Emmys spotlight: Takehiro Hira is a commanding presence in ‘Shōgun’

James Clavell‘s 1975 historical novel of the same name is the basis for Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks‘ “Shōgun,” and it makes for exquisite television. Set at the end of the 16th century in Japan, the FX limited series follows several factions in the five Regents all vying for control and power. Intricate world-building and political machinations combine to make “Shōgun” the next “Game of Thrones.” What the two shows also have in common is a collection of superb performances from their extensive casts. Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai, and Cosmo Jarvis lead the way in the show’s leading performances but several supporting players could also be up for an Emmy nomination, including Takehiro Hira.

Hira plays Ishido Kazunari, a former peasant who has now become a powerful bushō (a warlord). Kazunari takes charge of one of the five Regents and is the main rival of Sanada’s Lord Yoshii Toranaga. Hira commands the screen to excellent effect, as noted by several critics.

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Mike Hale (New York Times) opined: “A number of the supporting players are also excellent, beginning with the Japanese film mainstay Tadanobu Asano as the scheming daimyo Yabushige and including Takehiro Hira as Ishido, Moeka Hoshi as Blackthorne’s consort and Tokuma Nishioka as Toranaga’s most loyal retainer.”

Matthew Simpson (Exclaim) observed: “Sanada is his usual, reliably good self, as is Takehiro Hira in his role as Toranaga’s chief rival Ishido, both men play the strong, stoic type with more going on in their eyes with great effect.”

Hira could be competing against his co-star with Tadanobu Asano for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor. However, that shouldn’t hurt either of their chances as Emmy voters are more than happy to nominate two or more actors from the same show in the same category. Indeed, for the past 12 years, there has been at least one show every year that earns nominations in this category for two or more of its actors.

Recent examples in this category include Young Mazino and Joseph Lee (“Beef”), Paul Walter Hauser and Ray Liotta (“Black Bird”), Jake Lacy, Steve Zahn, and Murray Bartlett (“The White Lotus”), and Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, and Anthony Ramos (“Hamilton”).

Plus, as the show’s chief antagonist, Hira could become the latest actor nominated in this category for a villainous turn. Bartlett (“Welcome to Chippendales”), Groff (“Hamilton”), David Thewlis (“Fargo”), Alexander Skarsgård (“Big Little Lies”), Finn Wittrock (“American Horror Story: Freak Show”), and James Cromwell (“American Horror Story: Asylum”) all earned citations for such roles. Emmy voters like a bit of darkness in this category.

We are also expecting “Shōgun” to be a major Emmys player this year. We are predicting it will be nominated for Best Drama Series, Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor for Sanada, Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress for Sawai, as well as plenty of below-the-line citations. Plus, Jarvis, Asano, Hira, and supporting actresses Hoshi and Fuki Nikaido could all also earn nominations. It would make sense, then, for at least one or two supporting players to be taken along for the ride with this powerhouse Emmys contender. This has happened plenty of times before in this category: Mazino and Lee (“Beef”), Walter Hauser and Liotta (“Black Bird”), Lacy and Zahn (“The White Lotus”), and Jovan Adepo and Louis Gossett Jr. (“Watchmen”).

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