The VFX supervisor for Shogun addresses comparisons between the FX historical drama and HBO’s iconic fantasy series Game of Thrones.

Comparisons between Shogun and Game of Thrones are addressed by a VFX supervisor. Based on the novel by James Clavell, FX’s historical drama brings to life the world of feudal Japan, through a story filled with both subtle political maneuvering and large-scale military action. Even before the show’s premiere, Shogun was drawing comparisons to HBO’s Game of Thrones, another series that toggled back and forth between epic battle scenes and dialog-driven palace intrigue.

Such comparisons may indeed have been inevitable, but Shogun VFX supervisor Michael Cliett doesn’t think they are entirely accurate, exclusively telling Screen Rant that he sees the parallels, but thinks his show can “stand on its own.” Check out his remarks below:

Well, we don’t have any dragons. But, honestly, I’m honored to be compared to the show. I was a huge Game of Thrones fan, so it’s a really great honor to compare with a show like that. That was just iconic television.

However, I’m not sure that the show draws as many parallels with Game of Thrones as… I mean, yeah, there are a lot of parallels. It’s feudal Japan, there are a lot of different houses, [and] they’re jostling around trying to get the power. You’ve got Ishido, Lady Ochiba, all the regents, and then Toranaga. In that way, yeah, it kind of does. But I do think the show can stand on its own, too.

Shogun Has One Huge Advantage Over Game Of Thrones

Game of Thrones became a cultural phenomenon and ratings giant for HBO, running for eight seasons and spinning off at least one hit show in the soon-to-return House of the Dragon. Though GoT maintained its juggernaut status for the entirety of its run, its early seasons generally did a better job delivering engaging plotting alongside epic action, as compared to later seasons, when things tipped too far toward spectacle, leaving nuanced storytelling behind.

Game of Thrones indeed failed to stick the landing with a final season that resulted in more backlash than applause. It’s yet to be seen if Shogun is destined to also disappoint viewers, but the show has one big advantage over GoT. FX’s historical drama is adapting only a single novel, which will be entirely covered in season 1. Game of Thrones, on the other hand, had multiple Martin novels to adapt, and eventually progressed beyond its author’s works, leaving creators Benioff and Weiss without source material to draw from.

The point at which GoT reached past Martin’s books is the point at which the show’s storytelling began to drop off. Shogun won’t face the same problem, as it has a full Clavell-penned novel to guide its progress. It’s yet to be seen whether Shogun season 2 will happen, with a new story not taken from Clavell’s works. But if producers wish to draw a lesson from the Game of Thrones experience, they might be wise not to continue their story beyond what Clavell himself so expertly mapped out.