'Euphoria,' 'Japan Sinks: 2020,' 'The Rape of Nanking'
Reviews
Euphoria
TV Show Review
If you like high school dramas that are well-executed and thoughtful, you should give HBO’s Euphoria a try. It’s not a show for people who are squeamish or prude, because you’re going to see nudity, assault, and even straight up porn at times. This show reminded me a bit of Thirteen Reasons Why and Skins, but out of these, Euphoria tops my list in terms of visual execution. I really want to emphasize how gorgeous this show is, because from the very first episode, I was in awe by the cinematography and sound editing.
Japan Sinks: 2020
Anime Review
I usually like the action and drama of apocalyptic stories when they’re done right…but this anime felt like a hot mess of storytelling. Japan Sinks: 2020 is a 10 episode Netflix anime based on a novel that was written in the 1970s. It tells the story of a series of natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.) that hits Japan in the year 2020, and a group of everyday people doing their best to survive. It is an apocalyptic show where a society is crumbling and everything (including the plot) is going in really weird directions.
The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang
Book Review
It’s been awhile since I’ve felt such a deep and profound sadness while reading a book. The Rape of Nanking is a historical recounting of the Japanese invasion of Nanking (a major Chinese city) during World War II, probably one of the most horrific events of the war. I did not know much about it until I stumbled across this book, which goes to show that history can be pretty biased when it comes to covering certain topics over others.