Shogun-The TV Series

[NagatsukaShumi]

I've just got the Shogun series on video, all nine and a half hours of it. Well, just wondering, have any of you seen it before, and if so, what do ya think?

[BlackWatch McKenna]

Is that the one about the WWII P.O.W. camp?

Shogun's Heros?

[BlackWatch McKenna]

~couldn't resist.

But yes, I saw it a long long long time ago; and seemed to remember liking it.

[Alrowan]

hmm.. ill have to look into this.. ive always loved shogun japan

[Forward Observer]

I suggest reading the book first. There are so many sub-plots and things going on in the background that you miss a lot of this in the movie. If you've read the book you will get a lot more out of the movie. Or watch the series, read the book, and then watch the series again. It will take on whole new meanings.

Funny, that you mentioned a POW camp since Clavell's first novel is about a Japanese POW camp during WW II and it is called King Rat. Even more interesting is the fact that Clavell actually was a POW in a Japanese camp during WW II.

After the war, in reseaching his book he began to study Japanese culture, and came to appreciate it so much that he eventually wrote the epic novel of Shogun. Neat, huh?

Cheers

[Papewaio]

If you think that is cool read up about 'Weary' Dunlop.

Big strapping Aussie med student who while studying in Britain would go down to the pubs where the facists would talk and beat the shit out of them http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif.

Was a prisoner of war with the Japanese and looked after his patients as well as he could given the conditon. He converted to Buddhism later on.

http://www.users.bigpond.com/m.long/#book1


Quote[/b] ]
Sir Edward Dunlop, or 'Weary' as thousands knew him, became an Australian national hero. A brilliant student and sportsman, he graduated as a surgeon and played rugby for Australia, before going to England to complete his medical studies.

When World War II broke out, he volunteered as an Army Surgeon, serving in Palestine, Greece and Egypt, before transferring to Java.

Weary elected to be captured with his hospital rather than escape, spending over three years as a prisoner-of-war under the Japanese. His care for men under his command and his defiance of his captors in the face of brutality, starvation and death made him a legend.

Returning to Australia in 1945, Weary dedicated his life to the care of former prisoners-of-war. He went on to become a pioneering cancer surgeon and taught throughout Asia under the Colombo Plan.

Weary died in 1993.

[NagatsukaShumi]

I finished the seires, VERY GOOD, I suggest you buy it if you haven't seen it as it is worth watching.

[Shahed]

It's really a great piece of work. I recommend it to anyone vaguely interested in Samurai fiction (no pun intended).

[NagatsukaShumi]

Yes, it's really cool, no english speaking Samurai either, makes it even better.

[Tachikaze]

I agree with Forward Ob. The film version spends a larger proportion of the time on the romance between Anjin-san and Mariko. There was a lot more intrigue, plot twists, and just general information about medieval Japan in the book.

[Basileus]

Ive seen the series 2 times its very good, but my gf has been telling me that the book is alot better..might read it once i finish julian norwich the decline and fall.

[Kensai Achilles]

Shogun, Musashi, and Seven Samurai are my all time faves. Have you seen The Hidden Fortress by Kurosawa? People say it inspired George Lucas in making Star Wars

[NagatsukaShumi]

Yeah I agree it does mainly go about the love interest between Anjin-San (Black Thorne) and Mariko, but you know what TV programs are like, they've always got to get, murder, love and all that in.

I intend to buy the book if I cna find it anywhere, it'll be interesting to see what they left out. Anyways, what's in the series is good for anyone who likes Japanese history, I suggest to those people that they buy it.

And I'm 1000 Lets Party http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

Unfortunately for some I'll be around for another thousand to come.

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/idea.gif Nag http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/idea.gif

[The Scourge]

Remember the TV show being sort of ok,but not being a geat fan of Richard Chamberlin spoilt it for me.Although the I did like the Actor who played(Not sure of name.) Toranager.

[NagatsukaShumi]

Yeah, Toronaga is actually quite could I agree, brilliant actor.

[Stefan the Berserker]

I have read the novel and watched the films you mean...
The Book is better, I say...

If they asked CA to get the Shogun-TW Grafic sets, put the Story a bit shorter but add the Battle at the end of the Story the could make it better

Imagine a massive Samurai-Battle made with the same tech aslike the Battle for Helms Deep is made...