Photo/Illutration Anna Sawai, who plays Toda Mariko in the “Shogun” series streaming on Disney+ (Courtesy of FX Networks)

Even before auditioning for the now record-setting “Shogun” drama series, actress Anna Sawai set her own rules for production in an attempt to change overseas views that sexualize Japanese women.

She told the producers she wouldn’t appear in the series if it contained love scenes. And after she won the role of Toda Mariko, Sawai refused to appear in a scene that required her to remove her clothes and bathe in a hot spring.

In an interview with The Asahi Shimbun four days after she won best actress in a drama series at the 76th Emmy Awards, Sawai said she wanted to avoid being seen as a sexual object by audience members around the world.

“Overseas people see Japanese women as sexual beings and think they don’t speak up for themselves,” Sawai said. “And I’ve always thought that is not true.”

Although Sawai at the time was not a household name, she said the producers were kind enough to respect her wishes, and the Toda character was replaced with an English sailor for the bathing scene.

The changes clearly did not hurt the end result.

“Shogun” won a record 18 Emmys for its first season, including best drama series.

The historical drama centers around warlord Yoshii Toranaga, who is based on the real life of Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616), the Tokugawa Shogunate founder.

Sawai’s Toda character is a Christian highly valued by Toranaga as his interpreter. She is modeled after Hosokawa Gracia (1563-1600).

“I’m happy to receive the award, but I’m trying not to get too excited about it because good times won’t last forever,” Sawai said.

She said she moved to Australia the day after the awards ceremony to shoot scenes for another project.

Born in New Zealand and raised in Tokyo, Sawai’s showbiz career in Japan included performing as a member of a music group.

In 2019, she signed a contract with a U.S. talent agency to work outside Japan.

She appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster “Fast & Furious 9: The Fast Saga” (2021) and other works.

The actress said she decided to work overseas because she wanted to choose projects and roles on her own terms.

Sawai also said she thought she would have more independence in the United States because actors there commonly hire agents and managers to represent them, while Japanese agencies tend to control their performers.

“Shogun” is her first period drama, and she underwent intensive training for the role, including how to fight with swords and ride a horse.

When shooting scenes in Canada, Sawai had four or so instructors help her perfect the role.

“I had no worries because they would teach me my every move, including the angle of a bow,” she said.

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