Uchouten Kazoku (The Eccentric Family)
 

Lots to be excited about with this one:

Quote:

Anime studio P.A. Works (True Tears, HanaIro, Tari Tari) is producing an adaptation of Tomihiko Morimi's Uchōten Kazoku (Estatic Family) novel for broadcast in July. Morimi wrote The Tatami Galaxy (Yojō-Han Shinwa Taikei) novel that inspired a 2010 television anime. Kôji Kumeta (Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, Joshiraku) is providing the original character designs for Uchōten Kazoku — the first time he has done so for a project not based on one of his manga. The comedy drama of Uchōten Kazoku is set in Kyoto, where tanuki (shape-shifting racoon-dogs), tengu (long-nosed goblins of Japanese folklore), and humans intermingle. The story follows the Shimogamo family of tanuki who live in the Tadasu no Mori forest of Shimogamo Shrine. Takahiro Sakurai plays Yaichirō (pictured as the girl and boy in the center of the image), the lead character and the third-oldest son in the Shimogamo family. He lives for whatever strikes his fancy at the moment, and he sometimes takes the form of a high school girl. Junichi Suwabe plays Yaichirō (far right), the oldest son who is earnest but often weak-willed at the last moment. Hiroyuki Yoshino plays Yajirō, the second-oldest son who often assumes the shape of a frog and and goes off into seclusion by himself at a well. Mai Nakahara plays Yashirō (far left), the timid youngest son. Kikuko Inoue plays their mother (top left), an obsessed fan of the all-female theater troupe Takarazuka. Rounding out the cast is Mamiko Noto as the bewitching girl Benten (topmost) who can be found floating carefreely in the skies. The original novel has sold over 200,000 copies in Japan and won third place in the Honya Taishō awards in 2008. Masayuki Yoshihara (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex episode director, Eden of the East assistant director) is making his television series directorial debut with this project. Shôtarô Suga (Lagrange - The Flower of Rin-ne, episodes of Darker than Black) is in charge of the scripts, and Kousuke Kawazura is adapting Kumeta's designs for animation. Yoshimasa Fujisawa (Love Live! School idol project) is scoring the music.

Well we're entering into "anime announcement season" and it's off to a good start!

Any word on if this is a Noitamina or NTV or NHK show?Just wondering.

I have rekindled hopes for anime based on novels, probably because of SSY, so this'll be one series I'll watch out for. There's not really much to go on from the summary we have now, but if it's a comedy that sold so well, it must be some damn good comedy.

Hmm...
P.A. works show is favorite, but I'm worried about whether it is possible to engage well with the original.

http://i.imgur.com/XzHYAsO.jpg

Sold SO HARD.

P.A. Works. Tomihiko Morimi. Kumeta. Godly voice cast.

There is no way I won't love it.

Tatami Galaxy was IMO a frigging masterpiece. Let's see if they can do the same with this adaption.

Well, Tatami Galaxy was helmed by Masaaki Yuasa, so I think that's a real high wall to climb.. Have never been a fan of the shows of PA works, but will check this out for the intriguing concept.

Kumeta?

I'm back.

PV:



Premiere date in July, which breaks PA's pattern of taking a cour (or more) off between series.

I don't find the character design interesting at all.... I may not watch it... who knows...

Well looks like PA Works are going on an -actual- novel (not light novels) adaptation spree as this would be third one in a year and a bit (after Another and Red Data Girl). No problems from me since I don't like light novels as a medium in the first place. If the trend of PA works is to make an anime original followed by a novel adaptation, by all means go for it, since imo it's two best forms of sources.

Of course, you can't ignore the fact it's from the author of Tatami Galaxy, which was one of the very gems series of the bleak year that was 2010. And finally they are not getting Sekiguchi's to animate the characters cause I'm starting to get sick of HanaIro/Tari Tari character designs :heh:.

Yeh, I'm sold.

I heard good things about The Tatami Galaxy even though I haven't seen it, so I'll probably try this one. I have a vibe that his stories have a eerie atmosphere as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=72fxUQPSyf0

"Real" PV

Dem... ears...

It doesn't look too uninteresting so I might give it a try but omg can't unsee those ears.
I'm wondering if I wouldn't have noticed if I haven't read Westlo's comment about them (but I would've probably, since they're so.... :heh: )

It's quite good that they modified kumeta's designs...I guess?
Is this drama or something?

Premieres "7/07 22:00" on Tokyo MX according to Moon Phase. Since Teekyuu 2 follows it at 22:27, this could be something like the length of Zettai Bouei Leviathan which is 20 minutes without commercials rather than the normal 23 to 24.

Definitely on my to watch list, even without Masaaki Yuasa.

What an odd overall feel this series give ... hmm. My initial sense of it is that it could be a stupendous sleeper or a spectacular failure for me.

Well ... we'll give it a whirl at least. :)

I'm actually somewhat surprised this isn't getting out there as much as I expected it to, what with the Tatami Galaxy's Tomihiko Morimi and PA works attached to it. Plus, the PV looks tremendous. I never really was a fan of PA Works, IMO their shows are typically overrated, but from what I've seen this might turn out to be their best work yet, something I can genuinely enjoy. I can only hope my expectations are not misplaced, I'm placing bets on this being the surprise hit of the season.

Add: It looks to be a family drama, and that's something I can really get behind as well.