Respect to you two, you did so well in reading between the lines and deciphering what was actually going on despite having said at the beginning of the video that you "know nothing" about japanese culture and history. Barely anything goes over your heads :)
For the most part,, but there are a couple of things where I disagree. Not a hater,, I thoroughly enjoyed their reaction to Band of Brothers so was a pleasant surprise getting this Shogun reaction in my recommended feed. However, they assume Blackthorne and crew are pirates, they think he 'talks like a pirate' and seemingly that all sailing ships are pirate ships. He and all the ships in their fleet as well as all the sailors sailing on them where Privateers sailing with letters of marque signed by the Dutch State. Blackthorne himself doesn't speak with a typical 'pirate accent' (typically a bit of a rough Bristol accent) but in fact speaks more of a middle to upper class London accent. Also most of his men were probably Dutch so wouldn't have any kind of English accent.
@@Oxley016 Of course, It wasn't *perfect*, thank you for your input, I also disagreed with the "talks like a pirate" comment but I didn't elaborate because I don't have nearly the same knowledge about the different English accents, especially when it comes to the 17th century, unlike you. So thanks for giving your two cents.
17:53 Death poems were actually a thing in Japan! Samurai who committed seppuku would even write a poem about their death before they died. And any lord or lady was expected to be a master of poetry, tea ceremony, calligraphy, flower arranging, painting, etc. Aristocrats would have haiku competitions and challenge each other to make up poems on the spot.
Never saw this show but have read the very-lengthy novel. There are layers to everything. The words said. The actions performed. Their customs. Nice to have the cultural setting in feudal Japan, too. Shogun will give you another perspective on things.
Each time you two finish a series I wonder which adventure you're gonna go on next and I'm never disappointed with the choices you make 😍 I'm absolutely loving Shogun atm and I can't wait to see/hear your opinions on it!!
This show is absolutely amazing. Also fun play on words for the episode title: this one is called “Anjin” which means “pilot” in Japanese. Obviously, it’s a reference to what the Japanese call Blackthorn, but the first episode of any show is also called a pilot episode, so they’re having a bit of fun there.
Kiss, you mentioned your love of pirate ships. You should check out the Russel Crowe film “Master and Commander”. It’s a great movie and is by far THE MOST historically accurate portrayal of how life was during the age of sail, bar none. Also costars Paul Bettany.
Master and Commander has absolutely nothing to do with pirates or pirates ships, it is an adaptation of a fictional story about a fighting frigate of the Kings Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars. On the other points I agree with you, of course. The other commenter that points out the series 'Black Sails' is a much better suggestion if looking for something about pirates however. It is very much like a prequel to 'Treasure Island' and both fictional and historical. I would recommend watching both!
@Oxley016 Yes it does, Master and Commander is totally about pirates (told from the perspective of the target of said piracy) 😂 - The Acheron was a privateer operating under letters of marque from the French….so 😜 Just giving ya hard time 😅
@@neptunusrex5195 I have seen the movie multiple times and I do not recall the Acheron as being privateers (not that they would be pirates at that point, they would be privateers). I think they are a French naval ship conducting commerce raiding operations on 'the far side of the world'.
The Toranaga actor is also an executive producer. Lot of Japanese crew worked hard on the accuracy of sets, costumes, even language. They are speaking the classical Japanese from that time period, not modern Japanese. Rudders are what steer the ship, they are also navigation logs for the navigators to... steer the ship. 😁
The soundtrack is composed in part by Atticus Ross, half of the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails alongside its founder Trent Reznor. Together the pair has also done several award winning original scores for films and TV shows, notably a bunch of David Fincher's movies like _The Social Network_ and _Gone Girl,_ and more recently the Disney Pixar animated movie _Soul._ His background in industrial rock can be heard in some of the harsh electronic elements in this soundtrack which creates a very foreboding atmosphere, which I feel is also reflected in a lot of the cinematography with the anamorphic lenses and heavy chromatic aberration. I also really appreciate that they didn't do the hacky, obvious thing of using a lot of traditional Japanese instruments or motifs, instead reserving that for the occasional period-appropriate diagetic music.
It's kind of silly, but in real life, Ieyasu Tokugawa's (whom the character Toranaga in "Shogun" is based on) forces killed off a lot of my family who fought on the side the Toyotomi loyalists trying to stop Tokugawa from seizing power at the Battle of Sekigahara, so I always get a little pissed off reading or watching "Shogun" and will go off mission when playing games like Kessen and Samurai Warriors to kick the ass of a particular general who was a traitor who pretended to stay loyal to the Toyotomi's until the middle of the battle and had secretly convinced other clans to switch sides with him. A friend said "It's been four centuries, and you're still holding a grudge. you really ARE Japanese" which was pretty funny.
It's a shame they hijacked real Japanese people in history, despite changing their names. This is total fantasy and slanders most of the characters by having them do things they would never do. Especially the Mariko (Hosokawa Tama) and Buntaro(Hosokawa Tadaoki) characters are completely disgraced here.
My favorite show! It's the best I have seen in a long time, and one of the best ever. I enjoyed your reaction, so I subscribed. Look forward to seeing what you think of the rest of it! It gets better every episode. I agree too - the soundtrack is amazing as well!
@@dallesamllhals9161 2024, but I saw the 1980 version when I was quite young, some years after it aired. Made me the romantic i am, and instilled my love of Japan. I have nostalgia therefore for the original, but 2024 is better in every way pretty much.
I’m glad to go through this for the first time with you guys. I’m Japanese but can’t understand many of old Japanese language used in Samurai era so trying to read the sub lol
I've been reading that a lot of Japanese people appreciate the show, even complimenting the fact that a lot of the writing is accurate, down to how the characters walked during that period. I'm glad to hear that!
This story is work of fiction, but the characters based on real people (the author change their names) using a real early 17th century history background as the setting.
Cool to see you reacting to this! You’ll love it! Can recommend the video “History of Japan” by Bill Wurtz here on youtube for a fast and hilarious primer on Japanese history. Won’t spoil anything but will give you just a little bit of background. Seriously, give it a watch. 3:35 yeah, scurvy is no fun. Besides teeth rotting and falling out, a fun one is that long-healed scars can open back up like time’s going backward and become a wound again. 6:32 “What’s a fief?” A fief is a lord’s “domain”; the area/region they control and its people. I.e. a king’s fief is the kingdom. So, naturally, the bigger your fief, the greater your power, and vice-versa. It’s not a specifically Japanese term, btw, but is used for any such leadership structures, historical or otherwise. 15:44 Shōgun is sort of a military dictator. There’s royalty too, but the actual power resides with the shōgun, and the royals are more ceremonial.
@@krayzy932 I know. It’s not so much to understand anything in particular, just more the terms and general history, like why’s Edo important, what’s a shogun, how’d the country get here? That sort of thing. Vibes, really, in a fun format.
In a way, Toranaga is indeed royalty. Minamoto (or Minowara in the show) was a name given to members of the Imperial family who were not elligible for succession. Its most poweful line was Seiwa Genji (the descendants of Emperor Seiwa), whose members would go on to found the Kamakura Shogunate (12th-13th century, founded by Minamoto no Yoritomo) and Muromachi Shogunate (14th-16th century, founded by Ashikaga Takauji). The model for Toranaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, was also descended from this line, so this is what they meant by Shogun being the title of his ancestors. Ironically, Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Toranaga, also played Ashikaga Takauji back in 1991.
Just came here to say: I haven't watched the show yet, so I'm not gonna watch the video, but the moment I saw that YOU TWO had a reaction to this show, I thought, "Welp, I guess I'm watching it NOW. No more procrastinating." Love you guys. Be back later ;-)
Hey guys fantastic reaction as usual! I know you guys are reacting to a lot right now, and you'll be upping your One Piece reactions but I have YET another show to recommend. I know you guys decide based on what your patrons say...etc, but this is a new show, very, very popular, based on an older beloved video game, you've probably heard of it by now, it's called "Fallout" and I kid you not, the show is EXCELLENT. No spoilers of course, it's fun, it's funny, it's a post-apocalyptic genre, violent, hilarious, thrilling journey, with a lot of crazy stuff. People are LOVING it, everyone's reacting to it and I want nothing more than to see you guys' reactions! If you need a logical argument to react to Fallout lol, well, due to it's popularity, kinda like 'The Last of Us' - the show is so good that everyone's looking to watch these reactions for fun, to catch up on episodes...etc., so it always does amazing in terms of YT numbers, not to mention that it's a highly rated, fantastic show. Anyway, looking forward to the next ep!!
Show of the year! Very cinematic! ♥ 'She's gorgeous' - agreed! 😳 Blackthorn has quite the way with words 😃 Me & my GF are gonna be in Japan for 9 days in June! *can't wait* 🙂
Hello, I have seen your reactions (One Piece Netflix version and Demon Slayer). That's why I'm so happy to see your reactions to this Shogun. Please enjoy listening to the thoughts of people who lived at the mercy of this Sengoku period. There are podcasts for each episode of Shogun on FX's official You Tube channel. Please give it a listen when you have time. I think you'll be able to hear more about the historical background and the deep thoughts of the production team, actors, and other people who were involved in this TV drama.
You guys would love the original series too, but sadly it's not available for streaming anywhere. The only way to watch it is if you can dig up an old set of the DVDs. The original series was HUGE back in its day, and helped spark a new respect and interest in Japanese culure in the US.
Superb Show! I've just watched Ep.9! I read original book! And saw original series in 80s! This is as Authentic as you can get culturally, Costumes, manners, behaviour! It's Epically awesome! 😮🙏
"SHOGUN" is a fiction depicting feudal Japan in the early 17th century. Please note that there are fundamental differences from today's (21st century) Japan in all aspects of morality, ethics, law, religion, etc. However, the actions of the Portuguese Catholic Church in Japan (preparation for invasion and slave trade) are almost exactly as in historical fact. Incidentally, this show has hardly been discussed in Japan.
I unequivocally endorse this idea. That’s one of my favorite shows ever. I still rewatch it maybe every couple of years just to remind myself how great it really was.
You will love this show :) It's better with every episode. Japan in feudal times was a mix of beauty and sophistication with violence and gruesomeness. Art and War. Because Japan is a society that builds its social interactions on indirectness, you will have to read between the lines a lot, but it looks like you are doing quite well with that :) The concept of having two faces is present till this day there - honne and tatemae, face for the world and a real you :)
In real history, Ishido is recognized as a good person and Toranaga is considered big liar who stole the relm from Osaka. Actually Ishido was 20 years younger than Toranaga. It's like Toranaga was a super powerful board chair and acting CEO of the big company which has just lost its founder, while Ishido was just one of the managers of a Corp Planning div. Although many executives of the company feared so much of Toranaga and sided with Toranaga, Ishido brabely stood up to follow the will of the founder of the company. But aside from the historical accuracy, this show is really entertaining. Hope you enjoy entire episodes.
Spanish and Portuguese missionaries who had been proselytizing in Japan recommended that Toranaga execute the Dutch and English on board the shipwrecked vessel because they were vicious pirates. Toranaga, however, did not believe them and decided to interrogate them directly. He learned that they were not pirates, but had come to Japan in peaceful pursuit of trade. Impressed by their wealth of knowledge, Toracho decides to make Blackthorn his advisor.
I am Japanese. In fact, the Suez Society took more than 50,000 Japanese people to foreign countries as slaves around 1600. I don't know, but is this a great religion?
Interestingly back then the word "pirate" was treated similarly to the way "terrorist" is used today. While there were plenty of true "pirates" roaming the seas, there were also a lot of people who could be considered 'pirates" purely based on what side of a certain political issue you might fall on. Attacking a merchant vessel or port could be a patriotic act from once point of view or piracy from another. Add in the complicating factor of privateering (legal permission to attack the merchants of an opposing nation), which would almost CERTAINLY be considered piracy by the other "side" in most cases, and the whole word becomes a very contentious concept
This was a TV series in the 1980's, was very well made and enjoyable hope you feel the same with this remake, looks more graphic. Part of the story line is English verses Spanish. You are right a love story evolves.
Yes !!!! I'm glad you are watching this, this is a great show, delicate and never over the top with the action, something very special, I hope you enjoy it !!!
I dunno how muc of this was filmed in vancouver but a buddy of mine showed me his costume while we were on another set and it looked soooo good, Im glad this show is getting good attention
Shogun is a feudal dictator-The highest non-imperial title in a japan's feudal system. Practically excercise equivalent power to the emperador without the royal title.
I have yet to watch the show because I am waiting for all the episodes to be out and binge it but now I have some great reactions to come back and watch after.
I get grossed out by stuff, but your gag reflex immediately makes me gag, when the stuff I see in shows grosses me out, but doesn't make me gag. Sympathetic gag reflex, I guess. 😆
That serie is ok but Portuguese didn't controled any politics in Japan, Jesuits only converted and mediated conflicts with Dayimios " Japanese feudal Lords" like Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, and the Otomo clan, helping spread christian faith in exchange of firearms that helped to hend a 1000 years old civil war, in few time making in a long term spearig more humans from dying.
Even founded port city of Nagasaki that Japan inherited that city and keept making it a trade and military power to bolster Japan, so mutch that the athomic bomb wasn't radomly sent there, it was one of the main military power sources of Japan during 2 ww, sice descovery ages with portuguese.
when you are done with this you should watch the original miniseries from 1980 which for me is way better and while you are at doing Japanese stuff i should recommend you watch Tokyo Vice, (also based on real people story)
