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Knuckles
The Sonic spinoff blends explosive adventure and road-trip-buddy-comedy into a fun romp for both kids and diehard fans.
In the year 1600, Japan is a shining gem that everyone desires.
From within, that desire can lead to complex, and cruel, machinations. For centuries, the island had been typically ruled by a shogun—a military leader who runs Japan in the emperor’s name. But the most recent shogun is dead, leaving Japan in the hands of a shogunate regent council that moves people and armies around like pieces in a strategic game. The council’s five lords would publicly say they are dutifully serving only to protect the former shogun’s young heir until he is old enough to rule. But privately … well, power has its own sweet allure to someone with self-serving ambitions. Lord Ishido Kaznari, who rules the region of Osaka, is one such man. He wields complex feudal politics with a bludgeoning hand. And in this supposed council of equals, Ishido—through strength and cunning—aims to be a king in his own right, not a placeholder.
From without, Japan is seen as a place of beauty and brutality. But more importantly, it’s a font of riches. For years, the Portuguese have had the upper hand on that score. They discovered the island nation, proselytized it for the Catholic Church and reaped the benefit of silk and gold trade routes. They’ve also kept Japan hidden safely away from the eyes of the rest of the world.
But that greedy world has been searching.
And Englishman John Blackthorne has found it.
John and his fellows began their journey on the other side of the world with five large ships and a crew of 500. But, two years later, plagued by sea perils, scurvy and starvation, John and only a handful of emaciated sailors arrive at their destination. These men hold on to but a thin thread of life as their ship—broken and tattered—drifts lifelessly to the Japanese shore.
The mission these Protestant men were originally given was to find the mysterious land and wrest it from Catholic control. But now their goal is simply to survive. And even that is no easy task in a land so foreign that its customs and language are nearly indecipherable. The sailors, all filthy, ill-mannered and wild, are quickly imprisoned. And the ship’s pilot, John, is dubbed as the de facto leader who must step forth to try and save their lives.
Portuguese leaders want the Englishmen killed. The Catholic priests want them hung. And many of the Japanese lords want them boiled alive.
Lord Toranaga, however, is very interested in this group of barbarians that have washed up on his fiefdom’s shores. He himself is currently beset on all sides by jealous and ambitious rivals. Truth be told, Toranaga—a member of the regent council—
is the only lord in the kingdom with enough honor and spine to spurn the lure of power and stand up to the regent Ishido. And he sees something in this John Blackthorne man.
Perhaps he sees a shadow of his own wisdom and calculating determination in the rough-edged savage. Perhaps it is the information of war and world affairs that the Englishman can impart. Perhaps it is the fact that this Anjin, or pilot, can navigate fierce waters and control a large English ship with 20 cannon and 200 muskets. Whatever his reasons, the powerful lord decides that John Blackthorne will be a useful pawn.
Toranaga assigns Lady Mariko—who learned Portugues from the Catholic priests—as a trusted translator. She’s graceful and wise. She’s also a devoted Catholic herself. And John finds himself drawn to this faithful and honest woman in unexpected ways.
So now, from within and without, the many players and pieces are set. The plots and ploys are beginning to unfold. And Japan is the prize.
James Clavell’s 1975 novel Shōgun was originally adapted for TV in a 1980 miniseries that spanned five episodes and earned quite a few accolades. But those who remember that version from four decades ago will note some major differences in FX’s new 10-episode limited series. For one thing, the perspective has shifted dramatically.
The novel and the 1980 miniseries tended to focus most of their dramatic attention on the English interloper, John Blackthorne, as he encountered an exotic and foreign culture that he had to adapt to. This new version, however, is much more about the internal struggles of feudal Japan as a whole. And though Blackthorne is still central to the story, Lord Yoshii Toranaga tends to be the driving protagonist. We see much of the action through his eyes as the power and political struggles of the surrounding world take place.
There’s also considerably more Japanese (with English subtitles) being spoken and used to move this story forward. This lends a compelling texture and realism to the well-crafted epic adventure. In fact, from its very first frame, this show is incredibly well defined, visually appealing, and immersive. And early episodes wink at the idea that the story may hold a number of new and yet unrevealed elements.
Show descriptions, for instance, describe Blackthorne’s interpreter, Lady Mariko, as a “beautiful samurai,” a distinctive change from other versions of the character. (In the early episodes we haven’t seen those samurai skills on display, but the trailer suggests we will.)
For all of those interesting shifts, however, there are also some less laudable elements in this new version of the series.
For one thing, the language can at times be incredibly foul—rife with uses of f- and s-words and a cavalcade of other crudities. Sexuality is more crassly on display as well. In the very first episode, for instance, a popular Japanese courtesan exposes her breasts and performs a sexual act (just off camera) on someone for the leering sexual entertainment of her overlord employer.
Then there’s Shōgun’s violence. Even at these early stages of the show, we’ve seen some shockingly brutal moments. Swordplay and bloody stabbings may be expected, but spurting decapitations and the sight of a man being boiled alive—his parboiled skin sagging off his screaming body—is a step beyond.
The fact is that, from a Western perspective, there are many exotic and beautiful things about ancient Japan. And FX’s Shōgun effectively puts many of those on display. But like a katana sword—that wonder of craftsmanship and beauty—this show has a vicious edge.
After two years at sea, John Blackthorne and his barely alive crew make it to the sought after, hidden land of Japan. Their weathered ship is confiscated, and they are imprisoned. John is made the de facto spokesperson for the scurvy-afflicted survivors. But all his attempts to communicate are beaten to the ground. Finally, a Catholic Priest is called into interpret for the Japanese lord. But recognizing John as an Englishman, he lies and says he’s a pirate, demanding that he be killed. The lord, however, says the priest can choose one of the others to kill. And they have a crewmate boiled alive.
Meanwhile, Lord Toranago is being threatened by his shogun regent council peers. While being kept prisoner at regent Ishiro’s Osaka Castle, Toranaga works on finding a way to disrupt Ishiro’s plans to push the other regents to follow his lead. Toranaga sends out his loyal general to look into the English ship and its crew. An underling of Toranaga speaks out in his lord’s defense at Osaka castle. But because of his outburst, he is compelled to commit seppuku and kill his son as well, ending his bloodline. We see the son taken behind a screen but don’t see either of them killed.
While John is being transported to an audience with Toranaga, a great storm nearly capsizes the Japanese boat that he and his captors are in. John is freed from his bonds and works to save himself and the others.
In the course of events, we see the crewmembers doused with a large pail of bloody offal. A man is beaten down and urinated on. A woman threatens to slice her own throat with a large blade. A man’s head is lopped off with a sword; blood splashes as it falls to the ground. As mentioned above, a screaming man is boiled alive and ultimately bashes out his own brains in the agony. Someone falls from a great distance while trying to rescue a drowning man. Both men are bloodied but eventually rescued.
A paid courtesan exposes her breasts and participates in a sexual act (off camera) while staring lustfully at her appreciative overlord. There are several sexualized discussions using crude terms. After being bathed, John stands up fully naked with his back to the camera. We then see him from the front as he covers his crotch. Several Japanese Catholics cross themselves while holding up a crucifix. One woman pleads with God to forgive her. Catholic priests purposely lie in an attempt to have John killed. We hear a number of f- and s-words in the dialogue along with uses of the words, “a–” “b–tard” “d–n” “whore,” “b–ch,” “turd” and misused of God’s name.
We flash back to a year before when the Shōgun, Taiko, is on his death bed. He notes that “soon I will be reborn in the pure land.” But a Catholic priest notes that if “he doesn’t receive the sacrament, he’ll be lost to God’s kingdom.” The Shōgun’s pregnant concubine spits out: “Or maybe God’s kingdom is up your a–.” We see the Council of Regents established to help protect the passing Shogun’s son and heir.
Meanwhile, back in the present, Portuguese officials and Catholic priests discuss how to “take care of” John Blackthorne and all the potentially dangerous information he holds. Regent Ishiro meets with a Japanese Catholic and asks: “I wonder if you would be as dedicated to this God if it were not for the riches its priests heap upon you.” It’s implied that one of the regents is in cahoots with some duplicitous Portuguese leaders. John meets with Toranaga and, with Mariko’s translation help, defines what the world at large looks like outside the borders of Japan. He tells him of the war between England and Portugal. He also reveals that not only do the Portuguese have a secret base set up in nearby Macau, but they have orders to eventually replace unbelieving governments with Catholic rulers.
An assassin is dispatched by one of the regents to kill John. But while carving a path of blood through a large group of people in Toranaga’s quarters, the female assassin has her throat slashed by Toranaga’s blade. We see that Toranaga has a concubine who’s pregnant with his child.
A prisoner is executed, his head chopped off. A group of bandits attack John’s captors, and they are then killed in turn. Men are shot with arrows, stabbed and slashed, spilling blood profusely. An assassin slashes the throats of men and women. She stabs several in the back of the neck. Blood splashes the scenery liberally. After being stopped, she falls to the ground and bleeds out in a large pool of blood. Mariko prays. John prays for forgiveness, as well, when he believes that his life is about to end.
We hear uses of f- and s-words and other crudities such as “b–tard,” “a–” and “c–ks–king.”
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
The Sonic spinoff blends explosive adventure and road-trip-buddy-comedy into a fun romp for both kids and diehard fans.
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