Shōgun is currently streaming in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Hulu, and it earns its set pieces rather than just delivering them. A single, tightly-focused season means there is plenty to get through without ever feeling padded. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Hiroyuki Sanada is the obvious draw, but the supporting cast gives the action its context. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason Shōgun keeps coming up in conversation. The set pieces are impressive, but it is the story underneath them that gives Shōgun its staying power. In Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war, Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village. Hiroyuki Sanada and Cosmo Jarvis lead a cast that gives the action real stakes. Shōgun premiered in 2024. The geography of every set piece in Shōgun is legible, which is rarer in the genre than it should be. The consistency throughout is what elevates it — not every moment is the best, but none of them are a reason to stop watching.

Shōgun is the kind of thing you put on to unwind and find yourself sitting forward twenty minutes in. Viewers who responded to Parade's End will find a lot to like here too. A contained run means every episode is doing real work. Hiroyuki Sanada anchors the chaos with real screen presence. Every set piece here is doing more than one job at once.

Shōgun is currently airing new episodes, created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks — so there's no better time to catch up before the story moves forward. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.