Shogun (1980) | Samurai Miniseries Review
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- Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
- In this review we examine "Shogun", a miniseries from 1980 based off of James Clavell's popular novel of the same name. It tells a historical fiction account of the arrival of John Blackthorne, an English trader who arrives in Japan at the height of the Sengoku Jidai.
"Shogun" was Produced by Paramount Television and originally aired on NBC. It is currently under the copyright of CBS.
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I have since read the book!! Here are my thoughts on it! ruclips.net/video/5IfIQatJE18/видео.html
Good. I was just about to ranting about that. :-D
This show was my "gateway drug" to all things samurai and medieval Japanese history. It's quite dated now but I will always remember it fondly.
Reboot tv series are on the way!
lol.me too
I don't think it's dated at all. And any reboot will use some crappy cgi. It's an amazing story.
@@valecious7552 I hope so.. done right.
Same. Became fan of feudal Japan almost exclusively because of this series. I had been exposed to some Chinese history but nothing else from that part of the world at a young age. From there I got into games set in that era, like the Tenchu series, also playing thru Like A Dragon Ishin now. Just bought the Blu Ray of Shogun also.
My opinion is that a major factor in the success of the miniseries _Shogun_ is Richard Chamberlain's participation. He was extremely proficient at calibrating his performances to whatever size screen and whatever scope of shot in which he appeared. He, in great degree, manages to elevate what was basically a 1970's American TV-style show into something classic. He was also a strong enough performer to be able to share the screen with the great Toshiro Mifune without being outshone or upstaged.
1970s & 80s miniseries almost killed Hollywood.
3/4 of the nation was snowed in when Roots played, it changed a lot of peoole.
The mini on nuclear war, the day after, changed Reagan & our national nuke policy.
Cała obsada aktorska była genialna
Richard Chamberlain's performance in the 1980 version is one factor that I sorely miss in the 2024 remake. While Cosmo Jarvis did a decent job with the material he was given, it was missing something that made Chamberlain own the role.
This was a TV miniseries, not a historical docudrama or Kurosawa film (or any film, for that matter). It was a sexy star in a made-for-TV event, like Roots or Rich Man, Poor Man (or, a few years later, The Thornbirds, also starring Chamberlain). That's the context against which you judge a series like this - as entertainment for the masses sitting at home in 1980, when most households had only had color TVs for less than a decade. The series opened a window to a world most people were completely unfamiliar with, and here we are 44 years later still talking about it. That's a monumental accomplishment. While it's true that the series strayed from history and leaned heavily into romantic subplots, what do you really expect from a series competing with Dallas and the Love Boat? It's too easy to judge art in an evolving medium based on current sensibilities....just enjoy it.
Could not have stated it better!
But where all da black people at??? I'm angry 😡
Something to keep in mind when considering media retroactively is just how HUGE a big mini-series would be in those days. Basically, for the vast majority of viewers, this would be the only exposure to this period of history they would have
Exactly. This was before the internet, and Cable TV was still in its infancy. Apart from late night "Kung Fu Theaters" on UVF Channels, this was many people exposure to Japanese historical culture and Samurai movies.
I read the book in just over two days in 1975 - I could hardly put it down. I was well into Samurai history back then, ending up with all of Stephen Turnbull's books. I avidly watched every episode of Shogun when it was first released and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I've read Shogun: A Novel of Japan, several times and had no idea it was loosely based on a real person. The book is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it. The Seppuku scene was intense and very well written - much better than the mini series. The ending was setup perfectly for a sequel and I've always wondered why Clavell never wrote one (Noble House doesn't count).
Gaijin is closer to being a sequel, but really isn't. It is set in Japan and gives a few glimpses of what came after Shogun, but that's about it.
One thing I liked about seeing the mini series first before I read the book is that I knew what the characters looked like, the countryside and places so I didn't have to waste time imagining it allowing me to delve deeper into the book. One of my favorite books and series ever.
Noble house may not count, but Gaijin and the Shogun were partially to flesh out some of the history that did impact the Nobel House story lines, tho perhaps not as directly as Tai-Pan did. Generally the size books in Clavells Asian Saga are intended to complement one another and one can be forgiven for missing the skill shown in interveawing plots throughout the books if you've only read some of the books in the Saga.
@@ofiaich666 This was fascinating to read about. I thank you for this sir. You are a gentleman and a scholar.
@Marcus Smith you are very welcome! I had planned to make my visits to those places for my 22nd trip to Japan, but Putin's war stopped that plan. I will make a new plan when his war is over.....
I was 8 when this series was released, a few years later i read the novel and fell in love with the book as well, and let me tell you my 8 year old mind was filled with wonder and awe at the presentation of feudal japan. My love of japan, its people, history, and culture all stem from this series and later the novel.
I cant wait to see the FX series and i hope and pray that it is more like the books than the original series.
Old shogun own this new version but i like Anna Sawai performance in this new one..she played it excellent..
I can understand how you feel about the romance. However, you should read the book. It fleshes out Mariko's character much better. She is so much more than Blackthorne's love interest and delves so much more in her relationship and duties to her church and to Lord Toranaga. She might be the most important character in the novel.
That’s the hunto, neh?
I agree, and you also have to consider the time Shogun was made and the casting of Richard Chamberlain as Anjin-san. Both of those factors were probably behind the producers putting so much emphasis on the romance between him and Mariko. Audiences would have expected from something starring Richard Chamberlain who was something of a heartthrob at the time and the audience at the time would have expected and/or not minded the extra romance.
@@JackMeoff46😊😊😊00😊
She was Toronaga's ultimate bird of prey
I'll admit to being a fan of the novel and the mini series. I read the novel when it first came out and as direct result, I read every one of James Clavell's novels. I have only one quibble with your review. You looked at the mini series through the eyes of someone who knows much more of actual historical events which this story fictionalized. I think that this story should be viewed through the eyes of an audience who knows little or nothing of the lives of their nonfictional counter parts. That's the audience whom the book and mini series were aimed at. That being said, I agreed with most of your review.
I knew very little of the feudal history of Japan when I first watched this miniseries, but this was when I started to learn about the history of Japan and realized that many of fictional characters were based on real individuals and many of the events were similarly loosely based on actual historical events.
When first broadcast I arranged my work schedule so that I could see this mini series. I was telling everyone I knew about how great the novel had been. A group of coworkers watched the mini series with me. My primary remembrance was that the mini series should have been longer, as the story in the mini series had a number of jumps in the story. I had to explain to the people viewing, events that were fleshed out in the novel, and were either not explained or were referred to but not shown in the mini series. The people who watched this series got lost on what was going on, or the reason's that motivated a characters actions or reaction. I suspect that much more was filmed and ended on cutting room floor. Your complaint that the story didn't have enough of the real events taking place in Japan, is similar to complaining that Gone With The Wind didn't fully show all that was occurring in the Civil war at the time the events that were depicted as occurring in that novel and film.
The two hour movie that was made out out of mini series is an unwatchable mess. If you want to watch this, see the full ten hour mini series. If you're really interested read the book, before you watch the mini series, because it will give context to parts of the story that didn't make it in the mini series.
This book and mini series inspired my interest in feudal Japan. Clavell's Asian series inspired me to search out the real world places mentioned in his books when I visited Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. For years the only Japanese I knew was that from this book and mini series. I have learned everything I could about Williams Adams (Miura Anjin) or John Blackthorne as his fictional counter part is called. It led to me visit Japan twice and there is still more see. I am also learning Japanese, so I can better understand what I'm seeing, and can interact better with unilingual Japanese. In fact without the existence of the novel, Shogun and the mini series of the same name, I probably would not be a subscriber to this channel. I plan to travel to Japan and spend three or four months learning Japanese, when they will let me in, and visiting historical sites I have yet to see. So this book and mini series have had a profound effective on me.
I loved this miniseries, I remember watching this on tv when it first aired. I also read the book and totally enjoyed it.
For me the big ‘in’ was the game Shogun (Total War). I loved the books as you have, and the series too, but it was the game that got me intimate with the counties topography and clan system. I was continually motivated and inspired to read up in Japans history way back into the Jomon culture. It’s now top of the bucket list in terms of countries of interest for me. Nice little share this, thanks. (ps, The Third Eye is a novel of no historical accuracy…but got me into Tibetan Buddhism …still interested 30 years on. Words can paint an indelible picture, spark a lifelong journey, and not be 100% historically accurate).
Read the book! It's great. Also as I think has been said before the book is an exploration of big themes like Duty, Death, Love, Revenge and Honour and the differences in European and Japanese attitudes to these themes. The Mariko Blackthorn relationship is a major vehicle for exploring this in the book and I think this gets somewhat lost in the TV series.
I have to agree, I love how Toranaga compares her to his peregrine falcon. He was quite right since Mariko was like a falcon in many respects.
This is one of the greatest books I have ever read and come back to it time and time again. READ IT!!!
The miniseries plays up the romance, because made for TV at the time needed romance to sell commercials. And the miniseries was the staple of the old time Network sweeps season.
Not to say the romance isn't important to the book. But it serves the theme of duty vs love. And also serves to illustrate the meeting of two worlds, despite fundamental differences. Also, the Anniversary Edition is simply beautiful. And belongs on the shelf of any lover of historical fiction. Aside from the fact I think that, along with Winds of War, it's a masterpiece of modern historical fiction.
Also, I would submit Clavell had the right of it when choosing to change names for this series, and thus allowing himself to conflate events. I am reminded of an essay G.G. Kay wrote, discussing this issue (as most of his writing is Historical Fiction with a thin gloss of fantasy on top). When you use actual historical figures, you are beholden to represent their personalities and motivations as they are known. Failing to do so is borderline defamation. And certainly misrepresenting history. But using the veil of fictionalization allows for a level of conjecture and interpretation that would otherwise be disrespectful. And it allows for conflating minor characters into one more important one. It allows the essence of the story to be conveyed, without the danger of flattening historical characters.
As someone who watched shogun and read the book NOT when it first came out, IE: with less nostalgia, I still found it a very fun story and was captivated the whole way through.
The miniseries is extremely close to the source material and the actors did an amazing job at playing their roles. Nothing but good things to say honestly...
As I recall, the great thing about the book was how layered it was in revelations. But somehow, each time a new layer was revealed, you would be tricked anew into thinking "NOW I know what's really going on" until the next revelation, and you would be convinced "This time for sure, I know what's going on".
When it was shown on TV in the 80's , I was about 30 years old. It was a hit TV series starring Richard Chamberlain and the world got a glimpse of Japan's strange mixture of fragile beauty and perfect order as against the severe brutality and punishment for disobeying strict protocol. I actually watched the series again a month ago, and enjoyed it.
It was an important film for that time in America. There was in the late '70's into the '80's a real anxiousness about Japan's growing economic influence which triggered cultural xenophobia. (Toyota, Honda, Datsun, etc. were killing the American auto industry; Japanese entities were buying up huge portions of markets; Fuji was killing Kodak & etc.). At that time, everyone's granddad was still alive who had viciously fought the Japanese in the war. There were still many who had no understanding or interest in Japan or Japanese culture. Shogun did a really good job of being a sort of cultural bridge. Everyone nowadays loves & admires Japan (except maybe Koreans or Chinese). I think it's probable that Shogun had a little something to do with it.
I saw this series in the 80's as a small boy in East Germany and it was so exciting and interesting to see another culture far away. Great review of the series. Thanx
I remember watching this as a kid when it first aired. I asked my mom what they were saying when they were speaking Japanese. She told me back then they were speaking an older form of Japanese, so it was a little difficult for her to understand/translate. I didn't know Toshiro Mifune was responsible for the dialogue, that is so cool!
I read Shogun and watched this film so many times. I love this film. I do not know where I saw it or where I found out but I heard the Japanese worked on this film very hard and did all the sets and were so proud to do this series for Western Audience. I do think this film showed how brutal the samurai like many warrior cultures but this series showed so much respect of them and their culture. Love Story was well done and so nice and you can see the cultural differences. Yes. I know some Japanese personally that really liked this film adding there are films in Japan like this. One saying to me that he remembered when it came out in Japan and it was shown once but when miniseries come out, they do not show over and over again because companies own the rights to them. Not like today like cable networks showing series over and over again for 2 years. I learned so much history of the West and of Japan with this series or inspired me to research more about the time. This is one of my favorite films or series of all time. I own this as well. I think it was well done and the acting was so good. I wish more films were like this today. I am sure you would not agree. Coming series FX I am nervous because I feel the remakes are not usually better and updated versions many times are not so good. Story can be changed and much more.
There is a scene early in the series where they have to force Blackthorne to take a bath. Months later he meets his crew again and when he leaves he says 'I need a bath'.
It shows how much he has changed which does make it sad that they divert from history.
On the other hand, the end shows nicely the intrigues that are going on and surprisingly how many friends he has that he will never know and will never guess.
It leaves me with a mixed feelings about then ending.
In the book it's pictured so well. The lice and insects that's swarming in the crews house and the same belief that washing yourself is dangerous/bad for your health. He gets bitten by lice in the house and afterwards when he leaves the house he feels there's lices crawling in his kimono and he tosses the kimono in a muddy ditch, and demands a bath. And when he is getting the hot bath he asked to be washed a second time with shampoo to be sure he's clean.
I read the book and saw the old miniseries. I knew the story was historical fiction, but it aroused an interest in Japan's history. This is important, because I grew up in a country that suffered from Japanese occupation in WW2. As far as the 80s, people there still hated the Japanese. Shogun was a starting point for me to look at history and understand why things in the past influence things in the present and future. For the most part, I agree with your review of the tv show.
I enjoyed the series as quasi-accurate historical fiction in 1980. I think it has aged fairly well. Way better than most, considering.
I look forward to any updated versions. I live in Japan and watch "Taiga Drama" epics ever year. I would like to see NHK re-do Shogun.
Are you going to check out FX’s Shogun?
One of the best miniseries of all-time! A remake of the series is set to be broadcast by FX starting in February 2024 :) Can't wait!!!
It's been disneyfied and i am sorely disappointed. If I've never read the novel perhaps i would've enjoyed it.but this fx series. Travesty
@@octaviusceasar1315 Interesting! I will agree to disagree, simply because we get a more fair perspective of the Japanese character in the new version. But the original miniseries was definitely ahead of its time!
Refusing to be smuggled out of Japan is no proof that Adams wanted to stay. He had ties including a second family there. The love story was another gateway of transformation. This story is not about the battles of samurai but about the battles of one man and the world he found himself in. A battle of transformation and changing allegiance...to his country to his crew to those who had been his captors to his lover and ultimate gateway and through to himself while staying true to other things.
I am one of those who loved this Shogun miniseries, It definitely opened the door explaining Fudal Japan
I first saw Shogun with my parents at age 9. It was not my first time viewing Japan, but it did lead to me falling in love with Japan. I visited and stayed in Japan during the '90s for around 6 years. But I did sit and watch this again about 6 months ago, and I still love it. However, I have a much more in-depth knowledge of the history of Japan at my age now and experiences in Japan. Still, I would recommend this series. It's just way too good to pass up.
I was but a year behind you, viewing it with my grandparents (who were USN, and had lived in Okinawa post-WW2). Their house was littered with furniture, dishes, tapestries, and all sorts of other accouterments from their residence in Japan, and whenever I visited, I felt completely transported into this completely different land and culture. Several decades later, I still find myself homesick for a country that I’ve yet to set a single footprint in.
In my mind I still rate this series the best I have ever seen. Epic is such an inadequate word describing this mini series. Everything about it from the cast to the acting to the costumes and set designs and locations are just perfect.
Rest In Peace, Yoko Shimada.
I was so enthralled by Shogun when it first came out that: nothing else was accomplished on the evenings it was broadcast; I bought the VHS and DVD versions and watched it at least once a year for decades; and I purchased the book (probably have read it 10 times over the years.) It also made me a lifetime fan of James Clavell - I have read all of his books multiple times too. Please keep in mind that in 1980 the only other TV event to perhaps rival the scope and quality of this production was Roots. That's it - at least to me. The insight into a culture I was totally unaware of plus the amazing beauty of everything from the costumes to the sets constructed for Shogun put this production into a class by itself in 1980. The performances were all outstanding too. There is at least one excellent 'making of' video explaining how difficult it was to get Shogun onto TV - well worth the watch. The DVD box set has some great stuff on it too.
Shogun 1980's Blackthorne is a more likable character, he is a gentleman of the old school. Shogun 2024 not so much.
Anyone here after watching Hulu's Shogun????
yes bruh
Just finished watching the 1980's Shogun while on hold for new episodes for the 2024 one.
Here with u bro!
After today's episode 😭😭😭😭
Which was mid ar best
Same
I read it when I was an adolescent. It sparked my deep interest for Japan, Japanese culture. So you could say this was one of those books that shaped me. The historical accuracy or the quality of the mini serie i regard as a non issue. It's fiction.
watched it just a few months ago and still love it... compared to the NHK dramas, this still brings something "else" ínto it which keeps me entertained and I really do like the romantic touch it has as well
100% Agreed. Not only the NHK Taiga Dramas rehash the same stories over and over again but they are, by their very essence, Nippon-centric. Western characters are very few and far between, even in series set during Bakumatsu period. Aoi Tokugawa Sendai does have William Adams, but we see him only twice and both times, still a foreigner in foreign customs. Nowhere is he depicted as someone part of Ieyasu's inner circle and who becomes increasingly fluent in Japanese over the years. And forget about father Joao Rodrigues, I've never seen him depicted anywhere else but as Father Alvito in Shogun.
Nhk rules I think
It served as a gateway drug for me. Born in '71, I witnessed the television show in late '82 and was utterly fascinated. In the pre-internet era, pursuing this interest-especially for a child-was not as straightforward as it is today. Nonetheless, my curiosity remained piqued. Fast forward 15 years, I read the book and found myself captivated once again. In my late 20s, after a 'career' in épée fencing, I embarked on my journey in kendo, revisited the book and the TV show, delved into everything about William Adams, and travelled to Japan several times, visiting some of the locations he lived in or owned. Now, at the age of 52, I have been fortunate enough to attain a 6th dan in Kendo. My command of Japanese, however, remains rudimentary, but the few phrases I picked up at 11 while watching the show are still readily accessible in my memory.. 🤣
Having read the novel 10 times over my life and watched the mini-series around the same amount, I can assure you that the love story is MORE overdone in the novel. The main difference is that in the novel you are getting POV chapters and sections on Toranaga all the way down to the Jesuits and Rodriguez. Which gives you a break from all the damned thou's floating around. The next best thing about the series is the actress that plays Fujiko is absolutely gorgeous. Unlike the book where she is described as rather plain. You need the book though people. If you don't want to read get a month trial of Audible and pick that as your free book. It's 54 hours and you can fall asleep to it, listen on long drives or during some other dull task. I'm listening nightly now. To the point where Kasigi Yabu and Blackthorne arrive in Osaka after leaving Edo. Will count as my 11th completion of this wonderful novel.
I was in the Navy when this came out. I got to watch it all the way thru and I was able to find a mint copy of the mini series. It was a excellent series!!!
Watched it when it first came out and loved it. While stationed in Japan I got to see some of the castles and to learn more about Japan's feudal period. Saw the show again recently and still like it.
A few fun facts, many of the actors playing the Dutch sailors were Expats who were working in Japan as English Teachers, my Aikido Sensei was supposed to be Richard Chamberlain's stand in / stunt double but the pay was too low compared to what he was making in Tokyo. (he was working as a private tutor to many celebrities)
Also, apparently Kurosawa despised this movie! When someone asked him if he and Toshiro Mifune would ever work on a film together again he said he could never work with any actor that had apeared in Shogun!
ruclips.net/video/OeqA8vaS9-8/видео.html
It's been a while since I watched it, but even before watching this review I'd recently decided to watch it again. At the time I really enjoyed it. It will be interesting to see if I still do. One thing will remain regardless, and that is my wholehearted admiration and fondness of Toshiro Mifune. I have seen him in several famous Japanese movies, such as Throne of Blood, Rashomon, The Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, and most recently in a Western (a French-Italian-Spanish co-production which also starred Alain Delon and Charles Bronson) Red Sun, which actually sparked the desire of watching Shogun again. I find him unique and most impressive. He's the main reason I loved to watch this miniseries.
I understand that Blackthorne's romance with Mariko might be off-putting, but it does work at making a stark contrast between the "Western" view of sex and relationship and the "Eastern" one, based around ownership and submssion. Even at the end, when the geisha Kiko is finally allowed to become Omi's consort, the only Japanese couple shown in a mutually-consensual loving relationship, it's by a gift of her contract from Toranaga to Omi.
Blackthorne is a refreshing novelty in Mariko's life. Her husband Buntaro's way of expressing his love to her... is by beating the living crap out of her and raping her because she dares denying herself to him. Her death-seeking is the only way she could find any sort of escape. But, then, Blackthorne came. He became the only good thing in her personal life; a komojin who is neither in any sense Japanese, nor a chaste, Lord-abiding Jesuit. A man who, from her point of view ,see her as a partner to cherish and treat as equal, outside of any bind of society and feudal duty. There is absolutely zero sense of obligation for Mariko in that relationship, she's for once, even for a fleeting moment, free to explore herself without fear of being judged or reprimanded. It's as much about Blackthorne discovering the Japanese viewpoint through her than her discovering both us and herself through Blackthorne.
I wholeheartedly agree, thank you
Hmm...that does sound disturbing if that was how relationships were like in feudal Japan. I do not expect ancient society to be egalitarian but it makes me wonder if there were any couples who genuinely had a semblence of compassion and care for their spouse. I know people like samurai generally followed a strict lifestyle but I'd think someone would be worried for their supposed beloved's well-being, both physically and mentally.
@@cadethumann8605
Most of the old world as it relates to people or "importance", married out of status, wealth and influence benefit.
Some examples of genuine love sprang from these situations, but most were essentially contracts.
Given that "commoners" in general largely did not live under this system, aside from being lorded over by the previously mentioned people, it was probably a LOT more common for their unions to develop from a mutual pre-existing draw between both parties.
That, and a number of things serve as an example of the "gilded cage" concept.
For example, due to the idea that wealth was associated with more time consuming "processed" food among the medieval nobility, the bleached bread often sought, fed and eaten by the European nobility was actually of lower nutritional quality than "dirty" appearing whole breads commonly eaten by the peasantry.
In their own way, they were prisoners of their status.
@@insertnamehere8121 How ironic that those who had higher power and resources lost more of themselves from a certain point of view.
Perhaps on an unrelated note, in a realistic medieval fantasy setting, is it plausible for a society to once have used a feudal system but had changed to one that is more closely to a modern one with simply high, middle, and low class? There, being an authority figure like a knight or samurai can be taken up if one is willing to train hard; civilians had a say on political matters like elections; and women do have rights such as having jobs even in marriages and are allowed to train in self-defense. And yes, this is still with about the same technology as in the real era (maybe with some slight changes like better medicine and better quality weapons, but no things like electricity). I'm simply asking this as a writer.
@@cadethumann8605 The short answer... no. Feudalism, at its core, is based on the personal relationship of homage between an individual lord and an individual vassal, for his military service in exchange for either land or the equivalent in form of a stipend. Why? Because the vassal pledges to levy and maintain at his expense an explicitly-defined number of troops and equipment, that he will bring with him if needed in times of war. He gives his personal allegiance to that Lord, in exchange for some privileges and more or less absolute rights over his fiefdom and the people living inside. That Lord would most probably also be the vassal of another bigger, stronger Lord, and etc. Legal and political complications ensue, because these privileges were not standardized and, well, people are people. Allegiances can change.
Samurai as a separate class really came about with Hideyoshi's Sword Hunt policy, which was then formalized with Ieyasu's "Four Occupations" system borrowed from the Chinese. Before that, plenty of bushi came from different classes to serve a Lord as a soldier - peasantry, kokujin, jizamurai, merchants, etc. Hideyoshi himself came from absolute nothing; he was an ashigaru who served as Nobunaga's personal sandal-bearer. When Hideyoshi later enacted his Sword Hunt, difficult choices had to be made by a lot the common bushi, given the possibility that there would no longer be any warfare with Toyotomi unification. Surprisingly, quite a lot of bushi actually renounced becoming member of the samurai class and gave away their weapons, because they had better economical prospects either as peasant village leaders or merchantmen. Yes, samurai were a different "privileged" class, but if not a direct relation to a daimyo or a high vassal (given that positions as clan or vassal elders were inherited as well), the common samurai were usually relatively poor with very few prospects of advancement inside the bakufu, and they became even poorer with each passing generation because their stipend would stagnate in face of price inflation caused by the expansion of both the merchant and peasant classes. The value of a stipend of 500 koku in 1600, passed from generation to generation, wasn't worth the same in 1650, let alone in 1750. That is why, faced with these economical hardships, samurai as class started to emphasize structural privileges being attached to themselves as samurai.
It is nice to realize that most people feel nostalgic while watching this miniseries, I feel the same. I saw it when I was 12 and fell in love with Japan. Later I read the book.
This is what inspired me as a kid to go to Japan....I spent 8 years there, and I miss it every day.
First place we visited when we moved to Japan was Osaka "Jo" (Castle)...
They used Himeji Jo in the show, but it was still a dream-come-true to finally be in Osaka.
Thank you so much for bring me some beautiful memories of my distant school days. Greetings from Peru, South America.
Viva El Perú , i love Perú ..SO much culture .lots of links to Japan too ...hugs from Ireland.
❤
I have just recently watched the whole series for the second time since watching it 20 years ago.
And it was even more amazing than remember. I'm sure being more mature and having a deeper love and understanding of japanese culture has something to do with it.
I loved binging on the DVD set had no breaks or repeating intros and credits, it played like a 10 hour movie. We got through 7hr the first night and finished the next morning, and I wished the story would continue.
Also I have not read the book as of yet.
I like both. The book seems intimidating because of it's size. The ninja battle at Ishido's Castle is like 100 pages and I ripped through that in a single night ( me not being a mega reader ). It was as gripping as an intense movie. The devotion of the samurai is flooring. Same when Mariko tries to leave the castle with her 40 man escort.
I was eleven when Shogun came out. It was a national event, it's like the country came to a standstill. I read the book much later as an adult, and while it has much more detail (as books tend to do), I'd say the series was a very faithful adaptation.
Thank you for this review. As someone that just finished reading the book and watching the mini-series,, but not being immersed in the history, lore and other treatments the way you have been, I find the series to be much better than I expected it to be. I do feel that you should read the book. The battle is also a footnote in the book. You mention that Blackthorn was not like Adams because he wanted to go home, but in the video you did on Adams, you say that Adams took time to embrace Japan fully. Considering that Blackthorn is relatively early in his life in Japan, that is not unlike Adams. I am waiting with much anticipation for the upcoming series.
I loved it as a kid; and watching it recently, I would still hold it above a lot of what is put out now. Great show!
Anyone here from the commercial for the 2024 remake ?
Loved the books and had no idea this 80s miniseries existed. Bingeing it this week
Yep
I read it before I saw the miniseries, and I will say that the miniseries captured the feel and atmosphere of the book almost flawlessly. The characters were played to a T, their relationships were exactly how they were in the book, and just for the record, both the single assassin and the ninja mob attack were true to the book; although in the book the solo one wasn't ninja, but Amida Tong. And not for nothing, but the love story isn't overplayed, that's exactly how it plays out. I freaking cried when Mariko gets killed in the book, because that's what it does (this just occurred to me); as a ginger gai-jin myself, I wasn't reading a story about a character. I WAS Blackthorn. I became Anjin-san. I fell in love with Mariko. I hated Buntaro. I was in awe of Toronaga. The Jesuits made my skin crawl. I was proud of Oil-seller, but didn't like how it got it's name. Etc. etc. etc.
It was a conscious decision to not include most of the political machinations that were in the book. It was thought that the dialog would have to be subtitled and would turn off American audiences. In addition, the estimate for run time would balloon to about 22 hours. As it was at the time, the usual miniseries occupied a 4 hour slot over 2 nights. Shogun was epically proportioned in that it ran for five nights. As a result, Blackthorne is THE central focus of the production. Narration was added to explain the interaction of the principal Japanese characters when Blackthorne was not present. Hopefully, the new series will include the entire book since what is happening behind the interactions with Blackthorne raises the tension level considerably and is more interesting than the love story alone.
Ì read the book, i listened to the audio book. I saw the Miniseries. Watching the trailer of the upcoming version, my heart was racing with excitement. I am so full of anticipation to watch the new one. So hoping it meets my expectations.
Hi! I’m a longtime fan of the channel. Please allow me to explain why you are, with respect, very wrong.
First, so you know I’m not talking from my ass, please know that I am a history buff, particularly of feudal Japan. Japanese was my minor in college and I studied Japanese history at Nihon University in Mishima. I saw Shogun for the first time in 2003 and still own the DVD box set. I’ve seen it about 10,000 times and i’m watching now as i prepare to go back to Kyoto. Where I think you get this review wrong is a matter for my other area of interest. I have a Master’s degree in acting and think you must shift your point of view in order to appreciate Shogun fully. I believe you were on the right path when you admitted Shogun was historical drama and therefore not bound by history, but you fail to see that it is a movie as well and that every art form must be appreciated on its own terms. Now, saying something is a movie does not by any means give it a pass to be bad. It only means that you can’t miss the point by expecting it to be something it’s not. The romance is not a distraction here, it is the whole point. Mariko represents an ephemeral love for Japan that many white boiz like me feel when we are young and it is only when that dies and we embrace the harsh realities of Samurai history, like the inevitable war, that we achieve some understanding and acceptance. Mariko even says “love is a Christian word, Anjin-san.” Mariko herself is a christian. The couple and their love is a mix between western and Japanese philosophies at odds with each other and the drama is a result of the two of them making difficult choices between allegiances and between those philosophies.
I don’t know what gave you the impression that Blackthorne was trapped. He expresses some desire to return but he’s faced with hard decisions he has to mull over, as anyone would. I believe he makes his choice to abandon Europe when he visits his men and is disgusted by them. At the end, his emphatic building of the new ships represents person we’ve followed allowing Blackthorne and his previous life to die so that Anjin the Samurai can live. This is the opposite of a big budget battle movie- this is a tiny story about one man’s choices and his ability to accept hardships, including the most diff one of all- accepting that someone you love with all your heart is gone and you have to face the new, scary world alone. In this regard, I believe Shogun is a masterpiece and though the shots and sometimes lines are cheesy, this is a romance at its core.
I believe Blackthorne serves as Clavell’s insert character. A Westerner who comes to Japan an esteemed pilot respected and feared by his enemies. A lord. A man of means and vast knowledge. Then he gets pissed on and built back up, but still, only a pawn in someone else’s schemes.
Great job, thank you. My opinion, I love the mini-series, it’s entertaining, informative in it’s own way, and thought provoking. It is a work of art with many great actors and part of film history. I like what you did and I may have to read the novel now.
I know a lot of people don’t like that there is no subtitles. But I think it was brilliant because you are left in the dark to the Japanese spoken as Blackthorn was, and you learn some Japanese as he does
Where did you guys watch it? I found it very hard to find!
What the series lacks is the extensive perspective of the Japanese, which Clavell himself cut out of the script for „Shogun“ as to make it not too complicated for the viewership. Today that is considered the major flaw of the series which would have elevated it from a very good series to a outstanding one. Let’s hope the current re-make will do the book more justice.
from my comment above> My main impression was that while it followed the plot, it was unable to portray the depth of the characters in the novel, who (esp the Japanese) would always say one thing aloud, while often thinking something entirely different. Impossible to convey on the screen.
I must have been around 12 when I watched Shogun. It taught me to meet foreign cultures with humbleness, respect and curiosity and has thus been very defining for My life.
I need to watch again now. One of my best shows top of my list.
I loved this shows. It was one of the reason I started to learn Japanese
Adams did try to visit back home, so far as wikipedia claims from his letters:
"At this meeting, Adams asked for and obtained Tokugawa's authorisation to return to his home country. But, he finally declined Saris' offer to take him back to England: "I answered him I had spent in this country many years, through which I was poor... [and] desirous to get something before my return". His true reasons seem to lie rather with his profound antipathy for Saris: "The reason I would not go with him was for diverse injuries done against me, which were things to me very strange and unlooked for." (William Adams letters)"
Tokugawa did initially refuse Adam's request to return home.
I mention that in the other video I did all about Adams as well! The key difference to make between Blackthorne and Adams remains their outlook on their situation.
I have seen the movie in its original run, and also relatively recently. It blew me away as a teen, and did not disappoint when much older.
I remember it was absolutely radical for using actual Japanese actors, and letting them speak in Japanese. That was at a time when white-washing was the order of the day.
This has got to be one of the best movies of all time. I first watched this as a little boy. It had quite an impact on me. Creating an interest in the Samurai era which I have to this day. They certainly don't make them like they used to.
@7:17 i guess the Samurai are "real" in the Shogun because it took place in Sengoku where Samurai have absolute control over everything, living in their formidable Castles, while The Last Samurai takes place years later in the "modern" age of Bakumatsu where Samurai have lost their power and gone weak, scattered all over the country living among peasants and monks. So they're more "civilised" or "mellow".
And Katsumoto is based on Saigo Takamori, who is said to be the only "honorable" Samurai left of that era which is why "The Last Samurai" was a reference to him, not Nathan Algren. If the film were to show the other side, the Imperials (Choshu and Satsuma), I have no doubt we will see the brutal side on how they treat and execute the pro-Shogunate survivors or those who oppose the Imperial government.
That's what make these two films interesting to watch. There are some truth and fiction in both of them because Samurai are like everyone else, there are the good ones and the bad ones, just like the Catholics shown in the Shogun, the Jesuit is reasonable but the Spanish Captain is not.
I've watched the series from start to finish a few times as I own it on DVD. Loved the show! The heavy focus on the romance didn't bother me as much, but it certainly is less interesting than everything else that happens in the show. I just hated the abrupt ending that seemed to come out of nowhere. The first time I saw it I was confused and thought there must've been more of it. I don't have much hope for remakes or 'new versions' made today of old, great shows like this to be any good. But when it comes out I'll check out your review of it to see if it's any good.
There is a lot more to the ending if you read the book. There are so many gaps in the miniseries but they had a budget. The castle doesn't look anywhere near what is described in the book. There are things in the book that will make you laugh and shuffle will make you go wow. You can get the book on Amazon. Strongly recommended as an addition to your personal library. I don't know if they have it on a audiobook I don't really buy those.
Where did you get it on dvd??
@@rachelle4907 Sorry. it was at least over 10 years ago and I wasn't the one who got it, so I don't know. Probably discovered at a local physical retailer.
I googled it, I was just so excited to see that it was on dvd! I’ve been on a quest for years to find it! Thanks
This does have a big nostalgia factor for most people. Richard Chamberlain also did The Bourne Identity as a made fir TV mini-series, and I definitely had nostalgia blocking what I remembered of it.
I think people mix this Shogun with other more action heavy samurai movies from the era, and forget how much time is spent on the love affair, and the odd pacing forced by being filmed and edited for the television medium.
I have high hopes for the new adaptation, as streaming series, and even many cable shows aren’t tied to a set time limit or any limits on what level of violence that can be shown, as well as language and sex.
FX on Hulu seems to be the producer, so there really aren’t any limits to what they can do, at least not anything that a network mini-series would’ve hindered in the past.
Holy shit! I never knew he did a version of the Bourne Identity! That is crazy hahaha
The producers liked the Japanese actress who played Mariko and expanded her part and interaction with the STAR, Richard Chamberlain.
Yoko Shimada was her name! A woman so beautiful it hurts. RIP, Yoko!
I was young at the time but Shogun was really a gateway for a lot of America. It is not the first look at Japan, but unlike many others it was an attempt to get more right about historical Japan but still maintain audience interest. I personally think the romance had a couple of purposes and it achieved them (ratings showed that). So it is very cool to see them doing it again though I wonder what they will do with it. Thanks for the review and for staying with it.
The series is very true to the novel - this novel is one of 3 I make a point to reread once every 2 years (yes, it's that good).
I have not read the novel since I stumbled upon it in my middle school library in the 90s. I remember not being able to put it down as a kid, I’m going to have to revisit it now that the new series is coming out soon.
Yoko Shimada (Lady Mariko): Love at first sight. Even after 40 years my feelings for her are alive. RIP, my dear!
The actress that played MariKo died?
I just looked up her name she died July 25, 2022, wow, she was so very beautiful and such a soft wonderful voice...Thank you for mentioning this...
@@IsabelaLeon-z6r Sad but true
I loved Shogun the book, and read it before the mini-series was made. I've always been disappointed by film portrayals of good books. This one came closer than any other, but the book is still better. The casting was so good that I recognized the characters as soon as I saw and heard them. Much of the descriptive material of the book was well-incorporated into the visual presentation without the lengthiness, and thus the atmosphere and surroundings were very well-presented and correlated with that of the novel. I enjoyed them both.
Good review! Looking forward to your review of the new upcoming series.
I haven't read the book either, but saw the series on TV in the Netherlands. As with many at that time, it introduced me to "Japan of the samurai" and had my parents laughing at their son shouting out "Hai, Toranagasama!" at random moments. Later, having travelled to Japan and married a Japanese girl, when I happenend on a copy on video, I re-experienced a lot of the excitement, only to be immediately chastised for exactly what you mentioned concerning the Japanese reaction to it: sure, samurai movies are fun, but why are you happy about butchering an important part of Japanese history? I totally agree with you on the "Hollywood tax" that has been paid by adding (in my eyes) needless love interests, just like I am still upset by what Peter Jackson did to Glorfindel in LoTR... Either way, the mini-series was an important part of my Japanese "upbringing" and I'm (cautiously) hopeful about the new series.
Is there any chance that you'll review "Dokuganryu Masamune" (1987) with Ken Watanabe and Hiroyuki Sanada?
The romantic aspect made this story much more real for those of us who are "doers". I understand how it could be a distraction for the "sit and read about it" type - I can fall into that mode as well, but not usually. I'd rather be immersed in it. If I was in Blackthorne's tabi, I'd be interested in the culture and political intrigue, but I'd definitely still love women.
I watched the original broadcast in 1980 and was mesmerized by it. I read the novel afterwards and appreciated how closely the mini-series portrayed the book. I appreciate your assessment and am looking forward to seeing the forthcoming fx remake. It will be fascinating to compare the two adaptations. I appreciate your take on the predominance of the love story in the original production and affirm that it was a mirror of the same plot development as the novel. Back in the day, I was in my early 30s and I (admittedly a confirmed romanticist) recall being swept up in the beauty and pathos of the lovers. I still remember anxiously awaiting for the next episode to air (of course, you only had one chance to watch it back then) and making sure no plans would interfere with my watching. Your video has inspired me to rewatch the series…this time with the eyes and heart of my advanced years. My guess is that I’ll still fall in love with the love story, in spite of its relative unimportance in the grand scheme of historical accuracy. We shall see…
Read the book after watching the TV miniseries, actually several times! Having visited Japan in 1971 on a Boy Scouts World Jamboree I love all things Japanese! It's the Bible and definitive history book into feudal Japan.
As someone who only watched this last year, I loved it. I had read the book the year before and then found this. Also good to note that FX are currently remaking this with some good actors attached, I'm looking forward to it very much
yesterday while searching for some NHK drama, Ive seen that there will be a remake of Shogun miniseries coming in 2022, with huge stars like Hiroyuki Sanada as Yoshi Toranaga... really looking forward to see it. Blackthorn will be played by Cosmo Jarvis.
Was Himeji castle used as a set for this? A lot of the clips you show look ridiculously familiar.
It was! If I recall correctly it was filmed before Osaka castle was properly restored, so they chose to film at a lot of it at Himeji instead.
@@TheShogunate I knew I recognized those shots outside the castle and one of the corridors from my visit there.
So glad you won the copyright claim! This video was worth preserving!
Read the real story about the real guy. Better than any fictional account. The best work is ‘Samurai William’ by Giles Milton.
i recently watched this miniseries again with my wife (was her first time). i love it. i don't care if is not historically acurate, or cheesy, i CAN enjoy kurosawa and this.
My brother turned me on to the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Later watched the mini-series and was so pleased how it stayed so close to the book. Probably my favorite mini-series of that era.
What struck me is that the scenes at the start of the series where the crew where chucked in a hole without sustenance is clearly the Author’s personal experience - he was a POW of the Japanese in Singapore. Clavell stated if the atomic bombs hadn’t been dropped he’d of died there. Makes it all the more harrowing.
Better him then thousands
Lol whatever weeb, millions more would of died if the mainland was invaded. Japan wasn’t about to give up. Yes, much better that imperial Japan be allowed to carry torturing prisoners until their country was invaded and completely annihilated and divided between the Russians and the West like Germany
@@kagamisan9952 Millions would have died in an invasion of the Japanese mainland. The Americans lost tens of thousands taking even tiny islands along the way as did the Japanese. The war simply had to end. Sad but true.
@@kagamisan9952 Many, many more thousands, even millions, would have died with him, most of them Japanese.
Better if the military fanatics in the Japanese government had had the moral courage to end a war that was obviously lost, but they did not. In the end only the unprecedented personal intervention of the Emperor forced the war cabinet to agree to surrender.
@@kagamisan9952 Better the bomb was used than over a million Allied men being killed. And the Japanese government itself estimated 20 million Japanese deaths if there was an invasion. Hope you understand now.
So much better than the new one
Dude thank you so much for making the video it really helped me out with my shogun packet that I had to finish for my Japanese class, you’re literally a life saver!!!! :,)))
It should be noted - the woman who played Mariko did not speak English. She learned phrases and her lines by rote memory.
The biggest difference between novel and miniseries is that in the novel, we get to experience the story from the PoVs of several other characters too, like Toranaga, Mariko, Yabu and Father Alvito. For example, Yabu almost experiences an orgasm when one of the Dutch is slowly boiled alive, something that among other things disgusts his nephew Omi who begins to plot against him and it's one of the reasons why Yabu ends up where he does. It's understandable that this all was cut as it would have increased the runtime of the series even further, but I feel there's a bit of nuance lost on the characters other than Blackthorne.
Yes, in that the book was much richer but I completely understand the choice. This was 1980 and a three night miniseries was already a major event and there was scandal enough with the scenes of men's exposed asses and a beheading! Looking back at long running series like Sopranos and Game of Thrones we could see a prolonged series tackle the whole book but to do it in three nights I believe they made the correct choice to limit the scope.
The mini series premiered in the middle of September, 1980 as a five part series on NBC. At the time, I had to go to bed when it came on. I was listening to the TV much as I can before I fall asleep. I was able to watch the conclusion because it wasn't a school night.
I love Rodrigues played by John Rys Davies. He was more of a frienemy to Blackthorne.
@@dalemcilwain I loved him as well. I would say he was an unequivocal friend to Blackthorne - going out of his way to save his life when his commander wants Blackthorne killed - but their friendship was made difficult by conflicting duties.
Been years I heard of James Clavell. This guy I always imagine him having a "Yellow Fever" as his novels focus alot on East Asia. Another was Taipan. Still an old classic TV serial where we see a Not-William Adam become a Hatamoto to Not-Ieyasu become the shogun of Japan after defeating Not-Ishida.
A small trivia, originally they wanted Sean Connery to be the role of William Adam, but he wasn't available so they Richard Chamberlain. Also nice too see John Rhys Davis who basically never aged back when this TV serial came out and stayed the same for almost 30 years in Sliders and appearance in Dune videogame.
Also I kinda miss the long distance camera shot from a helicopter... nowadays with the invention of air drone camera the long distance camera shoot is too beautiful steady. hahaha.
Also by the way Shogunate, I heard in 2022 Japan is making another Taiga Drama called "Do Soru Ieyasu?" (What do you do Ieyasu)
The miniseries is very true to the novel. The battle of Sekigihara is mentioned in only a couple of sentences in the epilogue as well. Clavel's books are all about well fleshed out characters and their actions, motivations, and interactions. Big plot elements are just the backdrop. It really wasn't about Japanese politics except how it affected the main characters. Toranaga was really kept at arm's length in the story and you never really got much of his inner monologue as you do with other characters. This kept him mysterious and larger than life.
This show was awesome and the love story was important to the story more than battles that's why they casted Richard chamberlain. Blackthorne did become a lord with retainers? He also became a samurai in the show with multiple accolades from Toranaga. Yabu liked blackthorne so much he asked him to be his witness at his seppuku and to take his Muramasa blade after. He was a respected samurai. They sold that stuff at the end to tie the story full circle to Mariko. They implied she made a deal with Torrunaga to always protect blackthorne and keep him from the Black Ship.
Yet another excellent video Shogunate! About the FX version, at the time of writing this we have a trailer and release date for 2024. I'm already worried that they are following current Hollywood trends. They seem to be portraying Mariko as some kind of skilled assassin or fighter. But I'll wait and see what they do before I criticize it.
I had watched this mini series twice: first time in 1980, when I was a high school boy, last one, some years after the pandemia. I liked it and I still like it. It's a jewel of the international television.
Watched it for the first time in the 90s as old kid or young teenager and I loved it. Got me hooked on Japanese history which was not really on my radar until that point. Later also read the book, which is well worth the time. Clavell later wrote another book playing in Japan (for the most part) - the first sequel to the fantastic (China-based) "Tai-Pan" by the name of "Gai-Jin".
Read the novel 4 times, saw the mini series 6 discs, still each are awesome, looking forward to the new series.
I’ve just watched the 1980 miniseries and it’s quite good. I disagree with the review regarding it being flawed, as it’s a faithful adaptation. It seems the reviewer wanted battles and big guns, but not a love story, which is central to Shogun.
I agree
The love story is a big part of both the original series and novel
it's the love story that I liked the most about the original series and novel
Watched this during its initial run with my grandparents, who served in the USN and lived in Okinawa post-WW2. While noting and agreeing with your highlights of the flaws (and having read the novel), I *still* love it. Call it nostalgia, call it a gateway “drug” to the time and place, call it what you will…but definitely call it born of an absolute and undying love for Japan and her people. Even if it means enduring pop-culture tropes sewn on to historicity. 👍🇯🇵❤️
Ahhh… my nostalgia for 1588. Those were the days…
Yo! Thanks for the review! Just found a VHS box set of this series at a Goodwill and I was a little daunted by the run time. Good to know it has it's merit.
I haven’t read the book in ages, but I remember the ending as being almost perfect.
The final chapter is told mostly from Toranaga’s perspective, and the reader is finally allowed to see into the mind and heart of the master strategist and puppet master.
And of course, the epilogue on Sekigihara and the soothsayers’ prediction: “His feet firm in the earth, he lingered 2 days and died a very old man.”
Perfect.