‘Shōgun’ series finale review: A finespun, powerful farewell to the Anna Sawai-led feudal saga

Hiroyuki Sanada as Yoshi Toranaga from FX’s ‘Shōgun’

Toranaga-sama’s long game came to an end on the eagerly-awaited Shōgun finale today. Well, it more or less did. In the final episode of the highly-acclaimed show – spoiler alert – the audience will not bid farewell to the “marooned Englishman” Blackthorne and the motley samurai crew that surrounds him, with a blazing battle sendoff. Wrapping things in a more ‘matter-of-fact’ manner, creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks keep true to two things – the finer details of James Clavell’s novel, and the consistent writing that has served the show well for the past nine episodes.

John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), whose ship filled with foreign weaponry first lands him in a fishing village, and then smack dab in the middle of bloody feudal politics of 16^th century Japan. Across the next 10 episodes, he is used as a pawn by Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), a feudal lord who seeks to take advantage of the Englishman’s enmity with the catholic Portuguese traders in Japan. Such heady religio-political machinations require clear communication but it has only been a few (violent) days since Blackthorne has landed in Japan, and Toranaga staunchly refuses to adopt any ways of Portuguese living. Enter Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), who has learnt Portuguese from the priests settled on land, is also a trusted vassal of Toranaga’s clan, and goes on to act as a translator for them.

James Clavell wrote the novel back in 1975, and it spans over 1,100 pages. Five years later it was adapted into a five-episode American cable show. Over four decades later, in 2024, Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks have brought Shōgun back to life. The novel, as well as its previous adaptation were marked by a distinctly white American outlook of Japan. It is clear from the first episode of the new series that Kondo and Marks seek to infuse their rendition with as much authenticity as possible. While keeping alive what made Clavell’s novel a hit – the thrilling samurai-led battles to achieve political success and become the military ruler (shōgun) of the country – the writers of the show focus on the foundational themes of the novel.

As much as Shōgun relies on political intrigue and palace secrets, it is much more interested in the cards that people tend to play close to their hearts. The slower steps that move you steadily to a larger goal, the smaller cuts that irritate at the surface for longer. To that end, the show does not align itself with flashier displays of power. For those looking to seek thrills from sword duels, the show doesn’t hold back on its stealth assassination attempts, and jump-scare beheadings. But it is careful to not use it as the only means to drive forward the narrative. The show’s not-so-secret weapon emerges to be how it makes two people converse. Quite often we get a pair or more engaged in an intense conversation. Add in the layers of the rituals followed in feudal Japan, and you realise how each pause carries a weight. Conversations between Blackthorne and those who only speak Japanese, often mediated by Mariko also end up serving as an easy demonstration of the power dynamics at play.

Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko from FX’s ‘Shōgun’
| Photo Credit:
Ruth Dhanaraj

The show’s cast becomes key to bringing forth these nuances. Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada quickly come through as performers who become critical to holding on to the through-line of the show. As Mariko, Anna Sawai is especially tasked with these dialogue-heavy moments that she plays to perfection. Mariko and Blackthorne’s shared knowledge of the Portuguese language makes them standout from those around them, and subsequently also draws them to each other. While for the Anjin it is a more obvious sign of relief to find someone who understands what he is saying, for Mariko the language becomes a way to access her vulnerabilities in an environment that otherwise demands a guarded demeanour.

How much Mariko translates of what Blackthorne is saying? Does she tend to withhold information, or elaborate? – these moments significantly impact the plot and as per Justin Marks were a result of a long-drawn translation process. The dialogues (as part of the script) were first written in English, then translated to conversational modern Japanese, and then given to a Japanese playwright who specialises in jidaigeki (Japanese period dramas). He polished up the prose, and the subtitles the audience read on screen were a translation of that.

The ten episodes of the show are a testament to the effectiveness of this process. The only thing that could have made it better if these characters and their underhanded schemes were given more episodes to breathe.

While going into the finale, many in the audience will expect a big showdown with wide shots of large armies. Shōgun only gives you an idea of that. Though unsatisfying to some, the decision remains in line with how the script has worked on weaving Toranaga’s elaborate plot into a game of small but significant moves. “We live, we die – we control nothing beyond that,” Mariko says in an episode to Blackthorne. This ends up explaining a lot about the philosophical underpinnings of the script that enjoys keeping everyone at a slight distance. Even Toranaga, who seems to be the only one able to see over the horizon of his impending failure, is at least a little dependent on his fate being determined by the actions of others. He, and others (including the audience) are always a little out of loop, so no one can claim to read between the lines.

Shōgun’s challenge was an obvious one — to pick up a massive book and condense it into 10 hours of television. In giving a Japanese voice to an English text, Shōgun’s method to the feudal madness gives the audience plenty to chew on.

Shōgun is available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar