Shōgun (2024 TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shōgun |
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| Genre | Historical drama |
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| Country of origin | United States |
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| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
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| Production location(s) | British Columbia, Canada |
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| Running time | 53–70 minutes |
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| Original release | February 27, 2024 – present |
Shōgun (Japanese: SHOGUN 将軍) is an exciting American historical drama TV series. It was created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks. The show is based on a famous novel from 1975 called Shōgun by James Clavell. This story was also made into a TV show in 1980.
The series has a great group of actors, including Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, and Anna Sawai. Most of the actors are Japanese, and much of the show's talking is in Japanese.
Shōgun was first planned as a short series. The first two episodes came out on February 27, 2024. New episodes were released every week until April 23, 2024. The show got amazing reviews from critics. People especially loved the directing, writing, and how beautiful it looked. They also praised the actors' performances and how true it stayed to the book. Because it was so successful, new seasons are now being planned!
In 2024, Shōgun made history. It became the first Japanese-language series to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. The first season won 18 Emmy awards in total. This set a new record for the most awards won by a single TV season in Emmy history! It also won four Golden Globe Awards, including Best TV Series – Drama. The main actors, Sanada, Sawai, and Asano, also won acting awards.
What is Shōgun About?
Shōgun tells the story of two very different, but ambitious, men. Their paths cross in a big way. One is John Blackthorne, a brave English sailor. He gets shipwrecked in Japan, a land with a culture totally new to him. This new culture changes him deeply.
The other main character is Lord Toranaga. He is a very smart and powerful Japanese lord, called a daimyō. He has many dangerous enemies who want to take his power. The story also features Lady Mariko. She is a smart woman with important skills. However, her family has a difficult past, and she must prove her loyalty.
The story of Shōgun is historical fiction. This means it's a made-up story, but it's based on real history. The character John Blackthorne is inspired by a real English sailor named William Adams. He became a samurai (a Japanese warrior) under a powerful lord named Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tokugawa Ieyasu later became the military ruler of Japan, known as the shōgun. He also started the Tokugawa shogunate, a long period of rule in Japan. Lord Toranaga in the show is based on this real-life figure, Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Meet the Main Characters
Here are some of the main characters you'll meet in Shōgun:
- Hiroyuki Sanada plays Lord Yoshii Toranaga: He is a very powerful warlord and a lord of the Kantō area. He is one of the five Regents who rule Japan for the young heir of the late Taikō (a powerful leader). Toranaga is a descendant of an old clan that used to rule Japan as shōguns. He is very smart at planning military and political moves. (Based on Tokugawa Ieyasu, 1543–1616).
- Cosmo Jarvis plays Pilot Major John Blackthorne: The Japanese people call him the "Anjin." He is a Protestant English sailor who was part of a Dutch fleet trying to trade with Japan. He and his crew become prisoners of the powerful Lord Toranaga. (Based on William Adams, 1564–1620).
- Anna Sawai plays Toda Mariko: She is an intelligent woman from a high-ranking family. She is very loyal to Toranaga. Mariko became a Catholic and helps by translating between Toranaga and Blackthorne. (Based on Hosokawa Gracia, 1563–1600).
- Tadanobu Asano plays Kashigi Yabushige: He is the lord of Izu and serves Toranaga. He is known for his clever, sometimes tricky, plans. (Based on Honda Masanobu, 1538–1616).
- Takehiro Hira plays Ishido Kazunari: He started as a peasant but became a powerful warlord. He is one of the five Regents and Toranaga's main rival. He rules Osaka Castle. (Based on Ishida Mitsunari, 1559–1600).
- Tommy Bastow plays Father Martin Alvito: He is a kind Portuguese priest and a reliable translator. The Japanese call him "Tsuji." (Based on João Rodrigues Tçuzu, 1561–1634).
- Fumi Nikaido plays Ochiba no Kata: She is the daughter of a late lord and was the only wife of the late Taikō who had a son, Yaechiyo. (Based on Yodo-dono, 1569–1615).
Awards and Recognition
Shōgun has won many important awards for its amazing quality. In 2024, it made history at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards. It won 18 Emmy awards, including the top prize for Outstanding Drama Series. This means it won more Emmys than any other single season of a TV show ever!
The show also won four Golden Globe Awards. It was named Best Television Series – Drama. The main actors, Hiroyuki Sanada (who plays Lord Toranaga), Anna Sawai (who plays Lady Mariko), and Tadanobu Asano (who plays Kashigi Yabushige), all won Golden Globe awards for their acting.
Shōgun has also been recognized by other groups. It won "Program of the Year" at the Television Critics Association Awards. It also received awards from the Hollywood Music in Media Awards for its music and from the Asia Society Game Changer Awards. Many other awards are still to be announced, showing how popular and well-made the series is.
See also
In Spanish: Shōgun (serie de televisión de 2024) para niños
- Shōgun (1980 miniseries), another TV show based on the same novel.
