'Shogun' cast on bringing Japanese culture to the world

ByEduardo Sanchez, Brian Sung and Dana Langer Localish logo
Friday, March 1, 2024
'Shogun' cast on bringing Japanese culture to the world
Embark on an epic adventure of culture, honor and power with FX's Shogun, streaming now on Hulu, and internationally on Disney+.

Adapted from the bestselling novel by James Clavell, FX's Shogun is an epic adventure exploring feudal Japan.

"To think that 50 years later his book is being not only remade but remade so beautifully. He'd be very, very proud," said Clavell's daughter, Michaela Clavell.

The 10-episode limited series follows Lord Yoshii Toranaga as he fights for his life against the Council of Regents, which is on a mission to impeach and kill him.

"A lot of our characters belong to Samurai class so the show really sort of takes a deep dive into different kinds of people within that class," said Eriko Miyagawa, a producer on the show.

The series explores the roots of various Japanese cultural traditions, ranging from intricate tea ceremonies to Kyujitsu, a form of archery that has been kept alive for centuries.

"Seeing the culture that I grew up in represented with such respect, care and authenticity means the world and I am excited for Japanese audiences because I think they will feel seen and represented," Miyagawa said.

"As a producer, I hired a Japanese crew, master of gesture, Samurai drama-making specialist to introduce our culture to introduce our culture to the world correctly," producer and star Hiroyuki Sanada added.

The first two Shogun episodes premiere Tuesday, Feb. 27 on FX (10 p.m. EST/PST) and Hulu (12:01 a.m. EST). The remaining episodes will be released weekly on Tuesdays until the finale on April 23. Shogun will stream in more than 100 countries around the world, including Japan, on Disney+.

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