FX’s Shōgun takes place in feudal Japan – but is the historical drama limited series in English? Read on to find out!
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Is FX’s Shōgun in English?
Yes and no. Shōgun‘s co-lead Pilot-Major John Blackthorne and his crewmates speak English (as they’re from… England), whereas most of the show’s wider ensemble speaks Japanese (hardly surprising, given Shōgun‘s setting). Several characters – including Blackthorne, Toda Mariko, Vasco Rodrigues, and Father Martin Alvito – also speak Portuguese, however, their dialogue in these scenes is delivered in English. The same goes for all other non-Japanese lingo (for example, Spanish); it’s all in English.
The upshot of this is that Shōgun‘s story is told in English and Japanese (with English subtitles). So, unless you speak both languages, have your reading glasses ready before you boot up each new entry in the FX show’s 10-episode run. Otherwise, you’ll quickly wind up lost, as a decent chunk of Shōgun‘s dialogue comes via Japanese-speaking characters.
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John Blackthorne actor Cosmo Jarvis touched on this in a recent ComicBook.com interview, noting that the Shōgun cast’s own, real-life communication issues fueled their performances. “In the beginning, despite the language barrier that was prevalent in the beginning, it was a good thing to use to the advantage of the scenes… because that’s what they demanded,” Jarvis said. “So there was a lot of just communicating without using language, which was very useful.”
Related: Is FX’s Shōgun Based On a True Story?
Is There an English Dub of FX’s Shōgun?
Not a fan of subtitles? You’re in luck, as an English dub of Shōgun is available. There’s a catch, however: this version of Shōgun is only available on Hulu. So you’ll need access to that platform’s “FX on Hulu” portal to watch the show with its Japanese dialogue looped over in English.
That hurdle aside, selecting Shōgun‘s English dub is relatively straightforward. There’s even a clearly signposted sub-section on Hulu’s Shōgun listing dedicated solely to the all-English episodes. So once you’ve navigated to said section, press “play” on Shōgun‘s first installment, “Anjin,” sit back, and enjoy the series subtitle-free.
Shōgun is currently airing on FX, with new episodes dropping Tuesdays.
