'Japan Sinks 2020' Spoiler-Free Review: An oddly calm work of disaster fiction driven by its characters
No spoilers for 'Japan Sinks 2020'
There's a new anime series out on Netflix that takes an almost meditative approach to a catastrophic disaster. 'Japan Sinks 2020', based on the 1973 novel 'Japan Sinks' by Japanese writer Sakyo Komatsu, is the story of an epic cataclysm that rains destruction on the nation. But you wouldn't realize that if you were to just close your eyes and listen to the music of the series. There's a strange sense of calm that permeates the show even when the events shown on screen are extremely perilous and often terrifying.
It's an odd dichotomy but 'Japan Sinks 2020' works it to its advantage. Unlike most works of disaster fiction, 'Japan Sinks 2020' is more about its characters and their struggles than the terrible natural disasters that are upending their lives. At the heart of the show is the Mutō family, a normal everyday family from Tokyo who are forced to find ways to survive the cataclysm. And it is this family that really sells the story.
Whether it's Ayumu Mutō's (Reina Ueda) voiceovers about a time before the disaster or Kōichirō Mutō's (Masaki Terasoma) efforts to make jokes and keep up a cheerful front even in the face of tragedy, there's so much about these people that endears them to the audience. Masaaki Yuasa's Science SARU studio has done a stellar job with the series and the artwork is an aesthetic treat. In fact, the first 10 minutes of the series feels almost like it's taken out of a Ghibli movie with its beautiful depictions of everyday life in the city.
And it's not like the stakes aren't high or situations aren't tense. There are so many dangers waiting for our heroes and the disaster really does bring out the worst in some people. However, it also brings out the best in some others and there's even a touch of humor. Ultimately, the grave threats to the Mutō family's survival are clear and present but at the same time, it is their relationships with one another that truly take center-stage.
This is a show to watch in the evenings while relaxing on the couch and unwinding after a long day, with the perfect mix of danger, heart and an oddly satisfying sense of serenity. 'Japan Sinks 2020' is currently available for streaming on Netflix.