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‘Shogun’ is not like ‘Game of Thrones’: director prefers to compare it to those hits
The miniseries, based on the novel of the same name, transports viewers to 17th-century Japan, a time of internal civil wars and political and social change.
Regardless of time or place, the art of politics has been practiced since time immemorial, and it remains as relevant as it is ruthless, even if the most civilized countries eschew murder as a tool to achieve those ends. Shogun, the new FX series set in 17th-century feudal Japan, depicts a turbulent civil war era. The Christian religion has begun to spread among the rulers, and the Portuguese and clergy stand to profit from the situation. As might be expected, more than a few people have compared it to ‘Game of Thrones’, the HBO series based on George R.R. Martin’s ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’. However, the director of the new fiction has a different opinion.
“Truly it is a character piece and it is about this intrigue,” Jonathan van Tulleken, director of Shogun, told the BBC. “This is a dangerous world where violence can come out of nowhere but the real danger is in the machinations. A conversation can be as dangerous as anything else. A better comparison [than Game of Thrones] would be Succession or House of Cards.” The first series, also from HBO, is about a family of media moguls, while the second (Netflix) focuses on the marriage of powerful politicians in the United States.
Hideo Kojima also compares it to ‘Game of Thrones’
The creator of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding is an avid movie buff and consumes series on a regular basis. On his X/Twitter account, he usually recommends some of the productions he watches, including ‘Shogun’. Hideo Kojima has not hesitated to compare it to the HBO classic: “The scale, details, cast, costumes, sets, props, and VFX are all top-notch, and it is no exaggeration to say that this is a ‘Game of Thrones’ set in 17th century Japan. It is more faithful to the original story than to historical fact, but even those who do not know the original story (the original) will be captivated by its charm. The presence of Hiroyuki Sanada as Toranaga, who replaces Toshiro Mifune, also plays a role.”
The first three episodes of ‘Shogun’ are now available on Hulu. A new chapter will be released every Tuesday until the ten-episode miniseries is complete. The second season of House of the Dragon’ - a spin-off of ‘Game of Thrones’ - will premiere next June.