Available on Disney+, Shogun takes place in 1600 in Japan, in the midst of political intrigue, a violent atmosphere and intersecting human destinies. The series has already been compared to Game Of Thronesbut the director disapproves.
A future cult series? The ingredients are there. Shōgun begins in the year 1600, in Japan. At the dawn of a civil war in the country, a European ship runs aground off the coast of a fishing village. First taken prisoner, the British captain, John Blackthorne finally meets Yoshi Toranaga, a daimyo (governor) himself at the heart of power struggles. They will cross paths with a certain Lady Mariko, a mysterious samurai.
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Two episodes have been on Disney+ since February 27, 2024, with a weekly broadcast thereafter. Comprised of a total of 10 episodes, this FX production mixing political intrigue and adventure is already acclaimed: it has the “perfect” score of 100% positive reviews, for the moment, on the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Some do not hesitate to describe the series as the new Game Of Thrones. But why ?
Even though there aren't really any dragons or zombies in Shōgunwhich is not a fantasy series, the comparison with Game Of Thrones comes from two other ingredients in the recipe: politics and cruelty.
Power struggles, violence, a “GoT” cocktail
Shōgun pulls us into complex power struggles: the throne is temporarily vacant, coveted by several contenders – the five regents – wanting to become the “shogun”. The plots rage: the destiny of Lord Yoshi Toranaga is threatened by his peers, including his own family.
These struggles are imbued with unexpected, and often bloody, violence. It only takes about thirty minutes for a baby's life to be threatened, a soldier to urinate gratuitously on a prisoner, and another to be executed in a boiling cauldron—his screams as a backdrop to two long scenes. The result is the same state of tension as in the HBO series: we never really know how far the characters are willing to go in terms of cruelty.
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“ Television has spent the better part of a decade trying to replicate the epic scale and immersive world of Game of Thrones. Shogun is the first series that comes close “, estimated Alison Herman, from Variety, who also writes that “ focus on people » is the most striking common point in this narrative treatment.
Closer to Succession that of Game Of Thrones ?
The series' director, Jonathan van Tulleken, sees things differently. During a interviewhe explains that Shogun East ” a dangerous world where violence can come out of nowhere, but the real danger lies in the machinations. » Since « a conversation can be as dangerous as anything else “, a better comparison than Game Of Thrones “ would be Succession or House of Cards. »
The director also takes the opportunity to point out that this series is very different from the previous version broadcast in 1985 and which adapted the same work by James Clavell. Indeed, it excludes, in this new Shogunany Western-centric view or bias of the white savior. “ It's done in collaboration with the Japanese because it's a story where two cultures meet and see themselves in each other. »
Whether or not it is comparable to other series, Shōgun already seems to please people for its aesthetic qualities and its breathtaking rhythm. Some even come to greet… lighting series — it must be admitted that Shōgun doesn't make the mistake of indecipherable night scenes.
