Shogun made history at the 2024 Emmys by becoming the first majority non-English language series to win Best Drama Series. The historical epic set in feudal Japan took home a total of 18 Emmys, the most ever for a single season of television. Creator Justin Kondo accepted the award for Best Drama Series, delivering a speech that highlighted the show’s unique journey.
“You guys greenlit a very expensive Japanese period piece whose climax centers around a poetry competition,” he noted. Kondo emphasized that Shogun is “a show about translation, not what is lost, but what is found,” referring to the cultural nuances and complexities portrayed in the series. https://t.
co/9zXuCvGDa0 pic.twitter.com/EbimuTH8c8 He humorously mentioned the challenges of production, including conducting safety meetings in two languages and the importance of respecting Japanese traditions, like not walking on Tatami mats with utility boots.
Kondo then invited Hiroyuki Sanada to speak, who addressed the audience in Japanese. He thanked the entire production for their dedication to the samurai period drama, saying, “The passion and dreams we’ve inherited from you have crossed oceans and borders. Arigato gozaimasu.
” Sanada, who won the award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series, became the second-ever Asian winner in this category. Expressing his gratitude, he said, “I’m beyond honored. Thank you to FX, Hulu, and Disney for believing in me.
” He described Shogun as an “East meets We.