Nippon Sangoku Episode 1 Review Warns of Jingoistic Undertones
The review highlights a tension between the show's artistic merits and its ideological framing, suggesting that "Nippon Sangoku" could become a flashpoint for debates about nationalism in anime.
Reporting from 1 sources: Anime Feminist.
Anime Feminist reviewed the first episode of "Nippon Sangoku," a new series set in a mid-21st century Japan fractured into three warring states after nuclear war, refugee crises, and societal collapse. The review praises the show's visual aesthetic and the quality of its dialogue, noting the protagonist Aoteru Misumi's use of impeccable formal Japanese. However, the review expresses significant concern over what it describes as jingoistic dog whistles and a worldview that blames societal collapse on declining birth rates, refugees, and lower education levels. The reviewer also criticizes the show's portrayal of its sole visibly fat character, Denki, as evil, with repeated fat-shaming remarks from another character. The review notes that the protagonist's journey begins after a corrupt official brutalizes his wife, framing his quest for revenge. Despite these concerns, the reviewer finds the story engaging and the art direction strong, but worries the show could become more than just nationalist saber-rattling.
The Anime Feminist review of "Nippon Sangoku" Episode 1 offers a detailed critique that balances praise for the show's production values with alarm over its political subtext. The reviewer notes that the series uses a Meiji-era military aesthetic and a rejection of foreign loanwords to evoke a romanticized past, which they argue is steeped in jingoistic dog whistles. The protagonist Aoteru Misumi is a 15-year-old farmer and military history enthusiast who is forced into action after a corrupt lord brutalizes his wife. The review specifically calls out the show's treatment of the villain Denki, whose obesity is repeatedly mocked through sound effects and dialogue, framing his fatness as a marker of evil. The reviewer also mentions that the episode features chain smoking by multiple characters, adding to the aesthetic of a bygone era. While the writing and art direction are praised, the review concludes that the show's underlying worldview-blaming societal collapse on refugees and low birth rates-makes it a potentially troubling watch.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime Feminist NIPPON SANGOKU – Episode 1