performance of the casts are stellar. Like Fuji, even with only her facial expression she can steal some scene!!

In history, Togukawa Ieyasu never fought in Korea. In exchange for pledging loyalty to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Tokugawa clan was exempted from military service to Hideyoshi for ten years. So after Hideyoshi died, during the reign of the Council of Elders, Ieyasu had the strongest army in Japan.

Blackthorne mentions "his queen", because the real life William Adams AKA "Miura Anjin" served under Sir Francis Drake in Queen Elizabeth I 's Royal Navy and fought against the Spanish Armada, before joining the Dutch Expedition to Japan. ( The Protestant Dutch were allies of England during the war against Spain.) He was a very educated man, a navigator trained in astronomy, math and ship building, who spoke several languages. The real life "Miura Anjin" is a highly regarded historical figure in Japan. The first European who was made Samurai. There are not just one, but several memorials for him & his Japanese wife, a museum & also an annual festival in Ito City, near the natural springs and the bay, where he had build a trading port. The letters he wrote back home are also available and a great historical source about feudal Japan. He writes in detail about the customs and traditions. After Tokugawa took power, Adams negotiated a trade treaty between the Shogunate & the Queen of England and Tokugawa send a suit of Samurai armor as a gift to London. It is now exhibited in the Tower of London museum.

So refreshing to hear the Japanese words and names pronounced correctly!

Please acknowledge the fantastic book by James Clavell on which this series is based. It is his work that has allowed the series producers to add colour, historical touches and so on, because he did so much research into the historical aspects, people, and roles, then put it together in a terrific story line. Credit where credit is due.

I like Hideyoshi's reference to the Pureland. While Hideyoshi was technically Shinto he was also a jodo-shinsu Buddhist.

'Shogun' is based on a novel written by James Clavell, who was an Australian/American writer with a great love for Asian history. He wrote more than just one novel and covered more than just one time period of Japan. If the TV series 'Shogun' does well, I'm confident we'll get a TV show based on 'Gai-Jin' as well. 'Gai-Jin' is Clavell's book about 19th century Japan, the end of the Edo period, the increasing Western influences in Japan and with it the increasing hostilities between Westerners and Japanese people. It is an excellent sequel to 'Shogun'.

As a long time Brit fan of the book and the miniseries, and as an introduction to Toshirô Mifune and Akira Kurosawa I really enjoyed your piece here.. Confirming the 'real' history points. As a side note, I helped build the William Adams Medical Center in Kent, UK.

I actually enjoy the attention to detail not just within sets but how they use their props and is not afraid to show racist language and behaviors which was mostly common during that time where exploration of other cultures is young. It also tackled social hierarchies without portraying it in a woke agenda (some scenes where changed from the 1980 version which I saw cause I can't contain my hype for more). I was surprised this was streamed in Disney+ to be honest.

In book, it goes more into the economic problems that the trade ban between China and Japan had caused each party after the disastrous Imjin-war. Japan could never mass-produce enough textiles for its own needs and relied on imports of silk, cotton and linen, at the very least to keep prices down. China had a very different problem in the form of currency-deflation. Gold and Silver currency was constantly being removed from circulation in China, either via foreign trade or as money saved away. This meant that China needed fresh injections of Silver into its economy, or its currency would become so rare that it would no longer be useful for day-to-day activities. Japan had an abundance of silver (at the time) and paid with this. The Portuguese middlemen solved this problem. (Though probably ripped off both parties) This is a similar situation to the rise in the Opium trade in the 19th century. The Chinese would only sell their Tea to foreigners for Gold or Silver. Britain did not have enough Silver for this. So, they sold the Opium to China (illegally) in exchange for Silver and then bought the Tea with this.

OF course -- everyone can talk about it , but I would not really say that pronunciation of the Japanese Names is really convincing ! No problem -- after all you are english speaking Korean

Excellent ! minor quibble: You referred to John Blackthorne as "Blackstone"

Great video. Hope you don't mind me correcting a couple of things, as you're talking about details? The Englishman's name is John Blackthorne, not Blackstone, and his ship is Dutch, not English. Interesting point you bring up about the Japanese pirates, although I thought the main reason that China refused to trade with Japan at the time was because Toyotomi Hideyoshi had recently attempted an invasion of China which involved travelling up through Korea without permission. His Samurai met stiff resistance in Korea (backed by China) though, and this resulted in a very bloody conflict and humiliating defeat for the Japanese.

Good video!

May I get y our opinion on a movie called 'Yakuza'? It was filmed in the 70s with Ken Takakura and Keiko Kishi. The cast included Robert Mitchum, as an Army Sergeant returning to Japan to find a girl that was kidnapped, and though the girl is found, he finds himself swept up in a gang war. I think what makes it fascinating to me, is that when a sword is drawn, you can really feel the menace behnd it. It is not cartoon like, nor violence done for entertainment value. They opponents approach each other slowly, dilberately, as if one wrong move could bring death. I would love to know you opinion on the Mitchum (film noir detective type character) and his surprize to find he has dishonored the Japanese he cares most about. He was clueless to what his presence in the late 40s caused, and his 70s attempt to restore honor to his friends. It was a Sydney Pollack film. Does it seem real? Is there any truth in how the Asian Characters are protrayed?

Hi fellow Asia here. 😆Heh

Thank you thank you thank you. These Game of Thrones comparisons are really irritating

One thing for sure if they wants japan game of thrones then make period drama 1. from 1447/ mid 13th century to 1590 upto battle of eastern and weatern front .( But what they made is after this given period😂😂). 2. Genpei war ( hero taira no kiyomori rebel aganist emperor go shirawkawa ... Like the north on the lanisters 😂). 3 . During 1227 mongol invasion in japan like ,.. dorthoroki attack on westoros. 4 . Motohiro / imperial rebellion in 1331 by emperor on shoguns to remove kamakura shogunate system like .... Lanisters on the north during geoffry rule. 5. Onin wars cant compare but huge war . Truly one sad thing is. where is sanada clan or sanada yukimura greatest 3 sumrai of japan who played key in his last battle with ieyasu . Turning point of tokugawa shogunate .😢😢😢 If any of you want real japan history go watch taiga dramas from 2008 to 2024 ongoing . And can anyone suggest some real tv drama based on korean history not 🚫🚫 the drama where emperor and his wife love story .. a true depiction of politics happened in korean history . Love korea from india ( request to be least racist and less accept american /western vulgar culture , now in india we view South Korea and japan as vassals for america )

It's good, but still has the most important Japanese female character falling for the foreigner. That trope never dies. Lol

You're boring me.