Shogun 

A English navigator becomes both a player and pawn in the complex political games in feudal Japan.

Stars:

Richard Chamberlain, Toshirô Mifune, Yôko Shimada

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Richard Chamberlain	...	Anjin-san / ... (5 episodes, 1980)
Toshirô Mifune	...	Lord Yoshi Toranaga (5 episodes, 1980)
Yôko Shimada	...	Lady Toda Buntaro - Mariko (5 episodes, 1980)
Furankî Sakai	...	Yabu (5 episodes, 1980)
Alan Badel	...	Father Dell'Aqua (5 episodes, 1980)
Damien Thomas	...	Father Alvito (5 episodes, 1980)
John Rhys-Davies	...	Vasco Rodrigues (5 episodes, 1980)
Vladek Sheybal	...	Captain Ferriera (5 episodes, 1980)
Yûki Meguro	...	Omi (5 episodes, 1980)
Hideo Takamatsu	...	Lord Buntaro (5 episodes, 1980)
Michael Hordern	...	Friar Domingo (5 episodes, 1980)
Nobuo Kaneko	...	Ishido (5 episodes, 1980)
Hiromi Senno	...	Fujiko (5 episodes, 1980)
George Innes	...	Vinck (5 episodes, 1980)
Leon Lissek	...	Father Sebastio (5 episodes, 1980)
Edward Peel	...	Pieterzoon (5 episodes, 1980)
Eric Richard	...	Maetsukker (5 episodes, 1980)
Steve Ubels	...	Roper (5 episodes, 1980)
Stewart MacKenzie	...	Croocq (5 episodes, 1980)
John J. Carney	...	Gingel (5 episodes, 1980)
Ian Jentle	...	Salamon (5 episodes, 1980)
Neil McCarthy	...	Spillbergen (5 episodes, 1980)
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Specz (5 episodes, 1980)
Mika Kitagawa	...	Kiku (5 episodes, 1980)
Seiji Miyaguchi	...	Muraji (5 episodes, 1980)
Tôru Abe	...	Hiromatsu (5 episodes, 1980)
Shin Takuma	...	Naga (5 episodes, 1980)
Hyôe Enoki	...	Jirobei (5 episodes, 1980)
Miiko Taka	...	Kiri (5 episodes, 1980)
Midori Takei	...	Sono (5 episodes, 1980)
Ai Matsubara	...	Rako (5 episodes, 1980)
Yumiko Morishita	...	Asa (5 episodes, 1980)
Hiroshi Hasegawa	...	Galley Captain (5 episodes, 1980)
Akira Sera	...	Old Gardener (5 episodes, 1980)
Rin'ichi Yamamoto	...	Yoshinaka (5 episodes, 1980)
Yûko Kada	...	Sazuko (5 episodes, 1980)
Masumi Okada	...	Brother Michael (5 episodes, 1980)
Yôsuke Natsuki	...	Zataki (5 episodes, 1980)
Takeshi Ôbayashi	...	Urano (5 episodes, 1980)
Yoshie Kitsuda	...	Kyoko (5 episodes, 1980)
Masashi Ebara	...	Suga (5 episodes, 1980)
Setsuko Sekine	...	Genjiko (5 episodes, 1980)
Atsuko Sano	...	Lady Ochiba (5 episodes, 1980)
Orson Welles	...	Narrator (5 episodes, 1980)

Storyline

John Blackthorne, an English ship pilot, whose vessel wrecked upon the Japanese coast in the early 16th century is forced to deal with the two most powerful men in Japan in these days. He is thrown in the midst of a war between Toranaga and Ishido, who struggle for the title of Shogun which will give ultimate power to the one who possesses it.

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Plot Keywords:

japan | shogun | epic | power | warlord | 

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Taglines:

A nation of violence, Samurai warriors ... and forbidden love.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

12

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

15 September 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

James Clavell's Shogun

Filming Locations:

Daiei-Kyoto Studios, Kyoto, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Asahi National Broadcasting Company, Jardine Matheson Co. Ltd., National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min (10 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The set for the village of Anjiro was built in Nagashima, a remote virgin beach in a fishing village. It was so remote that there was no road leading to it, so it had to be built. The trees removed to do so had to be replaced after production finished.

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Goofs

Anjin-san receives a flintlock pistol as a gift from Lord Toranaga. Flintlock pistols were not in wide use until 1630, thirty years after the show's setting. The wheel lock and match lock pistols and muskets, also used in the show, are correct. Additionally, the Europeans were reluctant to export the latest firearms to Japan, preferring to keep the superior weaponry to themselves.

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Quotes

[after Blackthorne's guard prevented an assassination attempt by Rodrigues]
Pilot-Major John Blackthorne: Captain Yoshinaka was right to search him. Was that your idea?
Lady Toda Buntaro - Mariko: Please excuse me, but I was afraid for you.
Pilot-Major John Blackthorne: Sad, isn't it? Not being able to trust anyone.
Lady Toda Buntaro - Mariko: It is not sad, Anjin-san. It is just one of life's most important rules.

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Connections

Referenced in Just Shoot Me!: Nina's Birthday (1997)

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Soundtracks

BLACKTHORNE'S SHANTY
Words and Music by Eric Bercovici

User Reviews

Rich and fulfilling, a great adaptation of Clavell's masterpiece

In 1976, James Clavell wrote an epic masterpiece: the story of Blackthorne, an English sailor lost in Feudal Japan. He gradually finds his place, oft the central pawn of political intrigues between various foreign powers and the local warlords. In 1980, this miniseries was unleashed on the world and created a whole new audience for the mammoth bestseller. No small feat considering the length and complexity of Clavell's 1200+ page door-stopper. Clocking in at almost 10 hours, this mega-budgeted series delivers the goods. People who have seen "The Last Samurai" might see a few plot similarities (even in certain smaller details: Tom Cruise sports exactly the same haircut as Richard Chamberlain). With all respect for the 2003 film, Shogun is far out of it's reach.

Richard Chamberlain embodies Blackthorne to perfection, successfully gaining our empathy through an ambiguous yet very human performance. Supporting him are Japanese icon Toshiro Mifune as the shrewd warlord and aspiring shogun Torunaga, who befriends/manipulates Blackthorne, and Yoko Shimada as Blackthorne's translator, confident and friend. Every actor gives life to Clavell's carefully drawn and layered characters (most of all a very bombastic John Rhys-Davies). For a television miniseries, the technical specs are quite surprisingly good. Indeed the budget must have been quite important (and set a record at the time) but never is the story or it's rhythm scarified to show-off. The direction and photography are quite tasteful, often reminiscent of early Kurosawa, only in color. Maurice Jarre's score might not reach the lofty heights of his work for David Lean but it serves it's purpose.

Many will tell you that the book is better. It is certainly more intimate and detailed, but a more faithful and excellent adaptation of such a rich book you are not likely to see anytime soon. For anyone with a taste for epics, Japan or just plain good entertainment, this is essential viewing.