Handling the subject of any Asian culture is a task fraught with danger in the current age. The last one hundred and fifty years of East Asian history are replete with strife, complicated politics and the horrors of war. Add to this the western tendency to hand wave meaningful cultural practices as mystical and you've often got a recipe for stereotyped and reductive programs at best and outright offensive and borderline racist nonsense at worst.
Fortunately Prime Japan handles several aspects of Japanese culture with something short of grace, mostly due to the wildly fluctuating narration of Johnathan Sherr, but definitely lacking any ham fisted mysticism.
We often see the topics of the Japanese obsession with cute things, or sexual proclivities, or samurai and ninja or cherry blossoms. Certainly these topics loom large in any discussion about Japan but they've been scrutinized with the fervor of a researcher trying to cure a deadly disease. Prime Japan takes a look at things that are intrinsically Japanese, the katana, sushi, the ryokan, and things Japan has embraced and given distinct Japanese flair, ramen, tea, confections. Sprinkle in a look at some things that are more intangible like the Japanese love of cats, Zen Buddhism and Japan's design culture, and you've got a series of mini documentaries that leaves you educated and appreciative of Japan's culture and development.
On the topic of the writing and delivery of the host, at times it is weird, heavy handed and even bad. Johnathan often seems confused, particularly when tasting things. He looks at pieces of sushi like they were made from alien creatures. He states into a bowl of tea like he's never been in a kitchen. He then uses superlatives with none of the feeling that words like exquisite or spectacular need to make them truly meaningful. Often the script attempts a level of grandeur that Johnathan either cannot or doesn't care to convey.
If it wasn't for the flat narration this series would be 10/10. It's excellent. I'm only deducting 2 stars for the narration because even though it is at times quite unenjoyable it is never empty of interesting information.
To sum up if you're interested in Japan in particular or simply like to learn about the minutiae of other cultures don't shy away from this series. The narration is a small part of it and it would be a shame to miss it over that.
Fortunately Prime Japan handles several aspects of Japanese culture with something short of grace, mostly due to the wildly fluctuating narration of Johnathan Sherr, but definitely lacking any ham fisted mysticism.
We often see the topics of the Japanese obsession with cute things, or sexual proclivities, or samurai and ninja or cherry blossoms. Certainly these topics loom large in any discussion about Japan but they've been scrutinized with the fervor of a researcher trying to cure a deadly disease. Prime Japan takes a look at things that are intrinsically Japanese, the katana, sushi, the ryokan, and things Japan has embraced and given distinct Japanese flair, ramen, tea, confections. Sprinkle in a look at some things that are more intangible like the Japanese love of cats, Zen Buddhism and Japan's design culture, and you've got a series of mini documentaries that leaves you educated and appreciative of Japan's culture and development.
On the topic of the writing and delivery of the host, at times it is weird, heavy handed and even bad. Johnathan often seems confused, particularly when tasting things. He looks at pieces of sushi like they were made from alien creatures. He states into a bowl of tea like he's never been in a kitchen. He then uses superlatives with none of the feeling that words like exquisite or spectacular need to make them truly meaningful. Often the script attempts a level of grandeur that Johnathan either cannot or doesn't care to convey.
If it wasn't for the flat narration this series would be 10/10. It's excellent. I'm only deducting 2 stars for the narration because even though it is at times quite unenjoyable it is never empty of interesting information.
To sum up if you're interested in Japan in particular or simply like to learn about the minutiae of other cultures don't shy away from this series. The narration is a small part of it and it would be a shame to miss it over that.
