Shogun’s production values are high
The series has not shied away from a budget. That budget has been used well, bringing together an excellent production. If you’ve liked the production values of the likes of House of the Dragon and The Lord of the Rings series, then you’ll want to give this show a chance.
There has been plenty of time spent on costuming. There isn’t an expense spared when it comes to set design. And I can’t say enough about the quality of the items used, including the carriages and the swords.
The characters are rich
Too many times, there is a lot of focus put on the main characters. Then the rest of them are forgotten about or underserved. That’s not the case with Shogun. Each of the characters are well-written and are rich in personality. You can’t always see it at first as the Japanese tend to hold their emotions close to their chest but watch the facial expressions closely and you’ll get it.
There isn’t a “good” or “evil” character. We’re supposed to be against a certain side because of who is told as the protagonist, but the series does a great job of making every character flawed. There is still plenty of focus on the relationship and trust between Blackthorn and Toranaga, which is an important part of the story.