Shogun Stuck the Landing (Season Finale Review)
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- čas přidán 24. 04. 2024
- David Chen, Patrick Klepek review episode 10 of FX/Hulu's Shogun.
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Blackthorne was dreaming of a possible future where he returns to England, but between dropping Mariko's cross into the water, Toranaga saying Blackthorne will probably never leave Japan, and knowing the real William Adams never left Japan, I'm pretty sure the dream just represented a path now closed to him. And he and Buntaro and the villagers working to salvage the ship reinforces that this is his home now.
Feverish dream
This is one of those shows that I’ll watch from time to time, seeing more and more of the nuances reveal themselves.
The show kinda sticks to its landing but I still wish it was 13 episodes, instead of 10. Not for the sake of Battle of Sekigahara (it’s never a meat of the story in the book or 80’s version anyway) but for the sake of fleshing out the characters of Blackthorne and Toranaga more.
Like in the show, both versions, Toranaga seems like a power-hungry schemer who lusts for the Shogun throne. However, in the book, there’s another level for his ambition. Him longing for the position of Shogun wasn’t out of greed (actually it was but it’s more than that). It’s out of his messianic complex. He actually believed that he’s the chosen one thanks to his Minowara lineage and it’s his karma to restore the Minowara rule over Japan as the shogun. He didn’t see himself as the usurper who stole the throne from the Taiko and the heir. In fact, he saw those two as the actual usurpers who stole the throne from his Minowara family and he had to take back what’s his.
And his desire to do it peacefully and deliver over a hundred years of peace did justify the means.
Regarding the men's heads in the village: in the book, Tokogara's spies have told him about a plot against him (not acted on yet) and he assigns those plotters to blow the ship, so he has an excuse to go ahead and kill them. SO, they were not really villagers, they were plotting samurai.
I think there's context for the torturing of villagers outside of testing Anjin. Toranaga took control of the Izu islands via Omi and used this event as a pretext for purging all possible loyalists to Yabu and Ishido. Throughout the show, he had shown a remarkable ability to use an important event for multiple purposes in order to maintain appearances. Even though he most definitely didn't care for the peasants more than their economic value, he wasn't a guy to enjoy in gratuitous violence (eg in history he outlawed boiling people). He was brutal when needed to be to prove a point, but he was restrained compared with Taiko before him.
Toranaga is Ozymandias from Watchmen.
"What about Crimson Sky?"
"I enacted Crimson Sky 35 minutes ago."
I agree... after he became Shogun, there was 200+ years of relative peace. He might have saved hundreds of thousands of lives.
Better than. His plan worked completely.
the real-life counterpart of the Taiko, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, for his death poem wrote: "As the dew appears / As the dew disappears / Such is my life, that Naniwa / Is a dream within a dream." (Naniwa being the name of his castle)
in the book, the Taiko's death poem is pretty much the same: "Like dew I was born / Like dew I vanish / Osaka Castle and all that I have ever done / Is but a dream within a dream."
it's a reference to Edgar Allan Poe's poem "A dream within a dream", where the poet talks about how the hopelessness, loss and grief in life make it seems like a dream because in dreams, everything is beyond our control. there's theme of letting go, acceptance and making compromises in the poem. if JB's time in Japan felt like a dream to him then the "flashforward" is "a dream of a dream". I think in the end when he dropped mariko's rosary into the sea, he let go of that dream of returning to england and accept his life in japan
unplanned, but the lake scene took place where james clavell’s own ashes were scattered years ago. his daughter michaela and her family was watching the filming in disbelief and tears
Wow that is amazing. Even more so if unplanned
I think historical knowledge helps a bit in understanding what went on in Izu at the end. Upon becoming Shougun, Ieyasu Tokugawa (Torinaga's real-world inspiration) cracked down hard on Christianity within Japan, and a couple of failed revolts later, Christianity is effectively gone from Japan, until the Meiji Restoration.
I think Toranaga used this opportunity to not only uphold a ruse, but at the same time get rid Christians in one fell swoop. It's a tripple win for him:
1) He adheres to the compromise of the Catholics, thus keeping Blackthorn alive.
2) He guarantees that Blackthorne can't leave Japan and stays in his service.
3) He has a very good "justification" to get rid of some Christians, and by blaming them for burning the ship, he can keep the fact that he wants to get Christianity out of Japan secret for a while longer, by blaming them for a worldly crime.
This show is reminder how Game of Thrones lost its way though perhaps it was inevitable. GoT started off as show about people talking in rooms because of budgetary reasons. As show got popular and interesting characters were killed off, they relied on expensive set pieces instead. Shows need to understand it is time to leave when the book author has given then no more story. Unfortunately, HBO insisted on more episodes of Game of Thrones knowing we'd watch and in the process tarnished the whole.
I hope FX leaves Shogun alone. If they want to do a followup -- Clavell wrote other books. I'm sure they could adapt one of those.
Everything have a ending, so make sure its a good ending
The producers confirmed its over in regard of 'Shogun' story. They gave their vision of the book and told they made a blueprint should others producers want to adapt the other novels.
I agree with you its the right approach
Love or hate him, it's nice having someone actually have a plan come together in the end (both writer and lead character in this case).
I hope GRRM can still pull it off with one of his story's schemers.
GOT had “people talking in rooms” not because of budgetary reasons but because it loyally followed the scenes within the book series. It in fact offered more action than the book in terms of developing certain off-screen characters (such as Tywin Lannister). The reason GOT failed was because the show runners didn’t maintain internal story logic, themes or even style because they lacked the skills necessary to justly end the unfinished story and instead relied upon spectacle (like James Cameron always does), to deliver fan service and swiftly wrap up the plot. In the hands of actual creative writers, GOT could have ended masterfully.
In my opinion, this shows finale in many ways, like GIT, rushed the ending at the expense of maintaining internal pacing (they reveal Toronagas ruthlessness through several brief and seemingly out-of-character behaviors rather than maintaining the “slow-burn” pacing of his character development, and this weakened the ending, for example-robbing viewers of the emotional manipulation we might have felt had we been given the opportunity to realize slowly-through little foreshadowing events and snippets of dialogue-to see the hero reveal himself slowly as the antihero (the same way Daenery’s “fall from grace” was not given appropriate time for development of justification. But that’s just my opinion
FLIPPIN' OUTSTANDING show!!! I would love to have the narrative or a scene where Ishido is buried and have the citizens of Osaka saw at his head like the book and 80's series. SMALL complaint. This did the book justice and make some GREAT deviations from the source material. I wish there was more Fuji, what an amazing actress. If this show doesn't sweep ALL the awards this year, it will be a miscarriage of justice!!!! JUST WOW!!!!
I'd like a 2 hour movie of Ishido getting dog walked at the Battle of Sekigahara
Why? Cause he was right about Toranaga?
@@MustardSkaven He was right, but he was still a bureaucrat with no warrior spirit and the ability to lead in times of war.
Toranaga was the one responsible for everybody’s death, not Ishida. Ishida was just a bumbling bureaucrat, Toranaga was the ruthless schemer using his followers like disposable tools in his quest for power. If you don’t hate him yet you will in season 2 when Toranaga betrays everyone else who helped him rise to power.
@@sorelvio79 There wouldn't be war if it wasn't for Toranaga.
A show that is definitely worth a re-watch understanding where Torenaga and Mariko end up as the movers and shakers in the story.
i would have loved an epilogue where it reveals Ochiba just.... doesn't pull her forces and Torenaga fails lol.
We'll never know but the crowd that says "You don't need a closure, you are not smart enough to accept it for what it is" will disagree.
Toranaga-sama: Any last words?
Yabushige-dono: 🤪Hehe…hehehe…Everyone is misspelling your name my lord.
Toranaga smiles.😏
I like to think at depth of Torunaga facing defeat, John's defiant line of, "Unless I win" inspired him to realise he could.
Amazing end, every episode better than last and one of the best limited series ever.
It felt like a chess master who’s already won when the opponent feels they have a chance. He’s like oh…checkmate.
When Toranaga releases his falcon while talking proudly of Mariko, I felt that Mariko was his falcon, a flaming phoenix falcon of vengeance. I think he even told her to be a phoenix? And he talked about using 'men' as falcons as well
I see this as you don’t become Shogun or the Lord of War being sentimental. Very well done re-adaptation
The show is based off of the novel, the war doesn't happen in the novel... We're told about it and the result in an epilogue which is half a page... The show was much kinder ❤️
I have thought a couple of times that there's at least two more episodes in the editing room.
Great review of a masterpiece. Resonate with everything you guys say!!
Crimson Sky is a human sacrifice, change my mind.
There is a 100% chance of more seasons. If the creators say otherwise it’s to negotiate the biggest possible payday. Season 2’s script has already been written in the history books, the writers just have to cut and paste.
The petty in me would've loved to have seen a scene where Ishido is even more humiliated by the other regents, Ochiba or Toranaga just to rub it in but i understand that the story wasn't really about him. Still,....
It was never made clear if or how Mariko reclaimed/restored her family's honor. Her father sacrificed his life by killing his tyrannical Lord for a better future forJapan. While this was going against his code he had all of Japan in mind and this should have been viewed as an honorable act. Mariko said her dad was "murdered" which is different than taking his own life. It's clear she sees her father as a noble person, a hero because he offered up his own life for all of Japan. However, if she was still viewed as the daughter of a traitor why would her murder garner support from other noble families? It was made evident that she restored her own honor by sacrificing her life for her Lord and denouncing Ishida's treacherous tactics and holding hostage, but what about her family?
Hiroyuki Sanada vs Toshiro Mifune - who made the better Toranaga?
Mifune’s role in the 80’s series was largely secondary. Most of the focus was on Blackthorn yet Mifune did so much with far less screen time than Sanada. This is no criticism of Sanada,however. The new miniseries is conceptually far superior overall and if anyone should play Toranaga it would be Sanada but it’s sad Mifune’s turn wasn’t better realized.
I'll go ahead and be a bit of a pedant on this. The TV show dumbed down Blackthorn (John Williams) to a certain degree. I guess I get why they did it. They were afraid of portraying a white savior story, but I don't think that's a good enough reason to alter a real man's story. He was a sailor with extensive experience, even sailing to the Arctic. He was the Pilot Major of a five-ship fleet traveling to the Far East. The plan was to sail to South America and then sail to Japan to buy spices before returning to Europe. After a lot of tragedy and a crash, he landed in Japan and taught Tokugawa Ieyasu's army the art of gunnery and other Western military tactics. He also helped Japan construct Western-style ships, including Japan's first 120-ton ship, which was far more advanced than Japan's technology at the time. He was then promoted to Diplomatic Trade Advisor. He later became Tokugawa Ieyasu's interpreter and advisor on all things Western. He also taught the Shogun astronomy, geometry, and navigation tactics. He later asked to leave Japan to reunite with his English family but wasn't allowed as he was deemed too valuable. In response, Tokugawa Ieyasu presented Adams with two swords and declared him a Samurai. He announced that William Adams was dead and Miura Anjin had just been born. The Shogun told Adams that his wife was now a widow. He was given an estate with 80 loyal servants and later married a high-born Japanese Lady. Although he was sent to different parts of Asia several times while in service to the Shogun to help establish trade and report back intelligence to the Shogun, he was never allowed to return to England. He never saw his English wife or children. He died at 55 in 1620. In his will, he split his estate between his Japanese family and his English family. The portion didn't reach his English family until 1622, at which point his English wife was dead. Just fun facts.
The scene where Toranaga is holding his son, he tells his consort that he has more sons thanks to her. He turns to it into a compliment. I feel like you guys just love to hate him. He’s a complex character with flaws.
Oh I loooooovethe character. Deeply flawed, very clever, deeply personal. Everything was personal for him. He was just better at hiding it.
Toranaga never meant to be the 'good guy'. He has own Shogun ambitions in his secret heart. And he would do anything to achieve it. Of course less bloodshed suited him strategically.
Her suicide is mentioned in the show by the Catholic regents about her soul being sent to hell
Basically, it’s historical fiction. You guys act surprised.
43:16 Like the Fallout show one of the protagonists Maximus. Omg I just don't give a f..k about him. No matter whether he will die or live season 2
Great show, but it ended like a baloon losing all of its air. It just kinda petered out
Boy did they fill that balloon though.
I can see your point. That said, if we pull back from the usual expectation that we have with any series ending, the restraint imposed in this rendition lends itself more towards a Japanese (assumption) concept of finishing perhaps?
Disagree, amazing epilogue to climax of Crimson Sky. Totally engaging and wonderfully many reveals.
@@chewiewins Good point. Crimson Sky could easily be a balloon popping moment.
I feel like most reviewers are giving the show more credit than it deserves. Lady ochiba hated torinaga. It's not realistic that she would switch so easily
I think she doesn't switch for Toranaga, I think she wants to avoid the war knowing not sending her troops will spare so many.
Mariko is the one that gives her the push to realize its the thing to do.
By doing so she secure a peacefull society for her children.
I think she doesn't care about Toranaga as much as being a flower, as Mariko. I might be wrong but thats my interpretation.
It's definitely the most pivotal moment, but it makes sense if we consider Ishido's negligent actions, his incompetency in matters of war, his thirst for power and low background while disregarding the importance of noble bloodlines, his inability to understand that he will be eaten by vultures once Toranaga is dealt with, etc. Ochiba realized that at least with Toranaga who is very prudent and cares about appearances, she will have more time in a more stable situation than if regents win and total civil war ensues.
I just don't see it. She HATED torinaga with a passion. And there's no way he would have known for certain enough to bet the farm that she would react that way. I think this is the case of the foreign language film where the audience gives it excess credit just for being quiet and subtle. I'm Asian and think this cultural stuff is silly.
@@dyhppyx She hated him because she suspected that he was the one who pulled the strings in killing her father (or maybe, like in the books, she used this pretext to hide that Toranaga might have known that Taiko was sterile and the heir was from an extramarital affair). But besides that, everyone close to her sided with Toranaga (eg Taiko's first wife or Mariko) and distrusted Ishido low born ambitions and ability to rule effectively. He managed to climb the social ladder and act as a temporary glue between the regents because he was a good administrator in the newly built strong fortress of Osaka by the Taiko. Outside of that, he was basically a low level daimyo who tried to buy his legitimacy via Ochiba. Now, of course Toranaga didn't expect for the heir's mother to not take part in the battle, that was the best case scenario (not because she had any large army, but for legitimacy, transforming the conflict from usurping to a squabble between lords). He expected for this event (as he knew Ishido couldn't let Mariko alive outside Osaka) to sow more division between regents and create a revolt from other noble families who were being kept hostage "for their protection". The aura that Toranaga had also played an important role I think, most importantly that he never lost an important battle and always seemed to have an ace up his sleeve when you thought he will lose. It's true that they could have done a better job in explaining the background motivations (which are more clear in the book and history), but the breadcrumbs are still there, so it is not totally out of the blue.
I think Ochiba loved Mariko more than she hated Toranaga.
She did it for Mariko
A point worth considering is that the events occur in the 1600s. By this time, China had been through several era's of unified rule.. and the "warring provinces" vs the benefits of peace under a single powerful government was well understood. In fact.. I think this is a big part of why these warlords were sitting together in a council, pretending to be loyal to the heir... whilst all secretly plotting to become the Shogun. This is also why the vassals of the lords were so willing to give their lives in the war. They sacrificed their lives to create a Shogunate, and it turned out they were absolutely right to do so, as on the back of this they created the state of Japan