Shogun is the series of the moment, depicting a Japan immersed in fascinating political intrigues. But did the alien protagonist, John Blackthorne, really exist?
Shogun’s story has had many successes, and it is currently on its third: the novel of the same title written by James Clavell has been a bestseller since its publication in 1975, and the first series taken from the pages in 1980 was a hit. Also.
It is now for FX that the samurai have returned to service: under the leadership of creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, John Blackthorne and Yoshii Toranaga have come back to life. And from its first broadcast, this new production won over spectators and critics alike, who did not hesitate to establish it as the new Game of Thrones – provoking the annoyance of the director in the process.
We discover a foreigner stranded with other survivors on the shores of a Japan plagued by power tensions. The question of interpretation and translation into languages that escape us makes everything as authentic as it is intense, but one question remains: did John Backthorne really exist?
Shogun: Did John Blackthorne really exist?
No, John Blackthorne did not really exist: author James Clavell invented the character for the purposes of his novel Shogun.
However, he did not rely on anything: the novelist was still inspired by a historical figure, namely William Adams, considered the first Englishman to have visited Japan.
William Adams was born in England in 1564, before quickly beginning his maritime career for various employers – notably the merchant navy and the army. It was precisely his knowledge of the sea and navigation that earned him the admiration of the Japanese, to the point of becoming the shogun’s confidant.
Who plays John Blackthorne in Shogun?
John Blackthorne is played by Cosmo Jarvis in the series Shogun.
The actor first gained attention in William Oldroyd’s The Young Lady in 2016. The drama was also a springboard for the career of another star, Florence Pugh. For his part, Jarvis then delivered an unforgettable performance as Douglas “Arm” Armstrong in Nick Rowland’s Shadow of Violence.
Cosmo Jarvis has also made short appearances in the series Peaky Blinders and Raised by Wolves, while he was most recently seen in the 2022 adaptation of Persuasion on Netflix.
Shogun is available on Disney+ in France.
Leave a Reply