Avalon: Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 Review

I was looking forward to this anime before it even started and while there were a couple eps in the middle I didn’t find incredibly exciting, overall this show did not disappoint.

Animation – 8/10
Smooth. Everything was done very well. For me the realism was there so I have nothing to complain about. That’s not to say it was perfect since I wasn’t blown away either.

Art-style – 7.5/10
The way the characters are drawn is a little different at first, but then grows on you as you watch the show. Of course it was a similar to Eden of the East so I was expecting it to be what it was. Environments are excellently done. You really feel like you’re in Tokyo after a massive earthquake.

No this is not here for the songs…I just love the pics that make up the opening…though the ending is tacked on as well.

It’s a nice day in Tokyo…

Sound – 8/10
The main reason for this somewhat higher score is because of the great voice actors. They did a great job and all the correct emotions for each scene. Sound effects were good as well, though I don’t try to hear every sound effect in an anime. The opening and ending (above) weren’t something I listened to every episode, but they weren’t “nails on chalkboard” to me.

…then all hell breaks loose…

Story – 8.5/10
If you don’t already know, this anime tells the story of what would happen if a magnitude 8.0 earthquake hit Tokyo. Apparently there is a 70% chance that a magnitude 7 earthquake will hit Tokyo in the next 30 years which is the inspiration for this anime. They strove for a sense of realism in this and for the most part they accomplished this task minus a couple details.
The story follows 2 siblings (Marai the older sister and Yuuki younger brother) as they try to make their way home after the earthquake hits Tokyo while they are at a robot convention (they did not go with their parents). They meet a woman named Mari who helps them along the way. The first half is quite a bit different from the 2nd in that the 2nd is more emotional than the 1st and that is something I enjoyed greatly. Both halves had their strong points which added to the anime as a whole.

…and this is the result…at least for this screen shot.

Character – 9/10
The characters were developed excellently in this anime. Marai is a spoiled brat who seems to hate her life, finds her family annoying, and wishes the world would break. Yuuki is the peacemaker where he just wants their family to have fun together and get along. Marai is probably the best developed character in the whole anime and it is enjoyable to watch her as the anime progresses. There really isn’t a character you just want to hate in this anime. Some might say Marai fills that role, but that doesn’t last long.

From left: Mari, Marai, Yuuki, and some random girl who doesn’t even stay in the full episode.

Enjoyment – 8/10
I loved this anime and was very satisfied by the end. Whether serious, emotional, or just plain silly, this anime does an excellent at keeping your attention. The characters are very likable which in turn makes you want to find out what happens to them. Even though they say they were striving for realism, I didn’t watch it for the realism. I just enjoyed it like I would any other anime and I think that is the best way to watch it because I have seen some people complain about some parts of this anime because they didn’t see it as “realistic”. Bottom line is that you should just try to enjoy the anime and not focus on what is and what is not realistic.
Also I loved the ending which of course adds a bunch to this category.

Some random picture with no actual value to this review…there is a loli in it…good enough.

Overall – 8.5/10
Yet another great anime is born and finished and will not be forgotten. I guess this anime would fit into the “survival” genre because it doesn’t seem to fit into most mainstream genres (action, comedy, romance, etc). I assume you know if you would like this kind of anime or not and if you don’t know, then yes I recommend it because it is definitely a nice addition to the survival genre and just a nice watch overall.

~ by Avalon on September 19, 2009.