The series event of the week is on Disney. In 10 episodes, this fiction which takes place in the heart of feudal Japan will appeal to fans of Game of Thrones.
Since the (controversial) finale of Game of Thrones in 2019, many have been looking for the series that will be its worthy heir. If The Last of Us, House of the Dragon or The Rings of Power have already positioned themselves as serious competitors, the contender for the title could actually come from Japan, without a dragon, but with samurai.
Sh?gun is already described as the “new Game of Thrones” by several American media, who have given a grand welcome to this ambitious historical fresco, which takes Japan as its setting. With no less than 100% positive reviews out of 34 reviews, this fiction from the American channel FX reaches a very rare consensus in the audiovisual landscape.
Adapted from the novel by James Clavell, Sh?gun is set in the 17th century. With a civil war looming, English commander John Blackthorne could have a decisive impact on the country’s political life. Lord Yoshii Toranaga is, in fact, engaged in a fight to the death against his enemies in the Council of Regents, and intends to use Blackthorne to tip the scales in his favor. At the heart of their relationship is a translator, Toda Mariko, a Christian noblewoman, also the last of a line that has fallen from grace.
Thanks to a large budget, the creators of Sh?gun were able to transcribe Japanese historical reality as closely as possible while faithfully adapting the political intrigues and cultural differences of its protagonists. On the screen, the series offers spectators a great spectacle, with very brutal sequences that Game of Thrones would not deny. In the casting, viewers may recognize Cosmo Jarvis, already seen in Netflix’s Persuasion, Hiroyuki Sanada (47 Ronin, Sunshine) and Anna Sawai (Fast and Furious 9, Pachinko) in the main trio.
Sh?gun also won over the French press. For Allociné, it is neither more nor less “one of the most ambitious and accomplished mini-series of recent years”. Digital people are also seduced by this “sublime, bloody and stunning journey”, when Le Parisien says it is won over by this “magnificent historical fresco in feudal Japan”. Two episodes of Sh?gun are available on Disney starting this Tuesday, February 27. An episode will then be posted online each week, until the finale, which should be released on April 23.
