Interview: Tadanobu Asano on Bringing Depth to Kashigi Yabushige in FX’s ‘Shōgun’ and His First Emmy Nomination

The FX series Shōgun has emerged as a powerhouse in this year’s Emmy race, earning a remarkable 25 nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series. The show also secured first-time acting nods for its stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai. Adapted from James Clavell’s iconic novel, Shōgun offers a gripping look at 17th-century Japan, weaving a tale of political power, cultural clashes, and personal ambition. Central to the series is Tadanobu Asano’s portrayal of Kashigi Yabushige, a complex character who oscillates between loyalty and ruthless ambition.

In my conversation with Asano—conducted with the help of a translator—the actor shared his journey from independent films to blockbuster hits and discussed how his character Yabushige represents both the traditional values and moral dilemmas of the era. Asano, celebrated for his diverse career in both Japanese and international cinema, brings a nuanced performance to Shōgun that has resonated globally. His portrayal of Yabushige captures the tension between duty and personal conflict, making the character one of the most compelling figures in the series.

Asano’s ability to balance historical authenticity with a unique interpretation has elevated Shōgun into a must-watch drama. The series not only showcases Japanese culture but also breaks new ground for international storytelling, receiving widespread acclaim. Asano’s first Emmy nomination, alongside those of his co-stars, marks a significant achievement for Japanese-language productions in global media, underscoring Shōgun as a defining series of the year.

Landon Johnson: It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you. Shōgun has received significant acclaim since its release, and congratulations on your Emmy nomination!

Tadanobu Asano: Thank you so much. Thank you very much.

LJ: Absolutely. What does it mean to you to be part of a series that has resonated with audiences from Japan and all around the world?

TA: I feel like I have finally come here after a long journey. The reason for why I said it’s a long journey is, going back when I was 19, I started performing. I remember being in the same form as Sanada. And then of course, Sanada went over to US and of course, I also had an opportunity to be in the same phone with him. So long, long journey has finally got to where we are is the impression I have now. And also, through my movement so that the people outside Japan can fully understand. Some places I would do it, but it has to be quite subtle. When I find out that the audience outside of Japan could kind of understood what kind of character it was, I understood from their reaction that they get it. I was very happy that I was able to do that, as I intended to do.

LJ: The Emmy nomination shows that you nailed it. You have had a diverse career, from independent films to Hollywood blockbusters. How does your experience on Shōgun compare to your earlier roles?

TA: Of course, if you think of the scale of this production as well as the kinds of activities and advertisement activity that’s happened after release, of course, you could say the scale is different. But if you think of myself as an actor, acting in front of the camera when the shooting start, the basic things that I do probably really is not much different except for maybe the camera that they use, or the device that they use could be different because of the difference of the budget. But I think the fundamental acting part in front of the camera is probably not much different, which means that all the experience that I have been building up until now has been fully utilized. I can put everything into this production as a result of my experience, but the basic is the same.

LJ: Shōgun is set in a fascinating historical period. How did you balance historical accuracy with your own interpretation of the character?

TA: I could probably use Yabushige’s real character as the reason why I have been able to keep a good balance, because of course, generally speaking, he seemed to be a bad guy. But I think when you think about it, when you try to understand him in person, he has a very genuine, honest part. I think as a result of that, people can easily see him as a bad guy. But I think because of that purity, because of that honest element of his character, I try to behave as if he’s just a normal person. And then also, what I try to do is to do the opposite of what those people of that time would have behaved. Meaning that people of… If you were to see in the Japanese period piece, a person of like that would normally behave that way. I try to do the complete opposite of what is expected of the behavior coming from that kind of person. So, from that perspective, I think Yabushige’s character really helped me in creating my role.

LJ: That’s so interesting—a true testament to your talent. What does the Emmy nomination mean to you, especially given your extensive career in both Japanese and international cinema?

TA: First of all, thank you very much for your comment. But at the same time, I feel like it’s a time we are living in this era where this sort of thing can happen. I feel very lucky and fortunate that I’m able to be able to be an acting in the current time. Because if you were to imagine 10 years before, if you were to be acting in Japanese language in the Japanese production, it could probably would not be happening that any actors in that kind of production could possibly be nominated for Emmy. So, I think that is one thing, recognizing I’m lucky. But at the same time, having this kind of opportunity is telling me that you have come here, you have to realize that you have come all the way. And then in a way, I think this nomination for Emmy is really pushing me forward because I also have to recognize myself that I’m also being nominated for Emmy. So, there are two aspects. One is about myself feeling lucky, but at the same time, I have to realize that I’m here where I’m standing, and I have to see the weight and the meaning of the nomination for the Emmy.

LJ: The show is rooted in Japanese culture and history. How important is it for you to share and represent this part of your heritage with a global audience?

TA: Right. So, in comparison to the past people, because of the internet, they have a much easier opportunity to be able to find out the countries outside of your country, whether it’s the history or the culture. You could possibly feel that those histories or the people could be much closer to you than the time before. So, for the audience who had an opportunity to watch Shogun, of course, will be able to feel what’s happening in Japan. But at the same time, for me, after being in this production, I feel like maybe there are similar things happening in other country in a different format. So, people might think that “Well, this is not all that different because similar things is also happening in our country too.” If people are able to feel that sort of similarity or closeness, that would be great. At the same time, I myself had a great learning through my experience of being Yabushige. He is extremely pure and honest. Of course, he makes mistake and not everything that he has done is right. But at the same time, I feel that sometimes you have to have a courage to be who you are. And then you have to have a courage to be very honest to what you think. I also feel that if audience can feel that that’s also great.

LJ:  What messages or themes do you hope viewers take away from Shōgun, especially from your character’s journey?

TA: So, I think there is a huge amount of learning that we are able to gain by watching films and drama. I think as an actor, I always learn a lot by playing the character. Of course, Yabushige is a character that people think he is to be a bad person. But because of the reason, I wanted to make sure that I play his character in a very normal way. Simply because I don’t want to lose what he has inside of him. What I mean by that is that no matter what kind of person you are, there is something that he is battling or maybe there is an issue that he’s trying to overcome. For the audience who are living in the current world, if they were to watch this period piece, I want them to feel that maybe things are probably the same. They also had a problem just like we had a problem. I think myself as an actor being completely immersed in his character, I feel like I’m just like him. As I was playing, I always was feeling that way too. But the audience too, if they could feel that they are just like any one of you, just living in a different time and era. But I think if they are able to understand that part, things would be different. People would not be seeing him as just any other bad person. But I think just like any one of us who also has a problem, and I think if that can be shared, I think that’s quite important for me.

LJ:  Looking back on your career, what roles or projects do you feel most connected to, and how does Shōgun fit into that?

TA: Of course, it will be very difficult for me to say that a certain character is just like me. It wouldn’t happen. But I think if I were to look back all my career, all the character that I have played, I feel like the Yabushige’s character really perfectly fits me.

LJ: Congratulations again on your first Emmy nomination. We’ll be cheering you on Emmy night!

TA: Thank you so much.

Tadanobu Asano is Emmy-nominated in the category Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Shōgun where he submitted the episode “Anjin.”