Three elements that make Shogun one of the biggest hits on Disney+

IN Shogun, the story of a Westerner in the heart of feudal Japan, is told from a detailed, thorough, and elegant point of view. On the one hand, it’s about John Blackthorne’s (Cosmo Jarvis) understanding of a society, culture and tradition that is completely different from his own. The Englishman, the navigator, and also the soldier, when conditions require it, the context of a territory governed by loyalty to customs is alien to him. But much more the way power is contested between ceremonies, half-assed conversations and, ultimately, a battle in which honor supersedes any ambition.

On the other hand, ruler Yoshi Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) shows how power moved in Japan during the Edo Dynasty. Between promises that must be kept at the cost of life and battles in which morality trumps any self-interest, Japan is torn between manipulation. Just like James Clavell’s book, the Disney+ adaptation carefully examines the era in which its story is set. Additionally, he uses context to delve into his characters’ weaknesses and cruelty. So, in the end, the series is about the clash of two ideas of power in the midst of a revolution that will change Japan forever.

We’ll tell you three reasons why, Shogun This is one of the most successful series of the year. From the historical section to the adaptation, taking the best from the book and telling a universal story. The truth is that the new Disney+ production shows that the period drama genre continues to be one of the audience’s favorites. The biggest advantage that platform manufacturing has.

Shogun: history as context, not just setting

One of the greatest virtues Shogun is to use the historical background of the novel as the context that supports the entire central conflict. Namely, how the death of Taiko – or the feudal lord – triggers a whole series of manipulations among the five regents of the deceased’s heir. This one, too small to hold the position, must obey the decisions of the people his father chose to rule on their behalf until they came of age.

The 1980 version of the miniseries focused more on exploring the exotic beauty of medieval Japan rather than delving into its mysteries. So a good part of the political plot was overshadowed by the love story, which also includes the plot. John (played by Richard Chamberlain) and Mariko Buntaro-Toda (Yoko Shimada) find themselves in the middle of a forbidden relationship that ends in tragedy. What the script used to analyze cultural and ethical pressures in the context of emotional suffering.

But in the 2024 adaptation, Rachel Condo and Justin Marks’ script abandons its exploration of love doomed to die in favor of a political script. This allows the historical context to have special meaning. Based on a true story, the idea of ​​a feudal lord who must strategically move his pieces within the court becomes increasingly complex. And this while studying the customs, traditions and views of Japan, which is subject to strict cultural norms.

An argument that does not leave cruelty aside

James Clavell’s report, published in 1975, was full of ritual suicides, bloody murders and beheadings. The version released on the small screen in 1980 toned down the plot to make the story less complex. Therefore, the production team, led by the writer himself, made several decisions to adapt the work elegantly. And this is without losing sight of aspects of the literary version.

Therefore, the series included some shocking scenes – for example, the already remembered beheading in the first chapter – and nudity of a female figure, which became controversial. But he didn’t explore its deeper themes or more extreme episodes, including child murder, pedophilia, rape and an honor suicide ritual. Thus, the production seemed to remain halfway between the grossest and the most perverted part. as opposed to the other one which is more drama oriented.

Shogun opted for a more head-on, brutal adaptation that doesn’t hide the brutal nature of some of the book’s most famous passages. From John’s kidnapping and humiliation before he was caught by the samurai, to the death of the first born member of the court due to his disrespect. The series is a meditation on the use of cruelty as a moral duty and, without a doubt, a realistic perspective and a rejection of all the romanticism of medieval Japan.

Create a world from a book

One of the most famous jokes from the film adaptation Shogun 1980 is that it was filmed entirely in Japan. A fact that the production divulged whenever it could during the opening night. But on screen this was translated into dozens of panoramic scenes that actually had no plot weight. Years later, James Clavell himself noted that, due to Japanese government restrictions, records were limited to very specific locations. And especially, spaces – OkiyaThe houses and streets are specific to tell the story.

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Something that the new adaptation overcomes in several of its most interesting chapters. The series was also filmed in Japan, but in select locations in the UK. As such, he uses Okinawa’s landscapes to create the necessary sense of historical immersion. At the same time, it uses elaborate settings of British historical realism. The same was achieved in Vancouver, where the technical team built several temples and palaces. Production is recorded between both locations from September 22, 2021 to July 2, 2022. Thus, various seasonal variations, They are also real in this story.