Harsh Vardhan
It seems that Lord Yoshii Toranaga and John Blackthorne‘s paths will not diverge in the land of the rising sun just yet! Even though the show was created as a miniseries, FX has renewed ‘Shōgun‘ for its second season. The filming of the historical drama’s second season will start in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Japan on an undisclosed date. Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, who created the series based on James Clavell’s novel of the same name, continue to lead the writers’ room.
In the first season finale, the aftermath of the assault on Osaka Castle sees Mariko buried, leading the Council to declare war on Toranaga. Blackthorne, leaving Osaka with Yabushige and Toranaga’s consorts, discovers Mariko‘s role in sparing his life from the Church. Arriving in Ajiro, they find the Erasmus destroyed, leading to Yabushige’s arrest and confession to aiding Ishido, resulting in his ordered seppuku. Blackthorne reunites with Fuji and implores Toranaga to spare Ajiro, prompting the construction of a fleet of ships. Toranaga reveals his plan to Blackthorne and confesses his role in the events, paving the way for Yabushige’s seppuku. With the villagers’ help, Blackthorne salvages the Erasmus as Toranaga watches.
The second season of ‘Shōgun’ faces the challenge of diverging from its source material while exploring the vast history of the Tokugawa shogunate. Since James Clavell’s novel provides a definitive ending that the FX series partly adapted, the writers may either continue with the existing characters or explore new historical events. Tokugawa’s consolidation of power, his relationship with William Adams, and the looming siege of Osaka Castle offer immense narrative possibilities. Moreover, the aftermath of the destruction of the Erasmus leaves John Blackthorne trapped in Japan, potentially introducing new conflicts. However, the direction of the sophomore installment remains uncertain, as the series may choose to leap forward in time, leaving behind the era of Toranaga and embracing entirely new conflicts and characters.
On the topic of a second season, co-creator Justin Marks has previously commented, “It’s hard, but I will say that if there were any stories of any kind to be told, they would have to be just as good as the book, and I don’t know if those stories exist.”
Regardless of the creative decisions Marks and Rachel Kondo make, we will see Hiroyuki Sanada’s return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga in the second season. The actor has signed a deal to remain a part of the show’s cast. We have yet to find out who else will accompany Sanada as the sophomore installment materializes. Still, Cosmo Jarvis will likely continue to portray English captain Major John Blackthorne, alongside Takehiro Hira as Ishido Kazunari and Fumi Nikaido as Ochiba no Kata.
Both the first season of ‘Shōgun’ and its earlier adaptation, a miniseries from 1980, were filmed in Japan. Vancouver, a bustling production hub, also hosted the shooting of the previous installment of the historical drama, in addition to popular projects like ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender.’
Read More: Tim Robinson Pilot ‘The Chair Company’ Begins Filming in New York in July
