How FX’s Shōgun Miniseries Compares to James Clavell’s Classic 1975 Novel

By Megan McCluskey

Warning: This post contains spoilers for the first two episodes of FX’s Shōgun.

When the Dutch warship Erasmus is wrecked off the coast of turn-of-the-17th-century feudal Japan in the opening scene of FX’s new Shōgun miniseries, it sets in motion a sweeping saga of clashing cultures, political intrigue, and forbidden romance that also serves as a fictionalized account of one of the most momentous periods in Japanese history.

Co-created by husband-and-wife duo Justin Marks (Top Gun: Maverick) and Rachel Kondo, the historical epic — the first two installments of which are now streaming on Hulu—opens with a series of title cards that lay out the stakes at hand: “The year is 1600. For decades, Portuguese Catholics have richly profited from trade in Japan. They have kept its whereabouts hidden from their sworn enemies — the European Protestants. In Osaka, the reigning Taikō has died, leaving behind an heir too young to rule. Five warrior lords are now trapped in a bitter struggle. All of them seek the title that would make their power absolute…Shōgun.”

Following its two-episode premiere on Feb. 27, a new episode of the 10-episode limited series will debut every subsequent Tuesday, with the finale set to air April 23. The show will cover the entirety of the best-selling 1975 James Clavell novel on which it’s based. Read the full comparison at Time.