(L) Tamayura ~Hitotose~

[Flower]

Originally Posted by vansonbee

Aria the Animation? I watch a few episodes before, it was light hearted, but hard to connect with, because of the setting (future planet surrounding etc...)

Hmm ... interesting. I did not have that problem at all.

Aria is indeed "light hearted", as is Tamayura, and it definitely has the added element of "cute girls doing cute things", but it has a serious and moving side to it as well.

In the first ep from the first season the tone is pretty much established in the conversation between Akari and Ai, who hops on her gondola for a free ride. Ai is used to life back on "man home", and Aqua is quite different. Even though there is "sci-fi'ish" technology and interplanetary travel, life on Aqua is "retro" in the sense that it retains aspects of a "traditional way of life", if you will. The pace and the approach to things is contrasted between the two characters as they are slowly, slowly paddling along in the Gondola.

For me this is an excellent analogy of what it is like for many viewers and the Aria series ... it is a very slow moving series, but it slowly draws one in, and if you incline yourself to it you being "charmed" by it, just as Ai slowly becomes "charmed" by Akari and eventually life on Aqua.

But again, that sort of thing is not for everyone.

[ThereminVox]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Truth be told, Tamayura ~Hitotose~ is almost an one-of-a-kind for me. Most "cute girls doing cute things" shows feel less down-to-Earth and real to me than this one does.

This may just be my own view, but I think this might stem from the hyper self-awareness that has crept into that particular sub-genre. There's a jaded edge to most of the comedy in shows that feature the four girl cast, with few moments of sincerity to break up the avalanche of self-deprecating and self-referential gags which sometimes seem designed to establish otaku cred, or to give off a detatched coolness. Tamayura makes no attempt at being cool, and so far doesn't seem remotely sorry for being what it is. I find that refreshing, but opinions may vary.

Tamayura is very... tactile, though I hesitate to use that word to describe an audio-visual presentation. The music and sound design combine with the vivid pictures to create a world that you feel like you can smell, or even touch. It pushes all the right buttons in my head to make me feel what it wants me to feel, and I dig that.

I really enjoy the OP, too. It has a great hook, but it doesn't feel pop-y, or forced. The first time I saw the opening animation and heard the song, it felt like the crew was saying "Hey, we made something we're really proud of, please watch." A lot of care looks like it went into this show. I doubt I'd enjoy it half as much if you couldn't feel that just from watching.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by ThereminVox

This may just be my own view, but I think this might stem from the hyper self-awareness that has crept into that particular sub-genre. There's a jaded edge to most of the comedy in shows that feature the four girl cast, with few moments of sincerity to break up the avalanche of self-deprecating and self-referential gags which sometimes seem designed to establish otaku cred, or to give off a detatched coolness. Tamayura makes no attempt at being cool, and so far doesn't seem remotely sorry for being what it is. I find that refreshing, but opinions may vary.

Tamayura is very... tactile, though I hesitate to use that word to describe an audio-visual presentation. The music and sound design combine with the vivid pictures to create a world that you feel like you can smell, or even touch. It pushes all the right buttons in my head to make me feel what it wants me to feel, and I dig that.

I really enjoy the OP, too. It has a great hook, but it doesn't feel pop-y, or forced. The first time I saw the opening animation and heard the song, it felt like the crew was saying "Hey, we made something we're really proud of, please watch." A lot of care looks like it went into this show. I doubt I'd enjoy it half as much if you couldn't feel that just from watching.

Excellent post, and I agree with all of it.

You're right, the vast majority of shows in this sub-genre would have played to otaku tropes in a much more clear-cut way.

For example, there's quite a bit of close female bonding here, but at no point did I get a sense of... *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* Enjoying the yuri subtext? *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*


I almost recommended A-Channel to vansonbee, but I just couldn't do it, precisely for differences like this one, which I really do think makes a considerable difference.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Flower

Hmm ... if you will pardon me for "butting in" like this, but on looking at your anime listings I did not see the Aria trilogy listed (maybe I overlooked it?).

If you have not seen the three seasons of Aria that might be a good choice for material similar to Tamayura - Hitotose....

Sketchbook ~Full colors~ is also a must watch if you like Tamayura.

[MeoTwister5]

I won't be able to blog episode 2 because subs came out kinda late and I was kinda busy this week... but even then I always make it a point to watch this show especially on the times I really feel like they can help.

As for the episode itself, every teacher is as unique as any individual person, and they each show their concern in different ways. Dougou is much like, say, Pin in Kimi ni Todoke, but you know that inside that clunky and doofusy exterior lines a good hearted person with more wisdom than his demeanor lets off.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

As for the episode itself, every teacher is as unique as any individual person, and they each show their concern in different ways. Dougou is much like, say, Pin in Kimi ni Todoke, but you know that inside that clunky and doofusy exterior lines a good hearted person with more wisdom than his demeanor lets off.

Ah! I knew he reminded me of somebody. There's no doubt he's a good person -great even- but he's still annoying imo , although not nearly as much as Pin

[Decagon]

Originally Posted by ThereminVox

This may just be my own view, but I think this might stem from the hyper self-awareness that has crept into that particular sub-genre. There's a jaded edge to most of the comedy in shows that feature the four girl cast, with few moments of sincerity to break up the avalanche of self-deprecating and self-referential gags which sometimes seem designed to establish otaku cred, or to give off a detatched coolness. Tamayura makes no attempt at being cool, and so far doesn't seem remotely sorry for being what it is. I find that refreshing, but opinions may vary.

Originally Posted by Triple_R

You're right, the vast majority of shows in this sub-genre would have played to otaku tropes in a much more clear-cut way.

Please remember that most light-hearted animations based around all-girl casts are sourced from comedy manga that are especially aimed at delivering jokes/gags and not a story like this is. The hook from a series like this is that it was written to deliver a narrative, not to exposé the antics of a few airheads and their straight-men.

[MeoTwister5]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Ah! I knew he reminded me of somebody. There's no doubt he's a good person -great even- but he's still annoying imo , although not nearly as much as Pin

Quiet you! Pin is awesome!

[Midonin]

Spoiler for Tamayura 03 - Tamayura the Chefs:

Komachi's an interesting addition to the cast. All three of the junior undine have now been in this show, cool to note. Mostly a Norie focuser. We found out why she likes sweets so much, and she got into a competition with Komachi about this. For a given value of "competition". It was really more about appreciating the magic of the kitchen. Seeing Hirohashi as a girl trying her hand at sweets making did recall some memories of Kanamemo, though. (And at the end of the episode, she was at it again. I don't think Fuu is as up for a photobattle as Norie would be.) Really great stuff.

[Raiga]

Originally Posted by Midonin

All three of the junior undine have now been in this show, cool to note.

Really? Who did Saitou Chiwa play?

Spoiler:

Another sweet (haha) episode. Seems Norie has a rival in her affections for Kou. While the focus was on Norie and Komachi, I enjoyed how Fuu had her little side-plot involving photographing food so that it "looks delicious," which was resolved at the end along with everything else. It's the little details that really make this show. ^^

Also is it scary how I recognized Hirohashi Ryou's voice before she even started speaking? Watching Komachi tailing Norie and Maon, my first thought was, "Yamada?"

[Midonin]

Originally Posted by Raiga

Really? Who did Saitou Chiwa play?

One of the two girls at the photo store in the OVAs.

[vansonbee]

Just watched episode 3, the series has lost its melancholy feeling, compared to the first episode, where a friend is moving away and her friend is being supportive and sad at the same time.

Norie acts like Sana from "Child's Toy" for the majority of her screen time, previously as well, but she did show some maturity regarding the little bratty girl (actually Sana too at times).

side note* I don't think Kou is ready for the "The birds and the bees", but apparently his fans are.

Norie brother was very sweet and caring and she looks cuter with short hair.

[ars89]

Nice to see Norie in the spotlight this time. Nice to see her memory that sparked her love for sweets. Komachi was too cute. Lol at their competition, though it turned out good for both in the end. How can she challenge Potte, she's his sister.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Raiga

Also is it scary how I recognized Hirohashi Ryou's voice before she even started speaking? Watching Komachi tailing Norie and Maon, my first thought was, "Yamada?"

The same thing happened to me
I was astonished when she started speaking. It's not just her voice, her face and her behavior were very similar to Yamada. And I'm totally okay with this. You can never have enough Yamada.

This episode was highly enjoyable, but it had a very different feel from the first two. I'm afraid they're going to push Norie's obsession with Kou a little too far someday. Thankfully, this episode didn't focus only on her pedocrush on Kou, but also on her dream to become a pastry chef. I had totally forgotten about it to be honest

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Kanon

This episode was highly enjoyable, but it had a very different feel from the first two.

Agreed. It was probably too much to expect Tamayura ~Hitotose~ to be as emotional every episode as it was in its first. So to compensate for that, they gave us what was, for me, the funniest episode yet. I'm Ok with that shift, although I hope the tear-jerking moments will return in full-force at some point in some future episode.

I'm afraid they're going to push Norie's obsession with Kou a little too far someday. Thankfully, this episode didn't focus only on her pedocrush on Kou, but also on her dream to become a pastry chef. I had totally forgotten about it to be honest

One of the many things I like about this show is that, for a change, we're given an older sister/younger brother dynamic. This is definitely more rare in anime than younger sister/older brother.

However, I also hope that Norie's obsession with Kou will be handled mostly as a running gag, and not taken too seriously. Well, barring a major time skip anyway.

[velvet]

Can't honestly say I wasn't annoyed by Norie at the first half.
But just like episode 2, Tamayura managed to overturn my feelings by the second half.

Originally Posted by ThereminVox

Tamayura is very... tactile, though I hesitate to use that word to describe an audio-visual presentation. The music and sound design combine with the vivid pictures to create a world that you feel like you can smell, or even touch. It pushes all the right buttons in my head to make me feel what it wants me to feel, and I dig that.

I really enjoy the OP, too. It has a great hook, but it doesn't feel pop-y, or forced. The first time I saw the opening animation and heard the song, it felt like the crew was saying "Hey, we made something we're really proud of, please watch." A lot of care looks like it went into this show. I doubt I'd enjoy it half as much if you couldn't feel that just from watching.

The name escapes me, is that you obaa-chan?
The feeling that wanted for someone to eat the food deliciously.

Good point there. Honestly, I think most people could use this kind of perspective, and maybe the world would be a better place.
Putting it into another string of words;
This might not be much, but we gave it our all, please watch.
That sort of feel to me.

And what's with the OP? The lyrics are touching me at all the right places.
Things we dreamed of,
Things we loved,
Even now, they're protecting us

[Dawnstorm]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Agreed. It was probably too much to expect Tamayura ~Hitotose~ to be as emotional every episode as it was in its first. So to compensate for that, they gave us what was, for me, the funniest episode yet. I'm Ok with that shift, although I hope the tear-jerking moments will return in full-force at some point in some future episode.

I'm actually glad they're not pushing drama every episode. The general mood of the series wouldn't support this, and it would become repetitive and lose impact. It's an idyll, but whereas many idylls come across as wishful thinking this one has a quiet confidence that things will work out fine. So you have to have the sad and the fun scenes all together in the same world composed of sound and smell/taste and vision and touch.

That's what's so refreshing about this show. Normally you get the idea that you have to "fight" to pursue your dreams; here you get the idea that, if you keep your senses and mind open to the world and submit to the flow, things will turn out right, since we're all in it together.

It's one of those shows I'm too cynic to marathon. But at one episode per week it's perfect; just what I need when I'm down.

[Guardian Enzo]

To piggyback on the cooking theme of the ep, this series is like a recipe that desperately needs a shot of lemon juice or vinegar before serving – something acidic to cut through the sweetness. It’s nice, and I like nice, and I like Tamayura – but my goodness, I think I developed 4 cavities in 22 minutes. It was cute watching Komachi and Norie iron Chef over little Kou-chan’s heart, but with diabetes already on the upswing among young people this show really ought to come with a warning label.

[Flower]

Just finished ep 3 ... such a beautiful series!

8/10 vote for the ep from me....

I agree about the pace change - imo the precedent of changing things up from weepy and emotionally moving to humor to heartwarming, etc. was already "set up" in the OVA's, so I guess I was not "surprised" and kinda "expected" such a thing.

I have always liked Norie, and it is nice to see more attention given to her.

[Master_Yoma]

Episode 3 was just so well done it brought tear to my eyes