The Days on Netflix review: Is it way too dramatic? 

Netflix's The Days, which was released on Thursday, June 1, is a new Japanese series that showcases the infamous Fukushima nuclear disaster that took place on March 11, 2011. It is the second most devastating nuclear accident recorded in history after the Chernobyl disaster that occurred in 1986.

For the unversed, the tragic incident took the life of one plant worker. Additionally, 16 people suffered injuries from hydrogen tank explosions and two workers were rushed to the hospital due to the possibility of radiation burns. Thousands were evacuated from the site but are now allowed to return home since the radiation levels have significantly reduced.

While The Days on Netflix is a good introduction to someone who is completely oblivious to the disaster, the end product felt anticlimactic. It's nowhere near the magnificence of HBO's Chernobyl.

According to an official press release, the synopsis of The Days reads as:

"Based on meticulous research, this eight-episode series is a multi-layered drama that depicts the accident from three different perspectives in great detail. This is the true story of seven intense days, showing what really happened on that day and at that place from the viewpoints of the government, the corporation, and the people who risked their lives on-site, and in doing so coming closer to the truth."

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The Days on Netflix: Too much drama ruins the show

The Days on Netflix narrates the Fukushima nuclear disaster from the perspectives of three accounts -- Masao Yoshida (the station manager), the book On the Brink: The Inside Story by journalist Ryusho Kadota where he interviewed close to 100 people related to the incident, and lastly, the official Fukushima Nuclear Accident Analysis Report.

It's impossible to not compare this show to the 2019 HBO historical drama Chernobyl. A TV masterpiece was expected from the new Netflix venture but this was more of a disappointment. While the HBO show dived into intricate details about the incident, by dissecting even the tiniest information, The Days failed to replicate any of them.

The Days on Netflix focused more on drama and with some plots even unrelated to the initial story. Yes, there are a few stunning visuals of some of the events like the disaster or even the struggle between managers, politicians, and workers but all of those were highly predictable. Koji Yakusho's Yoshida was shown as a hero but as mentioned before, there was more emphasis on drama rather than the actual incident.

There is a lack of female characters and some sub-plots just felt irrelevant and unnecessary, like the story of the young plant worker who had been missing since the earthquake.

Instead of focusing on the facts and details, the creators dramatized the life of Masao Yoshida, a cult legend who saved Fukushima from irreversible damage by disobeying corporate orders; he passed away on July 9, 2013, at the age of 58 Although we do understand that this series was a tribute to the courageous late General Manager of the Nuclear Asset Management Department of the Tokyo Electric Power Co., it felt incomplete and mostly monotonous.

Although it is not at all a copy of HBO's Chernobyl, fans certainly wish that they had taken some inspiration from it. Still, it's a good one-time watch and a great introduction to someone who has no clue about the accident.

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The Days is currently streaming on Netflix worldwide.