If you’re like many of us and actively watch Shōgun, you’ve probably fallen in love with Todo Mariko, played by Anna Sawai, even more lately. Mariko was able to pull off some amazing combat scenes in all 8 episodes of the show, and Anna Sawai revealed which one was her favorite and I agree.
For those in the know, the drama series Shōgun premiered in February 2024 and garnered rave reviews from critics and many other people who love the story. From the showrunners’ desirable original world-building to Mariko and John Blackthorne’s stunning, forbidden romance. In this story, Shōgun has captured the hearts of viewers.
Of course, there are likely to be a lot of combat scenes in a series like this. Lady Mariko, played by Anna Sawai, appears in several of them, either fighting herself or in combat in some other way. When he spoke to CinemaBlend to announce the new series, I asked him about his favorite combat scene to film.
I was inspired by the combat scene in episode 9, titled “Chapter Nine: Crimson Sky,” and Sawai agreed that it was her favorite movie, basically because she felt so “powerful” at the time:
Penultimate scene, yes, that of the guards. I think I liked the whole concept of this fight, but also mentally, I felt even though she, in a way, we see her fall. I felt really hard filming that scene.
For those who don’t remember, the fight scene showed Lady Mariko attempting to leave Osaka Castle with the hostages that Ishido was holding in defiance of Lord Toranaga. She ordered to go with them, but refused because she had not received a permit. led Ishido’s forces to counterattack and refuse to let her go, prompting her and her escorts to engage in battle.
She stands her ground for a while, but fails to do her duty, indicating that she has been disgraced and will dedicate seppuku. Even if Mariko loses, she doesn’t shy away from a fight; That’s one of the main reasons why I enjoyed it and why Anna Sawai liked it too:
I think it’s because I knew the intention. I knew why he did that. She’s not losing, although it’s not like she’s killing those guys. And that was a very difficult scene for me.
Hiroyuki Sanada explained why he plays the role of Toranaga and that makes me love the character even more.
There’s a lot to love about the new Shōgun miniseries, from the many twists and turns that happen every week without fail to the incredible settings of feudal Japan in the 17th century. But the fight scenes stayed with me, and I can’t wait to see how it all ends for Lady Mariko.
There are so many wonderful Shōgun-like exhibits to see, but as we get closer to the final episodes, I’m sure we’ll love each and every moment of the FX series. I’m sure I will. I miss epic samurai battles, but I guess I can watch the most productive samurai videos to do it.
Then again, I don’t think anyone can compare to Lady Mariko, at least not for long.
Alexandra Ramos, self-proclaimed nerd and Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire lover, is a content producer at CinemaBlend. She began working in December 2020 as a freelance editor after graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in English. She basically works on feature films for cinema, television and video games. (Please don’t debate her on The Last of Us 2, she was amazing!) She is also the primary user who manages our daily newsletter. , The CinemaBlend Daily and our ReelBlend newsletter.
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