The FX historical drama Shogun, based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel, has been a hit this year. It chronicles Lord Toranaga’s (Hiroyuki Sanada) pursuit of power in Feudal Japan. Anna Sawai’s Lady Mariko is an important character, and her fight sequence in episode 9, as she tries to leave Osaka, has drawn attention. A martial arts expert gave this fight scene an eight out of 10 for accuracy in a video for Insider.
How the Spear Fight Was Pulled Off
In a recent interview, Shogun’s assistant stunt coordinator Sharlene Royer explained how they achieved the spear fight. Sawai was sent to train with martial artists in Japan for this fight. Royer said Sawai was a “good student” when learning the techniques. The focus was on making the sequence look realistic and grounded.
Royer elaborated that there were consultants, like Sensei Demura (who has passed away), the sensei of her boss Lauro Chartrand-DelValle. Lauro arranged for Sawai to train with other stunt martial artists in Japan involved with the show. When it came to shooting, Lauro did the choreography with a consultant, ensuring it was by the book. They avoided acrobatic moves seen in modern fight scenes and stuck to basic martial arts to keep it authentic. There was extensive research, and Lauro, being a martial artist himself, made sure everything was in order. Sawai learned everything precisely through repetition.
What Shogun’s Realism Meant for Its Reception
Shogun was released to glowing reviews in February. It has a remarkable 99% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 90% audience score. The show was praised for its performances, writing, and recreation of Feudal Japan. While historical accuracy alone isn’t enough, Shogun’s approach shows the detailed and thoughtful work of showrunners Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo.
This approach also led to major success in viewership. Shogun premiered with nine million views globally across Hulu, Disney+, and Star+, making it the biggest premiere for any title under the Disney General Entertainment umbrella. Season 2 and season 3 are now confirmed to be in development, even though season 1 adapted the whole of Clavell’s book. The VFX supervisor even mentioned having a “900-page research bible” for historical accuracy.
Anna Sawai’s Shogun Fight Scene
Sawai has made a mark in the entertainment landscape with shows like Shogun and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Her performance in Shogun was a highlight, especially in episode 9 where she showed off her physicality in a new way after maintaining Mariko’s quiet poise and inner conflict in previous episodes.
However, episode 9 marked the end of Mariko’s journey on the show. While John Blackthorne and Lord Toranaga may return for future seasons, Mariko’s death means future episodes will lack a key element of season 1’s success. Though Marks and Kondo have a good track record, it’s a pity that Sawai seemingly won’t be returning.
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