Title: Tamako Market
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
U.S. Release Date: September 9, 2014
Format and Length: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes
Genre: Comedy
Industry Age Rating: 14+
Overall Personal Rating: A-
Synopsis:
Tamoko’s family runs a mochi shop in the Tamaya shopping arcaded. They live behind the shop. The other shop keepers and their families have become a close knit community. Tomoko’s best friends from school are Kanna and Midori, another good friend is Mochizo, the boy who lives across the street where his family also runs a mochi shop.
On a plain old, average day, Tamoko finds a strange bird at the flower shop. She takes him home until he is back to normal, everyone is only mildly surprised to find out that he can talk. Tamoko being ever kind and optimistic, goes with the flow and befriends the bird, who suavely informs everyone his name is Dera. Thoroughly enjoying their home and friendship, as well as plenty of fresh mochi, Dera forgets the mission that was the reason for his journey and provides ample quantities of comedy.
Everyday life, school and family are the center focus. The anime spans a year, marking its progress through the seasons with the holidays and events well known to any anime watcher; New Year, festivals, Halloween, Christmas (no beach episode though). We get to know the cast through each activity, and especially how they interact and depend on each other. Even we can see the crush Mochizo has on Tamoko when she can’t.
Dera’s past comes forward and he occasionally “projects” messages from his home land. When the communications go poorly, someone from his island comes to check up on him, she too finds friendship within Tamoko’s family and community. Still, she aims to fulfill the reason for Dera’s trip.
Commentary:
Tamoko’s Market was fun and a joy to watch. This anime is really about friendship, family and community. It was was like visiting friends each time. If only everyone could face life in the way Tamoko does and be able to enjoy it the same. It sure would be wonderful to experience a bit of her life for real.
Some of the people who joined me for an episode or two as I watched Tamoko’s Market had laugh aloud moments. Dera was a focal point for the comedy. He starts off strutting around, and in a haughty voice, talking way too much.The response he gets from the people are fun to as any surprise is delightfully mild. I wished they hadn’t toned down Dera’s original attitude. It was the funniest thing in the whole anime. The anime seemed to replace much of his original attitude with jokes and comments about how round he had gotten eating so much mochi.
The animation was well done. The characters are proportional and interesting, yet still believable. Each character has an appearance that describes who they are, even Downy to Tamoko’s mochi-like hair ties. the settings and backgrounds are very supportive to the scenes and delightful to look at. A second viewing will really give a chance to see all that is going on. I personally enjoy detailed backgrounds, and appreciate all the extra work and communication. This detail of everyday life is also woven into the scenes
I don’t know who exactly this is intended for, but I find it is suitable for almost anyone. There is plenty of cuteness to go around, but there really is so much more. there is plenty of comedy for adults, male or female. If it wasn’t for the odd addition of Dera the bird, I would label this as slice of life anime, and it still is but only in a weird and unrealistic way. However, once the premise is set, it settles into a wonderful flow of life and all of its special days. This could continue easily into another season if they want. Even though Tamoko is the ever optimistic school girl, she had such a pleasant charm that I find her more endearing than most of the cliche characters usually do.
Overall Grade: A- A wonderful way to spend a weekend among friends.
