went head over heels over the original mini series. Of course I then read the book. This sparked an interest in me in Asia which eventually led to me studying Chinese at uni and living and working in Taiwan, China and eventually Japan. I have watched the trailer and it seemed overly dramatic, especially with Mariko(?) going full on ninja. Anyway, I have mixed feelings at this point but I will continue to pay attention. Am I a bore for wanting to see dialog in Japanese for films set in Japan (same applies to Chinese in films set in China, hello Mulan)?

I think we got this series right.

Reluctantly pessimistic. Of course I WANT it to be good, but in today's cinematic climate do we dare expect a whole lot?