Anime original by CygamesPictures
Streaming on Crunchyroll
Premise
After a devastating global pandemic, humanity has fled into space and abandoned Earth. Nevertheless, dutifully crewed by its all-robot staff, one hotel in a small corner of Ginza, Tokyo continues to keep the establishment in tip-top shape, awaiting the day guests will return once more.
Zigg’s verdict: Apocalypse Wow
No mincing words here – this was one of the most striking, beautifully constructed debut episodes I’ve seen in quite some time, and far and away the strongest of the season thus far, no mean feat considering that there have been quite a few other promising shows in the pipeline.
Perhaps the greatest achievement on display here is the precise nailing of tone. Post-apocalyptic media always has to walk a fine line between being depressingly maudlin and unrealistically flippant, and Apocalyse Hotel lands bang on that line with aplomb. There are some great laughs to be had here, from Doorman Robo’s extreme dedication to his craft, to the mass collective freakout over one missing shower cap. Yet at the same time the episode is suffused with a wistful sadness that creeps in and gets under your skin in little moments, only reinforced by Yachiyo’s optimism and blind faith in the face of a dwindling staff and a dying world. Pre-airing several comparisons were made to cult classic manga Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou and while it’s still too early to say for sure, the delicate mix of humour, slice-of-life, and sadness definitely bring that work to mind.
Apocalypse Hotel is also helped by an extremely high quality presentation. Technically this is a fabulous looking show, bright and colourful and packed with detail and energy. Furthermore, the directorial choices seem keenly aligned with the mood and tone of the show – sequences like the opening montage, or the ‘laying to rest’ of Drill Robo, understand the less-is-more principle and work hard to convey the appropriate atmosphere through shot choice, music, and framing. The big test here is going to be if the show’s delicate balance of humour and darkness can survive a story expansion as new characters begin to show up at the hotel, but on the basis of this exceptional first episode I’m very excited to see them try.
