User Reviews

Where the original Shogun was a masterfully executed deep introspective into medieval Japan, this new reimagining freely twists whatever it needs to adhere to the “modern narrative” which this viewer finds highly disrespectful and in a very bad taste.

A beautifully portrayed, aesthetically pleasing Japan in this film adaptation of a famous novel, which depicts historical events of significance to Japan.

Very very good. Loved the character cast choices and the overall plot. Cant wait for season 4.

La mejor serie que he visto desde Juego de Tronos. Intrigas, Bushido, Samurai , grandes interpretaciones y espectacular ambientación

Shōgun is easily one of the best shows I’ve seen—like a Japanese Game of Thrones. While the pacing drags at times and the ending feels more like a setup for season two than a true payoff, the storytelling and acting are outstanding. The betrayal, romance, and rich cultural depth had me hooked. The translation scenes felt awkward, but they added to the show’s authenticity. But for me, it was the dialogue and bursts of action that truly stood out—ultimately making Shōgun an absolute must-watch.

Immersive experience overall. The art direction of the show well represented the grim atmosphere of Sengoku period Japan. Great overall performance from all actors. The main weak point of this show was inconsistent pacing.

Unlikable main character, poor dialogue, too fast pacing, the atmosphere is too grimdark, there is little to no depth and the political intrigue didn't really get much coverage. The original 1980 miniseries would get an 8 or 9, this doesn't come close.

The best show on Disney+. It's a surprisingly gripping drama revolving around Japanese history. Acting is well done and the plot is well paced. It's also mostly historically accurate as well which is rare to see in this day and age.

Best show of 2024. You get a proper homage to Japanese history with a twist of an ending.

This is an excellent drama set in 1600s Japan. The plot is incredibly engaging, and it exceptional explores political tension, religion, and Japanese culture. Hiroyuki Sanada gives a phenomenal performance as Lord Toranaga, and Anna Sawai is a surprising standout as Mariko. Cosmo Jarvis plays the white man outcast John Blackthorn, and he can come off a bit stiff in his performance, but I think overall, he does a great job as an outsider. My only gripe is the final episode, with the series not portraying what it built up in a more impactful way. Nevertheless, this is still one of the best TV shows in recent history, and I highly recommend it!

Cette série est tout simplement une merveille, chaque instant alors qu'on pensait que rien n'arriverait tout vient nous surprendre, offrant des frissons sur chaque scène. Cette œuvre est parfaite.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Stupid script for this episode ,I understand that he doesn't want to be discovered but the way it went it was really useless and put there so much to give an emotional tear

Not much to say, this is the best show of the year, a beautiful movie but in 8 episodes, this is was HBO just to do before all the modern ****. Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai can just go and grab every single award for this year **** ending episode was a little low for me, just a bit, it doesn't ruin the show but it was a bit anti-climatic.

Shogun is one of the best series released this year and is an absolute must watch event. They take such care and dedication to storytelling, character development and absolutely beautiful set designs and costuming that really transports you into this world that you never want to leave. No one feels out of place and while the ending can be a bit mixed from some, it was a satisfying conclusion to a beautifully told story.Anna Sawai absolutely steals the show for every episode she is in as Mariko, a true game changing performance, but every single actor did an amazing job in this show bringing the world to life.

Amazing show on all fronts. Acting is fantastic, the sets look authentic, Japans culture seems to be held in high regard by showrunners, and the story is extremely satisfying. Those who say there werent enough battles are silly and seem tobwabt every movie/show to be another Avengers Endgame when this show is very much not comic book schlock. Not to say Shogun is high art but its far more nuanced then that. I recommend this show to anyone who enjoys Japanse culture and stellar storytelling.

"Shogun" is a true hidden treasure of a series. Don't let its association with Disney deter you; it boasts breathtaking visual effects and a meticulously crafted storyline. The subtitles, seamlessly translating Japanesse dialogue into English, enhance the show's ambiance. With a stellar cast delivering superior performances, each episode leaves you craving more. Ending at the same point as the book it's based on, the series tantalizingly leaves room for a sequel but with out any more source meterial every thing from now on would be New and Depend solely upon the Writers. Here's hoping any follow-up lives up to the fantastic standard set by Season One.

This series should be utterly engrossing for any fan of history and Japanese culture. It's a very adult adaptation of the famous James Clavell novel, bursting with profanity, bloody violence, erotic interludes, and political machinations. I must not be alone in my appreciation because they just greenlit season two.

A decent and incredible show Hiroyuki Sanada was amazing; the whole cast was ! wonderful sets, battles were really beautiful and it was accuracy how japan was back in time cant wait to see people crying for the lack of black people here ! give me your tears please

Incredible. All aspects of next level film making (direction, acting, cinematography, storytelling, costumes, production) are on display here. Hiroyuki Sanada was born to play Lord Torinaga and Anna Sawai is a revelation as Lady Mariko. The BEST miniseries EVER!

Shogun emerged as a much-needed antidote for those who long-starved for a medieval epic. In the year when the second season of House of the Dragon is set to air, Shogun stands as a formidable contender, even daring to claim the title of the best. Magnificent series.

I'm speechless. I don't think there will ever be any other show I might enjoy more than this. The acting is amazing. The political setting of story is unbelievably on point. The authenticity of Japan setting was well perfected. Amazing story which was well structured and planned. It was exciting, emotional and tragic at the same time througout the whole show. There will not be a moment where you don't wonder about what might happen next. There's really not much to say. It's one of, if not THE BEST SHOWS I've ever seen!

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

So far, so good. The first episodes are really enjoyable with great acting and story writing.

Shogun has jumped on the Japan hype train at the perfect time. The story is quite interesting as it has a true background. It is a high-quality production, even if the historical narrative is a little confused at times. A second season would make sense, I would be delighted. Oh yes: because the wind makes them fall, blossoms become blossoms.

Washington Post FEB 27, 2024 “Shogun” is riveting. It’s gorgeous. It’s the TV equivalent of a page-turner.

Pretty amazing show for me since i haven't been exposed much in movies/tv set in feudal japan so this was very refreshing and surprisingly good. I recommend this if you enjoy political mind games and human drama.

I don’t trust metacritic anymore. How on earth this show’s score is so high. You were supposed to be the clever ones. How is it possible for such an unstructured product with an incomplete narrative to have such a score when at best it is a shallow copy of the West from Japan?

Cool, interesting and authentic setting with good production values and an engaging story. That said, reading subtitles gets really tiresome after a while and the story doesn't offer the payoff it initially teases.I'd argue it's also a bit too long, and might have been tigher with just 8 episodes.

Great production values, well paced, well written, well acted. A throw back to classic TV.

Epic! This is the level of quality that large production companies should have. True entertainment. An adaptation that far surpasses the original novel without altering its essence. Without resorting to forced inclusions, without forcing us to abandon it. I haven't enjoyed a good series in a long time. It's art.

Una serie con unos niveles de produccion altos pero con una construccion de personajes y dialogos, que en el caso de los personajes occidentales es de chiste. Me resulta imposible empatizar con Blackthorne, es de traca. Por otro lado no me explico las criticas positivas que está recibiendo esta serie...

Shogun é uma série diferente das diferente, aquilo que algo novo e nunca antes visto na TV, e logo todos estão vendo, pesquisando e falando sobre e isso é shogun, uma série implacável e inovadora, muito além do tempo dela e completamente revigorante para se tornar um dos grandes clássicos da TV e se tornar uma das melhores coisas que tivemos em 2024.

I believe this series is something that is too big to really cover as much ground as it did. If you are lloking for a Game of Thrones type of story with action and fantasy, then this one is not for you. Violence, like the characters are treated very quick and brutal as one moment a character would be close to death whether by the nature of their position or simply manipulation of people for ones own ends. This one is very well done in terms of content, but when you think about it some episodes serve as 80 percent killer and 20 percent filler.

'Shogun' is the series that history buffs have been waiting for. An intense drama set in feudal Japan that carries out a very thorough exploration of the ancient customs and idiosyncrasies of that nation. If there is one thing that the series does very well it's delving into the nature of violence in ancient Japan and the power struggle between different factions and religious beliefs. An almost perfect series that does not **** Japanese culture and shows it without idealizations.

Truly an amazing production. The acting is absolutely brilliant. This is how you bring true diversity into TV not by being "woke". If Anna Sawai doesn't get all the awards she deserves it will be a crime - not that awards mean anything, as they are all political and now very woke.

Fantastic second implementation of the book template with equally fantastic actors who could have been longer. The biggest plus is the original Japanese language! Extremely exciting series with some WTF moments (Especially the last episode) and deviations from the story to the first film adaptation with Richard Chamberlain from 1980.

Shogun features taut, textured storytelling without a wasted gesture or word. Hundreds of Hollywood showrunners should watch and take notes.

There is no value in portraying senseless gratuitous gory scenes of people suffering. It does not serve anyone, does not improve anyone's life, it just creates distress in anyone seeing it. We are empathetic beings and it is not normal to enjoy the suffering of others, in fact it can cause great distress in many people. I did not watch game of thrones for that very reason. Nor Braveheart. I stopped watching the walking dead when it went too far. I don't care how wonderful people may think the story is in this, so long as they decide it's appropriate to include stuff that I would not show to any child, then the show is surplus to requirements. Producers of these kinds of shows need to develop a sense of decency.

a clear 10 out of ten, what an amazing series. plz continue, find good writers and the rest is just more of the same

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I hope these series will help raise the Japanese spirit of samurai in light of the Chinese threat

I love learning about Japanese history, culture and this show is just absolutely amazing and deeply respectful of the history it shows. I am very glad it is being so well received in Japan as well, it is an amazing show

On voit de suite que cette série a fait l’objet des plus grands soins… elle semble précise et rigoureuse… mais également très lente. Mais son plus gros problème, son putain de problème, c’est le doublage… ou plutôt l’absence de doublage français des protagonistes japonais ! seuls les Européens (les ‘étrangers’) sont doublés ! Or, veuillez me pardonner mais je pige que dalle au japonais… et les longues séances de lecture de sous-titres… comment vous dire cela ? ah oui… ça me casse très sévèrement les couilles !! et comme de bien entendu, il va de soi que les Japonais se taillent la part du lion en ce qui concerne les dialogues, puisque ça se passe chez eux, en effet ! On constate bien évidemment que la série est très bavarde, ce qui rajoute à l’ennui largement prodigué ici. Franchement, tout cela fait roupiller à l’insu de son plein gré et ces ‘complots’ pour prendre ou reprendre le pouvoir ne font que rajouter à la léthargie générale. Bref, j’ai zappé aussi vite que possible cette série particulièrement assommante !

Shogun is one of the best looking shows ever. The cast & crew deserve serious accolades for the authenticity & beauty they've created. The storytelling is exquisite. You feel like a foreigner, dropped into 1600's Japan, being swept up in a vast scheme of political intrigue and romantic frustration. The characters are layered. All of the Japanese people speaking Japanese adds to the immersion, and the subtitles are very well done. The way they communicate is so nuanced, and the body language and intonation is expertly done. There is so much subtext conveyed in the acting, and that elevates Shogun into a special space. It's rare for every element of a show to connect as well as they do in Shogun. 10/10

The unfolding of a tale set in feudal Japan, where a cunning samurai lord, Toranaga, skillfully navigates the treacherous waters of political intrigue. An English sailor, Blackthorne, finds himself entangled in this complex web of power, adapting and surviving amidst the clash of **** show masterfully captures the essence of Japanese history and culture, with stunning visuals and characters that draw one in. The portrayal of the warrior code and the intricate alliances and betrayals are particularly impressive, resonating with the heart of a true fan of TV. It is a captivating story that transcends time and culture, speaking to the universal themes of love, loyalty, and the struggle for power.

What an amazing show thus far, everything about it is just gold. Not often do I find myself enjoying a show this much.

Love the 1980s TV mini-series and this blows it out of the water. The production values, cast, everything is on point. I wish every episode was out, but then again, I'd be done with it already. Only thing that bugged me was the contacts on Cosmo Jarvis. Disturbing and distracting and he even acts like he's a little blind. Could have just cut that whole "bright eyes" thing out for my money.

It's almost like, when someone wants to make a series about something to tell a story or to entertain, without pushing an agenda, or their personal believes, it isn't hard to make a good series. Loving everything about it, except the fisheye Edit: finished the series and the dedication from every single person involved in this is remarkable! The outfits, the way everyone moves, the scenery. It's amazing and one of if not the best production I've Ever seen! Pure commitment from everyone and you can feel it by watching it. Bravo!

Absolute peak. The story is captivating, amazing acting and costume design, and also offers an interesting view of Japanese culture. 1000% MUST WATCH