Crackerjack writing, phenomenal performances, great production design. Fantastic first season, excited to see where the show goes next.

This is certainly a well-made show with strong acting and beautiful cinematography. For some reason, I didn't love *love* it, and I can't place my finger on exactly why. Part of it is probably personal preference with me not exactly enjoying historical period pieces. But I also do think that the show doesn't always build up tension on a week to week basis (though some episodes end in cliffhangers), and the characters, outside of Anna Sawai's Mariko, aren't the most complex. That might ruffle a few feathers for fans of Cosmo Jarvis' Blackthorne or Yabushige, but while I think they aren't exactly 2-dimensional, they aren't at the level I expect from a show like this. Toronaga himself feels way too opaque to really claim any depth or arc either, though Hiroyuki Sanada's acting is well done. I also struggled a bit with the politicking, a lot of which the show wanted me to believe was very clever and intelligent but felt kind of simplistic. There are some cultural aspects that influence the decision-making, and it might be a disconnect with me there, but I still never felt amazed by the politics despite how much of a focus they play. Like I said at the start, the show is very well-executed, but I suspect it will not be something that stays close to me personally due to these few issues; however, the praise it is getting means it may work better for others, especially if they really enjoy period pieces or this setting.

I just arrived home from a four week trip to Japan, so this hits home a bit harder than it would otherwise. But damn… what a good show. It’s not perfect, but it deserves all the praise it got.

Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (9.0) Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (9.5) Acting ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (9.0) Directing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (9.5) ___________________________ Total ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (9.3)