27 February 2024 , 12:01
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Disney+ has finally dropped Shōgun, the long-awaited samurai epic that fans have said is so “spectacular” it could already be the best show of the year. Available to stream now, the sprawling action-drama centres around a military leader in 17th-century Japan who fights for his life at the dawn of an era-defining civil war.
The 10-part series is adapted from James Clavell’s 1975 bestselling novel of the same name – itself a fictionalised version of historical events – which also spawned a 1980 US TV miniseries. It is told from the perspective of English sailor John Blackthorne, who rises from outsider to samurai while being used as a pawn in Lord Yoshii Toranaga’s struggle to reach the top of the ruling chain – or Shōgun.
The epic drama stars British Peaky Blinders actor Cosmo Jarvis alongside a decorated Japanese cast including John Wick: Chapter 4’s Hiroyuki Sanada and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters star Anna Sawai. It is loosely inspired by the true story of English navigator William Adams, the first Westerner to set foot in Japan who eventually became a samurai.
READ MORE:TV fans can get Disney+ for £1.99 a month with limited-time deal
Shōgun is available to stream now exclusively on Disney+, which TV lovers can join from just £1.99 a month with a new limited-time deal. This includes loads of hit shows like The Bear, Modern Family, superhero comedy Extraordinary and Sean Bean murder mystery Shardlake.
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Disney+ is also the home of Star Wars and offers the biggest films and shows like The Bad Batch and the upcoming Skeleton Crew and The Acolyte, plus the biggest and best Marvel content like Loki, The Marvels and X-Men ‘97. There’s no hidden cost with a monthly Disney+ subscription and it can be cancelled at any time, while customers can get the equivalent of two months free with an annual subscription.
But savvy shoppers can get Disney+ free for a year when buying the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+ or Ultra from Samsung, which also comes with Galaxy Buds2 Pro and a Galaxy SmartTag2, plus up to £370 discount with a trade-in. EE also offers Disney+ free for a year with the Galaxy S24, plus Apple TV+ free for six months and free Netflix when choosing a plan with an inclusive extra like the All Rounder, while O2 customers can claim six-months free with any pay-monthly SIM.
Shōgun earned stellar reviews from critics ahead of its launch and currently boasts a perfect 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. TIME Magazine hailed it as “a genuine masterpiece” while Variety said it is the “most transportive TV epic since Game of Thrones.”
Anna Sawai stars as mysterious translator Toda MarikoGeneral audiences have been just as complimentary since the series premiere on Tuesday (February 27), with some arguing it could already be the best series of 2024. Writing on X, @Overtheweb said: “So I watched Shōgun, wow, just wow. The first two [episodes] are unreal, brilliant TV.”
@BrownBearVK said: “Shōgun is absolutely spectacular. One of the best things to come out in a very long time – writing, directing, acting, production, everything is on point.”
@DanFoxAnimates said: “Cosmo Jarvis in Shōgun is very Tom Hardy. Which is totally fine by me. The cast is uniformly excellent. Fantastic opening episode.”
@overton_sam said: “Shōgun is the first mini series in a long time that’s got me excited weekly to watch. Holy moly is it good. It might be the best thing of 2024.”
@hello_jaime said: “I need 10 seasons of this.”
Click here to watch Shōgun on Disney+. Alternatively, a host of new films and shows are streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video and Apple TV+.
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