New-look 'Shogun' changes narrative of Clavell's samurai epic

TOKYO -- Aika Miyake, the film editor of "Shogun," the hit TV series airing on the Disney+ streaming platform, says she knew the production was a winner from the moment she started working on the footage. "I was so excited because I could tell right away that 'Shogun' was different from all the other samurai epics," Miyake said in an interview from Los Angeles.

As a Japanese woman working in Hollywood, Miyake is especially alert to the cultural and gender stereotyping that can occur in film projects, particularly in the depiction of Japanese women. "But I would describe 'Shogun' as feminine-forward," she said. "The submissive, helpful and obedient Japanese girl is just not here. In her place is Lady Mariko, [who is] strong and smart and acts by her personal code of honor."