Shogun tells the story of English sailor John Blackthorne, who traveled to Japan to win allies and turn the tide of global politics. It's also the journey of Lord Yoshii Toranaga, a shrewd daimyo fighting for survival and power in the unique five-way struggle of the feudal Japanese system. Blackthorne spent the first few episodes of his journey being kicked around from one near-death experience to the next. Finally, Blackthorne earned a title, but what does becoming a hatamoto entail?