First two episodes sunk tonight - very good.
Am looking forward to watching this. Saw the old series on DVD just after visiting Japan last year so hoping the new version will be even better. But I heard it is more gruesome because it’s closer to the original book.
Just watched and it's very good. So looking forward with anticipation to the next episode.
As above, it's based on the book, rather than a newly written Japanese version.
Partly in English, partly subtitled Japanese, at least for these early episodes, though that might change to full English, but hopefully not.
dont suppose theres anywhere but Disney to see this??
Or whether itll be available anywhere else after its fully aired?
Excellent. Lined up for me and Jnrs Friday movie night.
Stated watching it last night but i was heavy eyed so kept missing the subtitles, will start afresh today.
I fancy this, but no Disney+
Where's good for Disney+ subscription offers?
Partly in English, partly subtitled Japanese, at least for these early episodes, though that might change to full English, but hopefully not.
Seem to remember the original serialisation didn't subtitle any of the Japanese? In order that the viewer fully experienced what Blackthorne experienced? Or did I just get a pirate copy of the DVD? 😂
Disney's
"Shogun"
Sounds dreadful, watch NHK instead 🙂
But then anything with Disney in the title makes my skin crawl.
Watched most of the first ep, but same as @Drac, not paying full attention to it. It does look pretty impressive at least.
How gruesome is this? Looks good, but the wife is put off by the 18+ rating, she's ok with war, so band of brother/pacific is fine, The boys - not so much.
if you have an o2 phone you can usually blag 6 months free by renewing your contractWhere’s good for Disney+ subscription offers?
Or just exercise some patience, wait for all episodes to be available, and sub for 1 month? Will cost less than you used to spend on a DVD, and there’s a lot more other content you can binge watch too!!
I’m a massive fan of the book, but was always slightly leery about whether it could actually be filmed in a way that would do its complexities and sub-plots justice. Similar I guess to Flashman (though any adaptation of that would need his commentary as that is what makes them so good and so funny). However all the ‘noise’ around this makes me think it’s a must watch
*heads off to dig out Disney+ subscription information prior to the argument with the missus re who’s going to pay for it..
Switch to a Lloyds Club Account and get £175 and Disney Plus for a year. See MSE for details.
Where’s good for Disney+ subscription offers?
Get mine free with a Lloyds Bank account. Sounds like something worth watching at last. 🙂
How gruesome is this?
So far (ep 1) a man's been beheaded - very fast almost nothing to see, it's very violent but over in a flash, and a man's been boiled alive - lots of off screen screaming and a brief (less than a moment) shot of a very melted face.
So yes, v violent, but lot's left to your imagination. I was also a bit cautious of it, I'm expecting more gore though
Pah I was letting my subscription expire as I'd watched everything I was interested in... Now I'll have to renew.
I use Tesco shopping vouchers as there's nothing else I spend them on, you get 3 months at a time.
Loved the first two - interesting reinterpretation of the book (Blackthorne's posh, Toranaga doesn't have a belly, Yabu looks a cheeky, smiley ruffian, Rodriguez is now Spanish, etc) but absolutely none the worse for that. Gets stuck into the Council of Regents conflict straight from the off, so there are multiple story threads from the get-go - it's beautiful, I love it. 🙂
I'm enjoying it. I missed the storm though. Not integral to the plot I know, but hey.
i don't think it's "Disneys", though appreciate it's made by a company they own (FXP), so isnt typically "Disney'd", im sure PREY which is underated, is also not a typical Disney production as its done by 20th CenturyStudios.
I watched E1 last night and thought it quite good.
It was pretty decent, I'd say the factional plotting is quite complex for anyone not familiar with the story but it's well done.
The violence is mainly implicit and there's the superfluous boob flash to make American subscribers think they're getting their money's worth but so far well below GoT levels of rapey prurience.
Worth a watch I'd say.
So far (ep 1) a man’s been beheaded – very fast almost nothing to see, it’s very violent but over in a flash, and a man’s been boiled alive – lots of off screen screaming and a brief (less than a moment) shot of a very melted face.
Thanks - I was concerned it might be GOT gore for gore’s sake. A beheading, off screen screaming and no doubt a few seppukus in coming episodes doesn’t sound significantly worse than the original. So time to fork out for Disney for a month or so.
Disney’s “Shogun” Sounds dreadful
Really?
Was the book based on the true story of William Adams?
Super-loosely - at least some of them are based on real people, Toranaga's based on Tokagawa Iesuyu (or something like that!) for example. But I thinknit's mostly fiction that dips a toe into history.
Tesco clubcard vouchers are a great way to get a cheap 3 month subscription.
Be aware that in the last month or two they've changed it so you now get the non-UHD/HDR subscription level, rather than the full fat version that you used to get.
Disney’s “Shogun” Sounds dreadful
Yes it does, but thankfully this is some-one else's version that just happens to be on Disney's streaming platform.
The boiling incident was the one thing that has stuck with me about the book - think I read it 30 years ago. Interested to see what they've done with it.
have they - better check my subs!
Speeder
The boiling incident was the one thing that has stuck with me about the book – think I read it 30 years ago. Interested to see what they’ve done with it.
Thought they struck a good balance with the horror of it, but not making it graphic
Thought it odd that Blackthorne didn't seem aware of it next day, he didn't even know about it, I remember (maybe wrongly, long time back) from the book he was furious about it. Not much point being a book purist though, the show seems very good.
The timeline's moved round a bit - in the book he was initially in the luxury of the village, then flung into the pit and was in the pit when Pieterzoon was... You know. I guess it's semi-plausible he might not know who was screaming from the village, if Pieterzoon didn't speak at all the whole time.
have they – better check my subs!
Yeah, the options now are;
- £7.50 of vouchers for 3 months Standard with Ads sub
- £12 of vouchers for 3 months Standard sub
No option for the premium level that gives you UHD/HDR/Atmos (and 4 instead of 2 devices streaming simultaneously)
The beheading in episode 1, two peasants argue then someone completely different gets the chop. It's bothering me why... did they miss a scene out? Not sure what the poor bloke did to deserve it!
Only one episode down, pretty decent, and for once it's nicely shot so you actually see what's going on without a massive telly.
"The beheading in episode 1, two peasants argue then someone completely different gets the chop. It’s bothering me why… did they miss a scene out? Not sure what the poor bloke did to deserve it!"
Omi asked the peasants to move back, one of them didn't.
Watched ep 1, seems ok. I remember the original mini-series as a kid, never read the book.
“The beheading in episode 1, two peasants argue then someone completely different gets the chop. It’s bothering me why… did they miss a scene out? Not sure what the poor bloke did to deserve it!”
Omi asked the peasants to move back, one of them didn’t.
Often that’s all it took when dealing with the Samurai class - the temper of newly forged sword blades was often tested on imprisoned criminals…
I’ve got a Lloyds Club account, there’s a few things on Disney+ I’ve been meaning to check out, having read the book and watched the original series, and with a lot of Japanese input and a greater understanding of needing more accuracy when showing other cultures this looks like it would be worth watching, especially in later battle scenes.
the gore is there but handled well, they dont linger or use any more than is needed to get the point across.
And my wife has just informed me she cancelled our D+ account after Christmas 🤦🏻
Was the book based on the true story of William Adams?
Certainly inspired by. By all accounts Clavell saw the story is one of his daughter’s school history books.
If you’ve not read it, it’s brilliant. I’ll be starting the series with my son on Saturday. I was going to say no spoilers, but I’ve read the book about 6 times (albeit not for a few years).
Clavell was an interesting man, a prisoner of war for years in WW2 in the Changi camp (1 in 15 survived), he came out fascinated by the Japanese character and why they behave in the way that they did.
His first book was called King Rat and is a loosely autobiographical story based on his time and experiences in Changi.
He also wrote books about the founding of Hong Kong (Noble House), the opening up of Japan to trade (Gai-Jin) and the Iranian revolution (Whirlwind) amongst others. All worth a read
Three episodes in and I'd just like to upgrade my review to 'magnificent'.
And my wife has just informed me she cancelled our D
This is not unusual in a marriage.
All is not lost, she found a £1.99 per month for 3 months offer….. very much enjoyed the first two….
Bummer having to wait a week between episodes. I think I'll maybe try to save up a few for a worthwhile binge.
It's great isn't it? It's different to how I imagine it in my head and suffers slightly from the comparison, but that's my problem! Pretty sure one of the main characters was on a different boat in the book, not really sure why that changed last night (he says, hopefully non-spoilery)?
Seen the first two now and thought it was excellent. So long since I read the book that I can’t identify any changes of sequence/location/character, but thought that they’ve got a across the cultural dynamics, the politics, the Japanese character and the simmering violence very well
