This SHOCKED Me! SHOGUN EP. 1 In Depth Historical Review and Analysis

[@metatronyt]

Hey noble ones! If you enjoyed this deeply researched video please consider supporting my work on Patreon so I can keep these videos coming! I'd love to review each episode from this series so thank you very much for your kindness and support on patreon. It means the world to me. Also Mild spoilers I suppose (maybe?) www.patreon.com/themetatron

[@Intranetusa]

Thank you for this review and analysis of the show.

[@krieger8825]

Samurai beards and mustaches are too cool not to be real

[@huluvu38]

Very good comparison and as always, thank you for the attention to detail. Speaking of stories set during the Edo period, are you familiar with Lone Wolf and Cub by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima (the original 70s manga, not the films). It was marvelously told and hugely influential. If you've read it, what do you think of it?

[@sketchtherapy1218]

I think you're gonna love it, I'm hooked. I would also like you to comment on the quality of the cinematography, script & acting too.

[@fillyfresh]

I found out the Jedi are based from this period of Japanese history. My mind was blown and then I realized it was bloody obvious lol.

[@grimmhaven]

The only thing I dislike about Shogun is having to wait a week again after finishing an episode to satisfy my craving for Shogun.

[@meone2867]

The only thing I don't like is there is only 1 white guy and he's treated terribly and called dog.thats racist that. not very diverse😊 it's like 90% asian

[@Blisterdude123]

Truly a trial to be endured. On the other hand, I look at it in the sense I have something genuinely fantastic to look forward to each week. And I realise now, how much I miss television being structured like this. Life may be a pile of hog swill, but each week, I've got a small glimmer of something delightful to work toward.

[@grandmufftwerkin9037]

You must be patient, Anjin-san.

[@grimmhaven]

@@grandmufftwerkin9037 I shall heed your advice, Muff-sama.

[@RandomNPC001]

My biggest problem with this show is that it is a miniseries. 😭😭

[@Bonatno]

I am watching with my Japanese wife and the Japanese they use is a old formal version of Japanese in which she is having a hard time understanding and has to read the subtitles to understand fully. Even the period version of Japanese is showcased in shogun. My wife is truly blown away and is enjoying shogun.

[@DylanJo123]

That is amazing. Reminds me of having to put on subtitles to understand The Sudbury Devil

[@jacquescoetzee47]

That’s fascinating. I just wish they put as much care into the English subtitles: i’m up to episode 5 and i’ve already noticed numerous grammatical errors - and these are the official hardcoded subtitles, it’s so peculiar. But nonetheless it’s still one of the best shows i’ve seen in the last few years.

[@Rikushio17]

A lot of good samurai movies use the older speak. Kinda like with english and Shakespeare plays. Or really old westerns that use the old vernacular.

[@Antlionbug]

my japanese GF was impressed by the meeting of the 5 council members, who are each lords of different parts of japan. Because not only do they each speak in an olden way, but they also each have different accents and speech mannerisms which would be expected of different prefectures

[@pevlez]

And they couldn't make the actors speak Portugese they had to speak english ffs it's so annoying

[@combatwombat2134]

The fact it's older Japanese and they have dialect experts who oversee the script and scenes to make sure it stays accurate to the period was far and enough away for me to have serious hopes for the series.

[@flashcamping]

Me too, but then the Portuguese speak English... great.

[@jabberwocky7252]

@@flashcamping I fear if it's ever dubbed in Portuguese or Brazilian Portuguese, even the Japanese will speak current day Portuguese. But if something like that happens, at least people can edit stuff so everyone wins in the end.

[@brotherknight9484]

They were planning on making it conform to "modern sensibilities" until the Japanese advisors told them that Japanese people, especially in the 1600s don't think like that. THANK GOODNESS they swallowed their pride and listened otherwise we would have gotten more slop in the entertainment shit pile.

[@Enterprise6126]

​@@flashcampingits for the common audience the vast majority of people will not want to read subtitles for every thing said it would honastly push people away I honastly think the only reason the Japanese are speaking Japanese is because thare being a translator is key to the plot

[@flashcamping]

@@Enterprise6126 I understand that, and it's understandable that japan historical accuracy it's more on focus and important to the series than others. It's just a bit "disappointing" to me that the accuracy on other little aspects don't get the same attention. Also, don't get me wrong, i'm still enjoying Shogun and will continue to watch, i think it's pretty good so far overall.

[@user-ey2mt8eb4r]

Having worked on this show I can tell you that the specific Japanese is an older dialect as processed by linguistics experts in the large authenticity department they brought over form Japan to get the details right. They had a Master of movements, linguistics experts, historians... everything was scrutinized. Bit of trivia; the Dutch ship and cannon were altered set pieces from Peter Pan and Wendy .

[@annfryer4048]

Yes! Not to mention Hiroyuki Sanada has ALWAYS been one for accuracy to represent his culture correctly!! I trust the Japanese who know their culture compared to a want to be!

[@zara-zq1oi]

This show is a disgrace! The fact they tried to say that women asked for the sanctioned sx slavery that was the pre curser to cf women in WWII is so disturbing! Japans treatment of women and girls is deplorable.

[@bryansierra0909]

@@zara-zq1oiwomp womp

[@cantinadudes]

​@@zara-zq1oi Its a disgrace how the irish are treated in america

[@badwolf7367]

Regarding guns, I seem to recall reading in a biography of Tokugawa Ieyasu that stated his marksmanship was exceptional. It also explained that the Japanese had to keep archers instead of replacing them entirely with gunners for the simple reason that rain and high humidity can cause firearms (matchlocks) to fail because the wet or damp gunpowder would fail to ignite. I had the good luck of watching the Battle of Nagashino re-enactment years ago on a slightly drizzly day and about 1/3 of the matchlocks failed to fire.

[@orlock20]

Also trained archers are faster and muskets had a failure to fire problem.

[@ohthreefiftyone]

I think the continued prevalence of bows probably had more to do with the comparative lack of Japanese gunsmiths rather than anything to do with humidity. European naval combat had lots of gunpowder firearms and you’d have a hard time finding a more humid environment than the deck of an early modern sailing vessel.

[@DarthPlato]

There was also a critical shortage of saltpeter. The Japanese were able to manufacture their own guns, but not the gunpowder.

[@tsuneki9199]

As a Japanese, I want to give props to the dialog and movement. 1, it feels very 17th century, on par with any Samurai film in Japan. 2, the speech differences between the characters from Samurai (武士) and peasant background is accurately represented. (Samurai speak more formal words vs Peasants/Servants speak more casually) 3, characters, especially the “high-born” women walk in a very traditionally accurate manner during the scenes indoors.

[@joeyartk]

Does it bother you that they butcher the actual history so badly? Most Americans don't know the difference. Seeing Hosokawa Tadaoki's wife sleeping with a foreigner is kind of weird isn't it?

[@tsuneki9199]

@@joeyartk Not really. I mean, it’s not a history documentary but a 時代劇(historical drama). Toranaga is not Ieyasu and Mariko is not Tama (Garcia). Hence, we can enjoy it as is.

[@joeyartk]

​@@tsuneki9199I would agree except they go to great lengths to show that that's who they are supposed to be. Their back histories are almost identical to the real people. They even use the Tokugawa family crest for Toranaga. And the main characters do interviews about how they studied the real people. And it's all set in 1600. I just say they should run a disclaimer at the beginning that it's a totally fictional story.

[@PUARockstar]

@@joeyartk no disclaimer needed, it's explicitly said that it all comes from the book. So address your grievances to the void (James Clavell)

[@spicykaraage641]

@@joeyartkHey, if the Japanese are okay with it then its okay. No need to be outraged for them.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

What a nice change of pace seeing you gush over the historical accuarcy of a show instead of wanting to smash your head on the nearest desk over numerous blunders. ;)

[@loneshinobi2682]

As soon as I learned Sanada Hiroyuki was a producer I had zero doubts about the series

[@mpalfadel2008]

Well said

[@Sabundy]

Probably because this had not been by Netflix 😂

[@christianforsstrom2222]

came to the comments to say the same😀

[@h3II0MN123]

Its honestly frustrating that good shows like Shogun can exist. What are the other show producers doing? Clearly, its possible.

[@TheAnanaki]

The show absolutely made it clear that both the Europeans and the Japanese were horrified by the Dutchman being boiled alive and that only Kashigi took pleasure in it. Might want to give that scene a rewatch. 👍

[@MorallyDubiousFrog]

Exactly, the camera lingers on Omi during that scene and show that he’s clearly disturbed. Yabu also states that they will execute the man in his own special way.

[@MNkno]

Although, if you think about it, extended periods of civil war bring the sociopaths out and into their own... as one commentator said, sociopaths can be very handy in hand-to-hand battles.

[@amysill3815]

The Japanese brutally tortured pows and civilians during WWII, ex., Nanking. During the time period of the show, torture was pretty common in both Europe and Japan. I doubt boiling someone alive was shocking to the Japanese.

[@ShadowLord2396]

Poor Boiled-kun

[@akirahojo2]

If you go to Shimabara area in Kyushu, there is a hot spring village called Unzen Onsen where the shogunate used to boil Japanese Christians, both samurai and peasants class, because they were either involved in armed rebellion or simply were being Christians.

[@BobGeldofsFavouriteGroupie]

The best thing about this video is that I'm a complete AWE of your enciclopedic knowledge of everything you talk about, truly amazing. I could hear you talk for ages.

[@metatronyt]

Thank you I appreciate

[@awesomeferret]

I concur. He's like Michael Medved but without the politics (in case you don't know, Michael has a historical degree and has some "Medved History Show" programs that are so entertaining and informational that it's like a movie). Metatron is great at storytelling, and clearly realizes that giving a history presentation doesn't just mean rattling off facts, and I greatly respect that.

[@robertgreen9019]

What a lovely vid. Your respect, love, and scholarship for Japanese culture shines. I subscribed, site unseen, and fully look forward to more of your insight.

[@string97]

The Title "Anjin" is also a play on the fact that the first episode of a US produced TV series is usually called "pilot"

[@rednovember2205]

WOAAAHHHHH Mind blown, genuinely didn’t make this connection lmao.

[@PapaDeusVult]

Good to know somebody caught it, else I'd have commented on it myself. I was almost wondering if the first episode being called the "pilot" is something people know outside of the media industry or not

[@magyarbondi]

This should be the top comment.

[@ynpavo]

First thing I thought of

[@lanaamos6530]

Jeez! How genius is that!!!

[@KarlKarsnark]

The bad teeth are a tell-tale sign of Scurvy (lack of Vitamin C), which was a common problem for sailors for centuries. Hence, the expression for pirates as "scurvy naves", et. al.

[@syjiang]

colloquially people refer scurvy to bad teeth but the manifestation is actually gum disease.

[@dancekeb1308]

That's "knaves" (the "k" is silent).

[@KarlKarsnark]

@@dancekeb1308

[@postmodernmining]

​@@dancekeb1308maybe they were scurvy navel gazers

[@woodsmand]

good thing they invented sour kraut

[@VieShaphiel]

I've also read an interview with Hiroyuki Sanada where he said he had to correct a lot of mistakes the production team originally made, and I'm glad to hear that it turned out well.

[@CluelessNerd]

I respect the production companies so much more when they listen to the actors who have knowledge on the subject. Cough cough witcher

[@SolidMike84]

Similar thing happened with the 80s series as well with Mifune(Toranaga), if memory serves me right.

[@Sòl_2716]

@@CluelessNerdsonada is also a producer so they do kinda have to listen to him lol

[@SarudeDanstorm]

3:37 An interesting fact I found while researching William Adams, he was not working for the Dutch East India Company because that was founded in 1602. He was working for one of the 12 'pre-companies' that independently operated out of the Netherlands before they united into the VOC. It's a super niche fact that doesn't really need correcting, but I thought it was interesting from a geopolitical context

[@Reliquary87]

Aye, I picked up on that too.

[@hans6500]

As a Dutchman I concur

[@HansWurst1569]

@@hans6500 Gekoloniseerd?

[@Rowlph8888]

His brother (another Englishman) was on the voyage as well.Not 1 of the lucky ones that as he died during the journey

[@Nottheknickyknacknoo]

I’m impressed that you understand the period Japanese that they speak. My wife, who is Japanese and actually a university teacher of the language, feels she needs modern Japanese subtitles to get the full meaning.

[@Czejenesku]

Small pointer - GRR Martin stated once that Shogun novel was one of his inspirations for political intrigue in his Song of Fire and Ice series.

[@artm1973]

One difference: Clavell could write, unlike Martin. He flatters himself to mention that.

[@globalist1990]

@@artm1973what? I can write basically anything since I was 7yo...

[@artm1973]

@@globalist1990 Your point?

[@JasonNaas]

I wish it inspired him to finish writing.

[@damianm-nordhorn116]

Watching that series was such a waste of time. Hope everybody learned their lesson and never start a high profile show without a proper second half and ending ever again. Just horrible.

[@Masaq_TM]

Hi Metatron. For info, Chatham is only a couple of miles from Gillingham. And both of these villages are only about 10 miles east of Greater London and are part of an urban area in Kent known as the Medway Towns. This whole area stretches from Rochester to Dartford on the Rivers Thames and Medway. At the time England was building up her Navy in the 1700s this was an extremely important area for English shipbuilding. So long story short, both of the series and the book are pretty accurate location wise. And for info it’s Gillingham pronounced as in Jill, and Chatham is pronounced Ch as in Champ. Love the channel ❤️.

[@frankyhorn2475]

Yep, chat-ham. In fact, Chatham dockyard was only shutdown about 2-3 decades ago. Now there's a museum there showing some boats, a submarine and a ropery. Back in the time of will Adams, I'm pretty sure London was further away from Medway than it is now, due to not being as big as it is now Oh, also, there's two Gillinghams. One in Kent, pronounced Jill, and one further west, pronounced the way the youtuber said it. Just to be confusing

[@b-dogswings8019]

Spot on Chavvy!

[@andrewbrown464]

Thank god someone else chimed in. I was worried I'd have to do it.

[@keymer91]

Mate, you can walk from Chatham to Gillingham, they are under the same council. There is a hill between them, that's it, other than that they are the same town. Conveniently they are also joined to Rochester (no separation other than snobbery) and Strood, which is across the river Medway.

[@grahamhill676]

​@@keymer91 Chatham, Gillingham & Rochester are basically all in the same place lmao

[@chrisseymour2848]

My Grandma told me, "I dont care what they say, the Portuguese ship were black."

[@joaofarinha551]

Funny enough is that if this show had been produced by a Hollywood woke producer, the Portuguese would probably have black people since we had colonies in Africa, they would somehow make it proof that black people were everywhere in Portugal

[@chrisseymour2848]

Or Hollywood would do the thing were any old brown person will do for someone who is Spanish or Portuguese.@@joaofarinha551

[@LevisH21]

​@@joaofarinha551 didn't Portugal have an election just a few weeks ago? and one conservative nationalist party won a significant number of seats in parliament. this basically means the coalition government will be mostly a conservative right-wing based. I don't know if Portugal has woke politics tho. is Portugal similar to politics like Brazil? Brazil has a lunatic socialist president that constantly praised dictators from China to Russia and even supports Hamas Jihadi terrorists and Iran. Portugal had a crisis for the past few months because the leftist government of Portugal collapsed. corruption scandal. the left in Portugal is no longer popular at the moment. I know Portuguese people love Cristiano Ronaldo and all but Ronaldo playing in Saudi Arabia for money is disgusting.

[@joaofarinha551]

@@LevisH21 This is a complicated topic but yes we recently just had elections and a right wing party has won a significant number of seats. No enough to be the majority but enough to be the 3rd biggest political party represented in the assembly That said. Portugal has long suffered under socialists governments due to our dictatorship up until 1974 where from then on Left Leaning parties took over and the majority of voters (or that actually go and vote) are still from that time and lived trough those times so they vote on the same party like it's a religion However things are changing. With constant political scandals, financial and budget problems for several sectors of the country and the on going mass immigration problems we are having, there is starting to be shift in politics. Hopefully for the better

[@MegaBlu14]

@@joaofarinha551 Please define “woke”.

[@reddherod7677]

Usually when I see KZbinrs get so technical and scrutinous in their reviews, it's normally to tear a show down and elevate their own superior knowledge in the material being portrayed. I do not get that sense with you at all - you have a clear sense of respect and interest in history that's absolutely infectious. I have a great amount of respect for how much you know and the tact and constructive sincerity in which you share it with your audience. You've inspired a greater interest in history within myself and I am very grateful to have found your channel! I've since watched Shogun on your recommendation and have found it enormously rewarding! You're awesome, keep up the great work!

[@awesomeferret]

You don't get that sense because this is the only video of his you've watched, apparently. An actual mainstay of this channel is literally to "tear a show down and elevate their own superior knowledge in the material being portrayed" (guess what: he actually does have superior knowledge to most people). If you actually have seen his other videos, then... What are you on? 😂 It's really weird that 26 people upvoted your comment since it's so laughably inaccurate. You literally described his channel theme and claimed you respected him for not doing the exact thing that is a major part of his channel. 😂

[@zephsmith3499]

@@awesomeferret Understood. But even for those who have watched the others, earned confidence (even verging at times on arrogance) is a lot more tolerable than hyped bs.

[@awesomeferret]

@@zephsmith3499 true, and don't think I didn't understand what the OP was trying to say. I was making a point about the actual words that were used, and the irony of the OP using a pretty decent and fair description of this channel as an example of something they appreciate this channel for never doing.

[@PC_Simo]

35:45 They kind of did the same thing, in ”Barbarians”: Having the Romans speak Latin, but the Cheruscī speaking modern German, instead of trying to reconstruct whatever period-accurate Proto-Germanic language the Cheruscī would have spoken. Of course, you don’t really need to reconstruct Portuguese, but you get the point.

[@benjamininkorea7016]

omg. The actual density of information in this video is unlike anything I've ever seen before. Almost every sentence carries a historical fact. What an absolutely legendary video.

[@metatronyt]

Thank you

[@awesomeferret]

Not to take away from the compliment, so please don't take this the wrong way, but information dense videos like this are very easy to find on KZbin. It's called a video essay. There are so so many channels with information density like this. Metatron is one of the best though. I understand you are attempting to say something nice but please know that it's strange to people who spend a lot of time on KZbin. Again, I'm not trying to take away from your compliment. I'm just trying to let you know how easy it is to find long historical video essays so that you can get more content you enjoy. History For Granite is a great example. Watching some of his videos should Kickstart the algorithm into showing you more historical video essay creators. Told in Stone is another good one. Edit: maybe I took your hyperbolic use of "legendary" too seriously. Oh well.

[@bnine6669]

⁠@@awesomeferret now I gotta look into that history for granite, I’ve seen most of told in stone’s videos. I’m somewhat of a historical junkie myself and always searching for top tier content creators who specialize in deep diving into all things history, wish there wasn’t so many people who are negligent or dismissive of history, the complete over saturation of lowbrow entertainment is a fucking plague on humanity

[@Blisterdude123]

5 episodes in now and honestly I think it's the best piece of television I've seen since The Expanse finished. I think it goes more for historical authenticity over accuracy, which makes sense given it's sourcing a work of historical fiction loosely based on real events. But I have to say, it is not a one-sided scale, the balance is impressive. Lots of deference to artistic flourishes and style, but I can live with that, I'm enjoying it too much.

[@lawLess-fs1qx]

That's high praise. Expanse is legend. wasn't going to watch it as I assumed it would be full of Strong independent women & diversity.

[@konstantin3374]

@@lawLess-fs1qx Expanse is full of strong women and diversity too, though it's not out ot it's place there. We'll see how Shogun unfolds, but it's pretty good so far.

[@jorgeguanche5327]

The expanse??...oh boy, you put the level too low dude.

[@tallaganda83]

Im exactly the same, I see you are a man of exceptional taste.

[@Blisterdude123]

@@jorgeguanche5327To quote The Dude, "Well, that's, like, your opinion, man." And that's okay, you don't have to think The Expanse was great.

[@ejd53]

I read Shogun when it came out in the 1970s and the first mini-series always has a place in my mind, as it was my go to escape when I was writing my Ph.D. dissertation. I am very happy to see that they took the time and effort to do this version with the same care in a time when movies seem to have no respect for the source material.

[@FrankLucas-pw5hs]

The 1980s version had a lot more "charm", and in some senses, "realism" to it. It was much more funny and comical - and it captures the buddy-buddy relationship of the English crew. Rather than everyone being a grizzled, tough, veteran sailor - you can see much more clearly that most of the crew were just normal, pleasant young lads. From the words that they chose, to their tones, to the interesting dynamic between the crew and Blackthorne - I found the 1980s series way more accurate to the book, and to how men used to speak to each other. The brighter, more extravagant colours were interesting. And most importantly of all - I felt that the other pilot, Rodriguez, and his relationship with Blackthorne, was way more realistically portrayed in the original. The new series is way more over-dramatic and dark than the earlier show, and is much more like Game of Thrones.

[@dragonrings14]

@@FrankLucas-pw5hs Yeah. I have a hard time enjoying the new series as much because of the changes. Some of the most important scenes and dialogue have been changed. I get this new one has the money and technology to do a lot more but I feel that they're saying a lot less, if that makes sense. I hope people watch the 1980 version and read the book after enjoying this new series.

[@MNkno]

I read the book back in the day, and did not watch the 1980's movie because of the inaccuracies. The innacuracies probably bothered me because I was living in Japan, and watching their historical dramas on TV, NHK's in particular. I'd also visited castles and museums where you see historical objects rather easily. This review gives me hope - this time they have done it properly.

[@op7308]

Dune enters the chat.

[@Accountshare-q1i]

Me as a Portuguese I totally understand why they use English when they speak “Portuguese”. And even Hiroyuki Sanada talks about this in an interview. And yeah it just so it makes it simpler to follow.

[@jeffspicoli6172]

I can't believe how good your video's are. I have an undergrad minor in medieval history and BFA in film production but your level is incredible. Great work. Love it.

[@metatronyt]

I really appreciate, thank you

[@20th_century_Ghost]

Sanada Hiroyuki is the perfect choice! He's in some of my favorite Japanese classics that he co-starred in with Sonny Chiba.

[@ryufight7987]

Can't disagree with your review . 😅 but I kind if wished they have ken watanabe a role to

[@nont18411]

Although he’s not an actual Sanada (his real surname is Shimosawa), it’s still funny to think that a Sanada is now playing as a Tokugawa.

[@sethduzan4441]

I will also say that Tadanobu Asano is becoming one of my favorite castings, I love how he is playing Kashigi Yabushige!

[@TheShogunate]

Loving this review man! I can't wait to hear your thoughts on other episodes as well!

[@metatronyt]

Thank you so much for watching. I thought your review of the first 2 episode was great too.

[@James35142]

I missed Japanese and Medieval content on this channel.

[@JustMe-no8el]

Ye

[@AetherNoble]

Same. I was actually surprised that this video was so good, took me back to his old videos about armours.

[@aracelymoran2504]

+ @James35142 Agreed.

[@Kevin3dp]

Same. This is what I subscribed for. The whole political stuff is getting a bit old.

[@MrZombayu]

Any content you miss in your pants?

[@aliceDarts]

I was looking all over youtube for a video like this. History Buffs used to do this but he has not been uploading much anymore. Thank you so much!!

[@eddiecharles6457]

Really love your content Metatron Sama. You have always been my “go to guy” when I want to be sure about how historically accurate movies/shows/documentaries are. Thanks a lot and may you continue to spread your wings.

[@grandmufftwerkin9037]

I highly recommend reading Clavell's novel Shogun. It's well worth your time.

[@54032Zepol]

It's what got me into Japanese culture before that it was just weird anime cartoons

[@joanamartins5083]

Lovelly book, still have it.

[@mladen8127]

My favourite book as a teenager. Incredible read.

[@Canis_Lupus_Rex]

Read all the related books too, there are three or four more.

[@Sir_TophamHatt]

Every library i can find has only one or two copies, which are booked for months in advance… guess i’ll have to buy it!

[@eligoldman9200]

This show is insane. It’s good even if you do not like and care about history. The fact that they made it this good is awesome: this show is dripping in passion.

[@mauricematla8379]

Everybody cares about history like it or not.

[@texaskatydid1081]

If you like this show, get James Clavell's books or the audio versions. I read Shogun after the first mini series. After that I ended up reading all of Clavell's books. Everything he wrote is just as amazing.

[@planetdisco4821]

I think this is about the happiest I’ve ever seen you about an historical drama o noble one. Loved the 80’s series as a teenager. Great review.

[@alcor4670]

Never saw the first one, but my dad loved it. If you were to critique both iterations, what would you say are the good and not-so-good facets of either one?

[@Zolwiol]

Having great advisors is one thing. Having decision makers willing to listen to them is another. Glad this show had both.

[@jiujitsukitty9319]

I returned last week from my first trip to Japan. I was able to spend about two weeks traveling through tokyo, kyoto, gion, ginza, osaka, nara, etc..... I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Japan. I'm from italy but have lived in the states for a long time and have traveled all over the world.... Japan has been eye opening and definitely one of the most beautiful places I have EVER visited. I had been waiting many hears to visit and watching shogun months before really really peeked my interest. I was able to visit the Edo castle ruins and imperial gardens and grounds... I went everywhere to every temple, shrine and castle I could possibly go and absorbed as mu h as possible. I realized qui ckly that Japan will be a trip repeated and probably many times. I keep learning more and more and I am enjoying every second. Thank you for this incredible breakdown of this book and film series. I have been watching others about the characters written about in the book and that time period itself. I'm enjoying every second of it. Thank you for this awesome channel and for the wonderful and educational content you work so hard to present here. So happy to have this as I'm sure so many others are. Please also know that sooooooooo many are grateful and happy to support especially in these last several years as the western world falls into such absurd politics and attempts to change history or omit parts of it. I thank God for strong people like yourself who will not lie, change, deny kr condem and truth of history. You're objective and present the facts. Real history. You are a becon of light!!!

[@blackspade1]

I would have preferred that they subtitle the Portuguese. It would have made things far more immersive and made the unsynced audio much better. Love this review!

[@lucabarbieri6943]

I’m sure the producers would be really happy if they were to stumble upon a qualified analysis video acknowledging their work. Someone should send it to them!

[@rodline9027]

I've been waiting to hear what you think. I'm only a little into the video & glad to hear you like it. I've read the book 15 times at least and the 80's version set off my life long fascination with Japan. So far I'm enjoying this one( but there is a nostalgic love of the 80's version that can't be duplicated)

[@mikeparsons1746]

I enjoyed seeing how enthused you were with the show and the attention to detail. It's far beyond what I can appreciate or recognize as a non-expert. I enjoy your channel very much.

[@rogeriopenna9014]

Dear @Metraton, one thing I think you could have explained better when you talked about Catholics vs protestants is that the Portuguese and English were allies since 1378. But in 1580 the Portuguese king died without direct descendants and the king of Spain, a more distant relative, became king of Portugal, the Iberian Union. Many Portuguese fled to England and schemed from there. All Catholic. In the restoration war, in 1640, it was England that supported the Bragança house to free Portugal from Spanish rule and establish it again as an independent nation. That was considered by the Portuguese as part of the alliance treaty from 300 years before. There was even a marriage between a Catholic Bragança queen and a protestant English monarch. Just giving an example as how in the end was more about politics, power and money than religion, despite the religious wars in Europe.

[@D3r3k2323]

England and Portugal are actually still allied by the Treaty of Windsor from 1386

[@THXn11]

よろしくお願いします Excellent commentary. I'm a lifelong student of feudal japanese history as well as a long-time practitioner of Kendo. I found your vid very insightful, well researched, and eloquently explained, and I learned a few things along the way. ありがとう ございます

[@jackbenny4458]

Episode 5 just came out today and its fantastic. The best show on TV right now.

[@Immortal_Fish]

42:39 reminds me of the one piece episode of Wano Kuni where Oden is being boiled alive while holding up his retainers. Definitely where they got the inspiration from

[@哀和]

5:24 Japanese passing by, the title “Anjin” probably probably comes from the Japanese name given to William Adams, Miura Anjin- Family name “Miura” coming from where he was given land in, and “Anjin” coming from an old word for sailor. Some prominent foreigners who worked for the shogunate got Japanese names, like Jan Joosten (JPN name: Ya Yousu).

[@laurahubbard6906]

As an opera person, I'd love to see you analyze Madama Butterfly, which was based on an incident reported by an American diplomat's wife and was adapted as a stage play by David Belasco and then made into an opera by Giacomo Puccini.

[@ryancampbell2192]

I was a student of Japanese language/culture/history in high school & minor in college. Since then i have worked with many Japanese companies & traveled there numerous times. I *loved* the original Shogun series & then read the novel as a middleschooler. So far i have been astounded by the depth & accuracy of the new series...and was totally wondering "what will the noble Metatron have to say about this? - I bet he's loving this!"

[@sergeykomarov2203]

I was lucky enough to find my great-grandmother alive. She was Polish and lived on Sakhalin at the time when Japan owned this part. My great-grandfather was a Don Cossack and fought in the Civil War. Grandma didn't know if he was alive or not. The governor of Sakhalin took care of my grandmother, because he thought that her husband was dead and proposed to her to get married. It was a hungry time, so he brought 2 carts, 1 with watermelons, and 2 with salmon. Grandma said it was the food that saved them from starving to death. When Japan lost Sakhalin, he shot himself.

[@bencera6067]

Wow fascinating story

[@thedarkurgedurge]

You mean the governor preferred Japanese rule?

[@NoFaceOrGun]

​@@thedarkurgedurgei assume he would have been escaping the soviets (as a polish cossack) and therefore the russians re obtaining sakhalin he would probably have been executed anyway. Traitors to the people and all that.

[@quisqueyanguy120]

​@@thedarkurgedurgeThe Japanese were friendly to Poland even though they were on opposite sides of WW2. The Soviets, not so much.

[@thedarkurgedurge]

@@NoFaceOrGun oh right, thanks for the insight

[@Dell-ol6hb]

36:25 the man who cuts him down isn't just a samurai he is the lord of that coastal village, so in that context it makes more sense

[@AlteredState1123]

Agreed, I wish the director had included Portuguese. Not doing so detracts from the immersive experience. If you want a fun, multilingual film, watch the Russian film Cuckoo: Finnish, Sami, Russian, and maybe German. You are welcome.

[@gonaye1]

This video was such a special treat. It felt like I was being give a reward I never knew I needed after already falling in love with an amazing show.

[@makeup_tashaqueen]

The level of pleasure I got watching the show and seeing all these little details. Simply amazing. You rarely see TV shows or movies go into this much detail. I love it. Thank you so much for breaking these episodes down!

[@wr1120]

The TV series determined my life. I studied Japanese because of it, I worked in Tokyo because of it, I wasted countless of hours studying Japanese and it got me super frustrated trying to get a job related to Japan.

[@jfb.8746]

Shogun, ninja movies, Mishima and Kurosawa got me working and training in Tokyo in the 90s. Frustrating? Stressful? oh yes, but it was worth it. Ah the times!

[@sevenproxies4255]

The actor I first recognized in the show playing the character I also like the most would be Asano Tadanobu playing Yabushige Kashigi. Saw a couple of Japanese films with Asano in the past (and really noticed how he's aged since) I find Yabushige's moral ambivalence along with his ironically friendly personality to be really entertaining. I wonder whether he'll really turn traitor in the end or if he reluctantly gets forced into some act of heroism.

[@plugnickle]

Kudos to you, sir! Bringing the wealth of true scholarship to the average person in such an entertaining manner is refreshing . I'm downloading this and watching it again! Great work!

[@earthknight60]

In the modern show it's made pretty clear that that the villagers and everyone else were pretty horrified by the boiling alive. They absolutely were not ignoring it, but they were keeping quiet about how disturbed they were by it.

[@1Theraptor]

Not just the villagers but also Omi, look at the disgust on his face as he turns away. Nobody liked it except Yabu. Kiku was distressed and Yabu’s personal assistant(?) apologizes to her for the disquiet this has brought on the village.

[@jfturner67]

I’m rereading the book currently after having read it 30+ years ago, and it also makes clear that everyone is horrified except Yabu. I’ve honestly forgotten so much of this story, so it’s been nice to reread it as I’m watching the series.

[@aarondonald1611]

Yeah the book highlighted that everyone else thought it was very fucked up, except for Yabu who is the boss.

[@At0m5k]

5:23 Miura Anjin (三浦按針) was the name given to William Adams by Ieyasu along with the title of hatamoto (旗本). It's believed that it stuck due to them initially referring to him as anjin as it was his profession and station. Even in modern times William Adams is more commonly known as Miura Anjin in Japan. I don't understand the connection you're trying to make with the book by Hiromi Rogers. It's just what William Adams has been called historically by Japanese people up to the present day and it's a name that Japanese characters sometimes use to refer to John Blackthorne in Shogun.

[@captainstanhope4193]

Yes, this is the case. Not sure of the connection to the book Meta mentioned.

[@baronvonboomboom4349]

Cant wait to hear your thoughts :)

[@ruidealmeida1745]

Being portuguese, I was sad to see some more inaccuracies, apart than those you talked about... In 1600 (until 1640) Portugal was part of the Iberian Union with Spain, probably the reason why Adams was so hateful... but England and Portugal were never at war, after the Windsor Treaty in 1386. So when Blackthorne says "mutual enemies"... is simply wrong. If he was thinking about Spain, it is a very different story, though.

[@FFAFANBOY]

You don't have to be at war to call someone your enemy. In the show it's pretty clear that Blackthorn wants to disrupt/take over the trade between Japan and the Portuguese so in that sense they are enemies even if the respective countries are not at war.

[@szeleddie]

Please Rafael san please do a FULL breakdown for all of the episodes!!! Finally a worth watching tv show in a LONG time!!!

[@jan-olofharnvall8760]

Clavell’s Shogun and Taipan was some of my absolute favourite reads as a teenager, just after Tolkin🤓🥰

[@andywiggins169]

Exactly the same here - Noble House and Taipan came straight after Shogun for me. I'd love to see them do a version of Taipan

[@jan-olofharnvall8760]

@@andywiggins169 Aah, forgot Noble House, thanks for reminding me 🥰 It’s been over thirty years since I read them so it’s high time to read them again.

[@yt_geezuz785]

Regarding the boiling scene, it is obvious that everyone else is disgusted by it. It shows how this kind of punishment is uncommon and even downright cruel even for them.

[@drglamm]

I'm loving the series so far. SO much so. I am happy to see you enjoying a show for once with smiles!!

[@ShiroiTengu]

Yes, please do more videos for each episode! I LOVE the series and i love your take on this episode. Well done!

[@Michael_MW]

Love this, can't wait for more of your take on the show!

[@commandbrawler9348]

yes, please review every episode from this show in depth. i really enjoy the show and your reviews of it. this was so amazing :) Greetings from a history loving dutchie

[@grandmufftwerkin9037]

One thing that really stuck out for me were the pair of pistols Blackthorne has, which are Royal Navy sea service pistols circa 1800, as opposed to early 17th century examples.

[@markfergerson2145]

That may be due to the difficulty of finding period appropriate props. Movie prop departments typically rent such items from companies that provide them because studios have limited storage space, and though it does happen that the studio crew fabricate certain props, the closer they will be seen on screen or if they have to work (have moving parts, emit smoke and sparks etc) the less likely is a prop department able to do so. Hence they will rent items that are as close as they can get and hope nobody notices or minds too much. This is different from the usual run of television shows where quite intricate props will be made, some of which work but the rest are made of painted rubber or foam. Think Star Trek tricorders with opening parts and blinking lights (the “hero prop”) while those that stay in their holsters and aren’t photographed close up are painted cast rubber. In those cases props will be made to the needs of scripts and then discarded or sold off after the show ends.

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Not sure who provided the firearms for this (there's no armourer cited on IMDB) but a company like Bapty or ISS/Cohort would have at least had a wheellock of some sort (even if it had concealed cartridge blank in it as Bapty have done in the past). Heck, you can get 3D printed replicas that would be preferable to this (CGI flash of course). @@markfergerson2145

[@loquat44-40]

@@markfergerson2145 Matchlock pistols of the period would not have been very appropriate for the action that was being shown. The fuses or matches have to be lit and burning. They were never intended to be drawn from concealment. Been years since I read shogan, but I recall the english character getting a knife that he could conceal and throw.

[@batteredwarrior]

​@@loquat44-40Yeah, just imagining these are dog locks.

[@loquat44-40]

@@batteredwarrior Shogan is supposed to take place about 1600. The first flintlocks that were on muskets and maybe pistols too were a few years later. Google: History. The first form of flintlock appeared in 1570 and was called a snaphaunce. About 1630, Frenchman Marin le Bourgeoys created the first "true" flintlock, also called the "French lock". Bourgeoys was in the service of King Louis XIII of France for whom he created the flintlock mechanism. So from about 1630 the French having them and then getting a matched pair of flintlock pistols into the far east, unlikely to have appeared with a Portuguese or Dutch ship in Japan in 1600.

[@seanscheng]

Your enthusiasm for Japanese culture and history is infectious!

[@trentb3148]

Even if I didn't care for the story (which I absolutely do) I would watch solely for the historical detail. Showrunners who have true love and appreciation of history and want to see it portrayed as accurately as possible have my undying appreciation.

[@EliteAmmunition]

Many martial arts still use that stance with the feet. Standard in Aikido.

[@georgecristiancripcia4819]

I honestly hope you will do all the episodes and even longer rewievs if you can. 3 observations:based on the fact that the spanish,dutch and english were at war and the fact that the protestants hated the jesuit order and the fact that Blacktorne needed to show the japanese that he was not the same as the jesuits,the act of trowing the cross to the ground and stepping on it can be plausible in this scenario. Second,the beheading of that peasent is also plausible in that specifuc case:most japanese did not look to favorable on christians and the samurai was in his lord domain,so in that case it was plausible that he could get away with beheading a villager for getting to close with the prisoner without suffering any kind of consequences. Third,the episode show that both the locals,the samurais and the curtesan are horrified by the boiling alive but they cannot openly show it or complain in front of their lord.

[@bb1111116]

@georgechristian; I agree that a Protestant, or at least a certain kind of Protestant, would step on a typical Catholic cross/crucifix. * In the early Reformation, Calvinists were against any kind of religious imagery and in mainland Europe they destroyed any religious art depicting human images that they could get ahold of. This included crucifixes which had sculptures of Jesus on the cross. * In the 1980 version of Shogun, in the cross scene, the image of the cross is a crucifix with the image of Jesus. A Calvinist would have no problem stepping on that or even destroying it. * In 1600, could the Englishman, Blackthorne, be a Calvinist? Yes. Scotland adopted a version of Calvinism called Presbyterianism. In 1560 John Knox brought the Reformation to Scotland based on Calvin’s ideas. * Under Elizabeth I, several English clergy were Calvinists. In the 1570s Puritans wanted the English church to follow Calvinist ideas like the Presbyterians. * As for what is God in the series. Blackthorne makes in clear in the 2024 version that he believes that Jesus is God. That was not the dispute with the Catholics. The conflict included the veneration of saints such as Mary and the power of the Pope which were two of several of their disputes.

[@brucetucker4847]

@@bb1111116 I was going to mention that but you beat me to it. Excellent summary. In the English Civil War Puritan soldiers routinely destroyed artwork they disapproved of, including crucifixes they regarded as idols, in churches they came across (although contrary to popular belief Cromwell discouraged this).

[@georgecristiancripcia4819]

@@brucetucker4847 And Blacktorne is in a very dangerous situation:the jesuit is his enemy in 2 ways:political and religious,so he will do anything he can think of to prove he is not one of them,bc he raliz3d that the japanes dont think to higly of the jesuit.

[@JanoTuotanto]

As a Lutheran, I would have no problem stepping on a cross for a show. Quite the opposite, refusing an act of iconoclasm is the sin of idolatry. Only a papist lackey of the vile Jesuits would refuse.

[@JanoTuotanto]

Some period music to get on the mood kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqSrZ4eHgZaobaM

[@caramelconundrum9280]

I absolutely love this show.

[@tworley210]

Dark does not mean evil it means mysterious and unknown, just as the Dark Continent Africa is referred to throughout European lore. The novel is a gigantic achievement of historical fiction and the 1980 series with Richard Chamberlain and Mifune was simply excellent also. I have been ignoring everything from Netflix made from 2021 to the present period but I will check Shogun out based on this review of its historical accuracy and the Critical Drinker's enthusiasm for its writing and action. God Bless Us All

[@JoergWeida]

It's not on Netflix, it's a Disney/Hulu/FX show.

[@Teutoburg09]

As for Blackthorn's smashing the cross, I get the sense from other things that he said (later episodes) that he is agnostic, and only culturally protestant. This makes his actions quite believable.

[@ruthbennett7563]

If that cross was a crucifix, then there would be no shame in the act for a Protestant (especially a British subject) of that time period.

[@logirex]

It was about survival. He was about to be killed as a pirate as that is what the Jesuits were saying he was. These nations were also at war England and the Netherlands against Spain and Portugal. It is also a way to find out if someone was seceretly a catholic and is used later in the book (not shown in the series) where they have a crew of 200 stomp on a cross to find one hidden spy.

[@sheikranl3949]

The cross or any religious object does not have any inherent value to protestants, especially at the time. He just wanted to insult the priest. This happened on a larger scale in Europe during the 16th century and is known as the Iconoclastic Fury. Hundreds of churches were attacked and their art and statues were destroyed. He wouldn't be any less protestant or christian by smashing a priests cross.

[@Teutoburg09]

​​@@sheikranl3949​ That's a great point. But only the Calvanists were iconoclasts. The Anglicans were still "idol worshipers" and still believed in the sacrosanctity of the cross. I'm not aware of any indication whether Blackthorn was a Calvanist or not. There may be signs in the movie that I missed.

[@tekkblade82]

This video perfectly highlights for me why I suck at learning any language. I couldn't tell any difference between any of the times he said the word samurai...

[@fusionclean]

Thank you for go through the episode, I do appreciated that you provide such an incredible details.

[@LucasFerreira-tq2xi]

As a portuguese speaker I say english speakers needs to read more if they can get tired of reading subtitles on a 45 minutes show. It would be amazing to see the cast speaking portuguese.

[@Luinedhel]

MADONNA SANTA, stavo aspettando questo troppo ansioso. Figo, come sempre👌grazie mille, Metatron

[@Romulu5]

I m romanian. I ve just read your comment. Understood everything. Wanted to reply in italian, and then i remembered i don t know how to speak italian. Haha

[@Luinedhel]

@@Romulu5 oh, don't worry, I'm from Argentina, so I don't fully speak italian too. I'm just learning.

[@Romulu5]

@@Luinedhel nice. I wanted to point out that romanian is also romance language

[@zephsmith3499]

After seeing you deal with so many irritations and outrages, it's lovely to see you taking such excited delight in this one!

[@Kairas-wd9dx]

It's very nice that a series manages to be historically good for the most part and without calling itself historical or documentary. Thanks for your great reaction. Thanks to this video, I'll probably actually watch the episode.

[@DroknarsForge4198]

Protestants and Roman Catholics did at times say or imply that the other had a different God. Just off the top of my head, the Protestant John Foxe (16th c.) does this a lot in his Book of Martyrs.

[@peterfmodel]

If my memory is accurate, during the period of Cromwell the Protestant soldiers did stomp on crosses which were displayed in some churches, probably high church CofE churches.

[@DroknarsForge4198]

Yes, it was something Calvinists in general did.

[@lemat8558]

Stunning series, so great to watch this AND remember the first version which I remember from when I was a teen. Your knowledge is incredible - and it makes it all even more interesting. Also, very nice to see you being happy about the accuracy of it all (with a few minor hick ups :) I wish for you and the rest of us 10 great episodes!

[@teenprez]

I'm surprised you thought the TV show made it look like all the Japanese were fine with boiling people alive. When I watched the show (without reading the book), I thought it was obvious that everyone else was horrified by the boiling. There is a conversation where Yabu's servant apologizes to their hosts for his lord (implying that he's sorry Yabu is making everyone listen to this horrible slow execution). Thanks for the video! I learned a lot. Hope you'll continue similar ones throughout the series. :)

[@ThaCosmonaut]

Im Portuguese, I imagine that to find a good actor that knows all those three languages that’s also Japanese or British must be a hard task. I could be wrong, but that’s how I see it. I get why they chose against it

[@AmedeoCaporrimo]

Great clip Raf. Amazing as always ❤

[@CataclysmDM]

The sheer authenticity and respect for history that this show displays is..... staggering.

[@jaymancity10]

Brilliant video! Shōgun is fantastic so far so I’m glad it got so much right! Side note I know how much you like accuracy in your pronunciation so just a minor point. The place where William Adams was born: Gillingham is pronounce with a J in the same way you pronounce Giraffe.

[@smacedorj]

Here in Brazil we don't need to imagine. The dubbed version keep the japanese subtitles and dubs only the English parts. So we ended up with the "real" thing... 😊 35:25

[@atimidbirb]

ps. As much as it is hilarious to see you go full silent Italian rage at us liking the vids where you review very bad articles, it is also really cool to see these videos; where we get to geek out over things that were done right and just be happy.

[@lubnapatel1816]

I think one thing with the cross stomping to note is a) we experience and even have it confirmed by another character that Blackthorn feels very strongly Protestant as an identity rather than religion (char says something similar to "you're fighting for a religion you don't entirely believe in") b) we see Blackthorne clock the person w/ power's distaste for Christians and immediately uses that to differentiate himself - that's why I believe he stomps on the cross, not bc he genuinely feels a Catholic cross is less valuable. This is to say, I don't think it was incorrect or even a historical inaccuracy, but rather production giving us a portrayal of a less than dedicated (to Christianity), desperate and highly intelligent person trying to survive

[@kevsnoop81]

I absolutely love this show!

[@svenzebs1808]

I bet Metatron wasn’t this excited about a TV series ever before.. he’s like a child on Christmas Day😂

[@wolkenstrahl]

Thank you so much! I just finished the 2022 series and need that kind of anlysis. Also it's great you do the comparison with the 80s show - I was 14 when it aired and we were all glued to the TV when it was on. So thanks for sharing your expertise!

[@franug]

I agree with you about Portuguese being "spoken" as English. Having a show spoken in three different languages would've been very confusing, even if you're accostumed to read subtitles for most of shows you watch, like I do. Of course it would've make it more accurate (and portrait the general confusion of Blackthorne better) but for a show to be succesful, it must be simpler for the audience to enjoy. Also, it makes it easier to cast and prepare the actors. So I think it was the right choice.

[@supersueca1]

As a Portuguese, I didn´t like it!

[@douglaspintor]

i learned so many cool stuff with this video. thank you, sir

[@YouTubalcaine]

I noticed when Lord Toda presented his sword to Blackthorne (after their saké competition in episode five) he did so with the cutting edge facing himself, giving away his respectful intent (overlooked by the outraged Blackthorne, of course) before he even began to apologize. I enjoyed how such an occult clue could so radically change the tone and pacing of the scene, evaporating the tension and highlighting the vast gulf of understanding separating them, each convinced the other is the savage barbarian. I also particularly appreciated that they have Lady Toda trained in the naginata, as would have been suitable for a pre-Edo noblewoman. It's this subtle attention to detail and play with perspective which really draws you in and shows how much care Michaela Clavell put into the production. I'm glad to see her father's work (and historical Japanese culture) honored so well.

[@vascoveiga7299]

As a Portuguese, I'm happy and sad to see this series. I love it whenever I see something mentioning Portugal in the media, and I really like how this story touches on this stage of Portugal's history that few people know about! The only part that makes me sad and confused is not hearing a single word in Portuguese! It's already rare to hear about Portugal in the media, and when they do, they don't show more of our culture and language, which I think is a missed opportunity.

[@tokidokichi]

素晴らしい解説ですね。思わず唸らされました、、、めちゃ勉強になりました！

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

This is such a nice breath of fresh air after Napoleon, FX hits it out of the park again with a great show, and what behind-the-scenes interviews have said about how this took 10 years to make can be clearly seen on-screen, you can tell that this is a script that has been fine-tuned and whittled down to its best version, and that every one on it is so passionate about the show and its authenticity. Really glad this is a huge hit because its just absolutely phenomenal in every way, there's not just historical accuracy but the rather rare combination of authenticity and accessible yet phenomenal storytelling and characters and dialogue. It doesn't seem to sacrifice accuracy for entertainment, nor does it ever get too complex and dense that someone unfamiliar with the period can't follow it. Such a hard balance to strike. I really hope this means more historical miniseries akin to the 70s-80s string of Centennial, Shogun, Masada, Shaka Zulu etc.