For years, we’ve been dreaming of a second channel. A channel where we could tell different kinds of stories and dive into something else we deeply care about: history. Because the story of the past is also the story of us, of humanity.
Our first video dives into the extraordinary story of Zheng Yi Sao, a young woman who built the largest pirate confederation the world has ever seen. Her floating shadow state of 1,800 ships and 70,000 pirates pushed the Chinese Empire to its limits and reshaped trade in the South China Sea.
Explore the Weird, Beautiful, and Sometimes Unsettling Side of Our History.
With Nightshift, we’re trying something new: focusing on the emotions, perspectives, and lived experiences behind historical events. We believe that understanding why things unfolded the way they did requires feeling the world as it was, not just reading about it.
The videos are made by a small, very excited group within kurzgesagt, powered not by AI but by curiosity, craft, and a nightshift… or two. 😅 A true passion project, built with the same care you know from us.
We want to take you along closely. We’ll let you in on our thoughts behind the creation process, so you can watch this project grow and evolve right from the start.
We’re reinventing how we tell stories: longer runtimes, a bold new visual identity, and a shift toward more intimate, emotional history.
Each episode is crafted to stand alone as an audio experience. Our narrator, Steve, and the audio wizards from Epic Mountain created a sound world that’s as vivid as the animation itself.
Pretty scary, but also very, very exciting! ✨
Also Available as a Podcast
Immersive soundscapes, rich storytelling, and episodes you can listen to like a cinematic podcast.
This passion project can only continue with your help.
If you enjoy this new direction, becoming a channel member is the best way to support us and bring more overlooked history to light.
We'd love to know how you like this new facet of kurzgesagt! What did you enjoy most? Which other topics would you like to see? Tell us in the comments, reply to this email, or simply share the video with someone who loves history. Your feedback will shape this project as it grows.
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