反人类暴行 Man's Inhumanity to Man

Synopsis

Focusing on the crimes of the Japanese Unit 731 during the invasion of China, a key drama commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan. Rated 8.7-8.9 on Douban, the highest-scoring domestic drama of 2025, starring Jiang Qilin, Zhang Yu, and Yin Zheng.

Overview

"Man's Inhumanity to Man" (Chinese: 《反人类暴行》, also known as "Jing Lan Yue" and "731") is a 2025 Chinese mainland historical drama television series directed by Suan (Mou Xincen) and written by Suan and Meng Yang. The series is produced by Youku and Laoyou Film and Television, co-produced by Xingfu Lanhai. It stars Jiang Qilin, Zhang Yu, Yin Zheng, Lan Xiya, and Han Jing as lead actors, with Jiang Qiming, Dong Mushi, An Tian, and Bai En in special appearances.

The series is a key television drama commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. It premiered on Jiangsu Satellite TV on December 13, 2025, National Memorial Day, and simultaneously aired on Youku, with a total of 20 episodes, each 45 minutes long.

The series opened with a Douban score of 8.5, which subsequently climbed to 8.7-8.9, making it the highest-rated domestic drama of 2025.

Plot

The series focuses on the crimes of the Japanese Imperial Army's Unit 731 during its invasion of China, recreating that dark period of history through historical evidence.

Rather than adopting a grand, omniscient perspective, the series selects three extremely marginalized minor characters, peeling back the layers of Unit 731's evil like an onion.

Chen Ruping (played by Zhang Yu) is a Chinese person born in Pingtung, Taiwan. At the time, Taiwan had already fallen, placing him in the awkward position of a Chinese person in a colonized area. Through his perspective, viewers witness the survival struggles of Chinese people in colonized regions during that historical period.

The three protagonists—a simple, honest Chinese farmer, a character operating in a gray area, and a Japanese person whose conscience awakens—interweave their fates to showcase the struggle between good and evil during those dark years.

Cast

Production & Reception

Director Suan (Mou Xincen) is also one of the screenwriters for the series. He has previously worked on several suspense projects and is skilled at telling stories set against grand historical backdrops from the perspective of minor characters.

The series adopts a "film and television evidence" approach, defending the light through historical memory. The restrained intensity and delicate layering in the drama endow each character with a resilient foundation for life.

The series premiered on December 13, 2025, National Memorial Day, with an opening Douban score of 8.5, the highest opening score for a domestic drama in 2025. After airing, its rating continued to climb, ultimately reaching 8.7-8.9.

Cultural Impact

"Man's Inhumanity to Man" is a key drama commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance. Its artistic presentation of Unit 731's crimes has sparked profound reflection on history across society.

The series has been rated the highest-scoring domestic drama of 2025. The director admitted that while the work has its shortcomings, he hopes the series will help more people understand the truth of that period in history.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/37033221/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/反人类暴行/65447102