Shogun 1x5 REACTION!! “Broken To The Fist”

[@BlindWave]

Wavecon 2024 is happening August 2-4, tickets and infomation are available now at blindwave.com/wavecon

[@mintybadger6905]

Fuji must be protected at all costs. She’s my precious lady.

[@domjones-of-wales]

And always gives a masterclass in facial expression and non verbal communication and acting

[@rickroll1141]

came here to Comment this!

[@kharilane1340]

Fuji or Fujiko as she is known in the book is my favorite female character. I even like her more than Mariko.

[@MaxwellBort311]

The Actor with her facial expressions, she is very good. But I agree Protect Fuji at all cost

[@jatinchanchlani8982]

Fuji is my live action waifu. Don't touch her!

[@heesoo18]

The actress who plays fujisama continues to stun me every week with her nonverbal acting … she’s able to steal scenes where she has very few lines

[@hoon_sol]

Including no lines at all!

[@jennb3112]

she is sooo good!

[@somenative3688]

Show really makes you feel like blackthorn on how they treat life/death. It’s a tragedy. Also Fuji(consort) is a gem. Her reactions are hilarious and heartwarming. NEED more of her

[@penegakkeadilanpembasmikej5022]

If anything, I just watch the show because of her Somehow she got a hold of my heart and I can't shake it off She make me kneeling of my knees and begging for her mercy

[@BasicBodThor]

That scene with the pistols a few episodes ago was gold

[@M.Hiro79]

That's true but also it shows to John that words have meanings over there and you can't just say anything and afterwards say that you didn't mean it like that.

[@kharilane1340]

@@M.Hiro79 so true. By not embracing the culture fully, Blackthorne inadvertently caused the death of that sweet old man. I'm glad he finally realized it was his own fault.

[@kharilane1340]

@M.Hiro79 in the book there is a scene that probably should have happened already where John finally starts to live by their rules and shows it in quite dramatic fashion. Since the time frame that the scene occurs in the book has come and gone I think the cut that scene but I hope they have moved it to a later episode because it shows that Blackthorne has really begun to understand the culture he's living in.

[@jakeylee.mp4]

The heir’s mother feels like a straight anime villain

[@alcor4670]

Which is why I suspected from the start is the reason why Toranaga kept her in his castle in Edo, trying to buy some time in protecting the Heir and the Council of Regents. How he figured he'd handle his possible impeachment without the convenience of Anjin's appearance is something worth thinking about though, which I suspect might not be explored in the show.

[@nightkingengti3940]

She is the Cersei Lannister

[@Nightwalk444]

Her voice even sounds like one

[@kharilane1340]

Women have LOTS of behind the scenes power in this culture. They are the silent eyes and ears of their lords. They can manipulate them in subtle ways to get what they want. We have seen this already. The courtesan Kiku clearly tries to influence her lover Omi into somehow getting rid of Yabushige and taking over the clan. The Taiko's first wife, the one who is now a nun, tried to get Toranaga himself to go for the Shogunate, but he "denied" any thought of it, much like Julius Caesar kept telling people he didn't want to be sole ruler of Rome. Women are just as much players on this chess board as men are.

[@IKIGAIofficial]

@@kharilane1340this culture? 😂

[@アキコ2003]

Fuji best girl

[@Nekotaku_TV]

WTH?

[@iamai_iggs]

fuji sama's reaction when john slurps the noodles is the best bit of physical comedy in the show so far. then there's yabushige's constant surprise pikachu face whenever he tries to make sense of toranaga's words. I'm half convinced atp toranaga is playing yabushige just for the fun of seeing what kind of bs coming out of this guy's mouth.

[@mortredpta]

not just for fun, he's trying to make the dude and his nephew turn against each other

[@thechikuwa284]

It's a little strange for women to eat noodles in public during that era. The staple food was rice, but noodles were a "casual" and "manly" dish eaten with alcohol. According to the Portuguese missionary João Rodrigues' "History of the Japanese Church," Westerners were amazed at the amount of alcohol the Japanese consumed. They found it odd that Japanese would continue to drink a variety of alcoholic beverages from start to finish.

[@hiendao3728]

I guess it’s understandable that Westerners could not comprehend Buntaro’s apology. He didn’t recognise his behaviour as wrong (wife is property, you can do as you please). He only apologised for “disturbing your house’s harmony”. He didn’t respect Blackthorne either, he did that only because he respected the customs and values of Japan (guests must respect hosts). The meaning of the scene is that despite bowing to a barbarian who’s having your wive serving is extremely humiliating for Buntaro, he did that because he’s a samurai and had to follow the code of orders and respect.

[@marvselaba4216]

The death of the gardener hit me the most. Communication barrier proves problematic long time ago.

[@temoork-0197]

But the death of the gardener wasnt actually for moving the pheasant, but a necessary ploy by torinaga sama to make the "spy" seem like he was dead

[@danbadd]

​@@Its_fine_today You just described why it was a communication problem. What he intended his words to mean and what they interpreted them to mean were not the same.

[@questator1]

The gardener wasn't killed because of Anjin, but because the spy samurai had to find someone else to take the blame. It is implied throughout the episode 1) at the beginning, gardener talks to spy guy quite openly, which implies they know each other and are on friendly terms 2) when the bird starts to rot, the spy guy goes close to look (with the gardener in background) (11:50 in the reaction), so he knows the punishment and the gardener actually says to him that 'you don't die from flies', meaning he doesn't really mind the rotting bird 3) they didn't say they caught him taking the bird away, but that he confessed to taking it From this we can assume, that the gardener offered himself as the 'decoy spy' for the spy guy and in order to avoid being tortured they used Anjin's threat of killing anyone who touches the bird, to give the gardener clean death

[@hafor2846]

@@questator1 Doesn't really matter for John though. He feels the entire idea that this is even concievable, even if only as a ploy, is weird.

[@hoon_sol]

_England must truly be a great realm, Master Blackthorne, where gardeners are held in high honor._

[@hunterparcel7544]

Its insane how well the were able to shoot the entire earthquake sequence. The way the earth moved like water and literally ate those men had me speechless.

[@MichalKaczorowski]

Dune quality. This show is awesome.

[@alcor4670]

And the landslide looked like the real thing, as there are plenty of vids everywhere documenting actual earthquakes and landslides. Whole mountainsides calving really is a terrifying thing to witness.

[@wadepsilon01]

In the Hida region of Japan, there was a land ruled by the Uchigashima family. In 1586, an earthquake caused a landslide that buried most of the family, their retainers, and 500 of the territory's inhabitants in the earth, killing them. Traces of the Uchigashima clan's castle have not been found to this day because the topography has been drastically changed by the earthquake.

[@NoureddineFaraji-nh3vm]

​@@alcor4670I experienced an earthquake like this in Morocco Last year seeing this all of a sudden in the show had me traumatized

[@TehIdiotOne]

@@MichalKaczorowski Yep, i have to say we're being treated really good with the quality of media these days

[@khaii13]

The death of the gardener would be the plot device needed for Blackthorne to mature in the sense of responsibility and the weight of his words and actions. We got to know and love him as this foul-mouthed, smack-talking privateer; something drastic needed to happen for him to start to grow into and play the part of the increasing position of honour and responsibility he is occupying. Side note: dry aging pheasants by hanging it for a week or so with its feathers is a thing, as it softens the meat of wild game and improves the flavour. In the meantime, Fuji (best WAIFU, fight me) apparently was aware of the thing between him and Mariko (Yes it was Mariko who went and did the yobai with John on the previous episode) , and still does his best to serve. so when Buntaro came back (I was actually surprised how early he revealed he was alive, and not the fact he was alive), she asks Mariko to tell her if ever his host was in danger (subtext, if Buntaro were to lash out to john in anger if and when he finds out about the infidelity) as she is duty bound to protect the Hatamoto. I love her growth from the start of the previous episode where she protests the idea of being a barbarian's consort to the start of this episode where she declares to his uncle, who shows clear disdain for the foreigner, that she is consort to a Hatamoto. i mean, if there was someone she could feel comfortable to complain about or show disdain for John, it would be her uncle. Also, her facial expressions during that conversation and during the slurping and drinking contest were just PRICELESS. that drinking contest, which is usually a form of male bonding, really wouldn't get Buntaro and Blackthorne to be closer together, as the latter got to transparent in showing her affection for Mariko; even the whole shooting thing was very telling as John shows his concern for Mariko openly in a culture where propriety takes precedence over anything, thus the beating. Next comes the whole 4D chess that's happening with Toranaga handling things in the aftermath of his son's blunder. Genius. He used it as an opportunity to 1. teach his son an important lesson; 2. flush out whoever manipulated his son to action; 3. pit Yabushige against his nephew Omi by having the uncle tell his nephew that the young guy was to take control of the artillery regiment instead of him. (Side note, i think Kiku is also an informant for Tornaga 74% sure) then near the end there's that cute part where Toranaga was SOOOOOOOO not interested to mediate on the bickering or whatever problem he sensed between Mariko and Blackthorne, considering how committed John was to get his aid against the Catholics to just ask to be set free to leave Japan permanently. Then there's the whole power move of Ochiba-sama as soon as she arrived in Osaka and talking to Ishido. Another side note is that I love how most reaction channels laugh with the "ïf you touch, youre dead comment", only to double back and go "OH SH*T" later on.

[@nottherealben]

Toranaga also kept his spy from being revealed

[@khaii13]

@@nottherealben that was convenience more than anything. His prized samurai spy was asking permission to surrender himself, probably to conceal another spy that can gather more info as they can go in the rooms of important people unnoticed (Im guessing Kiku). Even Yabushige commented how lucky the spy is dead, because he would rather capture the spy alive to interrogate, extract information, even torture. But given the “evidence” discovered in the gardener’s house after the earthquake, he is forced to drop the matter.

[@mellisima6451]

I swear I screamed Fuji better not be dead. Protect her at all cost!!!

[@PROVOCATEURSK]

She won´t pillow you.

[@carrela1000]

​@@PROVOCATEURSK She's not real so obviously? You just look stupid.

[@rodrigoborges3876]

The actress who plays Fuji does such a phenomenal job. Most of her scenes entail her emoting in a way thats pulled back and repressed, but barely coming through. That is so hard to do and she KILLS it. The work she does with her eyes alone should be taught in acting classes

[@josiahbrown1970]

What the arrows in the post made me feel was that he was sober enough to hit perfectly precise shots but was “too drunk” while beating his wife so I have a feeling “the anjin” knows he knew what he was doing

[@Vurawn410]

In fairness, he may have drank more after shooting the arrows.

[@andrewmcaleer6279]

In Japanese culture, arrows in an entrance post signify a cursed home. Definitely layers to the arrow scene.

[@kharilane1340]

@@andrewmcaleer6279 well put

[@kharilane1340]

While you may get that feeling from those scenes, the explanation is a lot simpler. Buntaro is just That Guy when it comes to archery. Most people misunderstand that the bow and spear are the primary weapons of the samurai. We all fixate on the dual swords. Buntaro is a uber bowman in a culture of master bowman. He's a psychotic Robin Hood.

[@jonwoodall881]

@@andrewmcaleer6279have any info to back that up?

[@shaneoshea5166]

this show in just 5 episodes may have already become my favourite show of all time

[@pizzafacemcbride3582]

To me it's probably one of, if not the best Historical series (maybe 2nd or tied with first season of Rome). But there are certainly better series imo.

[@saladspinner3200]

This show proves the superiority of good dialogue and simple sit down scenes. You don't need fancy CGI, or quick action cuts. It proves that actors are still the heart and soul of a show. That it isn't just about the visuals, the costumes, or the landscapes. A field that this show also excels in! I literally watched the diner scene with an open mouth. That's something only the good 90s movies or the first seasons of GOT were able to do. And remind you, we are watching a show with a cast that speaks a foreign language.

[@jenk4545]

It was definitely Mariko who slept with Blackthorne last episode, and both Blackthorne and Fuji know it. They're all just winking at it and pretending it was a courtesan so Mariko isn't exposed. In the original series Buntaro beats Mariko because she won't sleep with him without being forced, but Mariko explains she does this on purpose. It's her revenge for not being allowed to commit seppuku with her family. Buntaro made her life miserable, so she makes him miserable in return. It's not exactly a healthy marriage.

[@Flypidge]

The acting from sanada when he gets pulled from the dirt is just incredible...he looks like he is in shock..I love him in this as I did in the last samurai!

[@keybistro4525]

fuji is the mvp of this episode. moeka hoshi is damn beautiful

[@mortimerc317]

Yeah, she cute

[@Nekotaku_TV]

What!? She made the gardener die...

[@Ar17778]

@@Nekotaku_TVthe gardener volunteered to die for the spy lmao… even then if that wasn’t the case it would be blackthorns fault not Fuji, Japan is a serious place

[@chrispittman8854]

Moeka Hoshi is taking the smallest moments and making them frames of art.

[@kharilane1340]

She is a perfect cherry blossom!!!

[@carlart74]

“ My war stories are full of holes… “ pirate joke about shooting ships full of holes with cannons.. it went totally over their heads. Jokes aside, they did a fine job of weaving in thru dialogue and pacing.. that words have weight in this culture when spoken .. and even more impactful from positions of authority. I love this show so much im watching reactions just to see and share in everyone’s excitement for it.. thanks for an awesome reaction guys…we all gotta wait 7 more days again!

[@kharilane1340]

Blackthorne's war stories are also "full of holes" because his infantry experiences are also proof of his piracy against the Portuguese and Spanish bases in the New World. Blackthorne knows he can't incriminate himself and his crew because, as we were so effectively reminded in this episode, the only punishment the Japanese had was death.

[@carlart74]

@@kharilane1340 blackthorn has explained several times.. he’s NOT a pirate.. he’s a PRIVATEER… in fairness.. ( think of it as a pirate with a license to shoot ) a Privateer is a ship/crew who fights for a nation on an official capacity.. thats what is meant by “LETTERS OF MARQUE” from the Queen of England and the rulers of Holland.. authorizing them to seek out and fight their enemies. Blackthorn did say he once was part of Sir Francis Drake’s crew.. the most famous PRIVATEER of that time in Europe, who also happened to be the very first European to circumnavigate the world.. done before he was pilot to his own ship.. The Erasmus. This was also true of the real life William Adams , the Englishman John Blackthorn’s character was modeled /derived from.

[@kharilane1340]

@carlart74 a privateer was just a pirate in pay of a nation. A sea mercenary. Blackthorne is a pirate. In fact he knows he is. When he and his crew were in the pit, he said as much to them to rally their spirits.

[@iroscoe]

@@kharilane1340 Blackthorne fought on land at the Battle of Antwerp in Europe and also fought at sea against the Armada , during the age of sail letters of marque certainly meant the difference between becoming a prisoner if captured or becoming a corpse , there was a clear legal line between privateering and piracy .

[@franciscooctavius5957]

I was completely crushed thinking Fuji-yama may have been killed in the earthquake. So glad she wasn’t. Can totally see she and Anjin/Jonathan becoming closer. That dinner scene with Bunkaro and the sake and arrows was friggin intense! And the gardner subplot was absolutely devastating. This is getting right up there with GOT level political intrigue and suspense. Holy shit this show is great content.

[@domjones-of-wales]

Hanging pheasants is done to tenderise the meat as gets rid of the effects of rigor, but also gives a more gamey flavour. You don't gut pheasants before hanging as would spoil. The feathers and skin protect the meat. But if the abdominal cavity has been compromised when killing it, you can't hang it as must be gutted and eaten straight away.

[@hafor2846]

We don't really do it like that anymore though. Pheasants still get tenderized, but 3 days in a fridge is enough for most people. Hanging it outside for a week is really an "acquired taste". And especially for people who don't really eat much meat, like the Japanese upper class here.

[@kognak6640]

Here in Northern Finland we hang game for a week or two. But temperatures are already refrigerator levels during hunting season, I wouldn't do same in humid and warm climate.

[@domjones-of-wales]

Guess no one paid attention to the background when they caught the pheasant, there was snow around on them hills. So the temperature was perfect for hanging game. Makes me then question where all the flies came from though? Must be one hell of a temperature change down in the village, or the flies in feudal Japan were as tough as the samurai 💪🤣

[@LuulitaCD]

Little aside, but Fuji didn't kill the gardener. In the book and first show, it's shown. He took down the bird, walked to the beach accompanied by a samurai, and was beheaded there. He made the arrangements himself.

[@skittlesrequiem4362]

Um no, I don't know about the old show, but in the book the main servant of Blackthorn's house had a meeting with rest of servants about the bird, few people volunteered to do it, including the gardener, Gardener said he is not feeling well so he really wants to do it. So he did, after that he came to Fuji to tell what he did, she asked Mariko and Buntaro how to solve it now , they didn't know so she asked Toranaga, and he said it should be done Japanese way and told one of his samurais to do it.

[@pillowbear143]

I just know the world building of the show is good when it got me sad for a character's death that we barely see on screen, the gardeners death made me sad and we dont even see him often.

[@azumino9]

Mariko is like a daughter of Judas Iscariot in Japanese history. Why the model of Mariko’s father betrayed his lord is one of the most popular historical mystery in japan.

[@zhengyangwang214]

Akechi Mitsuhide, watched some theories about it. Some said he did it perhaps out of personal gain but with reasonable circumstances like how Oda Nobunaga constantly mistreated him and was a brutal tyrant. Sadly we'll never know the true reason as he was hunted down and killed by Toyotomi and Tokugawa in less than a month after assasinating Oda.

[@epheusikay]

"death is in the air. the ground. the water. We live and we die, we control nothing else". This episode taught me why the Japanese have what Blackthorne calls "their silly rituals and courtesies". It is because life is so fleeting and delicate that their "silly rituals and courtesies" are what gives their lives meaning. I think that is what Mariko is trying to explain to Blackthorne since the start. The earthquake scene really did it for me.

[@yourjjrjjrjj]

This series keeps getting better and better.

[@JayNSG0]

Anjiin and Fuji? I'm so down for that, she looks at him with such admiration 🥹

[@DelRico2x]

Yea but unfortunately I think he’s gonna end up with mariko

[@eodyn7]

@@DelRico2x lol

[@JayNSG0]

@DelRico2x I hope not, I think Fuji likes Blackthorne but didn't want to become another servant for him.. he doesn't do that, he respects her privacy and wishes and I think that's maybe why he will end up with Fuji.

[@JayNSG0]

Mariko is a bit of a hypocrite and just stays in her own misery and will probably never break free to do what she wants and I think Blackthorne also realizes that and gave up.

[@DelRico2x]

@@JayNSG0 idk I think she listens to blackthorn and seek freedom and they live happily ever after.

[@MrDyl666]

I kinda hope blackthorne gets with Fuji she needs someone nice

[@jenk4545]

Her baby and husband died like a week ago, I'm not sure she's interested at the moment. 😂

[@danbadd]

@@jenk4545 It's been months but agree

[@tubetube004]

⁠@@jenk4545 She’s totally heartbroken. She had to suppress her feelings big time to follow Toranaga’s commands. She actually wanted to die with her husband and child from the start, but was ordered to be alive.

[@jenk4545]

@tubetube004 Yes I know, I watched the show.

[@OrionInSpace]

What I think this episode goes to show is that sometimes all it takes it one or two episodes of an hour long runtime to sit down with your characters, develop them and get to know them and you can have a recipe for success on how to care for everything else going on around them. In this case that would be the earthquake at the end and the effects it had on the people and villages. Give your episodes time to breath without needing to feel like flare and excitement are needed all the time.

[@arbitrary_thoughts]

I think it really comes down to how well a show is paced. Two incredible animated shows, Over the Garden Wall and Infinity train, are able to tell a great narrative and flesh out the characters in only ten 10-11 minute episodes. Plenty of other shows are poorly paced and feel sluggish and/or rushed despite episodes being 30 minutes or even an 1.5 hours long. It's not about how much time is there, it's about how well the story is paced and how well it is written.

[@OrionInSpace]

@@arbitrary_thoughts that’s fair, but you can’t also discount the importance of runtime

[@jaredcedarlund6605]

Exactly. It's like the difference between taking the time to decant a fine wine as opposed to chugging it.

[@hbarz1066]

The guy Mariko's father killed is based off of Oda Nobunaga, the first of three unifiers of Japan. The people literally called him the 'Demon King' because of his brutality - he'd make Yabushige look like a nun. This, along with several massacres of Buddhists who opposed his rule were big reasons for Akechi Mitsuhide (the historical basis for Mariko's father and a devout Buddhist) orchestrating a coup and assassinating him.

[@萩原萌子-u8x]

Nobunaga Oda is not unifiers of Japan😂

[@hbarz1066]

@@萩原萌子-u8x Not sure what you mean by that; there are three individuals who were instrumental in leading to the end of the era of civil war and the unification of Japan. Oda Nobunaga was the first. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the second. And Tokugawa Ieyasu was the third. Each built on the progress made by their predecessors. Maybe you took ‘unifier’ to be a positive thing and disagree with that characterization of Nobunaga but I meant it only as a fact.

[@萩原萌子-u8x]

​@@hbarz1066​ 学術的に意見が分かれる話ですが、古代から変わらず日本は天皇が統治者で、天皇が将軍に政治を任せている形式のため、天皇が統治を認めた相手が統一者になります。(余談ですが当時の天皇家は織田信長をとても嫌っていたという説があります) 当時の天皇は足利義昭の将軍の地位を解任しておらず、織田信長は天皇に統治を認められる前に亡くなったので、天下統一を達成していません。 そのため、足利が天皇に将軍の地位を返上するようにさせた豊臣秀吉が、最初の天下統一を成し遂げた人です。

[@hbarz1066]

@@萩原萌子-u8x No doubt! I think our main disagreement is what constitutes a 'unifier'. You're absolutely right that Nobunaga was an extremely polarizing figure who was probably loathed by many, including the Emperor; the name 'Demon King' doesn't really get attached to your name unless you've pissed off a LOT of people. Not usually associated with popular, consensus rulers. But I think it's safe to say that Nobunaga consolidated a great deal of power, and created the conditions necessary for Hideyoshi (and later Ieyasu) to complete the unification of the country. It's a matter of de facto vs de jure unification, which one could argue only occurred when Ieyasu was granted the title of Shogun by the Emperor. I guess my overarching point is that if an individual was instrumental in the process of national unification - even if they were never officially or legally recognized, or died before it was achieved - they can plausibly be considered a unifier of said nation. In any case, I've said unification way too many times now, so I'll stop. Thank you for responding, I really appreciate the feedback and information you provided!

[@hbarz1066]

^and obviously I'm not a scholar on Japanese history so my opinion means literally nothing lol

[@redtaipei]

Here for Fuji ❤

[@michaellockhart554]

How brilliant was the Taiko, choose these 5 because he knew they would cancel each other out, the only person in this story that is Toronaga's intellectual equal

[@kazuto8726]

The ironic part is that his real life counter part Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born a peasant and worked his way up to ruler of the entire country! Truly one of the greatest underdog stories in history and just shows how brilliant he must have been.

[@TheFiddler69]

The best showcase of him being extremely intelligent was when even in his deathbed he was trying to figure out whether Toranaga had ambitions to become sole regent, whether he would bite on the offer and reveal his hand but Toranaga either saw through it/just didn’t have the ambition for it at that point. Brilliant piece of subtle storytelling.

[@doleofdolonia8859]

Mariko's father was based off the real life samurai Mitsuhide Akechi. He was a retainer of the famous warlord Oda Nobunaga, who was the first of many warlords to unify Japan under a single power. Mitsuhide betrayed Nobunaga and assassinated him at Honoji temple during a surprised assault by his army. The reasons and circumstances to Mitsuhide's betrayal are shrowded in mystery, so we don't really know if he killed Nobunaga due to benevolent reasons or as a power grab. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a loyal retainer of Nobunaga, whom later became the Taiko, eventually defeated Mitsuhide in battle and subsequently punished the Akechi clan for their treachery. This is my basic knowledge on this story. I'm open to further elaboration from anyone with better insight into this history.

[@Soshite0i]

The model for Kuroda, the former shogun killed by Mariko's father, was Oda Nobunaga. According to historical fact, Oda Nobunaga's death was caused by his own suicide after being cornered by Mariko's father, but his body has never been found, making it one of the most famous mysteries in Japanese history!

[@PROVOCATEURSK]

I bet he went to Argentina. No body no death.

[@leonrussell9607]

His castle burnt down

[@mortimerc317]

Shogun? I thought they said he was Taiko

[@gabrielcarrasco9078]

So Mariko's father was Mitsuhide? I thought Mitsuhide led to Nobunaga killing himself? Maybe I am mistaken.

[@Deukish]

@@mortimerc317Nobunaga (Goroda in the book/show) came before the Taiko, he was the first of the "Three Great Unifiers", the Taiko being the second, and Ieyasu/Toranaga the last. Nobunaga died before fully conquering Japan, he was however apparently planning on taking the title of Kampaku (regent, and the Taiko was technically a retired Kampaku) after finishing his conquests.

[@tb4076]

Watching this show has made me realize that even though i watch a shit ton of anime, most of the fantasy i've consumed over the years was still pretty european-based/coded. When Uejiro died and they treated blackthorne's words so literally, it felt more fantastical and fictional to me than any dragon or magic i've seen in shows.

[@miku_dayo7688]

Cause, it feels foreign or out of this world does it? 😅

[@hafor2846]

The book was one of the reasons I actually dove in to learn about Japan. Of course, this is 1600s customs and I bet there was plenty you wouldn't recognize about an accurate portrayal of European culture as well. But it is an awesome way of showing a very different value system. And completely without denigrating it.

[@r7calvin]

They're modern-values-based. Modern Japan isn't the same as feudal Japan.

[@crow1013]

28:28 Before earthquake coming, birds fly away. They can feel it somehow. Maybe it's a wild instinct? Does something similar happen in other countries?(I'm Japanese)

[@heesoo18]

Yes when a tornado is about to hit sometimes the animals will lay low and dogs will howl

[@thomasjuniardi3559]

Yeah they did, I live in the island that was created by infamous "pacific ring of fire" similar to Japan. The birds somehow felt it before the earthquake even days before, especially on big one like 2004 earthquake and tsunami. Birds the day before get very restless and erratic, some even hit tall building and power lines when they fly like they lost sense or something. Some scientist theorized that it had something to do with the sudden change of earth magnetic field, the bird biological navigation nerf system get jam 😅

[@miku_dayo7688]

​@@thomasjuniardi3559 Now, that's a really cool fact.

[@uSnatchios]

Mariko's father didn't just kill any old lord, he killed what was the show's equivalent of Oda nobunaga

[@kazuto8726]

Yup pretty significant guy in Japanese history 😅. I feel like a good historical equivalent from European history would be when Caesar was assasinated. It’s that big of a deal. Plus, in both cases after the assassination, a supporter killed the assassins and then went on to rule the country and become a hugely important figure in their own right.

[@Cornberry]

I appreciate how it was such a comedic moment to us when he said "if touch - die", but ultimately it had fatal consequences.

[@nont18411]

44:41 She’s a queen mother of Japan at this point, like Cersei. She can do whatever she wants.

[@pizzafacemcbride3582]

Why didn't she take that control earlier if it's in her right? What weight did the Taikos wish for a council hold if she can legitimately just dismantled its mandate?

[@hafor2846]

I mean, she's like Cersei if GoT was written by competent people. She is a very powerful person, but she can't just randomly do whatever she wants.

[@andrewward5891]

@@pizzafacemcbride3582- I think the heir’s mom is making her move now because the council is powerless without a 5th member and they can’t agree on a 5th replacement member

[@kazuto8726]

Also there is a historical equivalent in Japanese history that the people at that time would know of. Just look up the story of Hojo Masako aka, the Nun Shogun. She was the wife of the first Shogun of Japan and held immense power in the government once he died

[@Tenthfall]

Cercie didn't randomly do what she wanted.​@hafor2846

[@MichaelCorryFilms]

Mariko's father killed Oda Nobunaga. Oda Nobunaga was the first unifier of Japan after the beginning of the warring states period and was basically Shogun. Hideyoshi, the dying Taiko in ep.2 was Oda's peasant retainer who climbed the ladder and became Taiko. Torunaga was a daimyo under Oda too. Basically Mariko's father killed the leader of all Japan at the time.

[@Rabbithole8]

Of course you mean the character is a stand in for Oda Nobunaga, the real person, just as Toranaga is a stand in for Tokugawa Ieyasu.

[@MichaelCorryFilms]

@@Rabbithole8 "Goroda" I think is the stand-in name in the book.

[@Rabbithole8]

@@MichaelCorryFilms That's right!

[@MaxMaidiac-h5y]

ARE YOU 100% SURE? N0BUNAGA WAS NEITHER CORRUPT NOR EVIL. I WOULD LIKE SOME VERIFICATION PLEASE, IF POSSIBLE, OF COURSE I WILL TRY TO RESEARCH IF MARIKO'S FATHER KILLED NOBUNAGA. (OR THE STAND IN CHARACTER'S FROM THE NOVEL)

[@Rabbithole8]

@@MaxMaidiac-h5y Nobunaga was known for his bizarre behavior and was a cruel even by the standards of the day. Akechi Mitsuhide is Akechi Tama (Hosokawa Garasha, that is Mariko) father who is famous for being Nobunaga's "assassin."

[@hazri8758]

Fuji-sama's facial expression is top notch

[@jenk4545]

Game birds are typically very dry, so they are hung for a while before cleaning and cooking to age the meat. Also, at this point in time most Japanese would have been pescatarian or vegetarian, so eating any meat at all would have been strange to them, let alone some foreigner's weird rabbit soup or a bird that's been hanging up for days.

[@MsCyou0157]

当時の日本では四脚の動物を食べることは野蛮とされていました。 鳥と魚は問題ありません。 しかし、熟成肉の文化はありませんでした。当時の日本人としては、鳥を吊るして腐らせるという行為は、黒魔術のように感じられたと思います。

[@jonsnow6090]

The earthquake that occurs here is probably a reference to the Tensho Earthquake. In actual history, Ieyasu (Toranaga) won the Battle of Komaki Nagakute by an earthquake. Japanese history has always been influenced by earthquakes.

[@TommyTipex]

My family does a lot of shooting and I used to work with the gamekeepers as a beater and other odd jobs when I was young. After a shoot they used to give away a lot of the birds so they weren't wasted and I was always told to hang them for 5 days or a week in winter before preparing them, makes them more tender and improves the flavour.

[@michaellockhart554]

Now that we've got Mariko's full backstory There is a Koan (poem) about the 3 real people that portrayed in this story about being given a bird that does not sing and what they would do with it Oda Nobunaga (Lord Karoda, the Mariko's father killed) says "Kill It" Toyotomi Hideyoshi (The Taiko) says "Coax it to sing" Tokugawa Ieyasu (Toronaga) says "Wait"

[@NoMoreTortillas1]

I love this show more and more every week! This episode has so much to incover

[@Shinransa]

I love how this episode shows how much a simple word deserves respect. To John, he was just jokingly saying "if you touch this pheasant, you die" but since he has been given a higher status, his word carry meaning. To the gardener, his courtesan and everyone else serving him will take any simple ask from him as their duty, honor goes such a long way that the gardener took his own life despite being a spy. A lot of moments just hit so hard in this show but this entire episode hits hard, this is a top-tier show for sure.

[@mimic1984]

Half way point of the season baby!

[@yue7507]

I don't want this show to end :(

[@Piensamalyacertaras]

No Filler please 😢.

[@kivimik]

@@Piensamalyacertaras It's based on a novel. Why would there be filler?

[@Piensamalyacertaras]

@@kivimik one can only hope.

[@kichiyasu2948]

I want to see the Osaka winter camp and the Osaka summer camp with the current cast. It will be the best drama of this century.

[@hazri8758]

It took the Anjin five episodes to fully experience the culture shock 😅

[@neofulcrum5013]

This show is something else

[@AbyssWatch3r]

cinematography, sfx/music, and dialouges👌

[@Contactbps]

He proved a point by apologizing, he was saying that he disturbed the harmony of the home due to him being drunk of sake, blaming sake was the reason he acted like that but that is not true, He intentionally beaten mariko, he is was fully aware what he was doing, as you can see how accurate his bow shots are when he is drunk af.

[@hafor2846]

It's a way to apologize for acting out without losing face. He knows he has to apologize because he acted dishonorably, but he can't just admit to being a complete ass, so instead he blames the alcohol and both sides get something out of the interaction. Typical polite honour culture stuff.

[@Sir_AlexxTv]

Only 5 episodes left 😥, I love this show, the writing is amazing.

[@NivraNabru]

i am obsessed with this show to the point of waking up in the morning to get up and wanting to check on how Fuji is recovering,.. man...

[@jaijais]

i love how clever toranaga-sama is, i get so nervous when he calls people out to their face because i think he’ll get in trouble only to find out that he’s actually playing 4D chess. such a great character. on the other hand it’s also funny to see ishido constantly making mistakes. he uses the heir’s mother as a reason to impeach toranaga only to have her take control of the council of regents the moment she gets back 😅 man can’t catch a break the whole thing with the gardener made me so sad but i suppose it gives blackthorne a push to really mature in his role and greater purpose

[@chibiusa4072]

Man didn't know Toranaga was holding her in Edo for their protection

[@infam0usalal184]

This show is perfect imo Completely without flaw, I love it

[@萩原萌子-u8x]

Although women are often portrayed as oppressed, this period was hard on men as well. The male head of the family had to take responsibility for everything in the family, which sometimes led directly to death. Men had to go to war frequently. It was something they could not escape for social reasons.

[@leetman102]

Lady Ochiba is based on Lady Yodo, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's youngest concubine. Both of their ambitions would lead their respective houses to ruin.

[@eatsmylifeYT]

The Japanese have the best beef n the world (they feed them beer and give them massages while being suspended from their bellies so their leg muscles don't get hard), so that's another thing you can't teach them. Their steaks and other grilled meats are excellent. However, the Portuguese taught them how to make tempura so that's one thing the Japanese learned from the West. Either Fuji executed Uejiro herself or had him executed because of Blackthorne saying "If touch-die" so she felt as mistress of the household, it was her duty to enforce the master's (Blackthorne) rule. Big case of miscommunication. Buntaro was apologizing for losing control (not for beating up Mariko) and I think was hoping that Blackthorne would kill him for disrespecting his house. His sitting down and bowing his head is a gesture of supplication and shows he would not defend himself if Blackthorne made a move. He probably has PTSD and just wanted to end his life. As samurai, he can't because his life is sworn to Toranaga.

[@AlMaghreb.]

In the podcast (which I highly recommend btw!) one of the creators did say that Buntaro genuinely loves Mariko, that that is his one weakness, which is interesting because nothing he says or does points to that 😅😅

[@rhuskymikhaelorcullo5832]

Well from what I've read from others comments on other videos, he treats her with disdain not just because of what her father had done, but because that was what was expected of him to do, he might have loved her before her father's treachery, as they were married before her father's death and that being the reason she's still alive at this point, she got out of it cause she was married to Buntaro, and then her reputation soured and he acts that he is soured on her.

[@Stephaniefarrah]

It was Mariko that was with blackthorn. Source material**

[@danielomar9712]

As a friend of mine noted , Lord Ishido said he'll risk his life for the Heir of the Throne , which gave the opportunity for the mother to manipulate it into saying "Do as i say to ensure safety of the throne" Very smart

[@LukeLemonart]

My ears perked up the second I heard Calvin talking about Blackbeard. So I'll be patently waiting for you guys to watch "Our Flag Means Death" someday.

[@cuffzter]

I have watched the old show, and while not wanting to spoil anything, its pretty much the same. There are some differencies though. In the old show Blackthorne befriended the gardener more which made the death even harder for him. He also accepted Buntaros apology about blaming the sake.

[@JonathanG-ni5vl]

The new lighting is looking good fellas. It makes the background look even faker, which is funny considering it's an actual building. But the light also makes y'all look crisper and cleaner, which I think is worth it.

[@andrewward5891]

The English used to love eating game birds that were aged to the point of being almost rotten. I watched a show where a modern English family lived on an estate and lived like an early 1900s noble family for a month. The chef wanted them to try a pheasant he’d had hanging up in the kitchen for a week. The family (probably wisely) refused to eat it.

[@isessogroup]

Fuji is great in every episode but really went up another level in this one. Also Mariko with her shows of high emotion to folding herself inside the 8 fold fence becoming emotionleds... but Omi was scene stealing even with Blackthorne in the room... may not like his character yet the acting is A+

[@Bekka_Noyb]

Wow what an episode! ♥

[@RandomNPC001]

Never point your hashi towards a Japanese person during a meal like John did 14:02

[@DTIII]

So much happened this episode, so damn good.

[@RandalReid]

Toranaga: "I'm a dozen steps ahead of everyone. I know how to play these chucklenuts ohohoho..." Earthquake: "Meh f***k your plans"

[@raywheeler6822]

If you remember correctly, they last loaded the cannons with the equivalent of shrapnel. That is why men were basically shredded.

[@heesoo18]

Maybe after the series is over u can watch the original? Fun fact it’s the second highest rated show of all time on abc behind “roots” and Rodriguez was played by John Rhys-Davis and the Japanese wasn’t closed captioned bc they wanted you to understand only what blackthorne understood

[@penckok1832]

fuji's actress is is so good

[@khaii13]

Minor detail on the Honour Code: Aketchi Jinsai was serving directly under Kuroda-sama whom he killed. Thats why a straight laced, uptight, some would say narrow-minded samurai like Buntaro Toda would look at his legacy and his surviving daughter with disdain. I mean maybe there is love somewhere in there, or an order from somewhere higher up which compelled him to order her to live on, but at the very least, he was never really openly hostile towards Mariko, except when he’s drunk apparently.

[@ericifune5543]

Game is hung and aged before cleaning. Rabbit stew, in those days, used a hung rabbit and was thickened with the internal organs and blood.

[@iloveentertainment]

Insane how quickly the tsunami followed that earthquake. It is little wonder if there is any army or village, and villagers left. Powerful episode in so many ways. Great reaction gents ✌️

[@internetgoat4831]

Ochiba is basically Japanese Cersei.

[@SpockNRoll]

The crew: lol "touch the pheasant and die!" haha me: oh boy The crew: (about Buntaro and John) They're gonna be best friends! me: OHHH BOY

[@ТакэсимаэтоЯпония]

i love samurai ❤❤❤

[@kevinmunro2549]

Please review Tokyo Vice too. If you like Shogun then you’ll love that show!

[@LMN3_Works]

Nah Toranaga definitely plotted Uejiro’s death for sure, so that they won’t know who’s the spy. Toranaga sama is definitely a master on trickery, and he even said that a man should only trust himself.

[@domjones-of-wales]

Game Of Thrones would have been a completely different story had the Kingslayer been treated like Mariko's dad 🤔

[@babyjhanajah]

yaaaay i’ve been waiting on your reaction all dayyyy!! can’t wait to meet you guys at Wavecon 🖤🎉

[@jambobrenn8171]

8:44 yeah, yeah laugh it up 😢

[@VonChoker]

to put it in context effectively Mariko's father is the Jaime Lannister, the kingslayer

[@Kaito-1412.]

This show is brilliant, just layers upon layers of subtlety and hidden motivations that all line up. Shame it’s halfway over already

[@may-ky6jl]

Old man, gardener was not spy. Toranaga knew who was spy. Toranaga said to the spy that you had been working for him for a long time. You could continue to work and he would sent a diffent person's head to Osaka

[@TheStylemaster84]

incredible show so far!!! im starting black sails right after binging shogun, heard its really good too so 2 banger shows back to back!

[@luanajasmin5125]

I feel so sorry for Mariko:( she lost her entire family and is now trapped in an abusive marriage... Also I've been loving fuji a lot in this show. She's so sweet❤

[@hazri8758]

Look how Lord Ishido is scared shirtless by Lady Ochiba.

[@OneMeanDragon]

be sure to watch the old one after this series is over, theres far more context in it however there is some in this thats also not in that one lol.

[@an4380]

i wanna put out there the idea that the gardener's execution for going against the lord's name isn't really something exclusive to japanese culture? yes, the context around it is steeped in japanese cultural norms and life views, BUT, a lowly servant would also get straight up executed in 1600s england if he touched a duke's property or sth

[@RandomNPC001]

Japanese during that time would employ a 1:4 or 1:5 tactics when it came to firearms. They would have 4-5 archers for every gun bearer to allow a continuous volley between the guns and the arrows.

[@andrewward5891]

I think the heir’s mom is making a power play now because she knows the council or regents can’t do anything without a 5th member and Ishido and the Christian regents can’t agree on a 5th member because both sides both sides don’t want the other to have control over the council

[@haneby1114]

It's not only 1600s Japan where people take things literally, you see plenty of that in your comments section... when people see the word "replace" they think you're dropping the show

[@KingBearmane]

Who knows maybe Fuji will warm up to him a little more now than he came back to see if she was alright

[@andrewward5891]

Musket pistols aren’t much use beyond ten feet or so because of their short smooth bored barrels. Modern firearms have rifled barrels- groves in the inside of the barrel to spin the bullet which makes the bullet far more accurate at longer ranges. That’s why a civil war rifled musket was so much deadlier then a revolutionary war musket. And a short barreled musket pistol isn’t going to hit a target at 20 plus feet no matter how much target practice you do.

[@rickyd-lux9067]

38:06 They wouldn't have corn either. That's from the western hemisphere.