"Shogun" Wins Best Drama at Emmy Awards

Historical epic "Shogun" won the prestigious best drama award at the Emmy Awards as Hollywood celebrated the best of television.

"Shogun," a sweeping story about political machinations in 17th-century Japan, also won acting awards for Japanese stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai.

The series has garnered attention for featuring a majority Japanese cast, with Japanese the primary language spoken within the series. Upon winning best drama, Sanada spoke words of thanks in Japanese.

"We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the crew directors and masters who have inherited and supported our Samurai period dramas up until now. The passion and dreams that we have inherited from you have crossed oceans and borders," he said.

Created by FX, the 10-episode limited series took a decade to create and had a record-breaking premiere across streaming platforms in March. It racked up 9 million views globally in just six days, according to parent company Disney, topping the premiere of “The Bear” Season 2.

"I was crying before my name was announced. I'm a mess today," Anna Sawai said, accepting her award for best actress in a drama series. Sawai is the first Asian performer to win the category.

Sawai played Toda Mariko, which she called the "role of a lifetime."

"This is to all the women who expect nothing and continue to be an example for everyone," she said.

“Shōgun” is the latest Asian foreign-language series to flourish in the U.S. and international markets. It follows “Squid Game,” a South Korean Netflix series that also made history at the Emmys in 2022. Lead actor Lee Jung-jae became the first Asian to win the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series.

However, “Shōgun’s” 25 nominations this year dwarf “Squid Games’” 14 two years ago.

Film experts say Americans have become more willing to watch foreign-language productions and read subtitles in recent years.