"Projects like Shogun should be focused on much more in Hollywood, rather than the 1000th almost identical installment in a franchise." "Anna Sawai for president!!" "This review is only for season 1." Shōgun follows "the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds, John Blackthorne, a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will ultimately redefine him; Lord Toranaga, a shrewd, powerful daimyo, at odds with his own dangerous, political rivals; and Lady Mariko, a woman with invaluable skills but dishonorable family ties, who must prove her value and allegiance." Clavell's Shōgun is historical fiction. The character of Blackthorne is loosely based on the historical English navigator William Adams, who in Japan rose to become a samurai under Tokugawa Ieyasu, a powerful daimyō who later became the founder and first shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate. Ieyasu is the basis for the character of Yoshii Toranaga. (Source: Wikipedia) When I saw the trailers and promo material, I thought Shogun was going to be an entertaining action-thriller-history epic. I never expected to see one of the series with the best written dialogues ever. At least from what I've seen so far, in my ... Every sentence of the characters seems so well thought out. There is so much weight and meaning behind every word. The most memorable scene was a dinner in episode 5. I've never been so tense and spellbound by a conversation before. The story in general is also unpredictable, interesting and thrillingly written. No character is indifferent, because they grow on you over time. Of course, a good script must also be well delivered, which is the case. Above all, I have to single out four actors that I liked the most: 1. Anna Sawai, as Toda Mariko 2. Hiroyuki Sanada, as Lord Yoshi Toranaga 3. Moeka Hoshi, as Usami Fuji 4. Tadanobu Asano, as Kashigi Yabushige (I can recommend this masterpiece about him to everyone: Yabushige - Grunt Compilation [https://youtu.be/xeBwYBR4Y0I?si=yDfa8eISQ5t8qSwn]) Unfortunately, Cosmo Jarvis (John Blackthorne) is repeatedly overshadowed by his colleagues, and his acting is not always authentic especially when it comes to emotional moments. The show is also technically well done. It offers incredible show values. The sets, costumes and scenery all look authentic and of high quality. Anyone interested in costumes should definitely take a look at the Instagram of the show's costume designer, Carlos Rosario. There you will find insights into the creation of the traditional costumes and dresses worn in the series. (https://www.instagram.com/thecarlosrosario?igsh=OW90c3F3dTV1ZW96) The sound design and the soundtrack by Nick Chuba, Atticus Ross and Leopold Ross is also great. The few action scenes that take place, especially in the first episodes, are well choreographed and filmed. However, for authenticity reasons and because the language bariere plays an important role, the series is 80% in Japanese with subtitles. If you can't cope with that, Shogun might not be something for you. The show offers interesting insights into the culture, traditions and customs of Japan around 1600. Both beautiful and atmospheric customs, such as tea ceremonies or poetry, as well as cruel yet fascinating rituals such as seppuku are shown. Incidentally, this is not a biography or a real historical story, but some characters and storylines are loosely based on real historical people and their stories in Japan around 1600. Contrary to my initial impression, the series is not about battles and action. It's about characters and their developments and relationships with each other. ------> Hence the ending, without the big (expected) final battle. <------ From what I've heard, the series sticks very authentically to the novel by James Clavell. That's why the story is over and there probably won't be a second season. It's great to see such high-quality and elaborately produced series these days. Where Hollywood consists mainly of blockbusters from big franchises. Rating: "Gripping, historical, dialog rich" 5 out of 5 stars Short reviews and thoughts on the individual episodes can be found on my serializd profile. series I watched in 2024 (https://srlzd.com/l/2349e)