Hiroyuki Sanada is rumored to be a part of Ghost of Tshumia’s film adaptation. The news of a film adaptation of the game was first released in 2021, and no further information has been shared so far. Chad Stahelski will be directing the adaptation and Sanada will be playing one of the prominent characters in the film.
Hiroyuki Sanada was most recently seen in the critically acclaimed Japanese drama, Shogun, where he played the role of Yoshi Toranaga. He is anticipated to play the role of Lord Shimura in the game but nothing is confirmed as of now. However, Sanada’s involvement with the film is attracting negative reactions from fans. They feel that Sanada has become a stereotype casting option for any film/TV show set in Japan.
Fans lack open-mindedness
Hiroyuki Sanada’s involvement in Ghost of Tsushima’s film adaptation has started to gain negative attention from fans, across the world, claiming him to be overused in films as a Japanese stereotype. Portraying their disagreement with the casting option, one X user wrote –
Crazy how he is the only Japanese man left alive https://t.co/S0bU69nx5l
— Cody (@AltHistCody) June 3, 2024
By looking at it from a stereotypical perspective, people tend to forget the roles he has been a part of, over the years. He’s a good fit as a casting option in the world of Tsushima. He is a 62-year-old man with decades of experience as an actor, and his involvement in any creative endeavor is bound to enrich the overall experience of it all. This was proved by his recent work, in Shogun.
By spreading negativity regarding his involvement with the film, fans are not accounting for the experience and the intimate relationship he has with the world of Tsushima. On top of all that he fits perfectly well in the role of Lord Shimura, and it was as if he was born to be a part of it. Stating the same an X user wrote –
Oh we know what role he's playing pic.twitter.com/6XCIi7kRFW
— Ryan GoFett24 (@zrd92490) June 2, 2024
Sanada fits perfectly well in the universe of the game, especially after showcasing his skills as an actor in his recent Hotstar show, Shogun.
Fans of the game and the show are excited to see the Japanese maestro use his skill as an actor and enrich the world of Tsushima with his presence. Sanada is undoubtedly a great option for Lord Shimura, although the same has not yet been officially announced.
Space for a healthy debate to flourish
Fans are going rogue while bashing Sanada’s involvement in the film. They want to see a Japanese character portrayed by a fresh face, as opposed to, an overused one.
Having said that, fans are not falling behind in contradicting the claims of him being a bad option for the film, in response to an earlier comment stating Sanada to be a bad choice for the film, one user wrote –
Being mad a Japanese man is playing a Japanese man is crazy
— Ksana (@bigarms4me) June 4, 2024
Another user replied –
To be honest he is the perfect fit for "uncle" in the game. Like you would think it was him in the game.
— Cemlat (@Eccentric_song) June 3, 2024
There is a healthy debate taking place on the internet currently, regarding Sanada’s place in the world of Tsushima. In our opinion, it is a stupid argument to claim that he has been overused as a Japanese stereotype man in films. A Japanese man playing a Japanese man is not a bad thing.
On the contrary, the nuances a Japanese man will be able to bring to the table during the shoot, no one else can.
However, Sanada and Stahelski have shared a deep bond since the time they worked together in John Wick 4. Stahelski is confident about his choice of casting him in the film, especially after he gave the performance of a lifetime as Yoshi Toranaga in Shogun. People unwilling to see him play a samurai again are in for some bad news because as of now, his presence in the world of Tsushima is prominent.