For FX’s adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 novel Shōgun , it was essential for series creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks to focus on authenticity in every department. “It was really important for Justin [Marks], the showrunner, to find someone who grew up in Japan, had an authentic Japanese experience, and also being female is actually kind of important for them to be able to tell the right story in the right way,” says editor Aika Miyake. Miyake worked alongside editor Maria Gonzales, who says the pair worked in tandem to piece together the series.
“We were on the show for a year and a half together, so during that time we became close collaborators. I needed Aika to help me out with Japanese, or at least I ran scenes by her to make sure I got the pacing right or that there weren’t any big language mistakes. So, we did rely on each other and built a friendship and a collaboration.
” “For me, authenticity when I think about it, comes from the experience of living in Japan,” says Miyake. “I remember how the forest sounds at night, so how can I recreate the feeling of being there by putting the sound designs in or cutting the shots together?” Shōgun takes place in the 17 th Century when British sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) ends up shipwrecked in Japan. He meets Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), one of five Regents ruling Japan, who sees Blackthorne as a means to tip the scales of power in his favor.
Blackthorne and Toranaga are two .