Japan Sinks: 2020

Japan Sinks: 2020 was produced by Science SARU and released as an original net animation on Netflix in 2020. Based on the 1973 disaster novel by Sakyo Komatsu, the series was reimagined by director Masaaki Yuasa to reflect the anxieties of the modern era. The production sought to pivot away from the large-scale political focus of the original material, instead centering the narrative on the emotional and physical survival of a single family during a cataclysmic tectonic event.

The series is noted for its distinctive visual style, characterized by the fluid, expressive character designs and bold color palettes that have become hallmarks of Yuasa’s collaborative work with Science SARU. While the show's intense pacing and tonal shifts were polarising among critics and audiences, it was widely recognized for its ambition in translating a classic piece of Japanese speculative fiction into a high-stakes, contemporary domestic drama.