Shōgun is being called the new Game of Thrones, and it’s not hard to see why. Like GoT, Shōgun’s main point of intrigue is geo-political maneuvering between powerful lords of a strange land. The mechanics behind those maneuvers is what pulls various supporting characters into the web of schemes, manipulations, lies and betrayal, where we’re always kept guessing about everyone’s true motivations and ambitions.
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While Shōgun is getting compared to Game of Thrones it must be stated that James Clavell’s novel, the show it’s inspired (and the very real history that inspired the book) are operating at a level of complexity and subtlety than George R.R. Martin’s fantasy book series – and after four episodes of Shōgun that’s pretty clear in the way that some of the most pivotal characters on the gameboard are ones that hardly rouse any suspicion at all.
The first example is Muraji (Yasunari Takeshima). If you don’t even recognize the name, then Lord Yoshii Toranaga is certainly smiling. Muraji is the spy that Toranaga placed in the village of Ajiro, in the company of Lord Kashigi Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano).
If you haven’t noticed, it is Muraji who first spots John Blackthorne’s ship Erasmus off the coast of Ajiro, Japan, in the opening sequence of Shōgun’s first episode. It’s a key detail to note: it tells the careful viewer Just how far ahead of the game Toranaga really is. During the premiere episode, it is Muraji who is by Blackthorne’s side acting as his first interpreter and cultural guide (for as much good as it does), and later in the episode, it’s revealed to viewers that Muraji is the spy who is communicating with Toranaga through pigeon messages.
Like a good spy, Muraji has been playing the background throughout Shōgun – but never forget he’s there. Muraji clearly understands Portuguese (possibly more than he lets on); he’s also embedded within the Christian community, which is the crucial faction in this political war.
After Shōgun Episode 4 (which just aired at the time of writing this) it’s important to note that Muraji is once again in Ajiro when Blackthorne, Torunaga, and co. arrive. That means the spy (whose job it is to watch Yabushige and his people) is on hand, watching events (like the canon training) that ultimately spark war between Toranaga and Ishido. So like with the very start of the series: it’s likely Toranaga will know what’s happening in Ajiro before anyone knows that he knows. And in Shōgun, that could mean heads roll (to don’t).
As his official character bio indicates, Muraji is definitely a character in Shōgun you want to watch:
The well-respected headman of Ajiro Village, Muraji is a devout Christian, a hardworking fisherman, and a spy. With a mysterious and well-guarded past, Muraji is fiercely loyal to his lord and his village.
Keep your eyes open.
Shōgun streams new episodes on Tuesdays on Hulu.
