Back in the dim mists of time, the "mini-series" hadn't been invented yet.
Then came "Shogun" and television would never be the same.
I was 10 when the Richard Chamberlain mini-series hit our televisions and I remember my parents wondering if the story might be too adult for a ten year old. Thankfully, they let me watch all five episodes as they aired over a week in September, 1980.
Shogun introduced me to the idea that television and movies could be more than simple stories told over an hour or two. It also is probably the first thing I ever consumed on television that wasn't black and white in its morality. Shogun showed me that there are shades of grey that make can bring a narrative alive. It took nearly 30 years for those ideas to really catch on, at least on television. Every time you binge watch a sprawling, season long arc of any show, particularly one with a case of moral ambiguity, you should give a little nod of thanks to Shogun.
It's coming back. I saw a trailer for the new "Shogun" just this week. It looks pretty great. Unlike the originally aired version, there are handy subtitles. I'm not certain that's an improvement, but it will make following the story easier.
I remember that by the third episode of the original mini-series, my parents and I were very proud of our ability to follow what was going on without any subtitles or dubbing of the Japanese dialogue. It was a gimmick, sure, and they put subs on the reruns, but it really did suck us in to the story in a truly unique way. We were in the same predicament as the main character, needing to interpret tone and body language in a land where no one spoke our language. I don't think the same trick has ever been tried on a mainstream show, since.
I'm a fan of the James Clavell novel it's based on, but a bigger fan of his novels, Gai-Jin and Tai-Pan. Clavell is a master of the sprawling story and he's written half a dozen amazing novels that would make great "mini-series" type television with the right actors and budget.
Or...
Imagine that sprawling, multi-episodic story-telling in animated form. Something like Game of Thrones meets Shogun, but lovingly crafted in pen, ink and pixels and paint. Thankfully, not in an anime style. Most Japanese set animated projects use that style and I must admit, I'm not usually a fan. There are some great anime projects out there, but for me it's not my go to animation style. I prefer a more "western" style of animation and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the newest Japanese wandering Ronin animated story has a Japanese influenced western style.
Blue Eye Samurai gives us the Game of Thrones scale in a Shogun world, with a bit of Mulan thrown in for good measure and it is GLORIOUS.
Blue Eye Samurai is a masterful story told in superb animation. The voice acting is fabulous and the pacing, direction and visual power are as good as anything I've seen.
It's also definitely NOT suitable for a ten year old. Violence, gore, nudity and sex are as much a part of the story as the gorgeous sword fights and subtle details of the story and its telling.
I was sold when, early in the first episode the leader of a gang of boys looks up sharply after their quarry and gives a tiny, sharp "let's go" twitch of his head. It was totally unnecessary but told me that the creators truly cared to bring the story to full, convincing life rather than just roll out the next Netflix cartoon.
I say this often because it still seems that there's a stigma about adults watching animation, but don't let the fact that it's a cartoon keep you from watching this. It's probably the best thing you'll see this year.
In my youth, there was a similar stigma around "fantasy" shows and movies. They were for geeks and nerds, exclusively. Serious adults didn't watch that kind of stuff. Then Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings happened. Now those same "serious adults" are watching and loving shows like The Wheel of Time and House of the Dragon.
Now there are shows like Blue Eye Samurai. Serious, adult, beautiful storytelling that plays out in pen and ink, pixel and paint. It feels very much like a beautiful piece of Japanese ink painting, Sumi-e, in motion.
A fitting way to erase another stigma.
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