Shogunand other books from James Clavell´s

[Takhisis]

Hhhmm... well, I´ve been reading, more or less recently, some of the books in the saga, but, for more historical accuracy:
which are the real names of the characters involved?
So far I´ve guessed that -of course- Toranaga is Tokugawa Ieyasu; Goroda is Oda Nobunaga; and the Taiko (whatever his name is) is Hideyoshi, and his son, Yaemon, is Hideyori. Can anybosdy tell me who the others are?

 

[pawpaw]

Richard Chamberlains Pilot major Blackthrone is based on English pilot william Adams who led a Dutch fleet into the pacific and wrecked off Japan in 1600. He lived out his life there.

 

[Serutan]

Ishido = Ishida, whom Iyeasu defeated at Sekigahara.

 

[blackheart]

Ironically, I was reading about this on wiki yesterday. The book is based on true events. I haven't read the book though, just watched the mini-series.

 

[joycem10]

Its a great book, but a long read. Dont remember the exact page count, but it was up there.

 

[thetrooper]

A great read indeed, some 1000 pages for the Norwegian translation I've read IIRC. I have a DVD-box of the mini-series broadcasted back in the 80s too.

The only connection I know is Toranaga-Tokugawa. That said; my intention when reading the book/watching the series was not to gain any historical knowledge.

 

[Rambuchan]

The page counts of these books may well be up there but this is what makes them all the more impressive imo. Clavell weaves together so many character and plot lines in each book and then links them throughout this series of sagas. It's highly detailed and well thought out, serious work!

 

[joycem10]

I picked up Noble House at a used book store for a couple of bucks last week. Its intimidating, but I thought the same thing about Shogun before I started.

 

[pawpaw]

I have a DVD-box of the mini-series broadcasted back in the 80s too.

As do I

King Rat is a decent movie, haven't read the book.

 

[Rambuchan]

Speaking of King Rat and Noble House. There is a character (Lt. Robin Grey) who appears as a POW camp officer in King Rat (and becomes an arch enemy of the protagonist, Peter Marlowe) and then as a young Labour MP in Noble House. Is this character based on anyone real? I get the feeling he is.

 

[thetrooper]

As do I

Did you look at the bonus/background material (I didn't)? Could be interesting for the thread starter...

 

[Kafka2]

If you liked "Shogun" let me recommend "Samurai William" by Giles Morton. It's the true story of William Adams, the real Blackthorne.

 

[Takhisis]

"Samurai William"? Never even heard of it.
Does anybody know at least who the other three regents were?

 

[7ronin]

Many years ago I asked James Clavell why he chose to give the characters in Shogun fictional names rather than their real ones. He said that it was because the book was fiction. Perhaps he felt that by divorcing himself from history he was able to create a better story. Anyway,

Here is a Shogun who's who:

Aakechi Jinsai = Akechi Mitsuhide
Father Martin Alvito = Joao Rodrigues, S.J.
Beppu Genzaemon = Hojo Ujimasa
John Blackthorne = William Adams
Friar Braganza = St. Pedro Bautista
[Toda] Buntaro = Hosokawa Tadaoki
Alban Caradoc = Nicholsa Diggins
Chano-Tsubone = Saigo-no-Tsubone
[Yoshi] Chikitada = Kiyoyasu
Chimmoko = fictional
Father Carlo Dell'Aqua = Allessandro Valignano, S.J.
Father Domingo = fictional
Elizabeth = Deliverance
Felicity = probably Mary or Elizabeth
[Usagi] Fujiko = fictional
Fujimoto (a Samurai clan) = Fujiwara
Lady Genjiko = Asai Ogo
Emperor Go Nijo = Emperor Go Yozei
Goroda = Oda Nobunaga
Harima Tadao = Arima Harunobu
[Toda] Hiramatsu = Hosokawa Fujitgaka
Ikawa Tadazuki = Imagawa Yoshimoto
Ishido Kazunari = Ishida Mitsunari
[Ikawa] Jikkyu = fictional
Kiku = fictional
Kiritsubo-noh-Toshiko = Acha-no-Tsubone
Lord Kiyama = Konishi Yukinaga (Konishi was not one of the regeants)
[Toda] Mariko = Hosokawa Gracia
Brogther Michael = Chijawa Seizaemon
Minuki = fictional
Minowara (an ancient military clan) = the Minamoto
Mura = fictional (mura means village and is not a name)
Naga = Tokugawa Tadayoshi
Nakamura = Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Noboru = Tokugawa Hideyasu
Nobunaga = Tokugawa Nobuyasu
Lady Ochiba = Asai Chacha
[Kasigi] Omi = fictional
Lord Onishi =composite of Konishi Yukinaga and Otani Yohorsehockeysugu
Vasco Rodrigues = fictional
Saruji = Hosokawa Tadatoshi
Lady Suzuko = O-Kane
Father Sebastio = unidentified
Sen-no-Nakada = Sen-no-Rikyu
Paulus Spillbergen = Jacob Quaeckernaeck
Sudara = Tokugawa Hidetada
Lord Sugiyama = Maeda Toshiie
Lady Tachibana = Lady Tsukiyama
Tadatgeru = Tokugawa Tadateru
Takashima (an ancient military clan) = the Taira
[Yoshi] Toranaga = Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tudor = fictional (no son is named in Blackthorne's will)
Uraga-noh-Tadamasa = Chijiwa Seizaemon
Usagi = fictional
[Kasigi] Yabu = fictional
Yaemon = Toyotomi Hideyori
Lady Yodoko = Nene
Captain Yoshinaka = fictional
[Saigawa] Zataki = no apparent model

 

[jonatas]

7ronin, did you hang with James Clavell?

 

[7ronin]

7ronin, did you hang with James Clavell?

Hanging is stretching it a little. I met him and we had a brief correspondence.

 

[jonatas]

Hanging is stretching it a little. I met him and we had a brief correspondence.

Too bad, I had pictured you two gambling/drinking at a seedy Macau casino with questionable characters etc... That's quite a character list you have assembled though.

 

[7ronin]

Too bad, I had pictured you two gambling/drinking at a seedy Macau casino with questionable characters etc... That's quite a character list you have assembled though.

I must confess that when it comes to the list that I stand on the shoulders of giants. At one time you could actually take a college course on Shogun. As for seedy Asian hangouts , I've been in a few but not with anybody famous.

 

[thetrooper]

I'm glad to hear that 'Vasco Rodrigues' is a fictional character. The most annoying character in the movie.

 

[7ronin]

What happened to our hostess?