21–30 of 63 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I’ve felt like it’s deviated quite a bit, but it’s well made nonetheless
The new show has been made more accurate to the time period, they had historical experts come in. Plus the guy who plays Toranaga is an amateur historian of the time period and helped a lot.
James Clavell wrote Shogun which is (very, very) loosely based on this. A fun read in any case.
He even got his own video game: https://koei.fandom.com/wiki/William_Adams#Nioh Don't expect a historically correct storyline though ;)
For folk interested in learning more about what historians and similar think of the novel, a compilation of essays on the subject titled "Learning from SHOGUN: Japanese History and Western Fantasy" has been made available courtesy of the compilation's editor, Henry Smith.: https://www.columbia.edu/~hds2/learning/
I've always wondered about the accuracy of the book, in part because the junior samurai kill themselves a LOT. They're forced to commit seppuku for being late to their work in the morning. There's a scene where a samurai jumps off a cliff to his death just get his boss's attention (I guess yelling would have been rude). Also ninjas are depicted as super-powerful badasses. Which fits the legend, certainly, but isn't p…
many things likely can't be fact checked, e.g. what kind of warriors/spies ninjas really were.
Hypothetically, would he have been on Mizu's list?
For anyone not familiar with the "Mizu's list" reference, we're talking about the Netflix animated series Blue Eye Samurai. It's got more graphic violence than I usually enjoy but is a really good story.
He even got his own video game: https://koei.fandom.com/wiki/William_Adams#Nioh Don't expect a historically correct storyline though ;)
It was a pretty fun game, but has that Team Ninja level of difficulty that I just don't find fun--despite finding FromSoft difficulty really enjoyable. I had the same issue with Wo Long.
For folk interested in learning more about what historians and similar think of the novel, a compilation of essays on the subject titled "Learning from SHOGUN: Japanese History and Western Fantasy" has been made available courtesy of the compilation's editor, Henry Smith.: https://www.columbia.edu/~hds2/learning/
I've always wondered about the accuracy of the book, in part because the junior samurai kill themselves a LOT. They're forced to commit seppuku for being late to their work in the morning. There's a scene where a samurai jumps off a cliff to his death just get his boss's attention (I guess yelling would have been rude). Also ninjas are depicted as super-powerful badasses. Which fits the legend, certainly, but isn't p…
It's a work of fiction. I suspect it is as accurate as a japanese book about america or hollywood's depiction of the wild west.
Early on, the book describes blackthorne as being a head and shoulders taller than the locals. That may be true in 1900s england, but in 1600s ( really 1500s ) england, an englishman was generally closer to 5 feet than 6 feet. And as you noted the comical suicides and extreme behavior of the characters doesn't seem realistic at all.
Shogun probably reflects 1600s japan as well as Fargo reflects 1990s Dakotas/Minnesota ( and that was based on a true story! ).
For folk interested in learning more about what historians and similar think of the novel, a compilation of essays on the subject titled "Learning from SHOGUN: Japanese History and Western Fantasy" has been made available courtesy of the compilation's editor, Henry Smith.: https://www.columbia.edu/~hds2/learning/
I've always wondered about the accuracy of the book, in part because the junior samurai kill themselves a LOT. They're forced to commit seppuku for being late to their work in the morning. There's a scene where a samurai jumps off a cliff to his death just get his boss's attention (I guess yelling would have been rude). Also ninjas are depicted as super-powerful badasses. Which fits the legend, certainly, but isn't p…
It's very likely ninja (or "shinobi", if you're meticulous) didn't exist at all. There must have been spies and assassins, which are already present in Chinese culture which was a big influence in Japanese culture, but the ninja as a stealthy infiltrator, wearing black clothes and special weaponry is a later day invention.
I actually like that in the remade "Shogun" TV show, the "ninja" attack is replaced by a maid who turns out to be an assassin in the payroll of Toranaga's enemies. Not clad in black or with super powers, just a woman who can handle a sword and attacks by surprise.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've always wondered about the accuracy of the book, in part because the junior samurai kill themselves a LOT. They're forced to commit seppuku for being late to their work in the morning. There's a scene where a samurai jumps off a cliff to his death just get his boss's attention (I guess yelling would have been rude). Also ninjas are depicted as super-powerful badasses. Which fits the legend, certainly, but isn't p…
> I've always wondered about the accuracy of the book It's a work of fiction. I suspect it is as accurate as a japanese book about america or hollywood's depiction of the wild west. Early on, the book describes blackthorne as being a head and shoulders taller than the locals. That may be true in 1900s england, but in 1600s ( really 1500s ) england, an englishman was generally closer to 5 feet than 6 feet. And as you…