‘Shōgun’: What to know about the Emmys juggernaut

“Shōgun” is reigning supreme on TV.
The FX series, a historical drama set in feudal Japan, which also streamed on Hulu, went into the 76th Emmy Awards with the most nominations of any other show this year with 25 nods, walking away with more wins than any other show with 18 trophies between the Creative Arts Emmys and Primetime Emmy Award ceremonies.
Here’s everything you need to know about “Shōgun” from its standout night at the Emmys to how to stream it.
“Shōgun,” based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell, won the top prizes of the night at the 76th Emmy Awards, taking home outstanding drama series and outstanding directing for a drama series.
Two of its stars also won Emmy gold Sunday night, with Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai winning for outstanding lead actor in a drama series and outstanding lead actress in a drama series, respectively.
The bulk of the show’s Emmy wins — 14, in fact — were received at the Creative Arts Emmys, which took place the weekend prior to the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Among those wins was a gold statuette for another cast member, Néstor Carbonell, who won in the outstanding guest actor in a drama series category.
Sanada, in his acceptance speech, called “Shōgun” an “East meets West dream project” and shared what working on the project — both as an actor and producer — taught him.
“When people work together, we can make miracles,” he said. “We can create a better future together.”
Sawai gave a tearful acceptance speech in which she thanked her co-stars and gave a sweet shoutout to her mom.
“Mom, I love you. You are the reason I’m here. You showed me stoicism, and that’s how I was able to portray Mariko,” she said of her character, going on to dedicate her win to “all the women who expect nothing and continue to be an example for everyone.”
The 1980 miniseries “Shōgun,” which aired an episode a night for five nights in a row, garnered 14 total Emmy nominations and won three awards at the 1981 ceremony.
It won outstanding limited series as well as outstanding costume design for a series and outstanding graphic design and title sequences.
Three of the miniseries’ nominations included acting nods for Toshiro Mifune, Yoko Shimada and John Rhys-Davies for the same roles played in the 2024 series by Sanada, Sawai and Carbonell, respectively.
The complete first season of “Shōgun,” which aired 10 episodes between February and April 2024, is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
Though “Shōgun” was originally billed as a limited series, the success of the new incarnation — even before the Emmys, from critics and fans alike — led FX to announce in May that it was working to “develop the saga with two additional seasons.”
The 76th Emmy Awards are now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
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