Shogun (1 Apr. 2008)

The tale of Samurai and their leaders Ieyasu Tokugawa and Mitsunari Ishida who were locked into a power struggle after the death of the Taiko, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Ieyasu's and Mistunari's ... See full summary »

Director:

Arif Nurmohamed

Writers:

Tony Etchells (additional dialogue), Arif Nurmohamed (screenplay),

Stars:

James Saito, Hiro Kanagawa, Louis Ozawa Changchien

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
James Saito	...	Ieyasu Tokugawa
Hiro Kanagawa	...	Mitsunari Ishida
Louis Ozawa Changchien	...	Hideaki Kobayakawa
Yuji Okumoto	...	Naomasa Ii
Hiroshi Katsuno	...	Mototada Torii
Henry Hayashi	...	Ukita
Koh Takeuchi	...	Hidetada Tokugawa
Togo Igawa	...	Hideyoshi Toyotomi
Kohei Mima	...	Tadayoshi Matsudaira
Eugene Nomura	...	Kagaketsu
Takahiro Hotta	...	Nobuyasu
Yusuke Tochio	...	Hideyori Toyotomi
Hiroaki Watanabe	...	Hidetada's aide
Michihiro Kinoshita	...	Ieyasu general
Toshiyuki Sasaki	...	Ieyasu general

Storyline

The tale of Samurai and their leaders Ieyasu Tokugawa and Mitsunari Ishida who were locked into a power struggle after the death of the Taiko, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Ieyasu's and Mistunari's actions would develop into one of the biggest rivals in world history as Ieyasu increased his power over Japan, Mitsunari would secretly rally an army of rebels in hopes into overthrow Ieyasu, but it would be the Taiko's Nephew, Hideyaki and his forces who would not only escalate a civil war, but during the battle of Sekigahara the biggest samurai battle in Japanese history, would make a decision that would realize Ieyasu's power over Japan and create his Shogunate.

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Genres:

Documentary | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK Greece

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 2008 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Daihonzan Tofuku-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Hellenic Radio & Television (ERT)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The kind of suicide that Nobuyasu performs is called Seppuku (or Harakiri), where the person takes a dagger, shoves it in his stomach and slices it across the stomach.

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Goofs

The narrator made numerous errors at the end of the show. First he stated that Ieyasu earned the title of the Shogun after he defeated Hideyori, the Tokugawa Shogunate was established in 1603, and the Seige of Osaka Castle was in 1614, 11 years after the Shogunate was established. Second he stated that the Shogunate would rule unchallenged for the next 250 years, again false. In 1638, Japanese Christians rose up in revolt against the Shogunate in Shimabara, sparking the Shumabara Rebellion.

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Quotes

Hidetada: I want to be a part of this fight. I'm not a boy.
Tokugawa - Ieyasu: We may not need to fight. If we move quickly. Hidetada, you were a gift on the day Nobuyasu died.
Hidetada: So, I live my life wrapped in silk because of Nobuyasu?
Tokugawa - Ieyasu: I had to protect you.
Hidetada: I don't need protecting. What I need is a chance to prove myself.
Tokugawa - Ieyasu: Until you learn to think before you act, you can do exactly as I say, and I say we use politics, not war.

User Reviews

A stellar representation of one of the greatest stories ever told

OK, so the 10 I rated it might be a tad overrated in most peoples' eyes, but this episode left me speechless and in awe. The intricate political intrigue takes viewers on a journey into the leading hearts and minds of medieval/renaissance Japan that will determine the fate of the nation for centuries to come. The acting is so convincing that I feel like I'm observing the actual events as they unfold.

BBC did a great job of keeping the tension high at the right points, the sound/music is inspiring, and all of the special effects look convincing. The Samurai Bushido code plays a major role here as Ieyasu Tokugawa and Ishida Mitsunari battle it out for the title of Shogun, climaxing with the Battle of Sekigahara that all centers around a young man's very heart and soul. Loyalty is the principle here: does one rely on family ties or bonds forged from a the blazing crucible of war? Find out in this episode of Heroes and Villains. It's worth your while.