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Old 2011-11-04, 04:05   Link #339
Akito Kinomoto
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Blooming Blue Rose
Age: 32
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The Tatami Galaxy is an anime that sets out to be a social commentary regarding the problems with setting lofty expectations.

The basic vehicle of the story is that Watashi will relive his two years of campus life with a different club on each experience. Along the way his life gets screwed up by Ozu, occasionally crosses paths with Akashi, and meets whoever else is in any given circle.

Unfortunately, while the differing clubs themselves can stop all of the situational repetitiveness, it seems to have become an excuse to let the characters remain stagnant. Akashi in the first timeline and Akashi in the last is defined as being a snark who hates moths, Watashi merely seeks a Rose-colored campus life, and Ozu simply remains a prankster.

So the characterization was non-existent, but at least their actions could be amusing to watch, right?

However, the characters act exactly the same no matter what situation they're in, calling into question the realism of their behavior. Now, one could make the argument that some people have a firmly placed personality that doesn't change no matter what happens. Which is true. But this is a criticism over their unbending behavior--and consequently, actions--not unbending personality.

In essence the characters are one-dimensional in both personality and actions. One or the other is fine, but both compounded together comes across as very lazy.

But fine. Clearly this anime never intended to have a cast or story worth caring about.

Or did it?

The climax to this show is a character-based one that ties in all of elements established previously and drives home the entire spirit of the show; on a purely directional level it works magnificently. Too bad a lack of sympathy/caring for said character--Watashi--absolutely wrecks any significance the resolution has, for a conflict that became all too obvious after the first three episodes.

The final straw is the quick empowerment Watashi is granted after his epiphany. Apparently having a lot more self-confidence and appreciating what is there can suddenly move someone from hopelessly adrift to swimming against the current. The Tatami Galaxy's demonstration of a new lease on life is hopelessly naive, and ironically goes against the set-in-stone fate tone set throughout the series with a malleable destiny one.

If there's one thing I'd give this anime, it's the intentionally inconsistent and very stylistic art design. It's just a shame that the story is both unengaging and not worth caring about, and my initial impressions of this show were actually quite good. The Tatami Galaxy was certainly unique, but turned out to be crushingly disappointing.
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