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After the massive success of FX’s historical drama Shōgun, it’s little surprise that the titles creators would want to jump back into Edo-period Japan to keep Lord Toranaga and Major Blackthorn’s stories going. And it looks like we’re getting not only season 2, but season 3 (eventually).
Shōgun’s an interesting beast. The story is set in feudal Japan, specifically beginning of the Edo period, but it’s very much a work of historical fiction: that is, while Shōgun follows our own history, it’s also a work of dramatised fiction. It’s main characters, Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Major John Blackthorn (Cosmo Jarvis), are recreations of real-life figures, but aren’t historical figures themselves.
This is important to note while Shōgun’s first season is based on the 1975 novel (also simply called Shōgun), this second season—and the hinted at third season—will be original works not tied to a former work. Instead, season 2 of Shōgun will be an original story continuing the tale of Toranaga and Blackthorn.
What Do We Know So Far?
Set 10 years after the events of the end of season one, this new story will continue the blueprint set out by our own history, according to Sanada, who said as much to The Hollywood Reporter.
Head writer Justin Marks also told Deadline the story for season two will start with the real-life history, and then the writers will “see where it takes us for future stories”.
“I think the thing to take away, more than anything, is how, I hope people are going to be surprised with some of the big ideas as soon as the first episode of part two,” Marks said. “We’re really excited about it, especially for .”
As for where that history will take the show, it’s likely season 2 will focus on the events following the Battle of Sekigahara—an infamous war between feudal lords that is often regarded as one of the most important battles in Japan’s history, which essentially set the stage for the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate. That shogunate would go onto rule Japan for another 250 years, so it’s a pretty big deal.
That battle took place in 1600, the same year the first season follows, and which the end of season 1 hints at. Season 2 takes place 10 years later, it’s likely the Battle of Sekigahara has come and gone, and Lord Toranaga is picking up the pieces of a new Japan.
What Happened in ‘Shōgun’ Season 1?
Obviously, spoilers ahead.
Shōgun’s first season follows the story of Lord Yoshii Toranaga, lord of the Kanto region, who is at odds with his fellow Regents. Together, the five Regents rule Japan, but political in-fighting means war is at hand.
Into this powder-keg, an English sailor, John Blackthorne, crashes his ship in the Izu Peninsula, a region of Edo (Tokyo) under Toranaga’s command and becomes embroiled in the battle for Japan’s future.
With the other regents looking to condemn Toranaga to death, and thereby take power for themselves, the Lord enacts a plot utilising Blackthorne’s western knowledge, as well as his own military power, to stand defiantly against the Council of Regents and, instead, create military rule over the island nation.
By the end of the season, Blackthorne’s ship, the Erasmus, has been destroyed by Toranaga’s orders, trapping the man in Japan and keeping him close to the ascending Lord. After a series of failed assassination attempts and sieges, the Council votes to declare war on Toranaga—an act that, given the 10 year time gap, we’ll likely see in flashbacks in the upcoming season 2.
When is it Coming Out?
While we don’t have a definitive release date for the show’s second season just yet, do do have assurances from Shōgun’s showrunner, Justin Marks, that the production team are “rushing it to screen”.
While that might be worrying—nobody wants a sophomore season to get rushed and end up dead in the water—the fact is that a lot of the work that needed to be done during the production of the first season (i.e. costumes, fleshing out characters, etc) doesn’t need to be built from the ground up this time, which should go a long way in helping the next season come sooner.
It’s likely that we won’t see Shōgun’s second season until at least 2026, if not 2027.
