There’s nothing much more weeaboo than fantasizing about the samurai period and running around with a katana in order to engage in fierce and honorable combat. Normally this fascination is relegated to those among us who watch a ton of anime and are interested in Japanese history and culture, but recently a new production has captured the attention of a much wider audience. Shogun is a new miniseries produced by FX that tells the story of Lord Taranaga discovering secrets from a mysterious crashed European ship that could tip the power balance of the time period. It’s slated for 10 episodes and has currently released four so far.
The show has caught on like wildfire based on the statistics. It has received praise from both regular viewers and critics alike garnishing a 9.2 rating on IMDB so far from its introductory episodes. According to the popularity chart it is also the most trending show right now on IMDB, beating out much bigger name properties like The Walking Dead, Halo, and Avatar. Viewers have described it in reviews as capturing the magic of the early seasons of Game of Thrones but through the lens of historical Japanese politics. I have to admit, I don’t watch much live action stuff anymore but the idea seems ripe for a fantastic story. Early GoT was a huge phenomenon in the U.S. Even if you weren’t watching it, you were hearing about it. While Shogun has yet to reach the same levels of stardom, I find it encouraging that such a “weeb” concept of a live action has been crafted with such passion and earned so much respect in a short time. Now all they have to do is avoid the GoT syndrome and end the season in a believable and impactful way and not… whatever the hell occurred in the GoT Season 8 writer’s room.
Uh oh, I already feel myself simping.
If I had a Hulu account I’d be knee deep in trying to peep this out. For now I’m just happy to see everyone else’s enjoyment. Have you heard about FX’s Shogun? Are you watching the show? Would such a Japanese-centered production have done this well in America a decade ago? Hone your blade, drink some sake, and struggle for shogunate power in the comments below!
