Japan Sinks: 2020 perfectly represents the visceral sensation of fear that emerges from natural disasters.
Set shortly after the 2020 Olympics, a series of earthquakes devastate Japan. The destruction is massive. The islands are sinking, and no one is safe. The show follows a family’s struggle to survive the nationwide catastrophe and the sacrifices they must make along the way.
Positives
Japan Sinks’ sound design and score is perfect. The show has this impending sense of dread that is amplified by the audio side of the experience. The pacing of the initial impact fits so well and threw us as the audience right into the action. They managed to capture the feeling of being inside a disaster exquisitely through animation and that, in itself, is a remarkable feat.
Negatives
The art style looks really odd and takes some time getting used to, especially when they linger on faces for too long. It is not a deal-breaker, but I could see someone losing investment simply because it’s hard for them to watch.
Summary
With the whole show already out, many people already know what they think of this show. I plan on following it as though it were coming out week to week. So far, Japan Sinks: 2020 looks really promising. The havoc that occurred in the opening episode sets the scene on what’s to come. I’m excited to see if it can stay this engaging all the way till the end. Natural disaster survival stories are relatively rare, so it has a chance to stand out in a big way this season.
I plan to watch the first episode of every new show that is coming out this season. If you want to know what to watch, and what to stay away from, follow this series.
