If you're like many of us and have actively been watching Shōgun, you've likely fallen even more in love with Todo Mariko, played by Anna Sawai, lately. Mariko has gotten to do some incredible fight scenes throughout the show's eight episodes, and Anna Sawai revealed which one her favorite was – and I agree.
For those who aren't caught up, the drama series Shōgun premiered in February 2024 to rave reviews from critics and plenty of people loving the story. From the fascinating authentic worldbuilding from the showrunners to the impressive, forbidden romantic tale of Mariko and John Blackthorne, Shōgun has captured the hearts of viewers.
Of course, there are bound to be plenty of fight scenes with any show like this. Lady Mariko, played by Anna Sawai, appears in several of them, either fighting herself or being part of the fight in other ways. When she spoke to CinemaBlend in promoting the new show, I asked her about her favorite fight scene to film.
I was impressed with the fight scene in Episode 9, titled "Chapter Nine: Crimson Sky," and Sawai agreed that it was her favorite to film, mainly because she felt so "powerful" during that moment:
Second to last scene, yeah – the one with the guards. I think I liked the whole concept of that fight, but also mentally I felt even though she's kind of – we see her fall. I felt so powerful shooting that scene.
For those who don't remember, the fight scene featured Lady Mariko attempting to leave Osaka Castle with the hostages that Ishido has been holding in defiance of Lord Toranaga. She was ordered to leave with them, but is refused due to her not obtaining a permit. This led to Ishido's forces fighting back and refusing to let her leave, leading to both her and her escorts engaging in battle.
She holds her own for a bit, but ultimately fails in her duty, signaling that she has been disgraced and will commit seppuku. While Mariko does lose, she doesn't back down from a fight; it's a huge reason why I loved it – and why Anna Sawai loved it as well:
I think it's because I knew the intent. I knew why she was doing it. She wasn't losing, even though it's not like she was killing these guys. And so that one was a very powerful scene for me.
There's so much to love about the new Shōgun miniseries, from the several plot twists it seems to drop every week without fail to the incredible backdrops of feudal Japan in the 1600s. But these fight scenes have truly stood out for me, and I can't wait to see how this ends for Lady Mariko.
There are so many great shows like Shōgun to check out, but with the last few episodes approaching, I have no doubt we will love every second of the FX series. I am sure I will miss the epic samurai battles, but I suppose I can check out the best samurai movies to do so.
Then again, I don't think anyone will ever compare to Lady Mariko—at least not for a long time.
