March Media Favourites/Recommendations

Hello!

Here's what I enjoyed in March:

The Trojan Horse Affair

The Trojan Horse Affair is a podcast by Serial Productions who I've mentioned that I'm a fan of before. This project immediately caught my eye as it was about something that happened here in England -- the Trojan Horse scandal, where an anonymous letter was sent to Birmingham City Council claiming that Muslim students were being radicalised in schools. Despite its veracity never being established, the letter had far-reaching consequences, and this eight-part podcast series investigates the story from all angles, with a particular focus on Islamophobia as a potential motive for the letter, and certainly as a consequence of it.

TTHA isn't my favourite thing Serial Productions have made, I found it quite hard to follow at parts as it got into the nitty-gritty of various employment tribunals and similarly dry legal matters surrounding the letter, but having been a bit too young when all of this happened to remember it and knowing it had such a huge impact, I found it to be an important and educational listen. It's also an interesting examination of what it means to be a journalist when tackling something you simply cannot emotionally detach yourself from and remain impartial about (as one of the two hosts who originally pitched the project to Serial Productions is British Muslim (ex-)journalist Hamza Syed). Lots of debate has sprung up around the podcast and there are a variety of views on how it handles its subject matter particularly within the British Muslim community and the British press. It won't be for everyone, but I'm glad I listened to it.

Friday Black

Friday Black is a debut short story collection by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah I first heard about in Jacob Geller's video Time Loop Nihilism, which explores how various different media handle time loops and the impact of them on the human psyche. One story from the collection focuses on this idea (Through the Flash) and particularly sounded like it contained a similar arc to Satoko's in Gou/Sotsu, so I decided to check it out. I enjoyed it enough to read the rest of the collection and thoroughly recommend it. I've been looking to both read more short stories and diversify my reading by making a conscious effort to pick up more books by ethnic minority authors and so this collection was perfect. The prevailing themes are Black identity, anti-Black racist brutality and dystopia. It's easily one of the most disturbing and also important things I've ever read. It's at times extremely graphic, upsetting and confronting but simultaneously grips you in a way that makes it hard to put down. The stories that have stuck with me the most are The Finkelstein 5, The Hospital Where and Zimmer Land. Discretion is advised but if you feel at all able to do it, I think this is an essential read.

Otherwise, videos I've enjoyed this month are:

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 15th Anniversary Symphony Orchestra Concert (I've listened to this before but I decided to again and ended up looping it for days, it's stunning)

Alternative Paths to Manga by Archipel (Incredible documentary channel)

Tatsuya Kitani – Two Drifters / THE FIRST TAKE (I think I linked a Tatsuya Kitani vid last month too -- again, one of my fave artists right now!)

'Flicker' Fiery Witnesses (Remix) - Professor Layton VS Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney by sheddy

The Origins of Visual Novels by Bowl of Lentils (Blanket rec for this whole channel as I finally got around to watching more of their stuff after I saw their great Ace Attorney video last year, definitely check this one out and sub if you're at all interested in VNs)

Licorice Pizza: Does Depiction Equal Endorsement? by Broey Deschanel

Healing Atmospheric Anime by Noralities

Falling for Patema Inverted by Beyond Ghibli

Investigating Three Indie Superstars Accused of Emotional Abuse by People Make Games

My $1500 Japanese Apartment Tour 🌱 Sendai, Japan by Sharmeleon (I'm just fascinated by the Japanese removal company experience described in this, infinitely more efficient than anything I've ever experienced)

Which Art Style is “Better”: Stylised or Realistic? by lines in motion

I've also been loving annika's leaf, who makes really relaxing vlogs!

And that's all for this month! Speak again soon!