Shogun takes a break from depicting brutal conflict engagements in its sixth episode. The series demonstrates its mastery of tension by keeping its audience on the edges of their seats through every conversation. "Ladies of the Willow Wood" provides a powerful flashback while exploring the knock-on effects decades later. The focus slips away from John Blackthorne and Lord Toranaga, centering Lady Mariko, Ochiba-no-Kata, and Kiku for some of the show's most moving moments.
Hiromi Kamata directed Shogun's sixth episode. She joined the industry in the early 2000s as a second unit or assistant director but gained notoriety as a TV director in several series. She recently helmed two episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. She frequently works in horror shows like Let the Right One In and Cruel Summer. Her work on Shogun may be short-lived, but it remains impactful.
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Shogun explores Mariko's past, present, and future
During last week's astonishingly awkward dinner sequence, Mariko divulged her family's shame to John Blackthorne. This episode opens with a flashback from her perspective. She and her childhood best friend, the young Ochiba-no-Kata, experience her family's downfall. Ochiba becomes the Taikō's consort, forced to bear him a son. Back in the present, Mariko struggles with her loyalty to the men in her life. Lord Toranaga offers Blackthorne greater honor after the Englishman saved his life in last week's earthquake. Anjin earns command over Toranaga's cannon regiment and a valuable fiefdom. Thousands died in the natural disaster, devastating multiple armies across Japan. Toranaga also insists Buntaro spend a week away from Mariko after his recent outburst. As a reward, Lord Toranaga sets Blackthorne up for a night with the courtesan Kiku.
Mariko arranges the session and accompanies Blackthorne as his interpreter. The exchange is the best showcase of the show's unique language barrier. In most scenes, Mariko translates incorrectly, selectively leaving out or rewording statements for her benefit. The audience enjoys omniscient awareness of both parties' speech, but only Mariko decides who hears what. As Kiku speaks provocatively of her purpose as a courtesan, Mariko translates her words perfectly. For a moment, even the subtitles fall away. Mariko speaks Kiku's words, allowing her to communicate with John without restriction. Kiku insists on privacy, sending Mariko away with trepidation. John returns the following morning, but his haggard expression and sleepless eyes leave some mystery to the previous night's events. Kiku invites John to return whenever he sees fit. Mariko translates her gratitude, leaving out her invitation.
Ochiba-no-Kata rearranges Shogun's power structure
Ochiba-no-Kata stepped into the spotlight at the end of last week's episode. She and her son, the Heir, who will inherit the late Taikō's position, arrange the daimyo against Lord Toranaga. After struggling to appoint a fifth council member who could approve Toranaga's execution, Ochiba and Ishido discover Lord Ito. Ito is a sycophantic actor who will gladly serve Taikō's posthumous wishes. When the council meets to award Ito the position, Lord Sugiyama refuses. He calls out Ishido's practices and refuses to vote. Ochiba spreads lies about Toranaga's plans, suggesting a threat to the Heir. Ishido hunts down and assassinates Sugiyama, passing the attack off as a bandit encounter. This pushes Lord Toranaga toward his nuclear option, the Crimson Sky. With the help of his half-brother, Toranaga plans to assault Osaka Castle, eliminating the other daimyo in one fell swoop and installing himself as Shogun. When news of Sugiyama's death reaches Toranaga, he insists that the time for Crimson Sky has come.
Shogun presses toward the inevitable war fans have expected since the miniseries began. John Blackthorne and Mariko's relationship progresses to a new unpleasant stage. Lord Toranaga feels the pressure of the mounting effort to destroy him. As Shogun enters its latter half, the show demonstrates its willingness to center character drama, even as the narrative reaches a fever pitch. The masterful filmmaking techniques keep Shogun more compelling than most prestige dramas. Simple lighting, blocking, and carefully conducted music cues press moments into endlessly memorable scenes. The ruthless tacticians and military strategists give way to some of the most moving, character-focused storytelling on TV today.
Shogun will soon move into an inevitable war. The first few episodes depicted stellar battles, but fans will soon see what its creators can do with enhanced scale. Mariko finds a moment after her encounter with Blackthorne to ask Toranaga why she must suffer. She wanted to die with her family, yet her husband and Lord forced her to stick around. Toranaga's answer leaves Mariko a stellar path forward in the upcoming episodes, following the example of her treacherous father and defending Japan at the cost of her safety. Shogun remains a masterful miniseries, and its final four episodes provide it yet more room to grow. Fans must wait and see how the Crimson Sky plan works out in the coming weeks.
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