As a seasoned gamer of both the small and big screens, I can confidently say that I’ve witnessed some remarkable moments in television history, but nothing quite compares to the triumphant night of FX’s Shogun at the 2024 Emmys. The historic awards haul not only solidified its status as a modern masterpiece but also opened new doors for Asian representation and non-English language television.
FX’s Shogun continued its dominance at the 2024 Emmys on Sunday night, adding to its already impressive record. Prior to the ceremony, the acclaimed samurai series had already secured the most wins by any show in a single year, having claimed 14 trophies at the Creative Arts Emmys a week earlier. However, it solidified its position as the undisputed ruler within the Peacock Theater during the Prime Time Emmys, earning an extra four awards. Among these were the prestigious categories of best drama series, best actress in a drama series for Anna Sawai, best actor in a drama series for Hiroyuki Sanada, and best drama directing for Frederick E.O. Toye.
The victory of Shogun is significant on multiple levels. This historical collection of awards is a major triumph for FX and its parent company Disney, as it validates a costly series that took almost a decade to develop and initially seemed like a questionable investment. Furthermore, this moment marks a considerable achievement for Asian representation in television and non-English productions. Shogun becomes the first predominantly non-English language series to win in the outstanding drama series category; Netflix’s Korean phenomenon Squid Game was nominated in 2022 but lost to HBO’s Succession. Additionally, Sanada and Sawai are the first Japanese actors ever to receive Emmys for their performances.
Standing backstage at the Emmys, feeling the weight of history pressing down on me as I accepted this prestigious award, I couldn’t help but reflect on my journey from a young actor in Tokyo to becoming one of Japan’s few successful crossovers in Hollywood. With nearly six decades in the industry and having learned under the great Sonny Chiba, I can’t help but think about all those who have guided me along the way – my fellow actors and teachers who nurtured me since I was just a child starting out.
In relation to the upcoming generations, Sanada expressed his hope that they would perceive great significance in our award-winning productions, recognizing that we crafted a groundbreaking Japanese series that resonated profoundly across the globe.
The acknowledgment of Japanese cinema can be traced as far back as 1951 when Akira Kurosawa’s film Rashomon clinched the best foreign language film Oscar at the 24th Academy Awards. Later, Miyoshi Umeki bagged a best supporting actress Oscar in 1957 for her role in Sayonara, opposite Marlon Brando. However, it took much longer for Japanese talent to receive recognition on television. Prior to 2007, only the Japanese actor Masi Oka, who was nominated for outstanding supporting actor for his role in Heroes, had gained a nomination from the Television Academy for a drama series.
As I stood backstage after winning the Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series, I couldn’t help but admit that my eyes had welled up with tears for what felt like the dozenth time that day.
She continued by saying, ‘I’m quite disorganized right now.’ She believes it’s a combination of conflicting feelings and worry, hoping that everyone succeeds… Tomorrow when I wake up, I hope this will have been just a dream.
During its Emmy journey on Sunday night, Shogun encountered some tough competition, yet managed victories. However, Billy Crudup clinched the best supporting actor in a drama award for The Morning Show, edging out beloved Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano, who delivered a memorable performance as the cunning samurai Kashigi Yabushige in Shogun. Regrettably, the writers of the FX series, who compressed James Clavell’s 1975 best-selling novel of over 1,300 pages into a series of 10 hour-long TV episodes, also missed out on the drama writing award, which was given to Slow Horses from Apple TV+.
Although FX’s Shogun might be its most-streamed series to date (in terms of global viewing hours), it’s important to note that it isn’t the first adaptation of James Clavell’s extensive novel. In fact, Paramount Television had previously adapted the book into a series back in 1980. Filmed on location in Japan and boasting the largest budget ever allocated for a TV series at that time, this initial Shogun series became a cultural phenomenon when it was broadcasted on NBC. The show garnered 12 Emmy nominations at the 1981 Emmys, ultimately winning in the categories of outstanding limited series, costume design, and best title sequence.
The adaptation produced by Paramount concludes at the same point as James Clavell’s cherished novel – corresponding to the end of season 1 on FX’s ‘Shogun’. In May, co-creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo excited fans with the news that Disney had given approval for two more seasons. Now, Sanada, who both produces and stars as Lord Toranaga in the series, has hinted at potential developments for future episodes. As the Emmys festivities subside, the creative team behind ‘Shogun’ will undoubtedly be busy as they strive to maintain Lord Toranaga’s Emmy dominance by crafting two entirely new seasons for this epic tale.
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2024-09-16 07:56