Critics are hailing FX's 'Shōgun' as the next 'Game of Thrones'

• FX's "Shōgun" is a historical drama set in turn of the century 1600s Japan.
• The show, which premiered Tuesday, has gotten positive reviews from critics.

FX's "Shogun" may be the next great, transportive historical epic — at least, according to critics.

The 10-episode series premiered Tuesday on FX and Hulu, and Disney+ in the United Kingdom. An adaptation of James Clavell's 1975 novel, it's a fresh take on material that was first adapted for television in 1980.

"Shōgun," created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, takes place at the turn of the 17th century in Japan. The death of the Taiko (the effective leader) creates a vitriolic political environment: Given that his only heir is still underage, the Taiko assembled a Council of Regents to rule in his stead. Those regents, however, aren't a perfectly aligned unit — and when English pilot John Blackthorne washes ashore, he becomes a tool in the arsenal of Lord Yoshii Toranaga, one of the members of the council and the lord of the Kanto region.

Critics have praised the series, citing its immersive setting, fresh take on Clavell's novel, and cast performances. Many have compared it to the scope of "Game of Thrones," a television zenith that many shows have tried — and mostly failed — to reach over the course of the past decade.

Here's what reviews of the show have been saying.

Critics compared 'Shōgun' to 'Game of Thrones'

Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall wrote that "Shōgun" "operates on a scale much closer to 'Game of Thrones' than to anything FX has done in the past with shows like 'The Americans' or 'The Bear,' and functions well as both ripping yarn and sociological text."

The Independent's Nick Hilton said that while other transportive series like "The Rings of Power" or "The Wheel of Time" have vied to fill the "Game of Thrones"-sized hole in pop culture, "Shōgun" is the series that's gotten the closest.

The Washington Post's Lili Loofbourow wrote that "Shōgun" will draw comparisons to "Game of Thrones" because it has a "proven combination of gorgeous set pieces, moral ambiguity, cliffhangers (literally, in one case!) and extreme, distressing violence." Loofbourow argues, however, that "Shōgun" transcends the fantasy drama in "story, strategy, catharsis, and women."

'Shōgun' earned praise for decentralizing its white protagonist compared to prior iterations

In the 1980 miniseries adaptation of Clavell's novel, pilot John Blackthorne is the conduit for the story, serving as its principal character. According to critics, however, FX's "Shōgun" more effectively shifts the focus to the story's cast of Japanese characters.

Time's Judy Berman wrote that "this sprawling, 10-part historical drama takes a far broader view than its predecessor, moving beyond the Western outsider's perspective to survey a fracturing society that is just as baffled by this interloper's ways as he is by theirs."

The New York Times' Mike Hale said that the showrunners "have recalibrated the narrative, however, moving Blackthorne's point of view down in the mix and elevating the roles of many of the Japanese characters, particularly Toda Mariko, the noblewoman who becomes Blackthorne's translator and love interest, and Yoshii Toranaga, the lord who both protects and manipulates him."

IGN's Samantha Nelson wrote that "Shōgun could easily have become a repeat of 'The Last Samurai,' where Sanada played mentor to another transplanted-Westerner protagonist, but the series takes more of an ensemble approach rather than centering the story on John's experiences."

Reviews praised Hiroyuki Sanada's performance as Toranaga Yoshii

Rolling Stone's Sepinwall wrote that "Sanada's charisma and intense stillness makes it wholly believable that Toranaga is both an inspiring leader of men and a brilliant strategist who is always five moves ahead of his many enemies."

USA Today's Kelly Lawler wrote that Sanada is a "magnetic presence" who makes it "easy to see why Toranaga inspired such loyalty in his people."

IGN's Nelson said that "Sanada delivers a masterful performance, utterly regal even in scenes where Toranaga has to sneak away from his peers on the council, who have banded together to depose him."

Critics also noted the series' propensity for meaningful violence

"Shōgun" doesn't shy away from depicting violence, death, and decay, according to critics, but reviewers don't frame it as wanton.

IndieWire's Ben Travers noted that there are "quite a few" beheadings in the show, but also wrote that the show doesn't depict large-scale battles. Travers wrote that "the consequences of each dispute are as absolute as they are gruesome."

The Guardian's Rebecca Nicholson wrote that in the show, "the bloodiness of this world is shoved to the fore. There are beheadings, swift and merciless. A man is slowly boiled to death, the 'special method' of a grinning warlord; as with the scurvy, the camera shows exactly what this looks like."

Reviewers also praised the show's costuming and production design

Rolling Stone's Sepinwall wrote that the show features "stunning massive set pieces, like an earthquake that wrecks one of the armies at an inopportune moment."

Variety's Alison Herman wrote that showrunners Marks and Kondo's "vision of Japan is sumptuously rendered by pilot director Jonathan van Tulleken, production designer Helen Jarvis and costume designer Carlos Rosario; sprawling cityscapes of medieval Osaka are an ideal use of CGI, and the textiles alone are a more tangible use of budget than found in most box office tentpoles."

The first two episodes of "Shōgun" are currently available to stream on Hulu.