"Nihon Chinbotsu" had a lot of expectations to meet and honestly, it did an okay job. Loosely based on a famous novel from the 1970s, this natural disaster drama plays out the question of, "What happens if Japan sinks?" From the science, to the government's reactions, to the individual human stories, and eventually the final event, it tries to show all the different perspectives that weigh in as the natural disaster slowly unfolds. And that's where the drama probably tries to do too much. The plot is so basic and simple because it's trying to juggle so much - it develops in almost a predictable manner. There are a few surprises, but they are hardly plot twists and more just excessive, unneeded side plots. The acting is solid and on point, with Oguri Shun leading the charge. Even with mediocre material, he still impresses with his skill. Kagawa Terayuki is great, but I feel like he's always fantastic with eccentric characters - it's definitely his thing. And I enjoyed both the OST and the theme song that heightened my feelings appropriately. As the first Japanese drama that aired simultaneously on Japanese television while being released weekly on Netflix worldwide, I definitely wished it could have been a more intriguing and well-developed drama; that's probably my own bias as a long-time Japanese drama watcher. It's a solid drama for sure, and Oguri Shun fans will enjoy, so at least there's that.
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