New 'Shogun' series takes inspiration from history and explores beauty, politics of ancient Japan

HOLLYWOOD (KABC) -- "Shogun" started as a novel by James Clavell back in 1975 before becoming a top rated mini-series in 1980.

The iconic story is being revisited with a new FX and Hulu limited series. It explores the beauty, violence and politics of ancient Japan.

The series takes inspiration from history and explores the unlikely relationship that grows between a British navigator and one of Japan's five warlords as the country heads toward civil war.

Hiroyuki Sanada is not only one of the stars of "Shogun," he is also proud to be one of the producers.

"I wanted to introduce our culture to the world, correctly, for such a long time," said Sanada. "I could hire a Japanese crew who has experience with a Samurai drama, and each department had a consultant from Japan so we could try to make authentic as much as possible. It's kind of dreams come true for me, and after that, I felt freedom and could concentrate on my acting!"

Fellow producer Eriko Miyagawa said they hoped this new version could push the envelope of storytelling.

"Hopefully, people will be curious about stories that take place in a foreign land told through a different language," said Miyagawa. "It really felt like the right time to tell this story; it felt like the industry was ready, the audience was ready, the feeling of responsibility was there."

The first two episodes of "Shogun" debut Tuesday, Feb. 27 on FX and streaming on Hulu.