'Shōgun' Season 2 expands its cast with five new additions — here's what's next for the hit series
The renowned Emmy-winning show, 'Shōgun', recently roped in five new actors for Season 2, and the anticipation is off the charts. Set against the backdrop of feudal Japan, the iconic show introduced viewers to a world of conspiracy, tradition, and sacrifice. Based on the book of the same name by James Clavell, the historical drama ended on a cliffhanger with Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) set to take on the capital, with John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) by his side. With the news of Season 2's new casting, the wait for the show is getting harder than expected.
As 'Shōgun' gears up to begin filming its second season in Vancouver early next year, FX has announced a mix of new and returning cast members. New additions include Asami Mizukawa (Aya), Masataka Kubota (Hyūga), Sho Kaneta (Hidenobu), Takaaki Enoki (Lord Ito), and Jun Kunimura (Gōda), as per The Hollywood Reporter. Returning stars are Sanada, Jarvis, Fumi Nikaidô, Shinnosuke Abe, Hiroto Kanai, Yoriko Dôguchi, Tommy Bastow, Yuko Miyamoto, Eita Okuno, and Yuka Kouri.
According to FX, the second installment of 'Shōgun' is set "ten years after the events of the first season and continues the historically inspired saga of these two men from different worlds whose fates are inextricably entwined." Reportedly, earlier this year, 'Shōgun' co-creators and showrunners Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks completed the writers' room for the upcoming season, joined by Shannon Goss, Matt Lambert, Maegan Houang, Emily Yoshida, Caillin Puente, and Sofie Somoroff.
Returning directors Hiromi Kamata and Takeshi Fukunaga from Season 1 will helm new episodes alongside Marks, Anthony Byrne, and Kate Herron. Talking about the success of 'Shōgun', the show has been a winner among both critics and fans, earning the title of FX's most-watched show ever. The series went on to dominate the awards season with 18 Emmy nominations, including Best Drama Series.
Sanada also made history as the first Japanese actor to win the Emmy for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series, while Anna Sawai became the first actress of Asian descent to win Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Notably, before the Golden Globes 2025, Sanada told Esquire he was "relieved" by the show's success, explaining, "It's so hard to make a samurai drama in Japan now. It takes a lot of money and time to make it authentic, and the real Japanese samurai drama fans know best."