Merrill Holmes

I’m a fan of the original series due to the quality of the Western actors that were involved (especially John Rhys-Davies & Damien Thomas), although the Japanese actors in the updated FX version are probably better overall than their 1980s counterparts (aside from Toshiro Mifune, who acted with authority as “the Badger” Tokugawa Iyeasu in the early series). I was concerned that the producers of this series would tamp down the nefarious role of the Jesuits in this era of Japan, but thankfully they have not done so. This version is far more bloody and sensational, but both series have their merits. Film production values and special effects have come a long way in 44 years, so we can’t just judge a series on those things.