NEW YORK — At a time when there seems to be too much TV to keep up with, “Shogun” is a standout.
The historical drama transports the audience to a feudal Japan in the 1600s and focuses on a civil war that would help define the 17th century in Japan.
Based on the bestselling novel of the same name, fans are hailing the miniseries as “a masterclass in acting” and are demanding an Emmy for its star.
That star is Anna Sawai. She stopped by to talk about the show’s season finale.
“I think that watching the show, you’ll be able to relate because it has this universal theme of politics and power and relationships. But it’ll also give you a very good glimpse on what Japanese culture was really like. So you’ll learn a lot from this show,” Sawai said.
She said it’s been a crazy ride being part of “Shogun.”
“It’s so surreal because we weren’t expecting any of this to happen. And just the outburst of love that people are giving us like, it’s a lot to process like it doesn’t feel real. The first eight episodes of it all like she’s very trapped, and she has to conceal all her struggles and all her pain. But in episode nine, she finally kind of finds her voice and she’s given permission to vocalize it in front of people. And I think that it’s been very liberating in Episode 10, it’s just going to blow your minds,” she said.
It is a beautiful journey to watch her character grow throughout the series.
“Think any Japanese woman can relate because it’s unfortunate, but the struggles that we see in the women and female characters in the show is so real even today,” Sawai said. “It might not be as intense, but there are certain expectations and mannerisms. And you know, I really wanted to make them feel real.”
She said she has learned a lot about her culture by being a part of this series.
“I’ve loved learning new things, learning new things about my culture, wearing a kimono and being in it like my ancestors has been in it. I loved working with the horses. It was so much fun. I was asking for lessons every single day. It’s just been such a great experience,” Sawai said.
Without spoiling the ending of the season, Sawai did her best to give a preview of what’s to come in the final episode.
“I think we see certain characters, changing their opinions, changing the course of how the country is going to move forward from here, and it’s just a beautiful way to finish this this season,” she said.
The “Shogun” season finale titled, “A Dream of a Dream” airs Tuesday night on FX. But, if you can’t wait, it’s streaming now on Hulu and Disney+, which are all owned by the same parent company as this station.
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