Shogun: who are the acclaimed actors of the series?

2025 started off with a bang for the team of 'Shogun'. They were the biggest winners of the 2025 Golden Globes, on top of already having won 18 Emmy trophies last year.

'Shogun' is a historical drama TV series set in the 17th century in Japan. It is streamed on Disney+ and took the TV landscape by storm in 2024.  

Image: Disney

What's most interesting about 'Shogun' is not just its Japanese setting but also the fact that it is mostly in the Japanese language, reports AP News.

Image: Disney

The show is an adaptation of an American novel written by James Clavell in 1975. As TIME reports, the novel was closely true to its source material, the diaries of the historical figure William Adams. This man was not only the first Englishman in Japan but also the first one to be granted the title of a 'Samurai'.

It's not the first time that James Clavell's novel has been adapted into a series. Back in 1980, there was a drama miniseries produced by Paramount Television that was titled 'Shogun' as well, Vulture reminds us.

According to sources like Screenrant, the 2024 remake of 'Shogun' has been praised for being far better than the 1980 version. Critics have lauded its stellar cast, its unique narrative twist, and the way the story was portrayed!

'Shogun' has won many awards, including Emmys in 2024 and Golden Globes in 2025. Apart from the biggest TV award, the Globe for 'TV drama series' overall, individual actors also won prizes. Let's have a look at the cast and the awards each of them won at the gala.

For his role as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada won the 'Best TV Drama Actor' award for 'Shogun'. This was his second win for the same role, as he previously won in this category at the 2024 Emmys.

Hiroyuki Sanada is not a new face in Hollywood and English-speaking entertainment, as the actor previously starred in several big film hits such as 'Speed Racer', 'The Wolverine', and even other award-winning series such as HBO's 'Westworld'.

Tadanobu Asano plays Kashigi Yabushige. The Japanese actor won the award for 'Best Supporting Male Actor' at the 2025 Golden Globes. People magazine reports it was his first-ever Golden Globe nomination.

Although not as internationally recognizable as Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano is a powerhouse actor in his own right, especially so in his home country of Japan. There, he received several acting awards for his talent.

However, some might recognize Tadanobu Asano from international films such as '47 Ronin', and 'Mortal Kombat'.

Anna Sawai won the 'Best Television Female Actor' award at the 2025 Golden Globes for playing Toda Mariko in 'Shogun'. This was a win that made history for the New Zealander.

What many don't know about Anna Sawai is that the established actress was once a J-pop star. She was the vocalist of the J-pop girl group Faky up to 2018. This group disbanded in 2024.

Today, Anna Sawai is better known for her acting and has starred in works like 'Pachinko', and 'Ninja Assassin'. Her work in 'Pachinko' is another one to look out for, as the Apple TV+ series is also another critically acclaimed show to watch.

Interestingly, the same award won by Anna Sawai at the 2025 Golden Globes was won in the 1980s by Yoko Shimada. She played Toda Mariko in the 1980s rendition of 'Shogun', NBC notes. 

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