Geophysical background

Japan is on a destructive plate boundary, where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts the Eurasian Plate. It is a triple junction and three subduction zones are involved. After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, towns like Ishinomaki subsided.

Political background

This novel is now seen as an important look into the cultural context of 1970s Japan, particularly due to its level of popularity.^[1]

Summary

Shortly after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a major earthquake hits Japan. Amidst the chaos, the Mutou siblings Ayumu (a 3rd year junior high school student and track and field athlete) and her younger brother Gou (a 2nd grader and video game enthusiast) attempt to escape the city with their family and friends. However, the sinking Japanese archipelago complicates their escape. Plunged into extreme conditions, the Mutou siblings believe in the future and acquire the strength to survive with utmost effort.

Voice cast

Episode list

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 72% approval rating based on 18 reviews, with an average rating of 6.54/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Japan Sinks: 2020's swell of tension and frenetic pace leave little room to breathe, but bursts of hope and interesting insights into humanity may help brave viewers weather its apocalyptic story."^[5] The series attracted criticism within Japan for its condemnation of Japanese nationalism,^[6] but also received positive attention in the West for its multiculturalism and inclusiveness,^[7] and was named as one of the best anime series of 2020.^[8][9]

The first episode of Japan Sinks: 2020 was awarded the 2021 Annecy Jury Prize for a Television Series,^[10] and the series as a whole received two nominations at the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.^[11] The compilation film version of the series was awarded a Jury Selection Prize at the 2021 Japan Media Arts Festival.^[12]