So far there have been 3 episodes of Coppelion that have aired. I've watched all 3 and am here to give you my first impressions of this series that is nearly breaking the ice of what it is going to delve into. In a quick summary this anime has really impressed me and exceeded my expectations, but let's get into exactly how it has done this.
Synopsis
Coppelion involves a realistic scenario where in 2016 Tokyo has become largely uninhabitable due to a nuclear power plant catastrophe. It has made the radiation levels of the capital too high to be inhabitable, so the city has become a ghost town. The scene is shaking, but 3 girls are up to the task of finding remnant survivors who continue to live in this dystopia. These 3 girls however have something special about them that makes them able to search Tokyo unharmed, they've been genetically engineered to not be affected by the radiation. Regular humans have to go around in hazmats, whereas these girls have heightened senses and other superhuman qualities that make them a cut above the regular person. They take up their responsibility with integrity, and help the endangered inhabitants to return back to civilization.
Presentation
This first thing that will strike the audience is the animation quality. The backgrounds and art direction are stunning. There's a hazy cool filter over top of the scenes that make the colour vibrant and surreal. The greens and blues (if you note in the screencap above) are highlighted, drawing attention to nature; you get a real sense of the environment and the direction is superb. The anime has an overall environmental message at play, and I really like the attention to detail they put into it. The backgrounds are gorgeous, and they routinely allow the audience to take in the view. They make an uninhabitable Tokyo quite beautiful, and their approach to this is quite unrivaled in the genre. Sometimes the characters stand out a bit too much from the background which makes their integration less natural, but I think there could be reasons for this aesthetic, so it isn't necessarily a complaint. In general, from an artistic standpoint there's already a lot to enjoy about this anime. But of course, there's more!
Setting
The setting for this anime is something that is a big question mark for most of humanity. It is something that we've already seen become a reality, with cities like Chernobyl and of course more close to home for Japan, the after effects of the catastrophic tsunami of 2011. This anime is examining what the real life implications would be if such a catastrophe were to hit a large city like Tokyo, and what would be the residual consequences. It also questions Japan's traditional energy sources (being nuclear power) and challenges the idea that these power sources have more danger to offer than benefit. I'm surprised that they make this statement so bravely which also taking the artistic approach of making this a beautiful Tokyo despite being filled with an ugly truth. It is an interesting thought experiment that challenges reality.
The Story
Coppelion's story is set on a case by case basis. The girls help out new individuals every episode, whilst also unfolding the story at large. There are still a lot of unknowns that allow the audience to be intrigued enough to keep watching. There are scattered metaphors and allegories that challenge our perception of our current reality, and make us think about something larger than ourselves. I love how it's taking on so much and doing such a great job with it. I'm excited to see how much more this story has to offer, so I will definitely keep watching.
In Conclusion
Coppelion has a merriment of art, metaphor and great storytelling that makes it a cut above a lot of the anime out this season. It attempts to get at issues larger and more real than the audience might have presupposed, and it brings these issues to the forefront in a majestic way. It's shaping up to be one of the best animes this season has to offer, and I'm excited to see where it will take us. These first impressions give this anime a 9.0 out of 10 so far. It might just get an even higher score it if exceeds my already high impression of it.
Christina
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