Shogun Season 1
Overview
Shogun Season 1 is the first season of FX's historical drama, based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell. The season is set in feudal Japan in the year 1600, a time of civil war and political intrigue. The series follows three main characters: John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), an English Protestant sailor who is shipwrecked on the coast of Japan. He is the first Englishman to reach Japan, and he is a "barbarian" in a closed, xenophobic society. He is taken prisoner by Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), a powerful and ambitious daimyo who is fighting for his survival against his enemies on the Council of Regents. Toranaga sees Blackthorne as a potential weapon, a source of foreign knowledge and technology. Lady Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a Catholic convert who serves as Blackthorne's translator and guide. She is a samurai's daughter, a wife, and a mother, but she is also a woman trapped by duty and honor. The first season follows the complex political machinations of Toranaga as he tries to outmaneuver his rivals. The season ends with Toranaga's victory at the Battle of Sekigahara.
