Shogun Review: Star Rating:
Cast: Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira, Tommy Bastow, Fumi Nikaido
Creator: Rachel Kondo, Justin Marks
Director: Jonathan van Tulleken
Streaming On: Hulu
Language: English, Japanese
Runtime: 10 episodes, around 1 hour each
Shogun Review: What’s It About:
Hulu is still in the fight, and while it will be totally assimilated by Disney+, the streaming service still has a ton of content on the way, made with the quality standards that the Fox Television division has always provided. In this case, Hulu presents Shogun, a new miniseries based on the trendy novel written by James Clavell and released in 1975. The book became a huge success, and it was already adapted to television in 1980, but now Hulu brings all the technology and production values of the 21st century to create a unique historical epic for today’s audiences.
Shogun Review: Script Analysis:
Just like the novel the miniseries is based on, Shogun is quite complex and quickly brings many characters, themes, and plot developments into the fold. The original novel managed to get all these elements together and deliver them to the audience very concretely. That was how such a big book became an enormous bestseller with the masses, and the miniseries does just that with how it displays its narrative. There are many characters, names, concepts, and themes, yet everything is easy to understand.
Of course, the series might need to be more precise for someone who needs attention, but generally, all the political intrigue, rules, and plot developments occur clearly. This is vital for the show’s enjoyment because the audience must follow every development in detail; if they miss something, the tension and the stakes have no weight whatsoever. On top of keeping things clear, the show’s writers have also managed to create a very diverse group of characters, all following their own agendas, which makes the intrigue even more interesting to watch.
The ways the characters progress through their arcs are genuinely fascinating, and the developments come solid and fast, but without ever betraying the essence of the characters, and so, for example, John Blackthorne, our main protagonist, changes to be more intelligent, wise, brave, and open-minded, but he never stops being stubborn and rash. The same happens with the rest of the cast, and even when alliances start changing left and right, you understand why the characters are making those decisions and their consequences.
The show also does a fantastic job of presenting and illustrating the complicated historical context of Japan during the period in which the show is set. This period involves more than just Japan in the conflict that the show presents, and it is pretty interesting to see how the different cultures clash and how people might find it hard or easy to understand each other depending on minimal differences or enormous ones like the language barrier, for example. Most Japanese characters speak Japanese all the time, so prepare to read a lot of subtitles.
Shogun Review: Star Performance:
Shogun has a great cast of actors performing all these fascinating characters, making the show worth watching. Cosmo Jarvis becomes John Blackthorne, our main character, the outsider who lands on Japanese territory with no idea of what he is about to face, and the actor plays the part very well. At the start, his performance might feel weird and untrustworthy, just like this character in the show, but the actor gradually manages to create a very personable performance that feels like the perfect way to depict a fish out of water.
However, the show’s real star is the veteran Hiroyuki Sanada, who at first seems to be only someone playing a part in someone else’s story, only to reveal to us that this story is all about him. The actor brings his experience at playing historical characters into the fold, and it will make you grateful that the actor is still working to grace us with characters such as this one. Anna Sawai also becomes a highlight as the show progresses, and she cements herself as one of the most talented actresses of her generation.
Trending
Shogun Review: Direction & Music:
Shogun’s production values are high; the sets, decor, costumes, and many other aspects of the production design are all at a very high level, and they need to be if the show wants to sell its historical setting in the best possible way. However, the high production values are often devalued a bit by the cinematography and the direction. This is not to say that the direction and cinematography are wrong, far from it, but the way the show looks at times feels weird in comparison to more polished shows in the streaming space.
The cinematography sometimes chooses to use very angular lenses that distort the image to a degree, and while it makes the show feel singular, there is really no more profound reason that I could find for this choice, and it makes the show look ugly many times, and that should be the case. Regarding the music, composers Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, and Nick Chuba do their best at scoring the show and take it on an emotional ride too hard, with tense moments and more tender and mysterious situations. The music ultimately elevates many of the scenes and should be applauded.
Shogun Review: Last Words:
Shogun might be the best show of early 2024, proving that Hulu and FX can still provide excellent content even in their situation. The show manages to translate the classic novel excellently and concretely without ever losing the political and cultural complexities that make the story such a classic. The production values are also unique, but even when the cinematography and direction fail to make the show as good as possible, it isn’t a deal-breaker as it is usually quite breathtaking. Shogun is a win for Hulu and a must-watch miniseries for 2024.
Must Read: Hazbin Hotel Season 1 Review: Hilarious & Hellish Adventure Into Redemption
Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube | Google News
The post Shogun Review: Classic Bestseller Comes Back As One Of The Best Shows Of 2024 appeared first on Koimoi.