The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 9 - Nisei

The Rotating Cast Files: Carnivale

This episode has it all! Trains! Aliens! Being released two days after my birthday! Something for everyone really.

Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed.

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Music by Hal Six

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SHOW NOTES:

Starting today with a word and a definition, since we and the majority of our listeners are located in the US.

Nisei ("second generation") is a Japanese-language term used in countries in North America and South America to specify the children born to Japanese immigrants (who are called Issei) in their new country.

Now we all know a little bit more. Yay!

We also dive into Unit 731 in another attempt by The X-Files to discuss World War 2. This time, they focus on Unit 731 which was a covert bio and chemical warfare R&D branch of the Imperial Japanese Army. Unsurprisingly, that branch tested on human subjects, dehumanizing them in order to ... experiement? I'm not sure, once you get to a certain level of "science" it doesn't feel scientific any longer. Somewhere before you begin referring to your living subjects as "logs" is where stopping would be preferable.

BUT, also unsurprisingly, the United States gave clemency to some war criminals in order to gain access to their research. In fact, the Unit 731 "researchers" who were arrested by the United States were secretly given immunity in exchange for the data gathered during their human experiments.

I wish US public schools taught this stuff.

Anyway, on a more fun note. After referencing that Robert Ito was in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension David decided we should watch it. It was...an early 80s sci-fi joint, that's for sure! Very strange.

Oh, and sorry for referencing Pontypool forever.

Xx

Kristen