Hiroyuki Sanada, known for his work in Japanese TV and cinema, has recently talked about ‘Shogun,’ which just made its debut on Hulu/FX. Taking on the roles of both lead actor and producer, Sanada is keen on bringing more ‘Japanese talent and stories’ to an international audience with the miniseries.
The actor shared his vision with GQ, mentioning an aim to connect the east and west:
“Little by little, I’ve broken the wall and opened the door. ‘Shogun’ is going to be a big step into the future, a big bridge between east and west. I want to make this bridge harder and stronger and smoother.”
Details of Sanada’s New Show
‘Shogun’ takes place in feudal Japan in 1600 and follows the story of Lord Toranaga as he navigates through political challenges with the Japanese council of regents and tries to use a British pilot’s presence for more power.
The show, primarily in Japanese with English subtitles, is an adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 novel. It premiered with two episodes on Hulu and FX, setting the stage for the rest of the 10-episode series to follow weekly.
Is It Like ‘Game Of Thrones?’
Following its launch, ‘Shogun’ has received acclaim, continuing the legacy of the 1980 TV adaptation. On Rotten Tomatoes, it earned a perfect score from 64 critics. Meanwhile, Rolling Stone recently compared ‘Shogun’s quality to that of ‘Game Of Thrones.’
While some saw the resemblance between the two shows, others disagreed. One person on Reddit said:
“It’s more similar to ‘HOTD,’ in scale and scope, than ‘GOT.’”
Feedback Has Been Positive
On the other side, some fans pointed out the cultural elements in the limited series, with a fan writing:
“An impeccable two hours of TV so far. Everyone is good in it but Cosmo Jarvis is particularly excellent. I’ve only previously seen him in Calm with Horses, where he was also terrific – probably a bit cliche to say so at this point but he really does remind me of a young Tom Hardy.”
Another user replied:
“The culture clash is amazing to see. Like how the villagers made a hot bath for his shipmate but he did not seem to enjoy bathing.”
Check out the Redditors’ thoughts on the show here.
