Anna Sawai Addresses Clamor for Mariko's Return in Shogun Season 2
By
Manuel Demegillo
Published Sep 24, 2024
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Mariko Shogun-1
Mariko may have died toward the end of Shogun, but the character survives in fan theories over her continuing storyline. Anna Sawai acknowledged the mounting support but reiterated her stance on Mariko's completed arc.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Shogun star Anna Sawai said she's still processing her breakout win at the Emmy Awards. The actor is the first Asian woman to win Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Emmys; she admitted being so overwhelmed by the recognition that she wept during her acceptance remark. "I think it was just wanting it for the team and being so proud, but also not knowing if the nominees were going to win," she recalled. "And it's not about winning or anything, but I guess because it was my first Emmys, I was just like, oh my God. I'm so nervous. I want this for everyone." Her character Mariko has also become such a fan-favorite that it fueled hopes of a return despite her death in Episode 9.
Mariko, Usami, and John Shogun
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When asked about plans for Mariko's continuing arc in Shogun Season 2, Sawai confirmed she heard theories that would have worked as the show's plot twist. "People always joke about it," she said. "They're like, 'You can be a ghost, or the evil twin sister.'"
You can be a ghost, or the evil twin sister.
These might seem the best ways to reintroduce her character; the Dexter shows leveraged this narrative device with Harry and Debra Morgan's "ghosts." The long-lost sibling storyline has also worked in TV shows like Nip/Tuck and Pretty Little Liars. However, Sawai was adamant that Shogun commit to Mariko's death in Season 1. Showrunners Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks asserted they aimed to be faithful to James Clavell's novel, but Shogun will now tread story beyond the novel. They've yet to address Mariko's return (if ever) amidst mounting support from fans.
'I Wouldn't Try To Bring Her Back'
Sawai doesn't want to reprise Mariko in the next season of Shogun. "...Honestly, if it were up to me, I wouldn't try to bring her back," she asserted. "Why ruin something that was so perfect? If we force it into the material, it's going to feel like that. People die and life goes on. For them to move on and see what happens to Toranaga and Blackthorne, I'm excited for that." The ending of Shogun Season 1 did tease that the story is expanding for Toranaga (played by Hiroyuki Sanada) and Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis). Kondo and Marks also shot multiple endings for Season 1, confirming there were alternate arcs for key characters in the show.
Shogun
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The showrunners of Shogun recently shared that they know the show will wrap up.
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Sawai was previously more open about Mariko's return, even though she firmly believed Season 1 was as far as her character could go. "I don't know. I mean, I love the show. I love the creators. So it would be a dream if they ever called me back. But you know, like her story does end. I think it's perfect the way it is. So, I'm not expecting anything," she told The Direct. The showrunners asserted their priority is to fulfill the title of the show, which based Toranaga on the real-life shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Sanada said there's plenty of history to adapt for Toranaga and Blackthorne's Season 2 storylines.
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