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- JoinedSep 14, 2011
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Dec 27, 2013
"Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
I wasn't going to write a review for Tari Tari, but after I finished it I believe the series warrants a much higher ranking and popularity than it currently holds on this site.
Let me say this, I believe that when it comes to the Slice of Life genre, Tari Tari is superior to most, if not all other series. Watching this series kept me entertained throughout, something SoL often fails to do not just for myself but for many other fans. So, how did P.A. works do it? They've failed in the past, but somehow spit
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out a diamond in the rough that I think everybody can enjoy. There has to be something that differentiates Tari Tari from the rest.
I'll cover what really separates TT from other series later, but first I'm going to cover the basics.
Art - P.A. Works did a good job with the art. The town and surroundings they created worked well with the story, and I saw very few instances of poor quality animation. I really enjoyed seeing the world created by this studio. The various school and beach scenes I found particularly beautiful. I also thought the homes of the characters were all very well created while being entirely believable. There are, of course, other series with much better art, but there are even more with much worse. I felt the art only added to my overall enjoyment.
Sound - Tari Tari should be considered a musical. As the synopsis leads us to believe, music is a major theme of the series. There are several events that revolve entirely around music (almost all of the major ones). I almost always stay away from musicals, mainly because I find they're often poorly directed and awkward to watch. P.A. Works did a good job of making the music a theme, but not the only theme.
Something I found they did that I found interesting was that they didn't overload the viewer with music. The ambient themes of non-musical moments is subtle yet noticeable, and I believe helped the series forward its message in how the studio intended. In a general statement, I really liked the piano music throughout. I'm not very learned as music as a whole so I'm not going to pretend I know what I'm talking about when I say the music is good. Sometimes that is all that can be said.
Character/Story - I put these two in the same category because as someone who writes as a living, I believe that without story there are no characters worth expanding on, and without characters there can be no story. To put it simply, the characters and story are the reason why P.A. works made a real winner.
I loved the characters. I don't want to say I connected with all of them, because I didn't. I don't know what it's like to be Konatsu; I don't have a passion for music at the level of hers. I don't know what it's like to be Sawa; her dreams are of a different kind. This is the strength of the series. I didn't connect with all the characters, but I understood them. I was able to feel for them while not having to stand in the same shoes. They were entirely real. Every single character had a purpose and a personality that you can see and believe. Their inner workings and conflicts were brilliantly displayed. Not once did I find myself rolling my eyes at the actions of certain characters as I often find myself doing while watching SoL. I really have to tip my hat to P.A. Works from staying away from the archetypes that I feel plague anime today. I won't say that the characters are completely unique and whatnot, but they were different to the point where they were refreshing.
The story was about as Slice of Life as one can get. However, what I enjoyed about the series was that there was not just one major climax. A downfall many SoLs that only run 12-13 episodes have is that the entire thing is a buildup to one major climax in the final episodes. It was nice to see a major event happening every several episodes, because it left you feeling satisfied with what happened, yet knowing that there was still more to come. I will say that I found that direction quite fantastic throughout, especially during the final episode. P.A. Works did a great job making otherwise cliche events enjoyable and a bit different from the rest.
Overall, I would suggest Tari Tari to anyone looking for a quick SoL to watch. It's nothing life changing, but the characters and story are superior to those in the same genre. It will leave you remembering why you began watching anime all those years ago; a good story is always a gift.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Oct 16, 2011
"Everyday I wake up thinking it'll be okay. 'Cause you promised me that, you'd come back some day. My heart is throbbing but I will wait. And I'll strive... to stay strong..."
Try as I might, I cannot think of a song that matches the content of a series better than the first ED of Xam'd: Lost Memories. If you wanted to, you could probably put these lyrics as the synopsis of the series and have it hold the same effect as the current.
Xam'd is not a series that everyone will enjoy. At first glance, it would appear to be another action series that people watch
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to see intense fight scenes and fast pacing. While the action scenes that are included are displayed beautifully, this is not what I, or anyone else, should classify as any other action-adventure. If that is what you are looking for, Xam'd may not be the right fit.
However, if you want to watch a series that will make you think, or perhaps are looking for a hidden gem that will tug at your heart-strings, you should seriously consider picking this up. It is not fast-paced, and I cannot stress that enough. You have to be able to think and decipher hidden messages in the plot to enjoy Xam'd to its full extent.
Set in a world where the two major continents, the North and the South, are fighting a bloody war that is beginning to take civilian lives, Xam'd does a brilliant job of displaying the devastation, loss, and beauty of war. The story, while confusing, accurately depicts the fight between two warring factions who both believe are doing the right thing. Let's get this straight. War is NOT simple, and in a world as complex as the one Xam'd is situated in, it is even more complicated.
I am not going to explain any part of the story in detail, because I believe that one of the major attractions of this series is being able to discover for yourself what is going on. I will say this however; if you find yourself lost, do not hesitate to re-watch certain episodes, especially ones around episode 20, where the story really begins to get serious. The show goes from a more light-hearted mood to very serious rather quickly, and begins leading the viewer down a twisted path where you WILL find yourself lost at least once or twice. But such is a story of love and war.
Akiyuki, the main protagonist of Xam'd, at first seems like any other shallow MC that the industry spits out 10 times a season. While he is similar to many MC's in the past (Especially Renton Thurston, another one of BONES' brain childs') he has one major thing going for him.
Akiyuki has a heart, and an undying love for his friends and family, especially his child hood friend, Haru. This heart of Akiyuki's will guide him on a quest across his world to discover why he was chosen to lead a new life as a Xam'd, but to find his passion for the ones he loves.
If there is one negative aspect of this show, it's that it brings in A LOT of characters, while only truly developing a handful throughout. The three main protagonists are quickly pinned as Akiyuki, Nakiami, and Haru. With them, however, each protagonists brings in more characters that the viewer my find difficult connecting to.
Akiyuki brings his parents, who get a lot of screen time with most of the development coming with his father.
Nakiami brings an entire ship full of characters with her, of which, only three (Raigyo, Ishu, and Yango) get a true development to the point where the viewer will connect with them on a certain level. Along with the crew, Nakiami also brings Lady Sannova, the white-haired children, and also her village of Tenjo and Tessik peoples, some of which are not thoroughly explained. The whole religion aspect of the story is an extremely weak point of the story, as it does not truly get proper development.
Haru brings her family and good friend Naruichi into the story, of which her sister Midori is the only to get a decent level of development.
The military comes in without a true explanation as well, but the viewer will quickly pin Toujirou and company as the main antagonists of the story. Throughout the show, you will need to re-watch certain parts to be able to understand what exactly the whole military-versus-religion thing is really about. Not until the end will you really be able to understand, so don't fret if you get to around episode 23 and still aren't too positive about what's going on.
Akiyuki is without a doubt the main character of the show, and a beautiful one at that. On his journey from his home island of Sentan to the Northern continent, he has many struggles to deal with. He handles them quite well, from his love and want to be reunited with Haru, to understanding a war which he has been thrust into unwillingly. You will find a quick connection with Akiyuki, and share his tears, as well as smiles.
Nakiami, however, is a more difficult character to understand. She goes VERY late into the story without getting a true explanation of who exactly she is, and why exactly she has such a connection with the Xam'ds. She is a character completely shrouded in mystery, but one that will steal your heart regardless. It is tough not to grow to love her as the story progresses, and by the end, you will shed a tear or two if you have watched the series correctly.
Haru is a girl that has experienced great loss in her life, and with her sudden and even greater loss of Akiyuki, this character will tug at your heart-strings like few characters are able to. You will find yourself rooting for her with every action she takes, and although I will admit I was FUCKING PISSED when she cut her hair (what's with BONES and having female leads cut their hair half way through? First Talho and now this), she was my favorite character when I finished the show.
These three MC's, as well as the several side characters that get an actual development (Raigyo, Yango, Midori, Ryuzuo, Toujirou) will bring you on a ride that I can guarantee you will not soon forget.
As beautiful as the story and characters are, it is the sound and animation that really bring this series to life. I am a huge fan of BONES' choices for the OST. The ED's and OP's are awesome, and the music that plays throughout is beautiful and heart-warming.
The animation is on another level when compared to other series of the same genre. While the character designs are quite unique and vibrant, it is the design of the world as a whole that makes this story beautiful. You will find yourself pausing to admire the amazing detail this studio put into making this series a real winner.
As the series comes to its end, you may find yourself struggling to hold back a few tears. The ending is beautiful, and I'll admit that even thinking about it clouds my eyes. A word of advice for the ending, Ishu is not rambling some incoherent poem in the background as the final credits begin to roll. Listen to (or in most peoples case, read) what she is saying and pay attention to what is being shown to you. It is only then that the true power of this ending with touch your soul.
As I said before, Xam'd is not for everyone, but if you close this review with even a slight interest in the story, characters, or art, then please, check out Xam'd: Lost Memories. It is not often that you can find a series as beautiful and moving as the tale of Xam'd, and the opportunity should not be passed up.
Personal Note: This is my first ever review. Please help me out with suggestions, tips, and constructive criticism through messages, or feel free to send me a friends request and post on my wall. Thanks everyone.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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