Shogun Episode 5 Breakdown | "Broken to the Fist" Recap & Review 2024

[@PetePeppers1]

I said last week’s episode was my favorite and this surpassed it. What a great hour of television. The performances also seem to improve week after week. The actors do so much with their facial expressions that fill in the emotional spaces around all of what they don’t understand about each other. Let me know what you think.

[@jeffk3746]

The actress playing Fuji has the most emotive eyes I’ve ever seen. Such great facial expressions

[@thehermitman822]

Her performance is as fine as she is.

[@dannyanggawan]

5th episode contain lots of her expressions, especially that pissing night between Buntaro and Anjin. Her expression really scene stealer. Someday, someone will make video collage of her expressions during this show

[@tadasdovii8262]

Its good that Fuji have bigger screen time than in old version.

[@PetePeppers1]

She's great

[@leonardobraynen1524]

​@@PetePeppers1 Pete, Leo from the Bahamas. Great analysis on this awesome show. You are my *MARIKO* in that yiu are translating some deeper meanings about this show, probky cuz u read the book. But yeh major tension btwn John And Mariko's husband for sure. And that earthquake scene whr tge *ENTIRE* mountainside collapses is just breathtaking! Btw, how many episodes are in this series? Also keep up the great work!

[@michaellockhart554]

Blackthorne's response when asked for a war story... I couldn't stop snickering, "All my war stories are full of holes" a joke that went over everyone's head, both in the show and many reactors, old sailrs joke about cannon being shot at ships

[@Icefury]

Pete, your analysis and wrap up of prominent shows is 2nd to none. Many do analysis videos, but none are as engaging, through, properly framed, and thought provoking as yours. A well earned sub, keep it up Pete!

[@samlanganke1262]

I couldn't have said it better.

[@Yowzoe]

yeah, I fished around, and this is another level 👏

[@skrible71]

You have the best recap and analysis of Shogun on KZbin. You offer the cultural nuances and political implications of the stories and characters, which are lacking in many recaps here on KZbin. You've earned a subscriber!

[@-AtomsPhere-]

Full grown man here…When John went to readjust the rock after the earthquake I started bawling like a baby. Haven’t had an emotional outburst like that in years and can’t even really explain where it came from.

[@PetePeppers1]

I've heard a well crafted episode of TV can do that to a man

[@leonardobraynen1524]

​@@PetePeppers1the very last episode of *THE LAST KINGDOM* did that to me when Uhtred, who was kidnapped by the Vikings from his Saxon home, returned to the home of his father and really had to battle to become the Lord of the house. And i just bawled over watching this show over 5 seasons the adversities he overcame to get to that point was so overwhelming!!! 😢 Have u ever watched that show on youtube, Pete? There is even a movie of it out; *7 KINGS MUST DIE!*

[@MeowCatReturns]

I think there was something moving about John coming in and taking responsibility for his home and people after the earthquake. He’s beginning to understand the importance of their traditions in light of the violent world they live in, and the role of men like him to keep order amongst the chaos. It’s probably somewhat familiar to him as a sailor. From episode one he was negotiating for his men, and he is used to battling an overwhelming force of nature.

[@dksl9899]

On rewatching, I noticed that the camera cuts to Mariko after T accepts the swords and thanks the Anjin. She is too moved to speak and is on the verge of tears. What was disgraced now has new value. This is a metaphor for her own life - we find out that she is in a living death and sees no way out. But John's actions help her understand his Western rejection of fatalism and that she, too, can hope in making her life her own.

[@KG-th3cr]

Nice insight.

[@mrmaat]

This was an incredible episode. The show keeps getting stronger and stronger - the acting, effects, costumes, but especially the writing.

[@DBlock_11x]

This show is amazing. I’m so hooked!!!

[@p4uly83]

Glad you're covering this Pete, it's amazing. Only a few hours til 3 Body Problem drops. I look forward to your videos on that.

[@PetePeppers1]

Yeah, I'll have some 3 Body stuff coming soon

[@leonardobraynen1524]

​@@PetePeppers1w/o spoiling, What is 3 Body Problems all about? Whats its premise? Thx in advance.

[@wauzer1]

So close to 200k subscribers, come on people, this man's breakdowns and insights are awesome.

[@JoeNasr123]

This episode really "broke me to the fist." I was so excited to see John starting to enjoy his life and routine, and suddenly you've got the Buntaro mess, the rotting bird mess, Mariko pushing him away, and poor Uejiro, killed because of something he said in jest. It's so sad. And he's absolutely right, in that these people seem like they're looking for any excuse to die or put others to death. I wouldn't want to be there any more either.

[@bennygerow]

Don't forget that Fuji low key gave up that Blackthorn didn't do the deed with her...... To the one guy that should never know or even suspect who he did it with. And now it looks like MAYBE there's a bun in the oven!

[@animo9050]

A bun in the oven?

[@bennygerow]

@@animo9050 see the Ep 6 trailer? She very slightly covers her abdomen and looks weird at Blackthorn, so of course I fully jump the gun and assume she's pregnant.... Maybe? Lol

[@mr.duanesharpe]

@@bennygerowthere’s no bun on no oven. Ep6 will be about “regrouping”. The Anjin and ol boy will fight. Stay tuned. No spoilers

[@larrythomas1330]

Pete … I’m very impressed with your reviews .. Bravo

[@nycgweed]

I been listening too you for a while but for some reason wasn’t subscribed but now I am , you should have many more for the quality of you videos

[@Hochspitz]

Ah, aging game meat and the way he got it completely wrong (can you just imagine the stink of the maggot infested bird?) was really very funny and understandably so abhorrent to the rest of his household. Yet along with so many other seemingly little nuggets, the gardener and the stone, the worthless swords, etc make this "slow burn" episode an absolute television masterpiece.

[@achohelelwhy]

Not only to his household, but it essentially became an issue for the whole village. They don't eat meat in that way, so not only is the smell offensive, it's also foreign to their food preparation. It's like if you pissed off your HOA, but with much dire consequences.

[@agustami956]

I have just discovered your channel after watching Shogun. Looking forward to watching more of your analysis. Excellent!

[@clutch2827]

That earthquake was a trip!

[@leonardobraynen1524]

Dude ikr???! I would absolutely *SHIT* myself if i say a freaking mountain collapsing!!!!

[@kumagoro]

Pete is really the best. No one does it better.

[@XXAnthonyCarmineXx]

Peppers

[@chrisretzlaff2895]

I knew this show was going to be good, cast alone, but I never expected it to be absolutely fantastic. I'm in, even with the slight differences and emphasis on certain things then the book, it has really amazed me. FUJI!!! Anna Sawai was good in Monarch, but I absolutely love her in this.

[@clvrswine]

In my head, I still hear "Hey guys, Pete here" when I start your breakdowns. Please bring it back!

[@Jason-ls6wr]

The best analysis of the best episode in this series to date.

[@realadex9655]

Very comprehensive review

[@vaga.spiritus]

Great recap, Ty! What was the bowl of cheesy stuff Blackthorn ate that they tried to talk him out of tho?

[@harryj246]

This was so needed. TOP NOTCH STUFF 👏🏼😊

[@phinguyen007]

Ive seen the 80s version many times one of my favorite! But Wow that dinner was high drama and intense I’m loving Fuji ❤

[@stevenbaer5999]

I always love the original one of 1980 of Shogun. Richard Chamberlain who played as Blackthorne, the real life of William Adams first white samurai in 1600.

[@nickg3984]

the drinking contest was very tense and foreshadowed the rest, but it did have me laughing a lot. it made the moments after hit even harder

[@VegetaLaunchedFinalFlash]

I started watching your videos after Silo. great breakdowns on this amazing series Shogun. Keep up the great work.

[@kingeric1992]

Apart from impressive actings and storytelling, the cgi is also done amazingly well of the landslide swallowing people up. Everything is just so engaging in this show.

[@lanaamos6530]

I swear this comment section is a joy to read! So many intelligent and emotional people 💔

[@AllGoodNamesAreTaken_]

Thank you very much! You confirmed a few things I had mind too and gave many new insights. Will rewatch your vids from s01e01 on. Cheers!

[@catdaddy57]

Fuji is great. Very emotive in her portrayal of the character. Awesome performance

[@davidmeir9348]

The scene where they're all disgusted by the English meal he prepared. Don't worry Japanese people, you are not alone. Even other Europeans can't understand how the English can eat what they eat 😂😂😂

[@Spartanoffaith]

I think the fucked part of the story that most don't realize isn't that they took advantage of Uejiro's death, rather they manipulated Blackthorne into thinking they actually killed him over getting rid of a rotting pheasant, that's why he wasn't asked. Maybe he was sick and old and wanted a quick end so that they had an excuse for the spy, but in reality Toranaga is gaslighting everyone to keep his plans concealed.

[@khaii13]

Well actually, and i had to google this after watching the episode as i didnt get it, hanging pheasants with their feathers still on for 5-10 days is actually a form of dry aging and is used to tenderize wild game; and that (by inference as he is a privateer pilot) John would have been used to this practice of game being hung in his own house instead of a dedicated slaughterhouse or storage room. And he, as Hatamoto, speaks with the authority of Law. So when he said “if touch, then die” as hyperbole being himself as he has always been, he has, unbeknownst to him, spoken a lawful edict (like when a count or an earl proclaims something in his domain which carried the weight of law and only someone of higher nobility can overturn it). So, in short, he did kill that man; and since the Guy was dead anyway, he was simply scapegoated as the spy to Yabushige conveniently.

[@Jimpix57]

Yes

[@marknovak6498]

The lesson we give meaning to things with words is even more true today than back then. A careless post can chane the world if 3nough people believe it is meaningful.

[@ozymandias767]

It was Omi manipulating. Not Yubushige.

[@ComradeInspector]

God this episode was such a roller coaster and such a tragic rollercoaster at that. From the return of Buntaro to the rotten bird story and the sad story of Mariko, it just seemed like nothing could get worse until the earthquake happened and John rescued Toranaga and gave him his swords. It seemed like such a nice reprieve. I hope next episode is a little more lighthearted.

[@Mr.Zen_73]

best tv/movie reviewer on youtube!

[@dubester1982]

Agreed 💯. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul coverage was incredible!

[@uniqloboi9800]

In this episode everything came around

[@renegadeoffunk32]

This was an episode full of incredibly stressful scenes. Starting with Bantaro making Mariko explain her past and watching the looks and emotions on Fuji's face, to the parable of the pheasant and the flies and the death of the gardener. To just the general yelling and streaming. I needed to pause and take a break 😅

[@SaradinGein]

I think your take on Buntaro not granting Mariko's wish is a bit odd, there's nothing confirming that it's because he doesn't want to lose her when considering his actions it could very well be punishment for her history and not letting her go with her family. We can't just state either because we aren't in his head.

[@Ruffaloo]

Thank you for explaining it so well! I have one tip though: sometimes you're using words like he, she, her or him, right after you talk about several persons. Which makes you lose track of who you are talking about.

[@macmedic892]

It’s been a week and I can STILL smell that rotting pheasant!

[@Afrimusican]

Haven't even seen this episode and I fully got what happened. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@PetePeppers1]

you should still watch it

[@dannyanggawan]

probably relationship between Buntaro and Mariko before marriage and their early years were never warm, it become worse with the tragedy of Mariko's family. Marriage in Asia could be more of a duty rather than emotional relationship. And judging the characterization of Buntaro, he dont have that kind of emotional side, in some scenes Buntaro scolded his son for laughing with Mariko and in the other time because he whimping to his mother.

[@exu400]

my girl Fuji with the Uzi

[@BillyJoeJimBob8]

I think that Ochiba No Kata, even though only being in 1 more episode, is a real viper and will wreak some havoc that will have some serious repercussions. She looked very dangerous in the scene at the end of this episode!

[@goobfilmcast4239]

I hope that "Streaming Studio Execs" take a look at how story quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail matter. It's not the money spent. Shogun was expensive to produce but less than the crazy amount Amazon's Lord of the Rings cost....and it is horrible on top of being an insult to real Tolkien fans.

[@AuthenticDarren]

You always hang pheasant, some say it's not ready to eat until just before it starts moving again.

[@jcwoodman5285]

Domo, Domo Pete Peppers San😊

[@pedroespinoza4308]

Great review!

[@cordisdie5578]

There a shot in the scene when anjin said if touch die. The gardener stand behind the pone in blur. I think that and alot more forshadowing in his dead. It pretty neet

[@dragoninthewest1]

Great video as usual. A minor fyi, the Q in palanquin makes a k sound like Qatar or Iraq, not a q or kwa sound. It should be pronounced Palin Keen, not Palin Quinn. I made the same mistake.

[@PetePeppers1]

I think I knew that and forgot it

[@stacykrett]

I see both pronunciations on Merriam Webster so there appears to be more than one right way.

[@snakey319]

Hanging the meat also gets rid of the gaminess, Pheasant is good. Then you have to put it in boiling water for a few lil bit, then defeather, gut etc.

[@Parasmunt]

Mariko's character is based on the real daughter of the assassin of the Taiko. In the book she is imprisoned and stirs up a scandal with the other women by encouraging them to threaten to commit suicide for their honour and this causes huge political problems for Ishido. In real life it was opposite, she was a Christian and was ordered by Ishido to commit suicide and could not because of her religion so was executed and THAT caused a huge problem for Ishido among the Christian daimyos he wanted to court.

[@theportlyone]

Good analysis and breakdown. I don’t know about sengoku Japan and background is cool

[@aNsWeRkEy02]

Im starting to like Fuji's character development

[@michakolasa4044]

I hope they eventually adapt other Clavell's books. Especially Tai-Pan, my favorite!

[@alveolate]

the anjin is the engine of the story

[@thehermitman822]

The pilot lands.

[@thehermitman822]

I figured he didn't die off screen but was surprised how quickly he returns.

[@thehermitman822]

A show is great when it makes you angry in the right way. Also happy and sad throughout.

[@darthplagueis8886]

This show is so good.

[@chemputer]

4:50 That's a Litter, mate, not a palanquin. Palanquins have two poles, not just the one the Japanese litter does.

[@russxii]

Is no one talking about how Toranaga’s army is now under the rubble? This might prompt Toranaga to take a preemptive action against his enemies instead of turtling in the province.

[@treeant2741]

Good analysis, but I'm left wondering about the answer to your question... what does "Without a good rock, a garden is just for growing" mean? The lord of the house = the rock = Blackthorne Garden = the home "just for growing" = ??? The overall meaning = ??? And I'm struggling to unpack the scene where Fujii is talking w/ Mariko and asks Mariko to tell her if the Anjin would be in danger from Buntaro, and Mariko said, "Why would he be in danger?" Why would Mariko answer like that? Fujii looked obviously taken aback by such a reply as well.

[@deanzaZZR]

That middle section was so overly extended and dark the ensuing scene with a bright morning sky was most welcome. We all know that Japan suffers from earthquakes. I have spent much of my life in California that gets quite a few but that scene with the earth opening up and swallowing Lord Toranaga's army (I actually couldn't decipher what was going on when I watched the scene the first time) was amusing. I understand many are loving the series. For me it's good enough to move on to the next episode hoping it will get better.

[@stephaniespain9849]

Yeah I also had no idea that the Army was wiped out because I too couldn’t see any damn thing

[@Hochspitz]

Oh well, can't please all of the people all of the time. Most of the people most of the time is the category I fit into. Yep, it was hard to figure out what was being swallowed up by the earthquake/landslide. If you didn't understand the point of all these "little" nuggets of nuance then either stop watching or just keep hoping.

[@dylanblue2271]

It's an exceptionally well crafted, hugely immersive show. I'm sorry for you that you don't seem to be too keen. The artistry and craftsmanship on display in all aspects of film-making are of the highest level.

[@thehermitman822]

I think she was saying it knowing he just wouldn't figure out what happened before he got there.

[@Cimlite]

You know it's a brilliant show when the episode's highlight was two men competing in a sakè-off.

[@marcw9173]

At this point in the story it is not clear if it was Mariko that pillowed with Anjin. In the book Mariko strongly said it was not her. You do not find out until later what happened.

[@abrahamannan5801]

It was definitely her

[@Calinotch06]

Why did Toranaga keep Ochiba in Edo? I thought Ishido was falsely accusing him.

[@dannyanggawan]

to buy his time, and to guarantee his safety if something goes bad to Toranaga when he is in Osaka

[@Calinotch06]

Why didn't Toranaga make Buntaro a Hatamoto?

[@nanah2000]

“….only supported by everyone else being there’s reactions”! Jesus, that’s weird. Try: “…only supported by the reaction of everyone else there”. Buntaro doesn’t care about losing Mariko. He’s happy to let her suffer..

[@leonardarola]

OMG THE OLD GUY FROM FLYING CHICKEN.

[@dandansfu]

didn't like this episode, it turned into a soap opera, love triangle...etc also I always feel that its lazy writing when you purposely write a character to be a douche (the husband )and the other one (John) like a mr nice guy especially I am sure during the time period, men around the world all treated women inferior, as its how they were raises and normal. it became one note character , so viewer/reader will have no problem hating one and cheering for another one this is when you know the source material is written by western writer coz so Hollywood and its already episode 5, can John not throw tantrum every episode that being said, still love the show

[@Mrnovanova]

I love it when shows don't have A-lister actors. It makes it so much easier to immerse yourself in the story. That being said the acting on that show is nop notch. 90% non-verbal.

[@Elegant]

I believe you may be wrong about beating one's wife in Japan. While women were property, they also had value (political etc) therefore you were not allowed to beat your wife. However, I might be confusing this with the Heian period

[@PetePeppers1]

She went in front of Toranaga who saw her face and said Buntaro can do whatever he wants to his wife. He just didn't want it to interfere with her translating. This is straight from the book after Fuji tells him she killed the gardener: "He fought for control, aware that all of his servants knew he legally could hack Fujiko and all of them to pieces here in the garden for causing him so much displeasure, or for no reason at all, and that not even Toranaga himself could interfere with his handling of his own household."

[@Elegant]

@@PetePeppers1 I know, I read the book too, but that doesn't mean the author knows everything from the Edo period, nor me for that matter. But if you are framing it from just within the book, then yes you are correct

[@TM-si1kj]

im japanese i think it really depends on the person but marriage was a contract between families so i dont think it was possible to beat wife for most people since that would be a insult to the other family. Ieyasu Tokugawa's（the model of Toranaga） son died because of that. his son couldnt get along with his wife and decided to have a another wife but the wife complained about it to her father. since her father was slightly stronger than ieyasu, he commited seppuku. there were other reason he had to die that way but that was one of the reason. for mariko she doesnt have any family to rely on sadly. but in japan there were a temple for women like her to cut ties with their abusive husband. i dont know why mariko doesnt use that. maybe she thinks its a shame to run away??

[@nickmcgookin247]

Every add i got try to copy your voice and tone weird

[@ITFDBLA]

Mariko was playing dumb re: Fumi’s question.

[@PetePeppers1]

yes.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

We need more of this and less of super heroes and marvel vs DC bs.

[@gambit0913]

Jozen’s death is an important scene as well as how his retainers commit seppuku including the lgbtq component in the novel …the show just skipped it I guess and made Naga even more annoying lol

[@olayinka.o9213]

"heroism is for the dead and stories are for children"...wow

[@dougabbott8261]

you age beef so why not pheasant ?

[@DeadTried]

Feel so bad for the old man, but those are the consequences for ignoring the culture

[@Spartanoffaith]

That isn't why they killed him, they killed him as a cover for Toranaga's samurai spy. Maybe the character was sick and dying, maybe not. Mariko let's a bit slip when she says he died for a greater purpose. She also doesn't directly translate his spiteful words because she knows he doesn't know why he was executed. It wasn't over his clumsy words. It's just a veil of gaslighting. To obfuscate his spy further.

[@muche6321]

​@@SpartanoffaithI think you can read it in two ways. 1) The dead bird situation causing problems for whole village leads to Uejirou volunteering to get rid of the bird then be killed after that due to Blackthorne's order. Muraji (present at the scene) then uses him as a decoy spy, so he doesn't need to frame a living person. 2) The same dead bird situation leads to Muraji manipulating people (in the sense Toranaga explained earlier) - knowing the rules of the culture, all he needs to do is to declare the issue a house issue, knowing the culture, he knows it will lead to someone taking the bird, then be killed for it due to Blackthorne's order, then he will use that person as a decoy spy. The first explanation is an exploration of culture clash (Blackthorne not understanding the power of his words), the second one is an exploration of how to direct people to do your bidding.

[@cocoacrispy7802]

This episode turns the story into a kind of Harlequin melodrama. OK, Toranaga has presumably broken all four - Bùntaro, Màriko, Fùji and Blackthorne - to his fist, so a future episode will reveal his motives. Not holding my breath with the writing. Blackthorne comes off like a complete dolt, not just because that's the way he's written, but the way Cosmo plays him. All beef in the US today is wet aged: chilled, wrapped up and held in its own blood for three-four days, which tenderizes, but does not change the flavor. Importantly, the weight stays the same. Dry aged beef, by contrast, is held at 32 - 34ºF, not wrapped but exposed to the air, well ventilated, protected from insects, for up to 170 days. It loses up to a third of its weight and becomes more tender and develops a nutty flavor. The pheasant should have been treated the same way. Blackthorne would have known this. So tired of the cliché making the husband the perpetrator of domestic violence in order to shift the audience's sympathy back onto the adulterous wife, thus allowing the adulterous man to play the chivalrous protector. Scientific inquiry has established that women initiate domestic violence at equal or greater rates than men, but Hollywood never shows this side. It's no different than depicting members of organized crime gangs as exclusively Italian. And then there's the Lady Ochiba….

[@izmirs.]

Blackthorn is a sailor not a chef.

[@simonk5571]

it would have been so cool if Tom cruise played the save the asian white man

[@samlanganke1262]

BS. John is no white savior. Look up history, read the book or watch the show till the end.

[@korindoseng4953]

The last samurai

[@user-dt1kd2bw7i]

7:01 No fridges back then lol. now that we have fridges🙏, we call it dry aging and mistake the action as a luxury💀in all reality it was quite the opposite 🤣😭🤦🏽‍♂️💯.