Anjin

It is the year 1600. A Dutch ship runs aground on the shores of Japan. Leader of the few survivors of its starved, diseased crew is Englishman John Blackthorne, the pilot. The crew soon become prisoners of the Japanese who, influenced by the local Portuguese priests, enemies of the English and Dutch, treat them as savages and pirates. Unknown to Blackthorne but he has arrived at a crucial juncture in the history of the land, with political machinations shaping power.

Great start to the series. Mostly a background sketching and setup episode, as first episodes tend to be, so plot development is limited. There's really no room left in the episode for development: the information involved in the setup is quite immense - the scores of characters and their relationships, the political scene in Japan, the political machinations afoot, Japanese vs European culture and the history of the Portuguese in Japan. It's quite complex to the point of overwhelming.

There is time for a few decent dramatic scenes and even some comedy: the culture clash between Blackthorne and the Japanese is often quite humorous as is their views on each other. A fair amount of intrigue too.

Overall, a solid base from which to launch the series.

This is a show that has been in development for quite some time. Even before the current co-creators came onboard, FX was working on adapting James Clavell's Shogun novel and giving it the epic retelling that it deserved. This current iteration was met with much anticipation, with myself being among the people really looking forward to it because of my appreciation for the source material. It has been adapted before, but not on a scale like this and with the budget for a modern-day series. And the first episode does not disappoint as they waste no time in showing the grand scale of the show.

As someone who already knows the broad strokes of where this story is going to go, the biggest task this show had was to really sell the look of it. With FX behind them, it's clear that a lot of money was going to be available to the creators, and it definitely seems like they've put it all to good use. The look is incomparable and the show definitely feels like we've been put in a time machine and brought back into the 1600s, often showcasing the grandness of the landscapes as well as a beautiful recreation of Osaka that just blew my mind away. The VFX are sharp, despite a few notices here and there, which is something that will stand out in the first episode and then quickly fly away in subsequent episodes if the quality keeps up like this. In terms of the characters, it does feel like they've captured the essence and the nobility of the culture that the book also brought to a worldwide audience, and a lot of that is achieved through an expanded focus on the Japanese characters, which seems right in the day we live in. All of the cultural influences on the show's narrative are cool and so really gets you invested early on. They have certainly captured the beginnings of an epic story here, and they have given the material to some truly great actors, especially Hiroyuki Sanada who simply has to walk on screen and he feels noble and awesome. What a gift to have.

"Anjin" sets the tone and the mood so well through an epic scale that it beautifully shows through an incredible visual style and A-plus production value. The story is still in its early stages and the pacing can be a little slow, but given time to adjust to that, this is sure to be something unforgettable.

What a start to what seems to be shaping up to be an incredible piece of Television.

Between the gorgeous cinematography, the hair raising soundtrack, the incredible sets and a wardrobe department that deserves every award they are eligible to win, it's the nearly unbelievable attention to detail that really sets this show apart from so many others. The story is just brimming with intrigue and political guile and there isn't a single actor that lets the material down.

I really liked the decision to represent the spoken Portuguese as English. In the same way that Hawthorne must rely on the interpreters to understand the spoken Japanese, so too must the audience rely on the subtitles to follow the story. I think this creates a subtle tension that adds to the immersion of this incredible show.

I simply cannot wait to see what Shogun has yet to show us. It's Two thumbs up from me.

The old Shogun with Richard Chamberlain is still perfectly watchable but the differences here are apparent in the first episode. This is obviously going to be well worth watching too.

Richard Chamberlain's Blackthorne was an elegant gentleman but this new guy is a rough and tumble, profit-motivated sailor without a lot of social graces. Much more believable that a guy like that would survive a round-the-world voyage.

His harsh religious attitudes demonizing Catholics might be shocking for modern audiences but it's perfectly in line with his times. And he has noble qualities as well: loyal to friends, brave, quick to recognize and respect bravery in others.

But the real focus is on the Japanese characters. Blackthorne is just the wild card being thrown into their roiling political situation.

Other big changes: special effects, of course. The "storm" sequence in the 80s version is pretty hilarious. Here, it's hair-raising.

And Nestor Carbonell steals the show as the Spaniard Rodriegues.

Thank you, FX, for making a serious historical drama of the type we get far too infrequently.

In this reboot of "Shogun," Hiroyuki Sanada shines as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, bringing an instantly captivating depth and magnetism to the character. While the 1980 TV series was faithful to the source material, the 2024 version offers a visually stunning experience tailored for modern audiences, thanks to advancements in AI and CGI. The scale of the visuals in the reboot adds a grandeur that was lacking in the earlier adaptation.

However, condensing such a rich and nuanced story into one-hour episodes inevitably sacrifices some of the depth found in the original book. Despite this, the characters in the show are all engaging and hold the audience's attention, with none feeling like mere placeholders on the screen.

While the camera lens and angles may not be to everyone's taste, the overall presentation promises an exciting revisit to a classic tale. It serves as a solid reference for enthusiasts of Japanese culture and history. Hiroyuki Sanada's performance makes this reboot worth watching, as his brilliance, previously showcased in "The Last Samurai," continues to impress.

Overall, while perhaps not reaching the heights of the original book, "Shogun 2024" offers an enjoyable viewing experience for old and new fans.