Shōgun star Hiroyuki Sanada opens up about filming his major speech during the series finale, reflecting on the process to make it happen.

Shōgun star Hiroyuki Sanada, who portrays Toranaga in the limited series, opened up about what it was like filming his final speech in the series finale. The last episode of the show sees the Kantō lord speaking with Yabushige before he commits seppeku, revealing how everything in the show led to his inevitable victory against Ishido. He reveals how he is destined to become Shōgun, a title he always said he never wanted, but will soon have claim over.

Speaking with TV Insider, Sanada explained what the process was like for filming the Shōgun series finale’s final speech, and how it had to be completed over the course of a day. The actor revealed how his lines were recorded in a single, eight-minute take, something he had to perfect during shooting before the sun went down. Check out what Sanada had to say below:

We had to finish shooting that scene [during] the day. [The] sun goes down [and it was] ‘Let’s shoot, let’s shoot!’ “[We] skipped the dialogue little by little…. We did my whole lines only in one shot because there was a time limit.

Why Toranaga’s Final Speech Is So Important

The last speech Toranaga gives in the series solidifies his status as Shōgun, while also making it clear that his laying in wait was always a tactic in order to win by the end. By telling Yabushige this before the traitor’s death, he solidifies the future he sees as the one that will transpire because of everything he did. While viewers don’t get to see the aftermath of his victory, the leader’s speech is enough to illustrate how his secured win is going to play out.

The fact that there was no major battle at the end of the show despite teasing events like Crimson Sky shows how Shōgun‘s series finale was unexpected. The pieces were in play for a final battle to transpire onscreen, yet this did not come to pass. Instead, the show opted for a finale that was more emotionally resonant for its characters, remaining aligned with its modest pacing and character-driven storytelling. Having Toranaga’s final major act be a pre-victory speech intertwines with the show’s themes of destiny and honor.

This definitive ending gives the series a proper sendoff, as Toranaga embraces the destiny he had always secretly desired since the start of the series. With his new power, he ushers in an age of prosperity for Japan that no longer sees Ishido threatening its peace. His final speech also underscores the importance Shōgun puts on its character-building and how it weaves with the story. It’s a final speech that will help the series be remembered as one of the best limited series of 2024.