John Blackthorne
| John Blackthorne | |
|---|---|
| Shōgun character | |
Richard Chamberlain as John Blackthorne with Yoko Shimada as Mariko in the 1980 Shōgun miniseries | |
| First appearance | Shōgun (1975) |
| Portrayed by | Richard Chamberlain (1980 miniseries) Cosmo Jarvis (2024 TV series) |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | John Blackthorne |
| Alias | Anjin (按針, lit. "Pilot, Navigator, Steuermann") |
| Nickname | Barbarian (蛮人, Banjin) Heretic The Freak from the West |
| Gender | Male |
| Title | Hatamoto (旗本) Daimyo of Kanagawa Chief Admiral of the Kanto region General of the Cannon Regiment |
| Occupation | Pilot Major Privateer Artillerist Daimyo Samurai Diplomat |
| Affiliation | Dutch ship Erasmus (Pilot) Kingdom of England |
| Family | Tudor Blackthorne (Son) Elizabeth Blackthorne (Daughter) |
| Religion | Protestant (formerly) Shinto-Buddhist |
| Origin | London, Kingdom of England |
| Born | 1564, England |
| Died | c. 1620, Japan |
John Blackthorne, also known as Anjin (按針; lit. "Pilot", "Steuermann"), is the protagonist of James Clavell's 1975 novel Shōgun. The character is loosely based on the life of the 17th-century English navigator William Adams, who was the first Englishman to visit Japan. The character is played by Richard Chamberlain in the 1980 TV miniseries, and by Cosmo Jarvis in the 2024 series.