re: Shogun - Official Series Discussion Thread **Spoilers**

I'm kind of surprised the emperor is never (or hardly ever) mentioned. I'm somewhat familiar with the Sengoku Jidai period, and I know the emperor remained a figurehead until the Meiji Restoration. However, my understanding is the Shogun/Daimyo claimed to be ruling on behalf of the emperor, so part of me is surprised nobody even bothers paying lip service to him. Was he really that much of an afterthought, or is this an attempt to simplify the story? I suspect adding another figurehead (in addition to the Taiko's heir) could unnecessarily complicate things for western audiences.