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Shogun

  • TV Mini Series
  • 19801980
  • TV-MATV-MA
  • 9h 7m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
13K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,525
289
Richard Chamberlain and Yôko Shimada in Shogun (1980)
Shogun
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
56 Photos
AdventureDramaHistory
An English navigator becomes both a player and pawn in the complex political games in feudal Japan.An English navigator becomes both a player and pawn in the complex political games in feudal Japan.An English navigator becomes both a player and pawn in the complex political games in feudal Japan.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
13K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,525
289
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Stars
      • Richard Chamberlain
      • Toshirô Mifune
      • Yôko Shimada
    Top credits
    • Stars
      • Richard Chamberlain
      • Toshirô Mifune
      • Yôko Shimada
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 51User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
    • Won 3 Primetime Emmys
      • 8 wins & 13 nominations total

    Episodes5

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated
    1 Season
    1980

    Videos1

    Shogun
    Trailer 0:31
    Shogun

    Photos56

    Richard Chamberlain and Nobuo Kaneko in Shogun (1980)
    Leon Lissek in Shogun (1980)
    Toshirô Mifune in Shogun (1980)
    Richard Chamberlain in Shogun (1980)
    Furankî Sakai in Shogun (1980)
    Toshirô Mifune in Shogun (1980)
    Yôko Shimada in Shogun (1980)
    Richard Chamberlain and Yôko Shimada in Shogun (1980)
    Toshirô Mifune and Damien Thomas in Shogun (1980)
    Richard Chamberlain in Shogun (1980)
    Toshirô Mifune and Yôko Shimada in Shogun (1980)
    Furankî Sakai in Shogun (1980)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Richard Chamberlain
    Richard Chamberlain
    • Anjin-san…
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Toshirô Mifune
    Toshirô Mifune
    • Lord Yoshi Toranaga
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Yôko Shimada
    Yôko Shimada
    • Lady Toda Buntaro - Mariko
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Furankî Sakai
    Furankî Sakai
    • Yabu
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Alan Badel
    Alan Badel
    • Father Dell'Aqua
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Damien Thomas
    Damien Thomas
    • Father Alvito
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    John Rhys-Davies
    John Rhys-Davies
    • Vasco Rodrigues
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Vladek Sheybal
    Vladek Sheybal
    • Captain Ferriera
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Yûki Meguro
    Yûki Meguro
    • Omi
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Hideo Takamatsu
    • Lord Buntaro
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Michael Hordern
    Michael Hordern
    • Friar Domingo
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Nobuo Kaneko
    Nobuo Kaneko
    • Ishido
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Hiromi Senno
    • Fujiko
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    George Innes
    George Innes
    • Vinck
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Leon Lissek
    Leon Lissek
    • Father Sebastio
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    John J. Carney
    John J. Carney
    • Gingel…
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Ian Jentle
    • Salamon
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    Tôru Abe
    Tôru Abe
    • Hiromatsu
    5 episodes5 eps • 1980
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Damien Thomas could not speak any Japanese when he was cast. The whole crew were astonished by his nearly-perfect Japanese-language scenes.
    • Goofs
      In the opening shot, when the last of the five remaining Dutch vessels sails the Pacific, it carries the Dutch flag, red stripe on top, white in the middle and bottom's blue. This is "in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight..." but at that time, the top stripe on the Prince's Flag was orange as it first appeared in the 1570s. It was changed to red in the mid-17th century but it took until 1796, almost a century after the series is supposed to be set, before red white and blue were officially announced to be the official colors.
    • Quotes

      Vasco Rodrigues: Listen to me, you whore-gutted, pock-marked, motherless scum... I need a favor.

    • Alternate versions
      Originally a ten-hour TV miniseries narrated by Orson Welles, it was later reissued for television in a somewhat shortened version with narration by Anne Bancroft. Shogun was re-edited into a 125-minutes movie for USA network TV with the addition of a new voice over narrated by Orson Welles
    • Connections
      Edited into Shogun (1980)
    • Soundtracks
      BLACKTHORNE'S SHANTY
      Words and Music by Eric Bercovici

    User reviews51

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    still worthwhile
    I first saw the mini-series on TV when it came out. I was like millions of other viewers who made sure they were home night after night to see this epic. Now that it's out on DVD, how could I resist? Seeing it on a much bigger screen than existed in the early 80's, I immediately was appalled by the bad hair pieces of almost all of the Japanese actors. It took a while to get used to the seams and wrinkled skullcaps and the makeup that didn't really match. The only other "ouch" moment, for me, came in the opening shot of the "Erasmus" being filmed from a helicopter with Orson Welles narration. It was impressive up until the helicopter shadow goes right over the boat and the water!..... I was amazed that wasn't edited out in post. Ah well. When you watch the bonus material, you get an idea of what a monumentally difficult project this was from the language and custom difficulties to the famous TOHO Studios being about 25 years behind the times with their equipment...not to mention the tank where the shipwreck was filmed. I don't know if I agree with the director and producers that if it wasn't for 'Shogun' sushi would not be as popular in the U.S. as it has become, but it certainly sparked an ongoing interest in Japanese history and culture in me. It will always be one of the crowning achievements for television. It's a miracle that it came off as beautifully as it did. Just don't watch the 2-hour mess that is on video.
    helpful•31
    8
    • dreed444
    • Nov 15, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 15, 1980 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Japan
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • James Clavell's Shogun
    • Filming locations
      • Himeji City, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Asahi National Broadcasting Company
      • Jardine Matheson Co. Ltd.
      • National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      9 hours 7 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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