Do you think Shogun has the perfect ending? I know there were hopes for a battle but I feel the decision to not include it allowed the core of the show to shine. Let me know your thoughts below!

I’m so glad they blew their budget on costumes and getting everything looking perfect instead of a CGI battle with no emotional payoff.

Everyone was looking forward to Crimson sky when Crimson sky is just Mariko all along..its brilliant

"You should be the last one to hold her." Ugh this damn series 😭😭😭

Shogun's finale is subtle and refined like the Japanese culture itself. No over-explanations, no unnecessary battle scenes. Everything was already said and it was pretty clear that Toranaga outsmarted everyone else and that he was to become the Shogun. My favorite line, which defines Lord Toranaga as an incredible strategist, is: I don't control the wind. I only study it.

"Flowers are only flowers because they fall"

The most beautiful part of the finale for me was how many people were affected by Mariko’s death, either by regretting it (Ishido, the Regents, Yabusige), remembering her poetry (Lady Ochiba, Toranaga) remembering her words (Blackthorne, Fuji), or honoring her wishes (Toranaga, the Monk Alvito). Toranaga’s vision (and four-dimensional chess game) was finally realized, but the show never forgot that Mariko was the true heart of the story, transforming everyone by her life and by her death, and destroying Toranaga’s enemies in a way an army never could. She was such an unforgettable character in a such a wonderful show. Thank you, Mariko-dono. You are the beautiful flower that finally fell, but, thankfully, you have been carried by the wind for all of the world to see and cherish, and you will never be forgotten. 🌸🌺🌸

As a Japanese, I am grateful to this drama for introducing the feudal era of Japan to people around the world today. In historical fact, after the Battle of Sekigahara, peace prevailed in Japan for a while. However, it was a difficult time for Japanese Catholics. I recommend the movie "Silence" for its depiction of that time.

John and Fuji on the boat... their platonic union, sharing their farewell to the people they loved, in the silence on their feelings for each other. Such a beautiful scene.

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win." Sun Tzu It was the right ending 🏆

I just adore Fuji. Just an innocent soul. Doing her duty as consort and eventually growing to trust Blackthorne to release her husband and son's ashes into the sea. When she told Blackthorne to let his hands be the last to touch Mariko's cross, I felt the touching emotion of that moment.

It was brilliant. A prequel or sequel would detract from that brilliance. Let the series stand as a guide to what producers need to do in the future.

This story was never about battles, at least not military ones, it was a story of characters and boy did it deliver. Showing the Battle of Sekigahara would have added nothing to the story. And as Toranaga pointed out, the outcome was inevitable and history proved him right.

Im a grown ass oldschool man and I almost teared up watching Blackthorne reaction after Mariko's death. This is what good TV looks like. Incredible production.

They went for the poignant and poetic end rather than the heroic and spectacular, consistent with the way the story was told up to that point. I actually loved the way Ishido's downfall was depicted as a manifestation of Toranaga's grand vision: just looking at the war correspondence and knowing he lost before the battle even began.

It was the perfect ending because we got to see a glimpse of Toranaga's mind which was the most interesting aspect of the show. It was not about the battlefield. Also the ambiguity of his character was on point in terms of historical accuracy and overall storytelling.

I wanted fuji to stay with blackthorne.

The ending evoked memories of how the women of Shogun were instrumental in shaping the climax. Mariko, Ochiba, Fuji, Kiri, Kiku, Iyo; special shout out to Yabu.

20 years ago I'd heard about an amazing TV show produced in the 1980's called Shogun. The production took great care of bringing Japanese culture to life. I then began reading all of James Clavell's works. From the multi-hundred page sailing adventures to the meticulous thoughts of hearing every villagers thoughts as events were unfolding. The new series is everything just as good as the original TV production and brings a level of quality that fully modernizes a setting from the 1600's. I got to relive my fond memories of Blackthorne and Mariko. There was sort of fond sadness seeing this show draw to a conclusion. Emotions are displayed in subtle manners which left capacity for my own thoughts and feelings. I remembered how much these works meant to me 20 years ago and I'm lucky to feel the appreciation I have now.

Shogun felt more like the HBO mini series of old than current TV series. It's kind of nice knowing there is no season 2.

One of the best shows I've ever seen. The ending was such an emotional journey and just perfectly in tune with the overall feeling and motif of all 10 episodes. The acting by not only the 3 main characters, but also ALL of the supporting characters (Fuji and Yabu have a special place in my heart) was at the pinnacle of the profession. Cinematography, costume design, writing. Such an epic undertaking to make this quality of a show. I am blown away by this series.

The score in Shogun was just perfect. Upon re-watching I noticed that the music in the scene of Mariko's and John's last night together before her death was the same played during his last goodbye in the boat with Fuji. What a beautiful series Shogun was.

The color palette was absolutely beautiful in this show compared to the 80's series. Very earthy tones and none of the bright colored kimonos. A very strong cast of characters well-acted. I think Asano Tadanobu may have made a name for himself with western film makers. Hope to see more of him.

I ugly cried all the way to the end. The funeral was a massive public display of the respect the people had for her, and that was huge. All the families stood together for the final goodbye. Thank you Mariko-sama ❤😭

you know why it was perfect? Toranaga: Any last words? Yabushige: 🤪hehehe 👏😂that's why.

The scene of old blackthorn was what he was afraid of and not real. First of all, he dropped Mariko’s cross into the sea, secondly, there was a brief flashback of his old self when he confronted Toronaga sensing going further with the protest will cost his life and the dreadful death to old age scene disappears.

The battle of Sekigahara where lord Tokugawa Ieyasu was out numbered 75,000 warriors to 120,000 and still won the war to become SHOGUN.

Mariko’s death was heart breaking….so final episode was just sadness with her being gone. Episode felt empty without her presence….she really was the focal point of the show; and the affection between her and blackthorne. Sort of a Japanese‘Romeo and Juliet’ tragedy. It seems even in old age, blackthorne’s heart still belonged to ‘Mariko. He thought of her dying in his arms on his deathbed while clutching a cross. It was a love story vs Mariko’s duty to Japan.

I totally agree, it is the most perfect and poetic ending for any series I have ever seen! I loved it. I love the part when Lord Toronaga released the hawk to the skies and retorted, “may you have many daughters” l realised that Mariko was like a daughter to him and his loss was deeply felt too!

I was privileged enough to see both versions of Shogun as a kid in 1980 and now as an adult they did a wonderful job in this retelling of this story I hope they turn the next book Tai-Pan into a mini series

This show rewarded viewers who paid attention throughout and disappointed those who spent most of their time on their phones. I'm glad it didn't go for the easy crowd-pleaser of a massive cgi battle, which would've been a betrayal of everything this show had been about while insulting the viewers who had been watching diligently throughout.

Man this show really hit me in the inside.

Just to see Toranago standing there at the end..and then to have the title Shogun, be the final shot 🤌🏽 It made me cry. 10 across the board, this series is a masterpiece ❤️

For some reason, the scene with Fuji and John Blackthorne honoring and letting go the people they cherished the most was my favorite. Fuji, played so well by Japanese actress Moeka Hoshi, was so good at showing a wonderful young woman who had suffered cruel, unbearable terrible tragedy and shaming. Fuji was an emotional center for both John and Lady Mariko. A loyal woman of high birth, education, bravery and we find - kindness. So happy the script had John Blackthorne doing her a great kindness in turn, the respect both had developed for one another as they gave eternal life in spirit, at least, in the burial at sea. That was the most perfect part of that perfect ending. The overarching theme of East meets West and a stranger in a strange land learning to try and grasp the mores and ways of the culture. To connect. And the boat trip of Fuji and John showed victory - how with work, very different people from very different cultures could have each others backs and build a strong relationship. Far better that than a CGI battle.

Alittle disappointed of not having a battle, none the less, this series was truly amazing.. one of the best out there. the perfection that the actors and cast did for this was totally appreciated by many fans

To wind up a series based on a book which is so full of events and people is not easy. The last episode really nailed it. For me Toranaga was the main person who orchestrated the events and was simply brilliant .

I think Yabushige's fear of death was further enabled by the curiosity that led him to boil one of John's men in the first episode. He was obsessed with understanding what a man's final moments felt like and he came to the conclusion that it meant nothing profound. I think it makes him an interesting character imo. It's also kinda funny how Yabushige arrived Ajiro as it's lord in the first episode, but arrived as a prisoner in the final episode.

It is a perfect show and Since there is no season 2…. “Flowers are only flowers because they fall.” A perfect show is just a perfect show because it has an ending. It’s good not to milk things out that should end

"Why tell a dead man the future?" Most memorable line for me

I can’t believe this show was so good. I was thinking season 2. nope. This is the first time I’ve heard about this story. It was beautiful.

I loved the semi main character of Fuji. Moeka Hoshi was so subtle in her characterisation. It was not only a perfect show. it was also a great complementary piece to the original 1980 miniseries as by watching both we get distinct opposing views of the story. The 1980 was a western, where the 2024 took mostly the Japanese perspective.

In an odd sense, the classic Samurai Trilogy is a sequel to Shogun. Shogun ends with the march to Sekigahara. The trilogy begins with Musashi awakening after the battle.

I feel like Yabu isn't getting his props, but I guess he was written that way throughout the series. If I remember, in the book he goes out perfectly -- three slits to the belly (probably impossible in real life) without a sound, then decapitation, with everyone watching. The unhesitating seppuku was a nod to that in the show, and Toranaga's smile was a kind of acknowledgement of how well he died, I thought. I also vaguely remember that he planned on scheming his way through his next life to get revenge on Toranaga . . . Fun character. He was outclassed by Toranaga, just like everyone else, and was a competent schemer, but couldn't quite see the end game. But Toranaga did need him in Osaka for crimson sky to work. If the whisperer of assassins wasn't there, Ishido may not have killed Mariko so dishonestly, may not have even thought of it; if Yabu didn't die disgraced, Toranaga would have had to find another way to secure his troops; if Yabu hadn't been scheming with Ishido, Toranaga may not have looked weak enough, and Ishido desperate enough. He was there as the wild card, the disruptor and sower of chaos and dishonour, exactly what Toronaga needed him to be. So let's put some flowers on Yabushige.

I was thinking about this today; this has catapulted into one of the better TV shows I've ever seen, up there with Mad Men (for me). The sole fact that it's one season instead of trying to elongate the story into more just for commercial reasons made it better, even if it's a bit sad. The character development (especially John) was top-notch, the production level was insane, the acting amazing, the subtlety of the story much appreciated...I've been recommending it to everyone!

The battle Shogun had been building on was Mariko's battle all along..

It's not what I had hoped for, but upon the 2nd viewing I'm a fan. The whole series could be called 'slow', but it never felt too slow for me. The insight and revelations each episode delivered were so solid. This ending revealed the true insight of Toranaga and in such a way made the title of Shogun so much more than a winner of battles. I applaud the series for doing its thing and doing it well. It was great.

Like this if you got emotional when John said “No Translator” to Fuji 🥲

For 12 hours in September of 1980, I was immersed in seventeenth century Japan and infatuated with a more mature and resourceful Dr. Kildare. Unable to let it go, I plunged into the 1000+ pages of Clavell's book. So in 2024, when I saw the trailer for this new miniseries, I was delighted. Then, as I watched each episode, I realized I had to erase the past if I was going to embrace the beauty of this version. I found it difficult to watch Blackthorn walk--a sort of lumbering next to the silken gate of Mariko and Fuji or Martin Alvito. And he never seems to get ahead of the intrigue. He is always a step behind. For me, Blackthorn was the star and in this version he was not. So, I cleared my mind, drank some tea, and rewatched the episodes. Their beauty is exquisite. Their subtle movements and glances matchless. By the last episode, it is clear Mariko is the main character. Her physical absence is palpable and this perfect ending makes us feel the pain each character feels remembering her. One thing I did miss that I was hoping would be included from the book--the pillowing discussion where Blackthorn gets very angry about them offering him a boy. When the guard suggests that he might want a duck, they hesitate to ask and he says they could just get a duck and let it walk around the room and let the Anjin use it if he wished. Hilarious! I would have loved to see that.

Thank you for all of these breakdowns 🙏🏽 All of them were great and this was such a great show. Now that its done I can go watch those deep dive spoiler vids you have for the real life characters 😉

Agree 100% Even you brief inclusion of Fuji holding John’s hands before letting the cross fall into the water almost had me in tears again. A beautiful and emotionally resonant conclusion.

Toranaga relied on Ochiba's deep respect for Mariko. I still didn't believe she would flip sides like that especially after what she said about Toranaga. I wonder why they stayed away from the paternity of the heir?

The fact that they ended the series on the shot of Toranaga standing alone was a MARVELOUS callback to the Taiko telling him that the man who stands at the top is the loneliest man on Earth. That more than anything told us that Toranaga would in fact become Shogun... and thus be alone.

I was initially disappointed with the ending, but it was mostly out of expectation of an epic battle and seeing complete resolution with characters like Ishido/Saeki. Upon reflection, I realized it was a perfect ending. A huge battle would have been out of place with how the entire show was and I love the end scene with Yabu where it feels like Toranaga is talking to us. It really left me with a holy shit feeling and made me reflect on all of his actions throughout the show. Like this dude wanted power the entire time and the council was right to want him gone. Maybe they could have managed everything with 12 episodes, but for a 10 episode series with the pacing they had, they nailed the finale.

Maybe if you never read the book or saw the original series, the ending wasn't bad. However, the 1980 series ending was much better and showed the cremation of Mariko-san. That was sadly missing. Somethings are better in the new and some are better in the old. Do yourself a favor, see both and read the book.

People who thought that the ending was rushed, the book ending was even shorter. Ishido's death was just 2 sentences long. Episode 10 is more like an epilogue. Everything we saw lead up to episode 9.

Absolutely stunning front to back. Going to spend the weekend binging it to see everything I missed the first time. Can’t wait.

Good time watching, been so long yet so short

I thought that Fuji and the Anjin suddenly being such good friends was a bit weird, ofc in universe they spent months together but Fuji just got so little screentime after episode 4 that i didnt really feel like they buld that friendship. Fuji deserved more than a scene every 2-3 episodes, epspecially after they kind of teased a deeper relationship between the anjin and Fuji with that hand gesture after the earthquake. I gotta saythat Mariko and the Anjin also needed more direct romantic moments, she was hard because she had to be and im sure she knew her fate for a long time but her making out with John in episode 9 was way to sudden. I just think these small moments they had since ep 4 werent enough to show that they are still very muich in love like that

It wouldn't be a Japanese novel if it didn't end with someone spilling their guts. Yabushige's end was perfect. How he drew and plumbed his blade in one motion. How he smiled through gritted teeth and stared at Toranaga in his final moments, trying to get one final read on his liege lord. The edge of Toranaga's mouth twitching as his vasal's final act subtly cracked his stoic visage and Yabushige may have just caught a glimpse of Toranaga's secret heart before his demise. What a performance to end it on.

There was no need for a big battle scene. The battle was won with Mariko's mission resulting in the strategic earthquake under Ishido's feet. A woman was sent to do what an army could not.

Thank you BrainAnjinsan.

Perfect yes! Thank you for this

The whole point was it all ended with a whimper and the wind blowing. Instead of thousands dying in a mad dash to had a hail Mary attempt A single person gave their life as they always wanted. To prevent all that desperate slaughter A battle would be fought But it was a battle that was already won If you were upset that the battle was not shown, you were fooled by the future shogun as well All his enemies wanted the battle..as they would win The Lord that won, won it before the armies ever marched Much like THE ART OF WAR preaches The show leaves us behind...almost like we ourselves, out lived our usefulness to the future Shogun..and so are told only what we needed to know. And are left behind. A clever little trick

They had the chance of having a really cool battle scene portraying Sekigahara, like a LOTR battle, they have the CGI to do it, huge battle scenes are really cinematic, and they skipped it, I was really disappointed by that.

Mr brain pilot take this ❤, loved your breakdown videos for shōgun

the 1980 version had a much more clear bond between Mariko and blackthorn but Mariko's death has so much more weight in the remake to not only blackthorn but the rest of the characters too

The battle was won before the armies arrived to the field of Sekigahara, the show did great. Also, Yobushige said that phrase at a time that Toranaga was not there, so by repeating this phrase at the end Toranaga is also telling Yobushige that he has been aware of his machinations all along, he had spies there, and becoming Shogun was his plan all along. Fantastic writing.

Less is more, only one season to no full battle scene- smartly done. I feel like this will be an annual re-watch for me as a companion with Blue Eye Samurai.

I totally agree. Not many shows could end so perfectly.

Anjin San was no Richard Chamberlain. Made the other characters shine and the series about Japan rather than a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court feel.

Very well described and summed up. They did a brilliant job with conveying the characters’ emotions and arc.

It is one of those shows you finish and you can't stop thinking about days later. It was really well done.

We also have to think how the producers in 1980 would think if they had the tech we have now to make a nice battle. With modern computer we can easy make a good battle, so maybe a battle would also be good. Either way it was a good modern version of the 1980 version. Both was good.

Currently crying while reliving that finale through this video. Just spectacular.

Initially I was disappointed on finding out there was no second season. I felt that the Series ended without a resolution However, the more i've thought about the ending, the more I liked it. We the audience really were Yabushige. The explanation of crimson sky was fantastic. Episode 9 was also called crimson sky- that confused me so much last week but makes SO much sense now What a tear jerker of a finale too Brilliant show

I stand in awe of these great artists that took this story and made it their own. It made me feel so many different emotions for these characters and it’s been a long time since I cried but this made me cry and feel and think.

Oddly, the least developed character was Toranaga. We see almost nothing of his inner demons. He proclaims the realm is all important, but he is sacrificing anything and anyone who stands in the way of his ambition to become Shogun. Tens of thousands of soldiers must die, he demands absolute loyalty, he orders death for villagers when the destruction of Blackthorne's ship was his plan all along, and If all the pretence and lies aren't enough...he comes across as a total sociopath without a conscience. We needed more backstory on how he became one of the most brilliant military leaders of feudal Japan. And why he could sacrifice his own children, friends, and allies with a confidence that these things must be done to insure that his goals were achieved and his personal survival was guaranteed.

Let's hope that the brilliance of Shogun will bring further exploration into the rich history of Japan. I would love to see an adaptation of the Tale of the Heike, or perhaps a story centered on Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and the establishment of the Shogunate.

Show don't tell. It leaned too heavily into telling. I think there was an expectation toward more of a show for the finale. But alas.

Toranaga was playing chess while everyone else was playing checkers! This show was superbly done in every way possible! No need for a battle because it was already won in the mind! 🎬

Truly all the chapter feels heavy, like mourning mariko, but there she is, indirectly only, but felt all the episode. Makes you think how a single event can have such importance in the present and in the future. Great show!

It was no coincidence when Toranaga said "Why tell a dead man the future?" In saying that, he was telling Yabushige that he had known from the very beginning he was being betrayed by him (refer to ep1). It may have been Omi, but I tend to think it was the other man who was always present, who kept him abreast of Yabushige's true intents. This is why they both smirk at each other after Yabushige commits seppuku. In that moment, Ieyasu's true plans were, in fact, revealed.

Loved every moment, simply a masterpiece!

When your scheming and strategy is so on point you avoid an entire war and still come out on top. That shows how smart toranaga was. And although a massive (cgi) battle would have been intense and entertaining. This was the better ending

Probably one of the most clever and meaningful ways to avoid the massive production coasts of a battle. Really well-written.

6:20 - Toranaga repeats the exact words in such a way that he reveals to Yabu that he knew all about his betrayals from the very start (whether from Omi or another informant), which at least can provide some palliative consideration for Yabu that his dithering wasn't in vain. He may have failed himself, but he still proved useful to someone else.

This iteration of Shogun is a masterpiece. The ending so meaningful. Made me wonder how one person can hold so many schemes in their head and execute them and win, Amazing.

Imagine showing Thanos getting all 6 infinity stones and then the movie ends. Like WTF.

After the first 2, I almost gave up on it with the changes from the book. But so happy I hung in there. A very satisfying ten episodes. In the end, Toranaga achieved his goal. Ruler with minimum amount of bloodshed. Whole armies survived and peace came.

9/10. I wanted to see the cannons fire one last time. Didn’t need a full episode dedicated to the battle, but show it’s start at least like the beginning of a charge. 😭

Agreed. It is perfect.

I'm glad they didn't show the battle. It would have changed the vibe of the last episode. Also, the cgi of the reference to the battlefield was already a bit janky, so I wouln't like to know how the battle would look.🙈

The boat scene where Angin helps helps put her son and behind her was perfection. The way they look at each as. the camera pulls away you kind of hope she scraps the convent idea and they get something going as he obviously would like to do.

“To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Grandiosa serie!

Anyone else feel like the directors/producers was talking directly to the audience as Toranaga was talking to Yabushige as he was on his kness!🤔😳😂

To anybody criticizing the ending: rewatch the entire series if not as a binge, then in large chunks. View it as a movie, rather than a weekly series. In context, the ending makes perfect sense.

Also something about Yabushige dying on top of a cliff where when we met him, he survived at the bottom of one. Kinda goes with his whole arc where he was surviving closer to the bottom of the ranks and once he got close enough to get to one of the highest positions in Japan, he dies. Like you said, if he would have stayed low key, he would have survived.

It was perfect. It would be great if they make more period series about other stories from Japan but with the same team of actors and writers!

I agree very satisfying and thematically consistent ending 👌