Nihon Chinbotsu: Kibo no Hito (2021)

Thought-provoking environmental drama with slight realism issues

Based on the novel "Japan Sinks" by Sakyo Komatsu, Nihon Chinbotsu: Kibo no Hito is a heartfelt take on disasters caused by environmental issues.

The strongest point of this show are its main characters, precisely Amami played by Oguri Shun, Tokiwa played by Matsuyama Kenichi and Shiina played by Watanabe Anne. Amami is a compassionate, emphatic and idealistic character you can't help but root for, and this was probably one of my favorite Oguri Shun performances. He does a fantastic job at making this too good for this world character seem grounded and relatable. My favorite parts were his scenes with Matsuyama Kenichi. This duo just plays off of each other with ease, and it's fun to watch. Watanabe Anne is one of the most likable female leads I've seen in a while, and I loved her drive just as much as her big heart.

The characters and their relationships whether it was friendships, family bonds or even work related made this show a touching experience. While not all characters feel fully developed, I was still able to connect to quite a few of them, which gave this story more of a personal note. Overall though, this drama doesn't so much focus on the circumstances of individual characters but the bigger picture of disaster prevention, political and environmental issues as well as morality questions connected to these topics. More cynical souls might think this show relies a bit too much on pathos, but personally I thought they managed to balance the heavily emotional parts with the otherwise serious tone of the show. There is just something about good people fighting for humanity, and they managed to capture that beautifully.

Although I enjoyed how they portrayed corruption issues and the sheer amount of work behind a situation like this, some parts of the story  just seemed unrealistic and certain  plot points too convenient. If you studied anything related to geoscience you might struggle with the scientific facts presented to  you, since I didn't I blissfully  ignored those that sounded like a stretch. Apart from that, I had issues with overacting of certain characters, since it didn't fit the tone of the story at all. 

While I did criticize the flaws of this drama, I'm merely doing this to adjust the expectations of the potential viewer.  Personally,  I thoroughly enjoyed this one. After a bit of a slow start, this drama managed to capture my attention and kept moving me with its compelling characters and inspiring message. It may be a bit of an idealistic take on the topic, but it's called "People of Hope" after all, and I certainly enjoyed its optimistic approach.

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How Well Goverment Take Responsibility on Disaster?

Nihon Chinbotsu Kibo no Hito is a modern day take on the original novel Japan Sinks by Sakyo Komatsu. Just like in the novel, tectonic shifts in the Eastern hemisphere are attributed to a series of earthquakes that sinks Japan into the ocean. Through this adaptation, we get to see the perspective of the big disaster from government, scientist, media and large companies. This drama is about how big figures will overcome the obstacles and protect their dearest country Japan from collapsing. The earthquake isn't the main focus of this drama and if you come expecting for "natural disaster", you will probably be disappointed.

The acting aren't top notch but for me they are good enough for the plot. I must say I love how the characters are written as dedicated person to their job. I watched a lot of articles & documentaries resolving the great Tohoku Earthquake and that is how I see Japanese people, take responsibility of their actions in work and life despite having a big disaster. Furthermore, we can see the main character's different back stories and how they protect their loved ones while on their job position, plus points from me!

I just hope they invest more in the story from the earthquake victim pov, so the viewer can feel the tense of being in the big disaster. Anyway, I find this drama interesting every episode and I never get bored. This story is a real eye open to appreciate whats happening in the moment because you never know what the future brings or who and what you will gain and lose in life. Also a story to respect scientist and their knowledge in disaster science predictions. Will I recommend it for you to watch? Yes, give it a try!

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