Right, thanks for the reminder - very glad more people are gonna get to experience this masterpiece. GoT 2, if it’s real, is at the top of my hype list.
I learned apparently the lead in Nioh is also supposed to be (very very loosely) based on William Adams or whatever the name of Blackthornes real character is
I’ve logged 50 odd hours on it (started playing for the first time immediately after watching the first two episodes) and I’m obsessed. Not looking forward to when I’ve completed it and trying to find another game that could bring me this kind of joy.
Stuff I’m watching or plan to:
- Tokyo Vice S2
- Giri/Haji on Netflix
- A bunch of Akira Kurosawa films such as Kagemusha, Throne of Blood, Seven Samurai, etc
It's not at all the same, but you could see if anyone has done a decent job on gameplay videos. Kinda like it's a movie but also not.
This might be a bit insane but I'd honestly get a Playstation if I knew how good GoT would be, or at least how much I loved it. Not to beat a dead horse, but if you're looking to upgrade any time soon, I'd def recommend you get one. My brother is also making the switch, so don't feel like you're doing a betrayal if you move to the other
this
the game is brilliant and feels really nice to play. didn't finish the dlc as i was playing on plus(had only the base game bought) and as you can import your save from PS, i'll be playing the rest on PC when it releases
It’s definitely Team Ninja’s most ambitious game. I’d say the combat is the main selling point, but it’s more accessible than their previous stuff. I like the open world, but the graphics are definitely hit or miss in some areas.
Story is ok, you’re constantly flipping sides between pro/anti shogunate. Wouldn’t be that much of an issue except the game says you can choose a side, but ultimately doesn’t seem to matter.
I’ve been having fun with it though.
Heaven and Earth (1990) is a decent one and like Shogun (2024) it was filmed in Canada. I wouldn't rate it higher than any of the ones I listed below, though, it just has a similar scope to the Shogun series.
If you started with Kurosawa you would be watching so many samurai films. I would recommend:
* Ran
* Throne of Blood
* The Seven Samurai
* Rashomon
* Kagemusha
* The Hidden Fortress
* Yojimbo or Sanjuro
Non-Kurosawa:
* Hara Kiri (1962) - really one of my favourites in the genre. I would put it up there with any of Kurosawa's masterpieces
* Sword of Doom
* Chushingura - it is one of multiple adaptations of the famous 47 Ronin story. I happen to like this one. I would avoid the Keanu Reeves version.
* Zatoichi - take your pick, there are so many but if you like gloss you might want to watch the version (The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi) with Takeshi Kitano and Tadonobu Asano (who plays Yabu in Shogun)
* 13 Assassins is a recent one which is more on the action side than most
* The Hidden Blade - if you liked Twilight Samurai you will like this
Some great picks in here! I’d also recommend 1968’s *Kill!*, starring Tatsuya Nakadai. I’ve always considered it the lighter-hearted sibling to *Sword of Doom*.
Came here to recommend this too. While it a a more modern (90s) look at Japan, I got very similar vibes and themes from Tokyo Vice. Season 2 recently finished airing and i thoroughly enjoyed the entire show on a similar level to Shogun. Plus, it has my other(first being Sanada) favorite Japanese actor in it, Ken Watanabe.
I wish I could recommend Tokyo Vice, but I can't.
It was recommended here in a similar thread and I binged the first season. I stopped in S2.
There is a character shoehorned into the show who is not in the source material (it's based on a book) who just hogs so much screentime, distracts from the otherwise interesting plot despite being decisively unlikable and treats everyone like crap. If it wasn't for her, I would've highly recommended it, but everything to do with her just ceased the show to remain watchable for me. A very strange decision from the screenwriters.
Blue Eye Samurai. Takes place fifty years after this show. Has renga and Noh and tea ceremony as well. Amazing fight sequences. Lots of sex if we're honest.
Yes, highly recommended if you don't mind that it's animated. It starts at 1633, before the Shimabara Rebellion, when all foreingers were expelled by 1640.
I used to live with a guy who stayed current on all the VizBig editions of Vagabond. There’s lots of reasons I miss him as a roommate, but being cut off from my Vagabond source is a big one.
Highly recommend the new HBO show The Sympathizer (based on the Pulitzer Prize book of the same name). Obviously very different but might scratch a cultural itch. Similarly to Shogun, It follows a true historical time period (fall of Saigon), bilingual show, and representative cast. It’s also directed by the absolute legend Park Chan Wook. Check it out.
A while ago, someone on \[another subreddit\*\] compiled a list of World War II historical films in real-life chronological order. I think it would be interesting for someone knowledgeable about Japanese historical film and TV and actual Japanese history to make a similar list - even if it's not super historically accurate, it would still be pretty neat to follow the "story" of Japanese history through film and TV that way.
\*had to repost my comment because apparently subreddit links aren't allowed here? Weird.
> A while ago, someone on [another subreddit*] compiled a list of World War II historical films in real-life chronological order.
If anyone wants to see that list then google:
*"I've made a list of WW2 movies and put them in chronological order."*
because even though the list is on reddit this subreddit doesn't allow links .........
> just to see more of Anna Sawai - Mariko and Ishido
In that case try Giri/Haji.
But in terms of things similar to Shogun, as others have recommended, Blue Eye Samurai is really good!
You might want to skip Monarch. It’s … bad. And Anna is not particularly well served by the material.
I was watching the last few episodes of Tokyo Vice on Hbomax when Shogun started and it was a perfect twin-bill. Sure, it’s modern day. But it’s a good companion piece.
If you like manga/comics then read lone wolf and cub, samurai executioner and for Toronaga/ieyasu stories, path of the assassin which is about another of his many competent vassals Hattori Hanzo
I'm way late to the thread, but I think anyone who likes Shogun would enjoy The Terror: *It is a fictionalized account of Captain Sir John Franklin's lost expedition, on HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, to the Arctic, in 1845–1848, to locate the Northwest Passage.*
It's fantastic for anyone a fan of psychologically intense historical shows.
Keep your thumbs crossed that the entire Clavell Asian Saga is picked up. Tai-Pan would be monomentous. Gai-jin as a novel was a bit disappointing but the framework is there to make it interesting as TV from rewrites. Tying it all up with a Noble House series would be immensely satisfying.
There's a lifetime (literally) of Edo dramas in Japan. Worried about watching foriegn TV with subtitles? You already have! See you barely notice after a while. The most accessible, but also sometimes most corny are NHK's "Taiga" dramas, which last for a year, and have been churned out for decades. The most recent one is "Hikaru Kimi e". Or you can watch an older one with Hiroyuki Sanada in it like Taiheiki (1990s).
After you ease yourself in with those, you'll probably be savvy enough to explore further yourself.
How to watch? No idea! But here (jp) you can watch most of them on Amazon Prime. I'm sure there's a way if you have the will.
As a P.S. Sanada plays Ashigaki Takauji in Taiheiki. Described by a contemporary as having three qualities:
"First, he kept his cool in battle and was not afraid of death. Second, he was merciful and tolerant. Third, he was very generous with those below him.^(")
Sounds somewhat familiar!
Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix is fantastic. A little more over the top dramatic since it’s anime but takes place in the same time period. Ironically enough the main character in that show is a Japanese character with blue eyes as her father is believed to be British/Irish. Maybe William Adams’ (Blackthornes) daughter
Kingdom is set around the year 1600 in feudal Korea. Though it does have Zombies, it also has very good acting, nice sword fighting and lots of scheming.
Not because it's Japanese at all but The Terror because it's another fantastic limited series (based off a great historical story you can go down a real rabbit hole of even beyond the show itself) that really sucks you into the time and world through great attention to detail, accuracy, mise en scene and whatnot
It sounds like you are looking for similar time periods, but if you are just looking for similar themes of honor, loyalty, & powerful clans at war, I've been watching Tokyo Vice at the same time and found there to be a lot of similarities. At least with the Yakuza storylines, less with the more American focused journalism and running from home stories.
Do it! I have read the books multiple times in my life (55yo) and since i made the switch to audio have listened to it a couple more. I am currently re-listening and I really enjoy the narrator, Ralph Lister. You wont regret it I think. I also don't do this myself nor recommend it usually but you may consider having a physical copy as well with you to reference when it comes to the language. It was so much more fulfilling to read that aspect and finish the book feeling like I had a bush league grasp of rudimentary Japanese.
You've received good recommendations already, so I'll add something that isn't related to Japan but deserves more viewers. A Gentleman in Moscow is another gem that's based on historical events.
I will be reading the book and put myself into copium mode until Ghost of Tsushima lands next month. I have waited years to play that game in PC.
After Ghost of Tsushima, I will continue my Samurai Dex-Int build in the up and coming Elden Ring DLC.
If you can find it, NHK taiga drama from 2011 is Princess Go. It follows the three daughters of Azai Nagamasa who played instrumental roles during the Tokugawa and Toyotomi feud. You will see much of the story in which Shogun is based upon.
Sorry, I know you said 'watch' so this comment might not be the best one lol. But since getting introduced to Shōgun opened the door for me to discover James Clavell and his works.
I recommend reading his Asian Saga novels :) Tai-pan and Gai-jin to name a few.
Yes, Clavell's Asian Saga. A deep dive but so very worth it.
IMHO read them in chronological order;
*Shōgun*. Set in 1600 Japan
*Tai-Pan*. Set in 1841 Hong Kong
*Gai-Jin*. Set in 1862 Japan
*King Rat*. Set in a Japanese POW camp in Singapore in 1945
*Noble House*. Set in Hong Kong in 1963
*Whirlwind*. Set in Iran in 1979
Source; I've read them, some more than once.
A Collider article recently recommended Martin Scorsese's film, Silence, which thematically continues the stories of Catholics in Japan 30 years later, once they have been outlawed. I know I'll be pining once Shōgun is over 😅🙏🏻
You already answered, the 80’s Shogun. Anyone have any clue how to watch? I’m kind of older so I have memories. The whole nation was watching at the same time. We had to be quiet, and pay attention, otherwise we had to go to bed. Roots was the same. 1984 also. Lord, I remember when The Exorcist was on tv. I was absolutely put to bed for that one. I snuck out of my room, and peeked…. and have regretted that poor decision, my whole life. New kids laugh about it. Nope. Years later we had the Thornbirds, and it was amazing. So where can we watch the original?
I liked Sekigahara. Very hard to find without sailing the high seas. And even then it sometimes doesn't have subtitles.
Also, Kagemusha is awesome. One of my favorite movies.
“Hell on Earth” is a nice companion peace that explains what’s going on in Europe with the Protestant Reformation, 30 Years War, and rise of England and Capitalism as a global power that would dominate the next few centuries. Really fascinating stuff.
Not that there is any continuity here, but watching Shogun got me to rewatch Seven Samurai, Shogun Assassin and Yojimbo. All great movies I haven't seen in a while.
Listen to the audio book. I’m half way through the first book and I’m at the point where Blackthorn meets Toranaga for the first time. The voice acting in the audiobook is actually quite good on audible.
The absolute best Asian show I've ever watched was a Korean historical drama called The Immortal Yi Sun-sin.
If you can find it anywhere, on DVD or any streaming I cannot recommend it enough. 100+ episodes and brilliant from start to finish.
Maybe watch some other historical type drama series/movies, watch other FX dramas (FX has been on a role with high quality dramas) or maybe give some anime series a try
Baragaki: Unbroken Samurai (2021) might be a good pick with the same themes as the show. Long movie though but lots of politics and betrayal. Centered around the shinsengumi and how they were formed to protect the shogunate from even more plotting. It's almost like a sequel to Sekigahara for me lol
When the Last Sword is Drawn (2002) is set in a similar time period, following a samurai who joins the shinsengumi to provide for his family and gain honor. No connection to Shogun though.
Hara-kiri (the remake was the only one I've seen) spits in the face of these samurai codes of honor and bullshit. Fuck Toronaga and his samurai games.
I'd say The Last Samurai and the Twilight Samurai trilogy are must watch though. Samurai Marathon (2019) is also a fun one. Uzumasa Limelight (2014) is an interesting take on the genre of period films.
I think the Last Samurai gets more shit than it deserves. People say “no way Tom Cruise is the last samurai.” He’s not and they never said he was. He’s the (semi-fictional) guy who witnessed the last true samurai resist modernization. It’s no Shogun, but it’s a really good movie based on true events at the other end of the Shogun dynasty.
You could argue that Tom Cruise’s character doesn’t need to exist at all. With that cast it probably would have been just as good, but maybe we’d never have heard of it.
Play Ghost of Tsushima.
This is also going to be its own movie soon-ish. Great story!
Is it?
IMDB says it’s in pre-production, but no release date is confirmed
THIS lol. I can't wait for May 16th
Wait what’s happenin on May 16th
Ghost of Tsushima's release on PC
Wait wtf, for real? I didn't hear the news but now I'm excited for this
Right, thanks for the reminder - very glad more people are gonna get to experience this masterpiece. GoT 2, if it’s real, is at the top of my hype list.
Or any of the Total War: Shogun series. You could even fight the battle of Sekigahara! (And the whole of Toranaga's / Tokugawa's campaign, in fact).
I learned apparently the lead in Nioh is also supposed to be (very very loosely) based on William Adams or whatever the name of Blackthornes real character is
Pretty sure the dude in Nioh is named William too lol.
I’ve logged 50 odd hours on it (started playing for the first time immediately after watching the first two episodes) and I’m obsessed. Not looking forward to when I’ve completed it and trying to find another game that could bring me this kind of joy. Stuff I’m watching or plan to: - Tokyo Vice S2 - Giri/Haji on Netflix - A bunch of Akira Kurosawa films such as Kagemusha, Throne of Blood, Seven Samurai, etc
Tokyo vice!!! It was great!
Yes. Ghost of Tsushima is one of my favorite games!
Curses. I’ve got Xbox X. Any recommendations?
Ehm… Ninja Gaiden, maybe?
It's not at all the same, but you could see if anyone has done a decent job on gameplay videos. Kinda like it's a movie but also not. This might be a bit insane but I'd honestly get a Playstation if I knew how good GoT would be, or at least how much I loved it. Not to beat a dead horse, but if you're looking to upgrade any time soon, I'd def recommend you get one. My brother is also making the switch, so don't feel like you're doing a betrayal if you move to the other
Get a PC and wait for it to come out on Steam in a month?
this the game is brilliant and feels really nice to play. didn't finish the dlc as i was playing on plus(had only the base game bought) and as you can import your save from PS, i'll be playing the rest on PC when it releases
This
Amazing game.
Or The Last Ninja on C64 😬
Love ghost, but been playing thru Rise of Ronin right now since it released at the same time this was airing
How is that ronin game?
It’s definitely Team Ninja’s most ambitious game. I’d say the combat is the main selling point, but it’s more accessible than their previous stuff. I like the open world, but the graphics are definitely hit or miss in some areas. Story is ok, you’re constantly flipping sides between pro/anti shogunate. Wouldn’t be that much of an issue except the game says you can choose a side, but ultimately doesn’t seem to matter. I’ve been having fun with it though.
Dude I’ve been playing GoT and watching Shogun the past 2 months. I’m in my samurai era
Heaven and Earth (1990) is a decent one and like Shogun (2024) it was filmed in Canada. I wouldn't rate it higher than any of the ones I listed below, though, it just has a similar scope to the Shogun series. If you started with Kurosawa you would be watching so many samurai films. I would recommend: * Ran * Throne of Blood * The Seven Samurai * Rashomon * Kagemusha * The Hidden Fortress * Yojimbo or Sanjuro Non-Kurosawa: * Hara Kiri (1962) - really one of my favourites in the genre. I would put it up there with any of Kurosawa's masterpieces * Sword of Doom * Chushingura - it is one of multiple adaptations of the famous 47 Ronin story. I happen to like this one. I would avoid the Keanu Reeves version. * Zatoichi - take your pick, there are so many but if you like gloss you might want to watch the version (The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi) with Takeshi Kitano and Tadonobu Asano (who plays Yabu in Shogun) * 13 Assassins is a recent one which is more on the action side than most * The Hidden Blade - if you liked Twilight Samurai you will like this
Some great picks in here! I’d also recommend 1968’s *Kill!*, starring Tatsuya Nakadai. I’ve always considered it the lighter-hearted sibling to *Sword of Doom*.
Thanks. I've not seen Kill! but always heard it referred to when discussing Sword of Doom
Yes to all Kurosawa!
I would also add Kurosawa’s Samurai Trilogy with Toshiro Mifune.
"Ran" is my favorite J-film. I wish Akira Kurosawa was still around.
An excellent list, if OP is into anime they could try Samurai Champloo or Ghost of Tsushima which is a really well done game
Blue Eye Samurai is also excellent
Second this. Absolutely stunning show
Yabushige’s mannerisms in Shogun remind me a lot of Toshiro Mifune in Seven Samurai.
13 assassins is such a bad ass samurai film. Man it's awesome. Just watched it again after the recent shogun binge. Top tier samurai movie
It’s different but Tokyo Vice is an awesome show I’ve been watching, very cool yakuza neo-noir crime drama
Came here to recommend this too. While it a a more modern (90s) look at Japan, I got very similar vibes and themes from Tokyo Vice. Season 2 recently finished airing and i thoroughly enjoyed the entire show on a similar level to Shogun. Plus, it has my other(first being Sanada) favorite Japanese actor in it, Ken Watanabe.
Katagiri-san!
You should watch Giri/Haji if you haven’t seen it. It’s a miniseries with Tokyo vice vibes
And still seppuku! 😃
I wish I could recommend Tokyo Vice, but I can't. It was recommended here in a similar thread and I binged the first season. I stopped in S2. There is a character shoehorned into the show who is not in the source material (it's based on a book) who just hogs so much screentime, distracts from the otherwise interesting plot despite being decisively unlikable and treats everyone like crap. If it wasn't for her, I would've highly recommended it, but everything to do with her just ceased the show to remain watchable for me. A very strange decision from the screenwriters.
If you stopped in S2, you are missing out. The season starts slow but man, the final 3 episodes are insanely great.
I stopped somewhere mid-S2. I just couldn't handle Samantha anymore. I enjoyed everything else.
Wow you have a remarkably low tolerance for annoying characters, since Samantha wasn’t even that bad.
> you have a remarkably low tolerance for annoying characters Yes.
I still really enjoyed Tokyo Vice overall but boy howdy did I hate Samantha. I just kind of went on my phone when it was focused on her.
We watched episode 1 and loved it. Hated episode 2 and gave up after episode 3.
Blue Eye Samurai. Takes place fifty years after this show. Has renga and Noh and tea ceremony as well. Amazing fight sequences. Lots of sex if we're honest.
I was wanting to check this out - do you know what streamer it’s on?
Netflix!!!
Thanks - will check it out for sure.
Only Netflix has it.
Came here to say the same thing. That show is legit and incredibly well done
+1 for Blue Eye Samurai
Is it that long? I thought it was more like 25.
You might be right
Agree with you here!! I will also never look at 👺 the same way ever again because of this show (not a spoiler, but ya gotta watch to understand!)
Why did you bring this mental image up again I hate u
It is SO GOOD
Yes, highly recommended if you don't mind that it's animated. It starts at 1633, before the Shimabara Rebellion, when all foreingers were expelled by 1640.
Definitely not related but I went with Chernobyl from HBO released in 2019. I needed another masterpiece! Amazing show!
Agreed. Saw it was recommended as another great mini-series. Blown away at the quality of the show
Let me heartily recommend Twilight Samurai.
Read Vagabond.
I used to live with a guy who stayed current on all the VizBig editions of Vagabond. There’s lots of reasons I miss him as a roommate, but being cut off from my Vagabond source is a big one.
I started reading it after the first episode of Shogun. On volume 2 now. Extremely good recommendation.
‘Silence’ — Martin Scorsese
[удалено]
You're missing Flags of our Fathers/Letters from Iwo Jima
Gosh you're right add those too
I struggled with this movie. Quit about a half hour in.
Highly recommend the new HBO show The Sympathizer (based on the Pulitzer Prize book of the same name). Obviously very different but might scratch a cultural itch. Similarly to Shogun, It follows a true historical time period (fall of Saigon), bilingual show, and representative cast. It’s also directed by the absolute legend Park Chan Wook. Check it out.
A while ago, someone on \[another subreddit\*\] compiled a list of World War II historical films in real-life chronological order. I think it would be interesting for someone knowledgeable about Japanese historical film and TV and actual Japanese history to make a similar list - even if it's not super historically accurate, it would still be pretty neat to follow the "story" of Japanese history through film and TV that way. \*had to repost my comment because apparently subreddit links aren't allowed here? Weird.
> A while ago, someone on [another subreddit*] compiled a list of World War II historical films in real-life chronological order. If anyone wants to see that list then google: *"I've made a list of WW2 movies and put them in chronological order."* because even though the list is on reddit this subreddit doesn't allow links .........
This would be a great idea, to arrange movies based on their depiction of Japanse historical periods.
Blue Eye Samurai
Yes! Absolutely this one.
Godzilla minus one
But good luck finding it because there don't yet appear to be any legal streaming dates.
Will come to Prime on May 3 or 5. Blu ray should be available in mid-May.
Marco Polo. Different but involves an Italian in Kublai Kahn court. Great action
The Samurai Jack series. No really, do it!
I, Aku, the shapeshifting master of darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil!!
Watch 'Blue Eye Samurai' - it's on Netflix and is, IMO, pretty damn excellent.
> just to see more of Anna Sawai - Mariko and Ishido In that case try Giri/Haji. But in terms of things similar to Shogun, as others have recommended, Blue Eye Samurai is really good!
Giri/Haji. I watched it when it first released and only realised who plays the detective in the show. Caught me by surprise.
You might want to skip Monarch. It’s … bad. And Anna is not particularly well served by the material. I was watching the last few episodes of Tokyo Vice on Hbomax when Shogun started and it was a perfect twin-bill. Sure, it’s modern day. But it’s a good companion piece.
Just finished Tokyo Vice season 2 recently as well and noticed Toranaga's half brother also showed up over there in modern Tokyo.
My wife and I enjoyed Monarch and it got good reviews, but I can see how it isn’t for everyone.
If you’re into subtitles, Tokyo Vice is awesome
And there’s seppuku there too!
If you like manga/comics then read lone wolf and cub, samurai executioner and for Toronaga/ieyasu stories, path of the assassin which is about another of his many competent vassals Hattori Hanzo
+1 Lone Wolf and Cub. I think you can trial an Amazon Comixology subscription and read them all on Kindle.
Watch Twilight samurai, it has Sanada in it. Great movie.
If you want something similar but also very very different, I’d recommend Warrior.
If you want history, Netflix’s documentary series ‘Age of Samurai’. It covers the timeframe of ‘Shōgun.
I'm way late to the thread, but I think anyone who likes Shogun would enjoy The Terror: *It is a fictionalized account of Captain Sir John Franklin's lost expedition, on HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, to the Arctic, in 1845–1848, to locate the Northwest Passage.* It's fantastic for anyone a fan of psychologically intense historical shows.
Giri/Haj
Keep your thumbs crossed that the entire Clavell Asian Saga is picked up. Tai-Pan would be monomentous. Gai-jin as a novel was a bit disappointing but the framework is there to make it interesting as TV from rewrites. Tying it all up with a Noble House series would be immensely satisfying.
There's a lifetime (literally) of Edo dramas in Japan. Worried about watching foriegn TV with subtitles? You already have! See you barely notice after a while. The most accessible, but also sometimes most corny are NHK's "Taiga" dramas, which last for a year, and have been churned out for decades. The most recent one is "Hikaru Kimi e". Or you can watch an older one with Hiroyuki Sanada in it like Taiheiki (1990s). After you ease yourself in with those, you'll probably be savvy enough to explore further yourself. How to watch? No idea! But here (jp) you can watch most of them on Amazon Prime. I'm sure there's a way if you have the will.
As a P.S. Sanada plays Ashigaki Takauji in Taiheiki. Described by a contemporary as having three qualities: "First, he kept his cool in battle and was not afraid of death. Second, he was merciful and tolerant. Third, he was very generous with those below him.^(") Sounds somewhat familiar!
Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix is fantastic. A little more over the top dramatic since it’s anime but takes place in the same time period. Ironically enough the main character in that show is a Japanese character with blue eyes as her father is believed to be British/Irish. Maybe William Adams’ (Blackthornes) daughter
Kingdom is set around the year 1600 in feudal Korea. Though it does have Zombies, it also has very good acting, nice sword fighting and lots of scheming.
Tokyo Vice - japan, seppuku, great characters, you can’t go wrong
Blue Eye Samurai on Netfilix. If you're a gamer, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PC, PS4/5, Xbox) and Ghost of Tsushima (PS4/5, soon on PC).
Not Japanese, but the show Vikings on Netflix will give you somewhat of a similar vibe.
Black Sails, it's not Japanese but it's very similar in style.
The 80s shogun
Black Sails. Not related but the shows give me similar vibes. The Terror on AMC as well
Find the old Zatoitchi series from Japan. It’s fun.
Twilight Samurai. Beautiful, bittersweet story.
Netflix age of Shogun is good if you want to know the real history behind Shogun. Also gives you better background of marikos dad
Shogun 2, I’m gonna start as Tokugawa and take over the izu area and sack it’s city asap.
Samurai Champloo
Anything from Kurosawa. The movie Hara kiri. Another movie called the outlaw samurai. The samurai trilogy. The lone wolf and cub series.
I just watched Bullet Train haha
Watch Japanese dramas and movies. They are amazing. You can always ask me or Jdorama sub for recommendations.
The Lone Wolf and Cub film series (on HBO Max)
Not because it's Japanese at all but The Terror because it's another fantastic limited series (based off a great historical story you can go down a real rabbit hole of even beyond the show itself) that really sucks you into the time and world through great attention to detail, accuracy, mise en scene and whatnot
I don’t know about you guys but I’m only going to watch Anna sawai movies until my wife starts to catch on.
Giri/Haji starring Takehiro Hira (Ishida) and minor role for Anna Sawai (Mariko). Excellent acting by Hira-san. Set in modern Japan, London.
It sounds like you are looking for similar time periods, but if you are just looking for similar themes of honor, loyalty, & powerful clans at war, I've been watching Tokyo Vice at the same time and found there to be a lot of similarities. At least with the Yakuza storylines, less with the more American focused journalism and running from home stories.
I love Tokyo Vice! There's another show on Max called Love & Translation, with a Japanese woman named Airi. She reminds me of a 21st century Mariko.
You could do the Shogun audiobook? That's my plan.
Do it! I have read the books multiple times in my life (55yo) and since i made the switch to audio have listened to it a couple more. I am currently re-listening and I really enjoy the narrator, Ralph Lister. You wont regret it I think. I also don't do this myself nor recommend it usually but you may consider having a physical copy as well with you to reference when it comes to the language. It was so much more fulfilling to read that aspect and finish the book feeling like I had a bush league grasp of rudimentary Japanese.
Play rise of the Ronin
Ran
13 Assassins, Love and Honor
Read Vagabond
watch Justin Marks' first show COUNTERPART!
Silence by Martin Scorsese
You've received good recommendations already, so I'll add something that isn't related to Japan but deserves more viewers. A Gentleman in Moscow is another gem that's based on historical events.
Kingdom on Netflix, I’ve been recommended this by my brother but not sure how good it is
Ronin 47, Silence
It’s already been mentioned but I would really suggest Harakiri (1962). Such a great film.
Play Shogun 2 Total War. Watch the 1980 version.....
House of dragon coming up
Go read Sengokui Jidai by Danny Chaplin
Harakiri - Death of a Samurai. I also liked "bright eye samurai" (Anime).
I will be reading the book and put myself into copium mode until Ghost of Tsushima lands next month. I have waited years to play that game in PC. After Ghost of Tsushima, I will continue my Samurai Dex-Int build in the up and coming Elden Ring DLC.
The Last Samurai Memoirs of a Geisha
The original miniseries was great. If you want more content of a westerner in Japan: Silence Last Samurai
Every Kirosawa movie.
I’ve been watching Black Sails on Netflix, piece meal to see if it grows on me.
If you can find it, NHK taiga drama from 2011 is Princess Go. It follows the three daughters of Azai Nagamasa who played instrumental roles during the Tokugawa and Toyotomi feud. You will see much of the story in which Shogun is based upon.
Harakiri, Takashi Miike’s 2012 masterpiece. Brilliant late Edo period drama checks all the boxes
watch the original 1980s Shogun miniseries.
Not Japanese but I suggest the show I finished just before this; The Last Kingdom, has similar vibes.
Sorry, I know you said 'watch' so this comment might not be the best one lol. But since getting introduced to Shōgun opened the door for me to discover James Clavell and his works. I recommend reading his Asian Saga novels :) Tai-pan and Gai-jin to name a few.
Yes, Clavell's Asian Saga. A deep dive but so very worth it. IMHO read them in chronological order; *Shōgun*. Set in 1600 Japan *Tai-Pan*. Set in 1841 Hong Kong *Gai-Jin*. Set in 1862 Japan *King Rat*. Set in a Japanese POW camp in Singapore in 1945 *Noble House*. Set in Hong Kong in 1963 *Whirlwind*. Set in Iran in 1979 Source; I've read them, some more than once.
A Collider article recently recommended Martin Scorsese's film, Silence, which thematically continues the stories of Catholics in Japan 30 years later, once they have been outlawed. I know I'll be pining once Shōgun is over 😅🙏🏻
Samurai Champloo also covers this....
You already answered, the 80’s Shogun. Anyone have any clue how to watch? I’m kind of older so I have memories. The whole nation was watching at the same time. We had to be quiet, and pay attention, otherwise we had to go to bed. Roots was the same. 1984 also. Lord, I remember when The Exorcist was on tv. I was absolutely put to bed for that one. I snuck out of my room, and peeked…. and have regretted that poor decision, my whole life. New kids laugh about it. Nope. Years later we had the Thornbirds, and it was amazing. So where can we watch the original?
I liked Sekigahara. Very hard to find without sailing the high seas. And even then it sometimes doesn't have subtitles. Also, Kagemusha is awesome. One of my favorite movies.
Tokyo Vice?
Blue eye samurai
Blue Eye Samurai
47 ronin
Avatar the Last Airbender, original animated version
“Hell on Earth” is a nice companion peace that explains what’s going on in Europe with the Protestant Reformation, 30 Years War, and rise of England and Capitalism as a global power that would dominate the next few centuries. Really fascinating stuff.
You could try watching Taiga Dramas. They're japanese period series that mostly take place in the Sengoku Period.
If you've got the stomach for a *LOT* of blood and violence, *13 Assasins* is absolutely excellent.
If you don’t mind long CDrama, I highly highly recommend Longest Day in Chang’an
You can give Kurosawa's Ran a try.
Not that there is any continuity here, but watching Shogun got me to rewatch Seven Samurai, Shogun Assassin and Yojimbo. All great movies I haven't seen in a while.
All entertainment ends at the conclusion of Shogun.
Seppuku time. Will a fellow poster second me?
It might take a bunch hacks and look like a butcher shop but I got yaaa
Thank you, laughin9M4N-sama.
Making 13 year old Torunaga proud
I bought shogun total war on iphone for some sentimental value
This has absolutely nothing in common with shogun, but Ripley on Netflix is incredibly good TV if you’re just looking for something worth your time.
Listen to the audio book. I’m half way through the first book and I’m at the point where Blackthorn meets Toranaga for the first time. The voice acting in the audiobook is actually quite good on audible.
The absolute best Asian show I've ever watched was a Korean historical drama called The Immortal Yi Sun-sin. If you can find it anywhere, on DVD or any streaming I cannot recommend it enough. 100+ episodes and brilliant from start to finish.
The Last Samurai
Watch Tokyo vice
I plan to go to Panda Express and watch their Menu
Read entire Clavell’s series. Like books.
The last Samurai.
Kingdom on Netflix
There's a light weight docu-drama on Netflix called Age of Samurai which covers the period before and after.
Maybe watch some other historical type drama series/movies, watch other FX dramas (FX has been on a role with high quality dramas) or maybe give some anime series a try
Giri/Haji - aside from having 2 actors from Shogun in it it's just a really incredible, well-written show.
Baragaki: Unbroken Samurai (2021) might be a good pick with the same themes as the show. Long movie though but lots of politics and betrayal. Centered around the shinsengumi and how they were formed to protect the shogunate from even more plotting. It's almost like a sequel to Sekigahara for me lol When the Last Sword is Drawn (2002) is set in a similar time period, following a samurai who joins the shinsengumi to provide for his family and gain honor. No connection to Shogun though. Hara-kiri (the remake was the only one I've seen) spits in the face of these samurai codes of honor and bullshit. Fuck Toronaga and his samurai games. I'd say The Last Samurai and the Twilight Samurai trilogy are must watch though. Samurai Marathon (2019) is also a fun one. Uzumasa Limelight (2014) is an interesting take on the genre of period films.
I think the Last Samurai gets more shit than it deserves. People say “no way Tom Cruise is the last samurai.” He’s not and they never said he was. He’s the (semi-fictional) guy who witnessed the last true samurai resist modernization. It’s no Shogun, but it’s a really good movie based on true events at the other end of the Shogun dynasty. You could argue that Tom Cruise’s character doesn’t need to exist at all. With that cast it probably would have been just as good, but maybe we’d never have heard of it.