REVIEW: ‘Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations Of The Crimson Sun’ Is Japan’s Game Of Thrones But Politicsmaxxing

Post-apocalyptic Japan has never looked better than Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun. This anime reimagines a world that almost feels like a Dr. STONE situation, without the wholesomeness. Episode 1 sets the tone of this mature, dystopian Japanese story. For those seeking a visually striking show with some clever story beats that rival peak Game of Thrones, Nippon Sangoku shouldn’t be overlooked. 

Twin Engine’s subsidiary company, Studio Kafka, produces the Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun anime, directed by Kazuaki Terasawa and written by Teruko Utsumi. Utsumi most recently worked on adapting You and I Are Polar Opposites. Studio Kafka worked on parts of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26, The Apothecary Diaries, and DanDaDan.

Nippon Sangoku is set in a time when Japan, the pinnacle of modern civilization, is long forgotten. Ravaged by nuclear civil war and technological collapse, Japan has regressed into a post-Meiji era society and is now divided into three imperial territories known as Yamato, Buo, and Seii.

Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun sets a different type of dystopia. 

The TL;DR history lesson is that the Meiji era was a time when Japan transitioned from a feudal government to an industrialized imperial rule. While Japan developed into a colonial superpower in the post-Meiji era, its citizens suffered from aggressive military imperialism, ruthless foreign policies, and intense social inequalities. 

However, Aoteru Misumi (Kenshô Ono), a 15-year-old literature enthusiast, dreams of bringing back the culture and technology that once made his country proud. Although unwilling to turn his theoretical knowledge into concrete action at first, a tragic turn of events drives Aoteru to head to Osaka in hopes of enlisting in the army and eventually uniting the country under his own banner.

Osaka—once one of the three jewels of Kansai—has become a crime-ridden city where Aoteru almost loses his life. Luckily, he encounters a fellow ambitious young man, Yoshitsune Asama (Jun Fukuyama), who also pursues the same dream. With Aoteru’s strategic prowess and Yoshitsune’s masterful swordsmanship, the two now embark on a journey to restore the former glory of Japan. Their first main objective is to subdue the unrestful Seii nation.

The gorgeous, distinctive visuals help elevate the storytelling.

Throughout the series, Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun enhances the storytelling through beautiful visuals. The show’s overall look is captivating, with a style reminiscent of classic ukiyo-e paintings—internationally popularized by Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige. It’s as if this show takes a modern approach to ukiyo-e paintings and animates them. 

When characters like Borderland General Mitsuhide Ryuumon (Kazuhiro Yamaji) are smoking, the smoke is a CGI simulation overlapping the 2D animated characters’ faces. By doing this, the smoke stands out against the ukiyo-e-like art style of the rest of the show. Studio Kafka blends these art styles and techniques well enough that they don’t distract, but rather make for a pleasant watch.

The character designs and color palette are also major standouts in Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun. Back in more traditional feudal times, people who were on the thicker side were viewed as wealthy and most likely of the upper class/royalty. Essentially, it meant you could afford excess food and were well-off. Nippon Sangoku does something similar with Minister of Domestic Affairs Lord Denki Taira (Takashi Nagasako). 

The worldbuilding is executed with strong lighting and compositions. 

Lord Taira is a stocky man with long, drooping ears. In popular Asian beliefs, long, droopy ears are a sign of wealth and high status. So, Lord Taira may be designed with this intention, especially since he acts as one of the major antagonists of the anime. The ironic part of his character is how he comes off as a personable man, but he can be as dangerous with his words as Lord Varys, Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, or Olenna Tyrell. 

Despite Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun not being an anime with the most flashy visuals compared to recent series such as Witch Hat Atelier or Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, the composition and thought into the muted colors work well for this show. This is a dystopian world, and those bland-looking colors make sense from a storytelling perspective. 

A good example of Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun’s composition is when Lord Taira sits in the council room, on the steps right below the Emperor. The fact that Lord Taira is the only one who sits on the steps in front of the Emperor is unsettling, but visually conveys his status. This shows that he’s above the general court, but still pays some respect to the Emperor. 

Nippon Sangoku infers power through placement of characters. 

Another cool, meaningful piece of cinematography and composition appears in the penultimate episode, where Aoteru has to convince the Emperor to issue an edict ordering Ryuumon’s forces to retreat from Fukui. Even though Aoteru walks into the council chambers, walking above the seated general council, there is a shot where Aoteru is almost as tall as Lord Taira on the steps sitting in front of the young emperor. The shot inadvertently says that Aoteru is above the   

However, Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun does not skimp on color when it comes to sunlight. It appears to use a similar technique to the CGI smoke sims, but uses some form of rainbow-esque art style to indicate sun rays are beaming across the characters’ bodies and faces. It’s as if beams of light pass through a clear optical prism/triangular prism and shoot out many vibrant colors, streaking across the screen. 

The music in Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun isn’t particularly catchy, but Tatsuya Kitani’s OP, ‘Kidane’, reminds listeners of how beautiful his voice is. Kitani became a staple musician in the anime realm for “Where Our Blue Is”, the opening for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2—for the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death arc.

The series blends classical with modern elements to create something special. 

Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun‘s score is never distinct enough from other anime, but it’s still nothing to scoff at. Throughout the series, the viewer can hear classic Japanese instruments such as taiko drums, shakuhachi, and shamisen/biwa. This elevates the show’s centralization on this post-apocalyptic Japan setting.  

Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun is off to a strong start, deserving of greater buzz. Prime Video continues to put out some sleeper hits, but this one is one of the best yet for the streamer. This is a perfect anime to check out for those who love political intrigue versus typical, shonen-style action. 

Nippon Sangoku is available now on Prime Video.