When Studio bones attaches itself to an anime, it is a mark of quality that transcends genre. Not one of bones's back catalogue can be claimed to be substandard in either animation quality or production. Common occurrences like a first episode budget-burn or compromising fidelity for fluidity so common to serialised TV anime are non-existent for a bones' creation. So it's with continued admiration and a sense of joy that one can approach Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 safe in the knowledge of bones's place at the pinnacle of production.
Beginning with stark sepia scenes of a ruined Tokyo, this tells the - currently fictional - story of a severe earthquake striking the Tokyo metropolis area. Focusing on the trials of Mirai and Yuuki as they try to find their way home, the first three episodes of Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 are absolutely superb and are a masterclass in characterisation. Opening in rain drenched twilight then rolling back 24 hours, Mirai is portrayed as a typical urban youth: fractious, jaded and proud. Miles from their prototypical suburban home when the disaster hits, Mirai must first search tearfully for Yuuki but not before meeting the bike courier Mari; with Yuuki successfully located, the trio take flight from Odaiba and start the long journey back to their homes. Following such luminaries as Eden of the East with a diminutive 11 episodes, there is ample time to explore the meticulously researched devastation as well as forge the protagonists.
Mirai's initially obtuse nature turns quickly into pessimism, not helped by her frantic and easily frightened nature; a lot of the allure of the series is exploring how both Mirai and Mari evolve to cope with their circumstances. Mari still holds enough mystery to be interesting, while the use of Yuuki as an endearing juxtaposition to the dour Mirai is welcome and not overused. The focus on such a personal plight always threatens to conceal the most interesting parts to a situation, recent attempts in films such as Signs and War of the Worlds always leave the audience wanting more revealed - thankfully this shows no sign of that and the abject horror of the situation they face is more enticing than a bird's eye view could ever accomplish. Indeed it is remarkable just how much empathy is built towards the characters in such a short space of time, especially given the sometimes worrying lack of detail applied to them aesthetically; this is somewhat balanced out by the attention bestowed upon backgrounds and events such as the toppling of the Rainbow Bridge.
That each episode starts with a warning that while highly researched, the situation is fictional is testament to the thought and sensitivity that has been poured into the creation: one can imagine this is uncomfortable viewing for residents of Tokyo, even a transitive knowledge of the city will make for some troubling moments. In just three episodes Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 manages to construct a compelling and frighteningly believable situation and effortlessly launches a tight cast into the most harrowing of predicaments. This is compulsory viewing and there can be no greater testament to its quality at three episodes than the indelible desire to devour the remainder of the series in short order.