Overall Shogun is a unique piece of television, rich in colour and costume with a script and plot that does not follow your your normal 'hit' series trends.
The hero or heroes of the show are not clearly defined, the villains are not necessarily baddies, just the other side of the story.
The female characters while on the surface submissive unfold as powerful players who are the centrepieces of most episodes.
While Western religion and culture is recognised it is not the main driver, it's Japanese. The violence at times is shocking but key to the story, the studies of death and service are stark but beautiful.
The big point is how it told it's story without following the typical plot patterns, leaving you feeling fascinated, even excited, but never certain about the next step, rare in modern entertainment.