Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 01
Summer 2009 looks like it’s going to be a pretty good season for new anime, not least because of the premises that some of them are putting forward. Like this show, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 – the story of a huge earthquake hitting Tokyo. It seems simple enough on the face of it, but delve down in to specific characters and there’s great potential there.
The opening, while unlike its peers with flashy and expensive animation, is simple and conveys a real sense of disaster, what with its black and white stills of destroyed landmarks and vegetation growing in their wake, with our future protagonists steadily marching through the whole thing. It won’t win any “Best Opening” awards, though.
The message at the beginning of the show, warning people that this is fictional, based on research, and may be different to the real thing, really focuses the mind – remember that Tokyo is well overdue a massive earthquake and there are regular classes as to what one should do in the event of one. Take in to account that this is being broadcast on Fuji TV’s noitaminA block, which is scheduled between their normal programming and their late night anime as a gateway of sorts. You can tell that they’re trying to appeal to a wide and fearful demographic with this one.
It looks like this has worked – in the anime ratings for the Kanto region (source) for the 6th July – 12th July, the show managed to break in to the top 10 (usually a preserve for daytime shows) at number 9 with an average of 5.8% of households watching – the highest rated “late night” anime.
Clannad ~After Story~ 04
Wow. How far behind on just two series am I? The answer to that rhetorical question – very. So without further ado, let’s get on with the last episode of this mini Sunohara story arc.
Toradora! 02
I know that I’m hilariously far behind broadcast of all two of the series I’m blogging right now, but that should be rectified soon. I’ve cheated a bit with Toradora! and skipped ahead, which just goes to show that I quite like it so far. Which is strange, because it’s not one defining factor that keeps me watching, it’s the sum of the parts.
Clannad ~After Story~ 03
It’s great to see Mei back to her usual investigative self at the beginning of this episode. We’re still in the middle of the charade of Sunohara and Sanae going out, and it’s evident that Mei has some doubts about the validity of the relationship, what with these questioning looks.
Toradora! 01
Out of all of the shows airing this season, the one that has piqued my interest the most is Toradora!. The reasons for this are mainly down to general internet interest, but I also quite liked the premise of the story. Even if it sounds like (and almost definitely is) a show photocopied from an identi-kit template for this season’s unexpected high school love story, at least it’s trying to change the variables in the formula just a bit.
Clannad ~After Story~ 02
Ah, Youhei Sunohara. He’s a real marmite character if ever I seen one, which is why this episode could either be a bad one, or a good… no. This was never going to be good. Spoilers ahoy.
In this week’s episode, we get to see Sunohara making a fool of himself much moreso than usual, and in front of many more people, all because of one of Okazaki’s playful remarks that always go just a few dozen steps too far. While stepping through most of the characters we met in last episode’s baseball-’em-up again, and being rejected every time for being, well… Sunohara, Sanae-san finally reveals she was actually worried about his direction in life as well. Who knew?
