How FX’s Shogun Reimagines the Classic Novel and Miniseries

The new FX series Shogun shares its name with a popular 1980 miniseries and a book inspired by real-life events. Therefore, viewers have been confused about whether the show is based on the book or a remake.

Shogun opened to rave reviews and was compared to classics like Game of Thrones. The story is set in 1600 and focuses on the story of English explorer John Blackthorne’s arrival in Japan. Blackthorne enters the scenario in between a major power struggle and Portugal’s involvement in the region.

The series has been presented in a stellar way with a large scope, scale, and production design. It has been naturally compared to the 1980 series. The previous series left a strong impact on US television and served as an inspiration for other shows in the genre.

1. Is FX’s Shogun A Remake of the 1980 Series Shogun?

FX’s Shogun is not a remake of the 1980 series. However, it is based on the same book as the 1980 miniseries. It is marketed as an original adaptation of the 1975 novel of the same name.

While FX’s Shogun is not an exact remake of the 1980 series, it is still impossible not to connect both the shows. The two shows are based on one novel of the same name.

NBC’s Shogun was released in 1980 and is considered a groundbreaking project in the genre. It starred Richard Chamberlain as John Blackthorne and Toshiro Mifune as Yoshi Toranaga. The NBC version consisted of 5 episodes and primarily focused on Blackthorne’s perspective.

FX’s version offers a fresh take but still has many similarities to the 1980 version. Blackthorne is the main protagonist, while Toranaga plays a pivotal role. The characters from the novel that featured in the NBC version will also be present in the FX version.

Shogun’s Connection to James Clavell’s 1975 Novel Explained

Both the NBC version and the FX version of Shogun are based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name. The book is a fictional retelling of real-life events and a well-articulated look at 16th-century Japan.

It is told partially from Blackthorne’s POV, and the story takes place at the end of the Sengoku period. The book includes several details, and both adaptations try to incorporate as much as possible.

The NBC version had only 5 episodes, but each episode was at least 120-180 minutes long. The show had a total runtime of 12 hours. The FX4 version has 10 episodes of 1 hour each.

2. Is Shogun Based on a True Story?

Shogun is based on a novel inspired by real-life events. Most of the characters of Shogun are based on real people. The adaptations are also based on a fictional retelling of the same set of events.

For example, John Blackthorne’s character is based on William Adams, the first English navigator who reached Japan in the 16th century, when Portugal owned most of the maritime businesses in the world.

Similarly, Yoshi Toranaga is based on the real-life personality of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who later became the first Shogun of the Edo shogunate.

One of the main themes of the book is the struggle between the Japanese and the Portuguese Jesuits, who tried to control the trade between Japan and China, as well as to spread Catholicism in Japan.

3. About Shōgun

Shōgun is an upcoming American historical drama television limited series based on the 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell. The novel was previously adapted into a 1980 television miniseries.

The series is set to premiere with its first two episodes on February 27, 2024, on Hulu and FX, with new episodes of the 10-episode series then releasing weekly.

Shōgun follows “the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious female samurai; John Blackthorne, a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will ultimately redefine him; Lord Toranaga, a shrewd, powerful daimyo, at odds with his own dangerous, political rivals; and Lady Mariko, a woman with invaluable skills but dishonorable family ties, who must prove her value and allegiance”.