Shogun
word of advice : Major SPOILERS lie in beforehand for Shogun episode 10 , " A Dream of a Dream " !
Summary
Toranaga ’s grand plans have in the end been revealed inShogunepisode 10 . Played by Hiroyuki Sanada , the ruthless and cunning Japanese lord has spent much of the FX historical epic show under distrust of treason by the other four regents of the rural area and on the verge of being sentenced to death . With the aid of Yabushige , Mariko and John Blackthorne , better known as Anjin in the show , Toranaga has worked to maintain his powerin his region while also on the face of it looking to avoid war .
John Blackthorne ’s circumstances in Shōgun looks like portrayed in occult visual sensation , although Lord Toranaga has other plan in mind for the Anjin .
base on James Clavell ’s novel of the same name , Shogunhas proven to be one of the biggest telly hitsof the class , web a near - perfect 99 % approval rating from critics , with many positive comparisons made to HBO’sGame of Thronesfor its layered committal to writing , production values and performances . Also acclaimed in Japan , the show has been a hit on streaming political program , setting multiple platter for Hulu across its 10 episodes in both the United States and Canada .
In honor of the show ’s finale , Screen Rantinterviewed Hiroyuki Sanada to discussShogun ’s ending , breaking down the intricacies of Toranaga ’s plan , the dying of Yabushige , preventing Anjin from committing self-destruction , his thoughts on a potential season 2 , and his upcomingMortal Kombat 2return . Sanada also praised the show ’s " great reaction from all over the humankind " , express that the acclamation was " more than carry " for him and the rest of the team .
Anjin’s Attempted Suicide Was Him Finally Recognizing The Nature Of “The Samurai Spirit”
One of the big present moment inShogunepisode 10 comes when Blackthorne meets with Toranaga in the hopes of convincing him to halt kill the villager of Ajiro in his search for the one who destroyed Anjin ’s ship , instead offering his life in rally for everyone else . Much like prior deaths in the show , Toranaga nearly sit back and let it befall before finally intervene , with Sanada explaining this was to be a " psychometric test " for Anjin and that he can now apply the Englishman as a " with child weapon system " :
Hiroyuki Sanada : Yeah , he tried to let him go before Osaka , and then after Mariko ’s death , he came back , so now , he can be a swell weapon system for Toranaga , but before that , he needed a test . But it appear like he read the samurai spirit through all the things [ he ’s experient ] . Also , he ascertain the dream when he getting former in England , as an old world learn the samurai helmet , and perhaps he suppose , " Is that the best style to pass ? Does long life mean felicity ? "
And then he saw how Mariko croak with honour , with a military mission , it was a meaningful death . So , those variety of thing taught him what is the samurai spirit . What is felicity ? What is a sound death for him ? What is the timing ? What is an honorable last for him ? So , at that moment , the samurai spirit came into his judgement . Then , Toranaga watched , said , " Stop it , enough ! add up with me . " [ Chuckles ]
Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore
Given the installment also reveals that Toranaga was the one behind the death of the ship , some may be left wonder why the lord did n’t rent Anjin kill himself and have one less wildcard to deal with . For Sanada , he believes that Toranaga " never wastes a sprightliness " , and instead does n’t see Blackthorne ’s dying at the moment as something that would be utile to him :
Hiroyuki Sanada : He need Anjin and just wanted to try out him , so , " Enough , okay , you got it . You overstep . " He never wastes a animation . Nagakado , Hiromatsu , Mariko , like Toranaga said at the end of eight , " I ’ll never waste your end . I will never . give thanks you for your loyalty and forfeit . " That went to Mariko and all others who died on his squad .
So never scourge , that word of honor is important for Toranaga to keep his military posture , keep need . It ’s very sorry , of course , but " I will use your death for the time to come . " So , those kinds of things are of import for Toranaga that he ’s always thinking about . He ’s always watch the succeeding duckets .
Shōgun, released in 2024, is set in Japan during 1600 at the onset of a significant civil war. It follows Lord Yoshii Toranaga as he battles political adversaries on the Council of Regents, while a European ship mysteriously appears in a nearby fishing village, complicating the tides of power.
Yabushige’s Death Was A “Very Honest” Moment For Toranaga (Including A Unique Full-Circle Moment For The Two)
Throughout the show ’s run , Yabushige has proven to be one of the biggest wildcards inShogun ’s cast of fictitious character , oft changing alliance all in the means of self - saving . This at long last come to a head in episode 10 when his involvement in letting the shinobi United States Army into Osaka that led to Mariko ’s death is revealed , result in an emotional last moment between him and Toranaga before the former commits hara-kiri .
The view finds Toranaga openly explaining much of what the future will hold for his plans , include how he at long last will win the title of shogun without any further bloodline spilled , much to Yabushige ’s electric shock . Before he explains any further , though , Toranaga notes the inanity of explain the futurity to a dead man , something Yabushige similarly tell about the lord in an early episode . Sanada loved the full - circle arc of this dialogue and relationship direct into the finis , and feel that despite Yabushige ’s betrayal , Toranaga was at last being " very honest " with him :
Hiroyuki Sanada : I think that moment was very honest , because they had a longsighted history of forge together , and some form of friendly relationship there . But , he ’s gon na definitely die , so he could explain , even though he ’d done a defective matter and belt down Mariko , it helped Toranaga , as well . He has to die , by the rules . But , again , " Sad , but thank you , old friend . I ’ll tell you something before you die out . " But only one thing he did n’t answer . [ Chuckles ]
And as he say , " Why do I have to explain to a dead man ? " That word is from Yabushige . Yabushige told Omi in installment 4 or something , when Omi recommended to Yabushige , " We have to report to Toranaga . " And then Yabushige said , " Why do we have to explain to the deadened military personnel ? " I block the English dialog , but Omi or some spy distinguish that to Toranaga , so he used the same word to Yabushige . It ’s a nice arc . It was Justin ’s idea , creating that dialogue arc .
Toranaga Always Intended To Fulfill His “Promise” To Fuji
Amid the various heartbreak and shock reveals in theShogunfinale is a lighter moment in which Moeka Hoshi ’s Fuji reveals to Anjin that she has been yield her freedom by Toranaga to become a nun , thus leaving Blackthorne and Ajiro behind . Despite his various chicane and schemes , Sanada confirms that Toranaga always intend to fulfill his " promise " to Fuji to let her go , feeling that his decision of when came from the fact her job was complete :
Hiroyuki Sanada : He ’s always follow the " hope " . It was a contract , you experience , just half a class . So , if it does n’t work , release . There was a program from the beginning , and then it was perhaps account from someone , some spy , that Fuji and Anjin never become hubby and married woman , really . So , he make out what she was want . And then also , she lost her husband and son in episode 1 . " That ’s enough gloominess . " And even though she worked for Toranaga as Anjin ’s wife , " That ’s enough , good line . " Like Mariko , she ’s done her job . " Well done . " But Fuji was done , also , so he open her exemption . That ’s a hope from the beginning .
Sanada Isn’t Sure About AShogunSeason 2 (But Is Open To It On 1 Condition)
With Clavell ’s novel being told in its integrality by the closing of the show , Sanada feel thataShogunseason 2could be a high-risk selection . However , the star is n’t all against the candidate about returning for another season of the show , provided that carbon monoxide - Almighty Justin Marks comes up with a good thought for how to keep the story going :
Hiroyuki Sanada : We ’ve finished the novel , so we do n’t have any more James Clavell novels , but we have real history . The Japanese get laid what happened after that , so yeah , who acknowledge ? Yeah , well , it depends on the idea , I think . Ah , I have no idea [ what I want from Toranaga ] . We have a framework , so I know everything he ’s done until he dies . [ Chuckles ] But it ’s an original , fictional entertainment , right ? Like season 1 , we stick with the novel , we do n’t travel along historical Bible only . So , it ’s a fiction .
Scorpion Could Have A Bigger Role InMortal Kombat 2(Provided The Edit Stays True)
In the time between wrapping film onShogunand its premiere , Sanada returned to the world of NetherRealm to reprize his role ofScorpion inMortal Kombat 2 . With his role in the first movie serve as more of a " bookend " , Sanada rag that he could be a bigger factor in the subsequence , on one primal condition :
Hiroyuki Sanada : Yeah , exactly , he was a bookend . 10 instant and 10 minutes . [ Laughs ] It all look on the editing , but yeah , I was there . It was a great reunion on set , most of the plaster cast from the first movie , perchance four or five grownup new characters in it . The same director , and the same costume designer , it was fun . In the Australia Gold Coast , right after the work stoppage , we started shoot , and we ’re all done now .
AboutShogun
FX ’s Shōgun , an original adaptation of James Clavell ’s bestselling novel , is gear up in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a one C - defining civil state of war . Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as “ Lord Yoshii Toranaga ” who is fight for his life-time as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him .
Check out our otherShōguninterviews here :
The entirety of Shogun is now streaming on Hulu .
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Shōgun , released in 2024 , is sic in Japan during 1600 at the onset of a meaning civil war . It follow Lord Yoshii Toranaga as he battles political adversaries on the Council of Regents , while a European ship mysteriously appears in a nearby sportfishing village , complicating the tides of power .
