Did Hiroyuki Sanada set a ‘non-negotiable condition’ to star in Shōgun? Here’s what we know

Adapted from James Clavell's novel, FX's Shōgun premiered on February 27, 2024, and didn't take much time to become a global hit. Set in feudal Japan, the series narrates the story of Pilot Major John Blackthorne, who is held captive by the Samurai Warriors of 17th-century Japan and the powerful Warlord Yoshii Toranaga.

Along with great historical fiction that is inspired by real-life people, the FX series also made sure to keep the authenticity level at max, which is all due to the lead actor, Hiroyuki Sanada, who played the character of Toranaga. In 2024, NPR reported that Sanada, who is also a producer on Shōgun, made sure to showcase the narrative with utmost authenticity. In an interview with The Japan News, Sanada clearly stated his conditions to come on board and join the FX series and stated:

"If you accept my conditions that Japanese actors play Japanese characters and that period drama specialist staff be brought from Japan, then I’ll accept the offer."

More on this in our story.

Hiroyuki Sanada did not compromise authenticity in Shōgun

Shōgun is reported to have garnered around 9 million views in its premiere week, making it one of the quick hits of the year, globally. Sanada, who played the gritty character and won a Prime Time Award for it, wasn't just another actor in the series but was also a producer who oversaw several of the behind-the-scenes processes to guarantee an authentic look into the feudal history of Japan for the viewers.

Shōgun's success stems from the efforts that it took to imitate the era that it was showcasing in the narrative. From Japanese actors playing the Japanese characters to hiring consultants and crew (which was helped by Sanada himself), the FX historical fiction impressed the viewers and also gave us an authentic look into one of the crucial eras of Japan's history.

NPR reported that in an interview with Morning Edition, Sanada stated:

"In the '80s, one was looking at feudal Japan only through the blue eyes. But this time in the script, we put more Japanese lenses... and then showed more detail about our culture deeply."

In the same interview, Sanada also spoke about how much effort he put into maintaining the authenticity of the show and said:

"Authenticity was our lifeline for this show. In Japan, this period is so popular, the most famous period, and then [there are] great characters there. So I wanted to introduce this to the world, hopefully correctly."

However, while filming the series, which was supposed to be shot both in Japan and Canada, the production faced a problem when the pandemic hit the world. Due to COVID restrictions, the FX series was then filmed completely in Canada, mainly in Vancouver. Sanada also addressed this issue and shared that the Canadian city had everything that they required to film a historical show; therefore, it did not pose a greater problem.

Hence, Sanada was one of the crucial people who helped make Shōgun one of the greatest historical fiction works, which did not just shine because of its story and performances by talented actors, but also because of how it accurately portrayed an important era in Japanese history.

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Also Read: Shogun parents guide: Why you shouldn't let your kids watch the historical drama, explained

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