FX‘s Shōgun continues to fill out its season two cast. Japanese singer and actor Ren Meguro is the latest name to join the next chapter of the multi-Emmy Award-winning series, which starts production on the new season in January in Vancouver.
Meguro, a pop idol who is a member of the group nine-man boy band Snow Man, has a burgeoning acting career and has recently nabbed lead roles in the films As Long as We Both Shall Live and Trillion Game: The Movie, as well as the upcoming features Hodonaku, Owakare desu and the live-action adaptation of the manga Sakamoto Days. On television, he has starred in Trillion Game and the dramas Silent and Soar High!
In Shōgun, Meguro will play Kazutada. He joins recent cast additions Asami Mizukawa (Aya), Masataka Kubota (Hyūga), Sho Kaneta (Hidenobu), Takaaki Enoki (Lord Ito) and Jun Kunimura (Gōda) who were announced last week. Returning castmembers include Hiroyuki Sanada (Toranaga) and Cosmo Jarvis (Blackthorne), Fumi Nikaidô (Ochiba), Shinnosuke Abe (Buntaro), Hiroto Kanai (Omi), Yoriko Dôguchi (Kiri), Tommy Bastow (Alvito), Yuko Miyamoto (Gin), Eita Okuno (Saeki) and Yuka Kouri (Kiku).
“I am incredibly honored to join the cast of Shōgun season two,” Meguro said in a statement. “When I streamed Shōgun on Disney+ last year, I was profoundly moved by the series’ unique and grand portrayal of Japan, which felt different from past portrayals.
As a Japanese person, I felt a compelling urge to be part of this groundbreaking production. I started learning more about the production team, exploring Hiroyuki Sanada’s vision and his long-standing dedication, and reading various articles about Shōgun. This year, the opportunity to audition came my way. I submitted my footage and participated in auditions.
Now, my dream has become a reality, and it truly felt like a dream come true. For the past year, I have constantly envisioned myself on the set of Shōgun, bringing my character to life. I am committed to honoring the legacy that so many have built before me and to carefully shaping the role entrusted to me in this remarkable series. I can’t wait for everyone to see the release of Shōgun season two and to share in this incredible journey with us. Thank you and please look forward to Shōgun season two.”
Season two of Shōgun will pick up the action 10 years after the events of season one, and will again focus on two very different lives and motivations of Lord Toranaga and Anjin Blackthorne.
In the spring, co-creators and showrunners Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks wrapped a writers room for the forthcoming season. Other writers included Shannon Goss, Matt Lambert, Maegan Houang, Emily Yoshida, Caillin Puente and Sofie Somoroff.
Hiromi Kamata and Takeshi Fukunaga from the first season also return to direct season two episodes, as well as Marks, Anthony Byrne (FX’s Say Nothing) and Kate Herron (Loki).
Launched in 2024, season one of Shōgun, an adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 novel, was an outstanding success for FX and became something of a global phenomenon.
As well as widespread critical acclaim, the show swept awards season, winning a staggering 18 Emmys and four Golden Globes. Shōgun became the first Japanese show to win a best drama Emmy.
Additionally, Sanada became the first Japanese actor to win the Emmy for best lead actor in a drama series and Anna Sawai made history as the first actress of Asian descent to win best lead actress in a drama series.