Series “Shogun” was based on the novel by Hames Clavell, which takes us to 1600. We can observe a unique clash of two civilizations: Japanese and European. The series was first adapted into a film in the 1980s, and he played the role of John Blackhorne Richard Chamberlain. The latest series prides itself on reflecting the realities of the era to an extent that was not possible in the first version.
Anna Sawai, a member of the cast of “Shogun”, showed how much attention was paid to detail in the series. She commented during the recent “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” program, explaining that the Japanese language spoken in the series is much more formal and developed than Japanese language spoken today.
“We speak period Japanese in the show. So I had to do that (speak in a more developed way – editor’s note) and then say something like a British accent,” Sawai explained.
The most important issue is that the same phrases last much longer due to, among others, honorifics.
In another interview, Hiroyuki Sanada shared his thoughts on the importance of not “modernizing” or “Westernizing” stories. As it turns out, an important element was the fact that a large part of the crew came from Japan, and they had experience in creating historical dramas. Thanks to their wigs, props and costumes, we could immerse ourselves in Japanese culture.
The story presented in the series is fictionalized, but it cannot be denied that it is inspired by the real culture of Japan. Subsequent episodes will appear weekly until April 23.