What happens to Buntaro in Shogun?

Toda “Buntaro” Hirokatsu makes it alive from Osaka and joins Lord Yoshii Toranaga’s group, who are set up in the fishing village of Ajiro.

The Shogun series by FX has become one of the biggest shows on OTT platforms. This show is set during the golden era of the Samurai and Lords in the land of Japan and shows the political disputes between clans to hold a higher place in the kingdoms. The show is filled with plot twists, mysteries, and suspense that keep the viewers engaged.

How does Buntaro make it back to Toranaga’s group?

It was during episode three of the series titled "Tomorrow is Tomorrow" when Toronaga’s group got attacked by his political rivals headed by Ishido in Osaka, which caused him to retreat and regroup. During his escape to the fishing village of Ajiro, Toronaga’s group was chased by enemy samuries which caused Buntaro to step up for his King and hold them off. Seeing his sacrifice at the moment, Toronaga gave Buntaro a fitting honor as he sailed off on his ship.

While the audience through Buntaro was gone for good, it wasn't true. The character not only managed to hold off a dozen soldiers at the bay but also returned to his king's side at the fishing village of Ajiro. It was during episode 5 of the series titled "Broken to the Fist", that the character is shown to return to the village with the army led by Toronaga which he gathered during his time away from the village. It was revealed in the series that during his time in Osaka, Buntaro had received help from rogue warriors who were trying to escape the place. While most of them couldn't make it out of there alive, Buntaro was fortunate enough to do so and met up with Toronaga on his way back.

Related: Who Was The Courtesan In Shogun Episode 4

Who is Toda “Buntaro” Hirokatsu?

Toda Hirokatsu, often recognized on the show as Buntaro is one of the most fierce and noble warriors in Lord Yoshii Toranaga's group. He is the son of General Hiromatsu in the series and is known to be a commendable archer and swordsman. His nature is shown to be quite disciplined and hardworking, to the point where he has mastered his art of war to its fullest. According to the FX series’s official webpage, it is known that Buntaro’s character was based on the warlord Hosokawa Tadaoki who historically was one of the most fierce warriors of that era.