'Shogun' sweeps 76th Emmy awards

Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai won Emmy's for their performances in "Shogun."

Shogun, the television series that tells the spic story of a power struggle and the political intrigue in feudal Japan, won 18 Emmy's culminating in being named Outstanding Drama Series.

In addition, Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai were awarded best actor and best actress in a drama series for their lead roles in Shogun as Lord Yoshii Toranaga and Lady Toda Mariko. The 10-part series premiered on the FX network, streamed on Hulu and produced by Disney also won an Emmy for Frederick E.O. Toye for directing the bilingual series.

"This is to all the women who expect nothing and continue to be an example for everyone," said the emotional Sawai as she gave thanks.

Speaking of the Japanese and American crews and bicultural cast who worked on the project that took 10 years to bring to the screen, Sanada said, "And ‘Shōgun' taught me that when people work together, we can make miracles."

The rich, historical drama, based on James Clavell’s bestselling novel, earned 25 nominations in total and is only the second non-English language program to be nominated in the outstanding drama category. In addition to the four Emmy's won Sunday evening in Los Angeles, the series won 14 Emmy's awarded at the Creative Arts Emmys held a week earlier. The 18 total Emmys set a record for the most awards  given to a show in a single season.

The accolades heaped on Shogun at the Emmys and other awards shows, may be another signal of the changing attitudes in Hollywood in regards to Asian representation and non-English-language television.

FYI: The complete list of Emmy winners in 2024

Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada with their Emmy trophies.

It is the third year in a row in which a project featuring actors of Asian descent in lead roles winning Emmys. In 2022, the Korea's Squid Games won an Outstanding Actor Emmy for Lee Jung-jae, a director's Emmy for Hwang Dong-hyuk and came within a hair's breath of winning Best Drama Series but lost to Succession. The following year Steven Yeun and Ali Wong won best actors in a limited series for their lead roles in Beef.

The success of Shogun means there will be a second season and possibly a third season. The writers and producers are starting from scratch since the first season ended where Clavell's 1975 novel ended.

Following is a press release from FX:

“FX, Hulu and the Estate of James Clavell are working to extend the critically acclaimed global hit drama Shōgun, moving forward to develop the saga with two additional seasons of the drama series. The show’s key creative partners including co-creators, executive producers and writers Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, executive producer Michaela Clavell, and series star and producer Hiroyuki Sanada are on board for the development. Production timing has not been locked in, but a writers’ room is being assembled and will begin this summer.”

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