Lady Ochiba (Fumi Nikaido) finally returns to Osaka. The heir’s mother wastes no time putting the ambitious Ishido (Takehiro Hira) in his place, pointing out all the ways in which Toranaga has ...

At the end of episode 5, however, Shōgun properly introduced the individual who might be the real big bad in all of this: Lady Ochiba (Fumi Nikaido). The mother of the late Taikō’s only heir ...

Remember when I brought up the possibility of Lady Ochiba, the heir’s mother, being on Yoshi Toranaga’s side in the recap for Episode 5 of Shogun? Yeah, scratch all that. She’s a hater.

The problem was that no matter how many women the Taikō slept with, none of them, not even his beloved Daiyoin / Lady Iyo (Ako), conceived and bore an heir. None except Ochiba no Kata.

After suggesting that fate and hardship are what forged Lady Ochiba into the woman she has become, Mariko also offers her lord some insight into the different motivations that drive men and women ...

However, Lady Ochiba (Fumi Nikaido) — the true power player in Osaka — immediately recognizes the power of what Mariko is ...

This post contains spoilers for season 1 of FX's "Shōgun." As much as I enjoyed the first season of the FX ...

With his death, Ruri loses her royal status and has to start anew as a concubine to the Taikō, renamed Lady Ochiba. Mariko’s father’s death (after being forced to execute his own family ...

By Sean T. Collins In this week’s episode, we get to know Lady Ochiba no Kata: daughter of a brutal warlord, consort to the Taiko who replaced him, mother to the Heir, commander of the Council ...

Lady Mariko is bound to her orders, which force the hand of Lord Ishido and Lady Ochiba. By Sean T. Collins It’s a deception by which even the ingenious Lord Toranaga would be impressed.

After suggesting that fate and hardship are what forged Lady Ochiba into the woman she has become, Mariko also offers her lord some insight into the different motivations that drive men and women ...