(L) Tari Tari

[Midonin]

たりたり♪♪　06 - The Backup Plan

The ending of this episode was a really nice transition from the tape of Mahiru to the ending sung in unison by the voices of the past and present. Though it did continue with some of the drama from last week, it still maintained the overall lighthearted mood the show's been carrying since the first day. No drama bomb was dropped, so to speak. Wakana can still enjoy riding a horse, still laugh at Wien and Taichi's bizarre training regiment (where did Wien get one of those little novelty ball-cup-blower things?), and still have a friendly conversation with her teacher and Konatsu. The parallel between Mrs. Takahashi and Wakana's own life was a little obvious, but that doesn't mean the show didn't play it off well. It's a good use of motif. And kudos to her dad for not really giving away the objects. I was thinking they'd probably end up somewhere where Wakana could easily reobtain them (like the choir club), but this plan works really well too.

[Dextro]

No, I'm not crying. I just got something in my eyes ok? It's not like Ohara Sayaka's voice got me all misty eyed and that end chorus just put me over the edge or anything. Baka! *sniff sniff*

[Vena]

From the looks of it, under the resolution of Wakana's problem (well, maybe not quite resolution but more that she's grown to come to terms with her own feelings that she's visibly been in conflict with since the first episode), we start to see the issues of the rest of the cast. This episode, in particular, brought Wien and Sawa to the forefront in terms of what's been known but going unsaid for a while.

In Sawa's case, we have an internal familial conflict over desires for the future: she wants to do horseback riding as a career, while he father wants her either to follow in the family footsteps or become a public servant (and from the mindsent of a priest, this makes absolutely perfect sense and I'm glad that they gave him this sort-of self-sacrificial, for the greater good sort of characterization). I don't know if its just me, though, but it has felt like Sawa has been growing more and more confrontational with her friends while avoiding of the subject matter with her parents. I cannot help but feel that she's been on rocky waters with Konatsu for a while now or, better put, taking out a lot of her frustrations on Konatsu (and by extension gives a (less romantic) frame to her conversation with Taichi). In particular last episode now makes a lot more sense as to why she was so angry with Konatsu about "settling" and that "what you get is what you get", Sawa doesn't want to settle and doesn't want to get what she given because that isn't what she wants to do in life. From the look of the preview, she's definitely going to be boiling over soon after being on a low flame for the past two or three episodes (really, this started way back with the Condor Queens, now that I think about it).

Wien, on the other hand, tells us exactly what we've known: he's just trying really hard to be useful for them, but still, no one really seems to be giving him any attention or really taking note of all the hard work he's done for them. I liked the sort of lampshade hanging in the eye-catch, where unlike everyone else he's doing something entirely different, then runs to catch up. Wien is, really, an outsider in this story and the writers are very clearly (or so I think) treating him as such.

That said, this was a really good episode I felt. I really liked how everyone's contribution did a little bit to help (and not just one white knight coming in on horse back to solve all the problems) and all of the episode wrapped together nicely in the end, especially with that perfect flow from one song into the ED and montage of friends together. Wakana's father, I have to give props for though, he was really a cool guy and great dad. His expressions (the wide variety of them) were great, and you really felt for the guy when he started crying and, then shortly after, his wife shed her tears while trying to maintain a strong face. That scene, I thought, was the strongest in the whole episode.

[Markerlight]

Wonderful episode, really touching. This show manages to handle both drama and comedy exceptionally well, so it feels like the ups and downs of real life. The ED change and transition were great too.

[prototype_sky]

So Sawa is the rebellious preacher's daughter her character background is getting better and better

[DragoonKain3]

Bah, I'm such a sucker for family drama stories. Wakana is definitely my least liked member of the female cast (and still is), but IMO this is the best episode of the series so far. Cried manly tears at the flashback reveal with her mom, despite most of the elements already been heavily foreshadowed upon before. T_T

[Pocari_Sweat]

At work so haven't seen the ep yet but what's with all the comments regarding how much people cried? Did I accidentally stumble onto the Anohana thread?

[Dr. Casey]

Originally Posted by Pocari_Sweat

At work so haven't seen the ep yet but what's with all the comments regarding how much people cried? Did I accidentally stumble onto the Anohana thread?

You'll be joining the rest of the class before long, this episode is about as depressing as Old Yeller and Flowers For Algernon put together. ;_;

[Pocari_Sweat]

Originally Posted by Dr. Casey

You'll be joining the rest of the class before long, this episode is about as depressing as Old Yeller and Flowers For Algernon put together. ;_;

It's melodrama? D:

[bumbayker]

Was that Vice Principal in the cassette tape?

[wontaek]

The ending chorus was nicely done. Judging from my experience, I think they probably had to spend at least 5 hours practicing it together as the pitch, timing, and diction was almost mechanically good . There were some questionable modern chords by the end, but I know Choral music, and this performance would pass for a decent choir

[Reckoner]

Originally Posted by deadite

not to rag on you or anything Enzo but what is your beef with not being original? It think execution and direction of a piece are way better than originality. Don't you like reading books or watching shows about people doing mundane things? Ideas much less original ideas are a dime a dozen. What's the point of being original if you can't execute it well it write it well?

I'll give Tari Tari originality in not often used concept of a main character who doesn't take center stage.

There's nothing inherently wrong with going for a lack of ambition, but it's kind of like you been eating hamburgers every day for dinner for an entire month and all of a sudden you get served another hamburger, which while perhaps being made really well is still just a hamburger and goddamn you are a bit sick of hamburgers by this point. Take also the fact that hamburgers are not the most complicated of meals to make, literally anyone can make one though perhaps not necessarily a fantastic one.

Tari Tari is kind of the same thing. So many shows of its kind exist, and its formula isn't the most terribly complicated to execute anyways. Can we look at it and say its done very well? Sure. But when you see an effort like this or look at something with great ambition that is done exceptionally well too, then which do you feel deserves more credit?

[Guardian Enzo]

One thing they could really do to make this very good hamburger stand out from the normal burgers would be to actually focus on the guys in the second half. That would be pretty original by today's standards.

That aside, I could hardly have asked for more from today's episode - it was quite well done. I'm a bit surprised to see some of the strong emotional reactions because I found it actually quite restrained and dignified, and not overtly dramatic in the same way Kokoro Connect's ep was. That was fine with KC - that's the kind of show it us, and it was a very good ep - but it wouldn't have worked with Tari Tari.

[Pocari_Sweat]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

One thing they could really do to make this very good hamburger stand out from the normal burgers would be to actually focus on the guys in the second half. That would be pretty original by today's standards.

That would make it some epic burger indeed. Finest ingredients and handmade

Unfortunately I'm not counting on it. Promo pics and various scans have almost exclusively shown the girls only.

That aside, I could hardly have asked for more from today's episode - it was quite well done. I'm a bit surprised to see some of the strong emotional reactions because I found it actually quite restrained and dignified, and not overtly dramatic in the same way Kokoro Connect's ep was. That was fine with KC - that's the kind of show it us, and it was a very good ep - but it wouldn't have worked with Tari Tari.

Well thank god for that. Was getting worried about overwrought melodrama due to people claiming they cried .

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Reckoner

There's nothing inherently wrong with going for a lack of ambition, but it's kind of like you been eating hamburgers every day for dinner for an entire month and all of a sudden you get served another hamburger, which while perhaps being made really well is still just a hamburger and goddamn you are a bit sick of hamburgers by this point. Take also the fact that hamburgers are not the most complicated of meals to make, literally anyone can make one though perhaps not necessarily a fantastic one.

Tari Tari is kind of the same thing. So many shows of its kind exist, and its formula isn't the most terribly complicated to execute anyways. Can we look at it and say its done very well? Sure. But when you see an effort like this or look at something with great ambition that is done exceptionally well too, then which do you feel deserves more credit?

I think the flaw of the analogy is in the premise; it sounds like you've been eating too many hamburgers and maybe you don't really like them that much (or at least not anymore). If you only eat hamburgers every once in a while and you're in the mood for hamburgers, then a really well-made burger will be hugely satisfying. "Want: hamburger. Got: Really good hamburger. Satisfaction: High." Your point of view is more like "Want: Food. Got: Hamburger Again (but at least it's well-made). Satisfaction: Meh."

(That aside, I'm not even really sure that "so many shows of its kind exist" either compared to the vastness of shows out there. Maybe they just get more publicity for whatever reason? There are 20-30 new shows every season, and I have to think that only a few fall in this particular genre.)

In any case, the point about ambition is made, but not everyone chooses the shows they watch in search of "ambition". Sometimes, you just want hamburger.

(True Story: I actually really did have "meh hamburgers" for lunch and I did just want food. So it's not like I don't know what that's like too. )

[Pocari_Sweat]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

I think the flaw of the analogy is in the premise; it sounds like you've been eating too many hamburgers and maybe you don't really like them that much (or at least not anymore). If you only eat hamburgers every once in a while and you're in the mood for hamburgers, then a really well-made burger will be hugely satisfying. "Want: hamburger. Got: Really good hamburger. Satisfaction: High." Your point of view is more like "Want: Food. Got: Hamburger Again (but at least it's well-made). Satisfaction: Meh."

I lold. You sir made my day.

(That aside, I'm not even really sure that "so many shows of its kind exist" either compared to the vastness of shows out there. Maybe they just get more publicity for whatever reason? There are 20-30 new shows every season, and I have to think that only a few fall in this particular genre.)

To be fair Tari Tari does fall under the slice of life/coming of age/friendship/drama umbrella that seems to be somewhat booming atm since I donno... K-on and/or Anohana? Granted I think its much better than your average one including those two.

In any case, the point about ambition is made, but not everyone chooses the shows they watch in search of "ambition". Sometimes, you just want hamburger.

To continue the [hilarious] hamburger analogy, I expected this to be a cashin of Hanasaku Iroha with inferior production values. Instead I got something that was ironically better.
Expected a knockoff copy $10 burger from a burger place you like but instead got a $20 quality one for just $10. Wanted food but got a meal instead

[Vena]

Wanted food, got burger...again. Meh... again.
Take bite, made of Kobe beef.
Price? I DON'T MONEY!

[hai_san]

Nice thing to wrap up Wakana and her mom's relationship, and kudos for her dad keeping the piano in secret.

[germanturkey]

this episode had everything in spades.

-character development
-drama
-music
-animation (jesus, it was beautiful to look at)

amazing. PA Works is really pulling out all the stops for this one.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Pocari_Sweat

To be fair Tari Tari does fall under the slice of life/coming of age/friendship/drama umbrella that seems to be somewhat booming atm since I donno... K-on and/or Anohana? Granted I think its much better than your average one including those two.

I personally wonder if it's just that the "umbrella" is taking form (though it still seems really broad). You have a few "big name" examples, and so there's a benchmark; things get looped together in a sort of "it's kind of like <x>, but here's how it's different". Still, in terms of the actual amount of shows made, I think it's a small fraction of the overall output. Then again, I suppose it's sort of like the "boom" of visual novel adaptations in the middle of last decade. Even at the peak of the "boom" you'd get maybe two or three per season, if that (out of ~20 new starts), but it still stands out because it's a bit new/different and people are aware of it. So it's a boom in the sense of "they seem to be happening with regularity now", but not in the "I swear, everywhere I go there's nothing but hamburgers!" sense.

Originally Posted by Pocari_Sweat

To continue the [hilarious] hamburger analogy, I expected this to be a cashin of Hanasaku Iroha with inferior production values. Instead I got something that was ironically better.
Expected a knockoff copy $10 burger from a burger place you like but instead got a $20 quality one for just $10. Wanted food but got a meal instead

Yup, well I guess that's the main point I was trying to get at: you can't really separate someone's impressions from their expectations. So much of what happens in terms of debate on this forum is really because people just assume that everyone is or should be seeking the same thing they are, and that typically couldn't be further from the truth. Why we watch the shows we do (and what we were hoping to get out of it) is probably just as important as whatever we think about what we watch.

Anyway, probably enough hamburgers and back to the "main meal" -- impressions of the episode proper.