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Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada, the stars of FX's "Shogun." Photo courtesy of "Shogun" on Instagram [@shogunfx]

Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada, the stars of FX's "Shogun."

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Shogun

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/172628155856120240717180756_ee85a423f056251169287be02d673978dc01cbf162e8a94ecc450756209f6c5a.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada, the stars of FX&#x27;s " Photo="" courtesy="" of="" on="" Instagram=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada, the stars of FX&#x27;s &quot;Shogun.&quot; <em>Photo courtesy of &quot;Shogun&quot; on Instagram [@shogunfx]</em></span></span></span></div><p>TOKYO, Japan -- The samurai in &quot;Shogun&quot; don&#x27;t swing their arms as they walk -- just one of many authentic historical details that have helped make the hit television drama this year&#x27;s top Emmys contender.</p><p>The period drama, praised for its meticulous approach to accuracy, made TV history with 25 Emmy nominations, and has already swept up 14 prizes in minor categories ahead of Sunday&#x27;s gala.</p><p>Set in early 17th-century feudal Japan, &quot;Shogun&quot; makes a break from decades of cliched and often bungled depictions of the country in Western-made film and television.</p><p>An army of experts including several wig technicians from Japan worked behind-the-scenes to make the series realistic, poring over sets, costumes and the actors&#x27; movements.</p><p>Kyoto-based historian Frederik Cryns advised on everything from the types of kimonos to the position of tatami mats.</p><p>&quot;My comments were compiled, and to my surprise, became a 2,100-page manual&quot; that was followed almost to the letter, Cryns -- a professor at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies -- told AFP.</p><p>Cryns said he had often felt a &quot;sense of discomfort&quot; when watching Japan-themed Hollywood movies because of their inaccuracy.</p><p>But &quot;Shogun&quot; -- made by Disney-owned FX and co-produced by Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada, who also stars in the series -- is the most realistic production of its kind, according to Cryns.</p><p>&quot;Honestly, tears welled up in my eyes after watching the show&quot; for the first time, he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/9/13/-shogun-set-to-reign-at-historic-emmys-1345">READ: &#x27;Shogun&#x27; set to reign at historic Emmys</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/7/17/shogun-tops-television-s-emmy-nominations-with-25-046">READ: &#x27;Shogun&#x27; tops television&#x27;s Emmy nominations with 25</a></div><div><strong>- &#x27;Independent&#x27; women -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4_bAhZu-JFs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>&quot;Shogun,&quot; which means general in Japanese, was adapted from a popular novel by James Clavell, and filmed in Canada.</div><p>Some characters are inspired by real historical figures, including the protagonist Lord Toranaga (Sanada), who is based on Japan&#x27;s famous warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu.</p><p>In the show, Toranaga fights for his life against his enemies with his allies British sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) and noblewoman Lady Mariko (Anna Sawai).</p><p>In one scene, instead of a regular sword, Mariko wields a naginata -- a long pole with a curved blade on one end, used by women in Japanese warrior families.</p><p>&quot;Women in medieval Japan were independent,&quot; said Cryns, who recommended that weapons be used.</p><p>&quot;Samurai went into battle, of course, but women would also fight with naginata when they had to protect their castle.&quot;</p><p>As a movement supervisor, Japanese dancer and kabuki actor Hannojo trained some of the show&#x27;s main actors in Japan for three months.</p><p>He was also in Vancouver during filming to advise on &quot;shosa&quot; -- stylised movements from kabuki, a traditional Japanese form of theater.</p><p>&quot;There are correct ways to walk, sit and stand in a kimono, but it&#x27;s difficult for young actors&quot; who don&#x27;t have regular experience wearing such outfits, Hannojo said.</p><p>&quot;For example, samurai don&#x27;t swing their arms when walking. They glide without moving the upper body.&quot;</p><p>Some of the cast struggled with more graceful motions, such as when noblewomen would stand up straight from the floor without crouching, he said.</p><p>&quot;It looks beautiful&quot; and &quot;Japanese people used to have muscles for that -- but not anymore, because we sit on chairs!&quot; he quipped.</p><div><strong>- &#x27;120 percent&#x27; -</strong></div><p>Japanese is spoken in 70 percent of &quot;Shogun&quot; -- a choice producer Eriko Miyagawa described as &quot;groundbreaking&quot;.</p><p>Even though most people might not notice, the crew strived to make even the props authentic because they &quot;wanted to do 120 percent&quot;, she said.</p><p>For example, the writing on the scrolls was done by a Vancouver-based Japanese calligrapher using the handwriting of the historical figures on whom the characters are based.</p><p>Commitment to authenticity &quot;came from the very top&quot; within FX, according to Miyagawa.</p><p>&quot;They chose Justin Marks (as showrunner)... who has an insatiable curiosity and respect for Japanese culture,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;They brought Hiroyuki Sanada and myself on as producers from the beginning,&quot; she added. &quot;That&#x27;s a big deal.&quot;</p><p>FX is now working to develop more seasons of &quot;Shogun&quot; -- but not everything in the first installment is true to life.</p><p>Unlike the other samurai, Toranaga&#x27;s hair was not shaved in the middle -- a creative decision made for visual reasons.</p><p>Miyagawa, who began her career as a translator for &quot;Kill Bill&quot; in 2003 and worked as a co-producer for Martin Scorsese&#x27;s &quot;Silence&quot;, said the team &quot;probably couldn&#x27;t have pulled off&quot; the series 10 years ago.</p><p>A previous TV mini-series adaptation of the novel made in 1980 was centered on Blackthorne&#x27;s perspective. And yes, the samurai did swing their arms.</p><p>&quot;The world has changed and the market has evolved,&quot; which &quot;paved the way&quot; for the show&#x27;s success, said Miyagawa.</p><p>&quot;I like to think &#x27;Shogun&#x27; pushed this evolution forward.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div></div>

<p>The samurai in "Shogun" don't swing their arms as they walk -- just one of many authentic historical details that have helped make the hit television drama this year's top Emmys contender.</p>

The samurai in "Shogun" don't swing their arms as they walk -- just one of many authentic historical details that have helped make the hit television drama this year's top Emmys contender.

'Groundbreaking' realism key to 'Shogun' success

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'Groundbreaking' realism key to 'Shogun' success

Agence France-Presse,

Natsuko Fukue

Published September 14, 2024 10:41 AM PHT

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