Forum - View topicTokyo Magnitude 8.0 (with completed index)
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
-------------------- Index: Episode #02 Episode #03 Episode #04 Episode #05 Episode #06 Episode #07 Episode #08 Episode #09 Episode #10 Episode #11 -------------------- Episode One Not surprisingly I just finished the first episode, and I have to say it is easily the best show this current season. First off, the premise. Tokyo is often regarded as a city waiting to die, with a seventy percent chance of being hit by a powerful earthquake in the next thirty years. So why aren't there more shows or movies about the effects and aftermath of such a disaster? We are talking about a relevant event to thirty million people, with loads of potential drama and a chance to explore an "apocalypse" setting. Why, you could even throw in themes about how humans - both generally and with regards to specific characters - cope with strife and hardship. I would have thought that with all those juicy ingredients, that the scenario would have its own genre by now. Anyway, so the premise is interesting, with much potential, and yet is still surprisingly fresh. On to the characters, and by association the "slice-of-life" scenes. Holy moley they were done well. Yuuki is spot on as a happy-go-lucky innocent young boy, interested in soccer and robotics and still naive about the family situation. Mirai is also well done, as a cynical and lost adolescent who is neither a girl nor a woman, with texting as her only hobby, and whose mask of jaded boredom occasionally slips. The interactions between the two, and between their mother and father (whose loveless relationship is realistically done), is the series' biggest strength. I really do think the characterisations are nigh-on perfect in their realism; we could be watching real people in a real house and there wouldn't be that much difference. No saccharine or Tsundere girls, no incredibly manly or angsty guys, and no fanservice? Superb. Onto the technical merits. The music for the opener is a bit out of place but still good on its own, I thought, and I loved the detailed images. The ED had better music but I didn't like the images as much. Both songs felt truncated, which is a shame. As to the designs of the characters, well the most noticeable aspect was their, er, "frog-like mouths" when they smiled, as well as their very plain faces and small rounded eyes. A fairly distinct style I think, sort of Moe, though I notice the character designer hasn't done the sort of Moe series I expected (in fact they haven't done any). I don't hate the designs, but they will take some getting used to. It isn't a big deal for me at any rate. Also, Mirai looks like Ranka Lee from Macross Frontier; just thought I'd throw that out there. Finally, the animation and background work was great; that's my not-so-humble opinion. The outdoor vegetation and scenery were adequate, but it was the man-made structures that looked the best. Buildings had reflections in their windows, the bridge they pass under did look pretty neat, and the apartments had a well thought-out and modern design. The convention centre looked good too; I wouldn't be surprised if they took photos of a real one and simply converted them to drawings. As for interiors, the children's bedroom (or was it just Mirai's?) was quite detailed, especially the desk which looked cluttered and well-used. The living room had a box of tissues on a stand, and there were photos and a wine glass in a shelf over the television. You have to hand it to them, a lot of thought and care went into their quest for realism (proudly yet cautiously proclaimed at the start of the episode). So I lied, about the last paragraph being, well, the last paragraph. I think the disaster should get a short mention of its own. The animation was really good, such as when the bridge buckled and twisted (not as much as Tacoma though; hah), the glass shattered, and the tables and people flying everywhere. Of course, the event was actually out-shined by the silent pause before it; I just knew it was going to happen as soon as Mirai said "break" (well, the Japanese equivalent). Then we got the slight yet ominous rumbling, and the humans' confused expressions, and then bam. It was really something, though I wish they had given more time to it and let it finish. The ED sort of interrupted it right when it was getting good; from the moment that Mirai clicked her cellphone to the start of the ED was only fifty-three seconds. All in all this series has hooked me from episode one, and I cannot wait to see more. Best pilot episode I've watched this year; awesome. At this stage in time I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone. Last edited by dtm42 on Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:26 am; edited 15 times in total |
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Mistypearl
 Posts: 517 |
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The brief pause of any sound as the birds flew away after she clicked send on her cell phone was my favorite part of the episode. Second was her mimicking her mom.
I love how well done the character's behaviors are, usually I hate/dislike/find boring slice of life, but there are no zany characters, unrealistic personalities, or over the top actions that are usually used to keep the show fresh. Her family is realistic, her actions, her relationships, it's a real treat to watch her be an emo teenager, as wierd as that sounds. The detail in the pictures in the OP was so nice I had a hard time telling if they were real or not, I thought they were old images of an earthquake of long ago, until Mirai and Yuuki were seen amongst the rubble. This show is a real treat and I will definately follow it. |
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rainbowcourage
 Posts: 1216 Location: what is commonly known as "hell week" |
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Wow what a seriously awesome episode. I can't wait to see the rest of this series, particularly since the ED hints strongly that the woman with the motorcycle is going to spoiler[become the children's primary care-taker. I also like that the robot exhibition neatly hinted at the technology which will be used to locate survivors. And what a cliff-hanger ending, I will seriously punch something if Yuuki is hurt because he's so damn cute.
The slice-of-life nailed everything perfectly, although I wouldn't call that a loveless marriage just a strained one. The show portrayed perfectly the cynicism and moodiness which comes with the pre-teen years, and the balance between wanting free time and appearing selfish for not wanting to help out with household chores.] |
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LeanGreen
 Posts: 323 Location: New England |
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I have to agree with everything you said about the characters. You took the words right out of my mouth! While watching Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, the characters and their personalities were so realistic and well done that I forgot I was watching an anime until spoiler[the earthquake took place]. With no over the top character designs or personalities, who can blame me? As for predictions, I'm going to say that the woman with the bike who they met earlier, and at the jewelry store (hair tie store?) will spoiler[end up traveling around with them. I don't think that Yuuki is hurt, if only because they show his picture in the ending. However, I do think that one or both of Yuuki and Mirai's parents are hurt or killed, but that might not be the case if they spend the entire series searching for them. Other casualties would most likely include the wealthier girls at Mirai's school or some of her friends.] What I really want to see from this series is the complete destruction that the earthquake caused, the death toll, etc. Here's hoping Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 can pull off a spectacular run. |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Why thank you. It is always nice to see characters who are relatable and down-to-earth. And though they have flaws, they are very human flaws. Even the character designs are quite subdued compared to other series. It is like they are trying to make the cast seem as normal as possible, which will make us (the audience) that much more sympathetic to them when they are struggling to survive.
To be honest, I don't mind if it isn't spectacular. I mean, it isn't a flashy sort of show; I'm hoping for rock solid more than anything. But if BONES can only keep up the high standard they showed in the first episode, then this series will be one of the top two or three shows the year. Of that I have no doubt. |
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blind_assassin
 Posts: 755 |
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Finally got around to watching the first episode. Pretty good so far. The only likable character is out of the picture right now though so hopefully either the main character shows a bit of maturity early on or a rescue happens fast. Twelve Kingdoms is the only show I can think of that had no likable characters at the start and ultimately paid off for me.Though, if Tokyo Magnitude turns out even half as good as Twelve Kingdoms it'd pretty much seal the deal for best show this season.
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LeanGreen
Posts: 323 Location: New England |
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Second episode was incredible, I mean unbelievably good. I did not expect it to be so great. The fact that all the characters are so realistic made them much easier to relate to and the emotions while spoiler[Mirai was desperately looking for Yuuki ]were magnificently conveyed. I had expectations for this show, but the bar was just raised significantly. If Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 keeps this up, it just might become the best show this season.
spoiler[Kusakabe Mari managed to be motherly and caring without being annoying, and Mirai is much more likable after her search for Yuuki. One thing that I'm a bit curious about, however, is the amount of death that the earthquake actually caused, because I don't recall seeing any dead people. I remember that one boy who seemed to have passed out, and possibly one other body of a boy (the colors this episode were really dark on my computer for some reason so if anything was in the shadows I probably missed it) but no mention of anyone's relatives dying or anything. As soon as communication is back I'm certain that we will hear a lot more about that.] |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Episode Two
Wow, this was another great episode. First of all it took the time to show us the earthquake in greater length, which addressed one of my (few) gripes of the first episode, that we didn't see much of the earthquake itself. It was really something, and there was a good variety of scenes, from motorbikes falling over to elevated highways collapsing. The atmosphere inside the convention centre was amazing. It really captured the eerie calm and devastated splendour, from water gushing out of broken facets in the bathroom to lights still swinging minutes after the event. And of course, the aftershocks, brief moments of terror to the otherwise dazed survivors. The characters, like last episode, were extremely well done. From Mirai's panicked search for Yuuki - bordering on hysteria at times - to the rational and kind demeanour of Mari, all of the scenes with character interactions were a treat. I was slightly annoyed that Mari saved Mirai from falling debris twice, but thankfully there wasn't a third time. Don't take it the wrong way, I didn't want Mirai to die. But this is not a blockbuster action movie, so having her being repeatedly being saved like that doesn't belong in such a mature and lifelike title. Perhaps the most poignant moment was when they were going to eat the cake, and Mirai learns it was for Mari's daughter. Not only did we the audience learn why Mari was looking after them (maternal instincts, and no doubt worry for the safety and wellbeing of her own daughter), but we also got to see Mirai's realisation that maybe it isn't easy being a mother. Therefore, maybe she's been too hard on her own mother? And it was just a quiet and touching bookend to what had been a horrible time, though we know that their troubles aren't over yet (it's only the second episode). I still haven't gotten over how odd the characters look though. Mari's mouth is simply too wide for my tastes (her lipstick makes it worse), and the smiles of many other characters, but especially Yuuki's, reminds me of a tortoise's "beak". But this isn't a problem, and it doesn't affect my enjoyment, besides distracting me. It isn't annoying in and of itself. It was a nice realistic touch to see the cellphone coverage out, and it was even better to watch people use their cellphones as televisions (I'll take the show's word for it that that particular network was unaffected by the quake). Two things towards the end of the episode surprised me. The first was the passage of time; four hours had passed since the quake, which was, well, surprising. Yeah, I know, funny that. But surely it didn't take them four hours to search the convention centre and make it to their current shelter? The second thing was the heavy rain. Hadn't it just been a scorching summer's day? To have rain that very night seems kind of weird if you ask me. I mean, the rain did make it all dramatic (everyone knows no funeral or disaster should ever happen on a sunny day), but it did come out of the blue; literally. The ED song is growing on me. I think I was too hard on it before. It is surprisingly good, and the backgrounds (where everything is still unaffected and pristine) makes a good contrast. All in all, this episode has proved that the first was not a fluke, and has given me hope that the series will maintain the very high level of characterisation and storytelling and realism, as well as the solid technical merits. |
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LeanGreen
Posts: 323 Location: New England |
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I noticed that too. The first time I thought, well, ok, Mari is showing how motherly and caring she is. The second time was a bit unnecessary though.
I've got a nagging feeling that Mari's daughter is dead. I keep thinking that someone close to the main characters has to have died or at least been significantly injured. Since they are going the realistic route, I just feel that something would be amiss if the characters end up with their perfect happily ever after. I'm probably speculating this too early, though.
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if the creators did that on purpose in an attempt to make the character designs more realistic, not just their personalities. Perhaps they felt it would be wrong in such a series to have a cast of incredibly beautiful people going around in a ruined Tokyo. I know I keep going on about realistic this, and realistic that but I'm really hoping that they'll pull out all the stops in trying to get this show as accurate a portrayal of such a situation as possible. |
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popsiclestick
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Miranox
 Posts: 247 Location: Montreal, Canada |
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Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 has its merits, but it has one major problem: originality. I haven't seen any other anime like this one, but there are several movies who are very similar. Hollywood has made at least one movie for every kind of disaster imaginable. Earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, climate change, disease, alien invasions, monster attacks, you name it we've got it. The drama we got so far is nothing special either. I've seen very similar scenarios. However, there is room for improvement in this aspect. The disaster-hits-and-brings-people-together thing has been done many times, but if they manage to avoid this cliché and do something more original instead then I may change my opinion of this series.
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Dorcas_Aurelia
 Posts: 5344 Location: Philly |
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Hollywood also likes to sensationalize the disaster, and usually the movies lead up to the disaster, with the cataclysm itself being the climax. We're in the second episode, and it seems that the majority of the destruction is already over. Now, we get to see how people deal with the fallout. Hollywood disaster movies tend to end right about this point and leave us with a happily-ever-after closing.
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Miranox
Posts: 247 Location: Montreal, Canada |
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The role of the disaster in the story depends on the movie. I'll give you two examples off the top of my head:
In The Day After Tomorrow, climate change is the disaster. It doesn't take effect for a short time then disappears like an earthquake. About a third of the movie is spent setting up the premise and the climate change happens in the other two thirds. All the characters have to deal with it as it happens. In Deep Impact, a meteor large enough to wipe out mankind is heading towards the planet. The meteor impact is indeed the climax, but the movie deals mainly with how the world reacts to the idea that almost everyone will die. Many panic, some accept their fate, some try to find a solution, etc. This movie doesn't just follow the main characters around. It looks at the situation from many different perspectives. |
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Flameon
Exempt from Grammar Rules
Posts: 8 Location: Sweden |
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I didn't find the four hour period odd at all. From realizing what have happened, to then go into a search for another person (in an almost collapsed) building would probably take me around 30min. To then walk around in this building carefully as to not make things worse would take some time as well. Since they also searched deep into the wrong area they wasted even more time. After this, they backtracked outwards and found them on the way. We would now be at around two hour passed, probably more judging by how dark it was outside. From here they searched for a safer location in a heavily dangerous area if not walking carefully, remember that it isn't easy roads you're walking on anymore.
Wouldn't call thisa scorching summer's day ;) I love this show so far, let's hope I don't get disappointed as I did with Alison and Lilia which went from awesome to "not going to finish" |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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With all due respect Miranox, The Day After Tomorrow is one of the worst blockbuster disaster movies I know of. The characters literally outrun a wave of cold. Utterly no originality, besides how the film manages to make a mockery of science. At least an abomination such as The Core had a sense of humour.
Also, a disaster can be looked at two ways in terms of scope. There is the overview approach, what happens to everyone, and that is when we watch a huge cast of people who can't act battling the odds in true Hollywood style (with required romance sub-plot(s) of course), occasionally checking in on the generals and the Chiefs of Staff sitting around the table. And of course one of them is a scientist who knows everything there is to know about what is going on, and who is probably racing to save his/her son/daughter from the meteor/tsunami/death ray/insert disaster here. Or there is the personal experience, which is how virtually everyone who isn't in the military or government experiences a disaster. They don't know what is going on, they are just trying to (in this order) survive, look for relatives/friends, find shelter, forage for food, and check their cellphones in a desperate but futile attempt to find out just what is going on. They don't know the big picture, so neither do we, and the cast is typically much smaller. So, considering this is just an earthquake (albeit a big one), and not an alien invasion or trumped-up popcorn flick of a disaster movie, it makes sense not to focus on ten different people. Just focus on a select few I say, and give them greater depth than would be possible in another, poorer series. It better allows us to place ourselves in their shoes, and it makes for better viewing. Also, I have to question your assertion that because Hollywood has already done an earthquake, that means it is not original if an Anime series does one as well. I suppose then that Macross or Evangelion (or any number of other Anime titles) are unoriginal and should never have been made, because Hollywood had already done an alien invasion with War of the Worlds? And although I will not hold it against the show too much if by the end of it Mirai and her family don't get along better, I think the show has already started to go the route that disasters can make you appreciate life and your loved ones better. And what is so wrong with that? People usually change at least a little after a disaster, either for the worse or better. That's life, and hopefully the Mirai and Yuuki and Mari that finish (or not) their journey are different people to the ones who we saw in episode one.
Good catch. Alright, I'll give you that the weather changed for the worse while the two kids were inside the convention centre, but it was still sunny when Yuuki dashed inside for the toilet (which may have been several minutes before the quake, depending on how long Mirai was texting). And of course it was a real scorcher earlier on when they met Mari outside by the vending machine. Also, another reason why I was surprised four hours had passed was because Mari fetched her motorbike fairly quickly, unless the kids were waiting a lot longer than the half-hour I thought it was. If her bike was nearby then they hadn't walked very far. Just a thought. Last edited by dtm42 on Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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