Tamako Market

I really love this anime. I remember trying to watch it last year, I only watched one episode and dropped it because I was a little bit thrown of by it's reviews and because I thought Dera-chan was a bit annoying but I picked it up again and really liked it, while watching it, I felt like I was friends with all the characters in the show. This show really made me happy, I can't pinpoint why, maybe it's the nostalgic feel the art gives the show or all it's adorable characters esp. Tamako, but I felt at home while watching this show, anime nowadays ... feels like something you take up, enjoy then forget about and move on what with the tremendous ammounts being pumped out lately, but this is a show I will remember for quite a while

Tamako Market broadcast in 2013 was a rather unfortunate TV series which had great potentials, initially greeted with high expectations, but didn't win hearts and minds of many people in the end. In fact, it was considered as the KyoAni's worst flop since Munto, and haters of KyoAni were very active in dissing the series, which was actually among the most popular ones in a generally poor season.

Unexpectedly, Director Yamada (K-On! series director) and her team made a truly successful comeback with Tamako Love Story movie in 2014, achieving satisfactory sales and receiving an art award. Seen from hindsight, as a combined franchise, Tamako ... Market & Love Story is a very enjoyable watch. Tamako Love Story is a serious masterpiece and the highest reach of Japanimation of the 2010s as much as Shaft's Madoka Rebellion is. Tamako Market can be viewed as an etude or a prelude to the best work that KyoAni ever produced; there are advance hints and references here and there which adds great depth to the movie.

I admit that Tamako Market was not very straightforward in telling a story and at times the KyoAni staffs were not very good at materializing ideas. The handling of the sub-story of finding the bride for the prince was too rushed with an abrupt ending while time was wasted in a mediocre haunted house episode which was irrelevant and out of place. Partly I blame this on some scriptwriters in certain episodes (particularly the one who screwed up also at writing a script for Red Data Girl of PA Works). It's a pity, as Yoshida Reiko was good as always and Hanada-sensei also showed his craftiness in handling slice-of-life.

There were some memorable Episodes in the series, such as Midori (the blond girl) having difficulty with her own complex emotions towards Tamako in Episode 2, and Shiori (the badminton girl with glasses) overcoming her social anxiety disorder and befriending with Tamako in Episode 3. Kanna (the carpenter's daughter) was always the most eccentric but also perceptive throughout the series; she's my favorite supporting character who really shined in the later Tamako Love Story movie. Anko (Tamako's little sister) is one of the cutest girls ever drawn by KyoAni, and her love story in Episode 4 and 9 intertwined with the story of their deceased mother were the most successful in the TV series. Actually, the climax Episode 9 is one of the greatest episodes KyoAni has ever made, a true "Kami-kai (God's Episode)" (in Japanese slang), which laid solid foundation to the Love Story movie. In Episode 9 we see glimpse of how much impact the loss of mother must have had on Tamako and her family (although we see no painful scenes), and how much love and tenderness is hidden behind the usually stubborn Mamedai (Tamako's father). Mochizou (Tamako's friend living across the street) here is a guy with a heart of gold and assists Anko's love; he is rewarded in return by Tamako giving him a birthday cake (with Anko's reminder to her about his birthday).

I believe the main shortcoming of the TV series was the lack of straightforward catharsis. The death of mother, adoration of motherhood, love of the family and caring neighborhood is one of the penetrating themes but it's not shown straightforwardly. Showing the actual tragedy must have been deliberately avoided, but it could have given us a more deeper understanding of the character of Tamako (compare this with Episode 6 of Tari Tari produced by PA Works which did a great job in making the series memorable and heroine's character likable by revealing the heartbreaking story of the mother's death). The viewers were left until Tamako Love Story to fully understand the makings of Tamako's character. With Tamako Love Story, we get to see the bitter side of youth and "look at life from both sides now".

Another shortcoming was the lack of good conclusion to the romance of Mochizou and Tamako and Midori (as well as Choi and the Prince), which left the viewers with the feeling that the series was somehow aborted and left incomplete. Haters hated it, and fans thought it needed to be finished off with a second series or an OVA. Practically no one expected that we'll be given instead a full new movie and that a love story between Mochizou and Tamako; practically no one expected it to become a modern classic ... but that's another story.

It's doesn't matter how the sound is, or the quality is in an anime. What matters is how the anime impacted on the viewers. How it leaves an impression for its viewers. And how it leaves the mind lingering in a positive way.

Now this anime is what I would call, simple and different. But to summarize altogether on what this show would be, is that it's ordinary.

No spoilers as always from yours truly.

Overall:
Honest to say guys, I like it. It's one of my favorites. But that's just me. The story goes by somewhat fast when your laughing. I do like the fact that ... it's ordinary. Sure there might be some romance then and their, but it's pretty much what it is. A Slice-of-life. Though most viewers might focus more on romance. I'd suggest giving Tamako Market a chance for it's ordinary-ness. Because it's pretty funny. I also heard that there will be a second season. So there might be more to it then what it already is.

Summary(shorter):
Tamako Kitashirakawa, the eldest daughter of a family who runs a mochi shop in the Usagiyama Shopping District. One day Tamako encounters a talking bird named Dera Mochimazzwi(Which sounds similar to mochi mazui(bad tasting mochi))who comes from a distant land looking for a bride for his prince. His plan soons to backfire as he gets fatter as time goes by. Tamako market follows the everyday life of her friends, family and neighbors, and the bird, Dera.


Main Characters(In-depth)
Tamako Kitashirakawa, the protagonist in the series. She's a first year high school whose in the baton club with her friends Kanna and Midori. She helps her family run the shop everyday and invents new kinds of mochi. Her birthday is usually forgotten because it's on New Year's Eve, which is the busiest time of the year. She's very slow on catching up on things, particularly it regards with peoples feelings. She feeds Dera on regular basis, which makes him bloated and harder for him to fly properly.

Dera Mochimazzwi, a noble attendant for the royal court, and a freeloader at Tamako's Mochi shop. During his journey to find a bride for his prince, he got fat in the process and has to postpone his journey. He can only manage to fly short distances before he runs out of breath. He is though rather knowledgeable in love and sometimes gives advice to Mochizo and Midori. He's always full of himself and that leads him to misunderstandings. Anyone that sneezes in his direction would be considered a confession of love towards him. His body also contains a communication system.

Midori Tokiwa, Tamako's classmate and childhood friend, and the captain of the baton club. Her grandparents own a toy shop in the same district as Tamako's. She is always worried on what people thinks of her, and what is expected of her. Which leads her to frustration. She later comes to terms that she has a feeling for "someone"

Kanna Makino, same year as her friends, also a member of there club. She is a daughter of a carpenter who works in the same district as Tamako. She's a very relaxed laid back girl, and does not care what anyone else thinks. But she has a fear of heights, and is apparently allergic to birds. Kanna is usually portrayed as an eccentric girl, and always has a straight and emotionless face. Despite being a good friend.

Mochizo Oji, Tamako's childhood friend whose family also runs a Mochi shop, which is right across from Tamako's Mochi shop. He's been in love with her for a few years, and gets nervous when he speaks in public. He always ask what Tamako is doing through her little sister, Anko Kitashirakawa

Opinion:
Honest to say the characters is pretty much bland and stays the same. Pretty much as I typed earlier "Ordinary". A very dense heroine instead of a hero. Like any Slice-of-life out there. Nothing really stands out but the fact that she's just plainly clueless. Even though there are some character developments. It doesn't show a big outcome. Though that's just herself, her friends doesn't even have much of character development later. All they do is provide friendship in her life. As for Tamako's childhood friend, Mochizou. He does show some promises, but still shows some weak progression like every other character. But I would like to point out that the series doesn't focus on romance, so don't expect too much.

Dera I would say is very funny. But maybe that's just me. He could either make you mad, or make you laugh. But he has way more screen time than any other characters in the story, which is the downside. It could've been used to give other characters more progression. What I did like about him though is that he gives more personality to the show than any other character. He's probably the only character that's not bland. Dera will definitely leave you a good impression in the series.

Anko doesn't seem to receive much either. She pops out then and there, but is usually not there with everyone else. She does get a little bit of an innocent romance in the series, which is pretty cute. Her character development is well done though, not as bland as the others. It's just sucks that she doesn't get as much screen time as the rest.

KyoAni is known for their moe slice of life shows like K-ON and Lucky Star,
which had a hard time grasping my attention since they were SO boring.
I honestly thought Tamako Market was going to be the same, but was I wrong.

Story- Tamako Market has little to no plot as it is a slice of life comedy.
However, the overall concept for this show was quite unique.
I will admit, I loved how there were small "subplots where" Mochizou
... tried to catch Tamako's attention. I also have to praise this show's comedy,
as I laughed out loud a lot of times. Comedy in anime is usually cliche and
repetitive, but the way it was handled in this show really surprised me.
[Rate-8]

Art- This is KyoAni we're talking about.
Their art is always high quality and beautiful.
[Rate- 10]

Sound- The soundtrack was pretty memorable.
Also, that opening theme!
[Rate- 8]

Characters- While they lack in depth, they are all so lovable and so cute.
My favorite by far is Mochizou Ooji.
[Rate-9]

Overall, this show truly surprised me and I really enjoyed it.
Yea it's not perfect, but it sure is quite amazing for a SOL comedy.

[Overall Rating- 9]

Tamako Market is a great place. Any viewer can become integrated in the communal life shared by the market's shop owners. The amiable Tamako is everyone's friend, including the viewer's, and her personality is hard to hate. Tamako Market is would be a great slice of life comedy show if the story was not so bad. The story is trash. There is just no other way to say it.

I have already watched Chuunibyou and K-On! and all the artwork staff is essentially the same. The character design is nothing out of the ordinary and helps create a very real setting that makes it easier to ... become engaged in the show. The smooth colors and art look wonderful. An air of cuteness surrounds some characters in the right way. They do not do anything spectacular or totally original with the art, but it still looks really good.

The soundtrack is nothing spectacular. It is not particularly good or bad, but I would say I enjoyed listening to it. The opening theme—not to mention the animation that comes with it—really got me excited for the episode. Tamako's personality is clearly felt through it, and it helps set the tone for the setting. The soundtrack, opening, or ending themes are not anything I would go out of my way to download, but they do their jobs and they are not half bad either.

The best part of this show was the characters. Tamako is the best airhead ever and Kanna is the best character with her personality type that I have seen so far. The awkward love triangle between Midori, Mochizou, and Tamako was portrayed very subtly, but beautifully. It is hard to see if you are as dense as Tamako, but if you are paying attention, it is great! The only character I really did not like was Dera. Scrap Dera and the rest is good.

That brings me to my next point: as I said earlier, the story is trash. It is a very obscure and unrealistic plot and it does not fit well with the setting. I understand what they were trying to show through the plot, but it was just a bad idea. Dera often got annoying and is not nearly as funny as he was obviously intended to be. Choi was a good addition and I wanted her to be there the whole time, but the plot killed her as well. Her role in the story shot down the potential she had; she could have been another one of Tamako's awesome friends, but the plot beat her and dragged her away. The plot was dreadfully unrealistic and there was way too much emphasis put on it in some episodes. It was not so unorganized that it was embarrassingly bad, but it was by no means good. The show was still watchable and that is why I do not rate it lower than 3.

I did still enjoy this show. The characters, humor, and cute, innocent atmosphere really made up for the show's shortcomings. If this show were a standard slice of life comedy, maybe featuring Tamako and her friends' life in the market with some scenes at school, it could have been a 9/10. It is really hard to not like these characters and the humor was still good. Eliminate the plot and you have a great show in Tamako Market. I would rate it above a 7 if the plot was not so terrible.

Honestly I see many conflicting votes, my vote will be certainly high, but I think Tamako Market deserves it. It is fun and at times really cute, the characters are very sweet. It is impossible not to take a liking to. The drawings and the soundtrack are valuable and the story truthfully really something nostalgic and romantic. To try to help the growth of the district, it makes me imagine how good it feels to help each other in a globalized world as well and dictated only by market logic. Indeed I have just this feeling of longing for the duration of the series. Anyway ... I think the two genres, slice of life and comedy, are perfectly represented in Tamako Market. The episodes fly away and did not regret a single second you spend to see it. Truly a beautiful series.

Tamako Kitashirikawas is a daughter of a "Mochi" maker who gets proposed by a royal bird- and because of that things get turned upside down in her normal life. It looks and seems like K-ON but better than that, i really liked the atmosphere and the original genuine jokes.

Story: The mangaka has chose an ordinary shopping district for her/his getup- it seems pure ordinary but turning the story around with scenic events like Festivals.Culture day,Christmas,New Year and mostly rice cakes: it definitely did qualify to get a good rating. There are love triangles- friendship conflicts and just some things out of the ordinary so ... you could see how this specific set of people deals with them. Fantasy elements were thrown into the anime which might surprise the audience at first- but you'll eventually get settled in. When you hear the word "Market" alas for me it reminds me of my lunch- but this anime is well suited for having either lunch and dinner. (well i watched it like that hehe)

Art:It's simillar to K-ON- you get that cute eyes and hair- the adorable scarves and uniforms- i loved how the intro's were done. The art work of Choi-(who's supposed to be from another country) was done well since her clothes,bangles and hair was done according to a specific tropical southern style. I loved how the atmosphere was given in the anime through art and it calms you blissfully.

Sound:The Openings and Endings were all good- Seiyu's did a great job, loved the soundtracks. Isn't surprised that Ono-san did Kaoru's role- he seems to be everywhere and does everything good.

Character:Honestly animes should have more charas like Kanna- that girl is the funniest sarcastic thing ever- each chara is adorable, you just gotta love them. Tamako herself is a positive girl- which no matter how things change she can keep her attire. We see a range of genuine shopkeepers of Asia- which distributes their products for friends for free out of pure generosity. The feelings of the character's are represented so well- their generosity for another's well being is enormous it can literally bring a smile to your face. Adding character's of various genres and traits made this one very perfect to watch and observe. And you gotta love that enka guy from the cafe shop!

Enjoyment: I wouldn't give this an 8 unless i didn't enjoy it! I loved the original jokes and the funny mischievous things that happens in this one, this one of those anime you should watch when you are depressed or tired and it will literally cheers you up guaranteed.

Overall: There's nothing major to complain about- since this one fits the genres perfectly. I liked the positive air around this anime- totally took my boredom away. A philosophy is given where as to- you will have to meet new challenges one day and the better way to deal with them is with a strong smile. Oh and that everything changes no matter how you want it to be.

I can't believe that this anime only gets a 7.3 score. It was a wonderful show with an insane amount of charm and character, it reminds me a lot of "Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid" because it has a very similar community/family vibe.

Story: 8/10

Extremely relaxing to sit and watch this, no unnecessary drama just a very pleasant and warm atmosphere with a lot of really nice moments.


Character: 10/10

Excellent range of characters with varying personalities and feels like an actual community of people rather than just cookie cutter side characters. Also Dera was amazing, he fit so well into the show that you almost forget that ... he's a bird.


Overall Score: 8
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this, I stumbled upon a link to the movie in a Discord chat and then decided to watch the series before watching the movie. I am really glad I made that choice, highly underrated show and deserves to be up in the 8's score-wise.

Just some of my impressions of Tamako Market (mostly the show, but I do know how the movie ends so that might factor into my commentary here) **Some spoilers!**


I started Tamako Market initially because it was KyoAni and had the same character designs as K-On!, so I figured it was sure to be cute at least. And right away, something about it pulled me in. It reminded me, in a strange way, of the Soviet-era cartoons my mother showed me when I was little: a talking bird from a southern island, a plot with a prince seeking out a princess…even though everything surrounding Tamako Market, ... its main setting, is completely Japanese (you could argue that the profession of making mochi is one of the most Japanese ones out there), was completely relatable to me. The warm, homey feeling of the market transmitted itself to me and made me feel at home just watching it all on a screen.

This anime is a story about a community, leaving aside the princess plot, and about the new generation growing up within it. Even if a lot of it might seem like cute, simple fluff, it’s fluff with heart. All of the characters are so loveable that you just want to root them on (even comic relief Dera). I will say that I wish Choi’s story had gotten more resolution without being moved to shorts/pre-movie scenes because her romance was kinda skimmed over. But in its place came the much stronger development of an unexpectedly progressive love triangle.

As a dense 14-year-old on my first watch of the show, I completely and totally mistook those scenes of Midori’s crush as her liking Mochizou (admittedly, this is because I had a massive crush on him myself at the time, and still think he’s the cutest love interest ever). But after being educated on who Midori actually liked, I realized that her romantic interest in Tamako is never depicted as a bad thing or something she comes to grow out of, but with sweetness and care and sensitivity. Her love is just as valid as Mochizou’s love for Tamako. The show revolves around “everybody loves somebody” as its mantra, and that doesn’t mean that love should fit some kind of predetermined standard or societal norm. I also thought it was refreshing that Kanna was just doing her own thing the entire time and not given any romance, but that’s a whole other thing. Even if Midori’s crush doesn’t end up progressing past that stage, it’s never knocked down or disparaged, it’s simply a one-sided love. This is the kind of love triangle (love V?) that had me rooting for both sides interested in Tamako. Also, it took a couple rewatches to realize the pun of Mochizou’s last name being Ooji, basically the same as “ouji”/prince, which means he was Tamako’s prince the entire time. Just a little nod from the writers there, I guess.

I think more people can articulate better than I can why Tamako Market is an exemplary slice of life, and my review here is mostly a summary of my strongest impressions after having rewatched it a few times over the years. But that warm, welcome, accepting feeling that I get from it every time, that’s something that I don’t think this review alone can speak to. It might just be me, but Tamako Market is one of KyoAni’s stronger examples of making an extremely atmospheric and real-feeling world that, in the strangest way, coexists alongside talking birds and southern island kingdoms in the same 12 episodes.

I honestly don't know what the point of this anime was, but i didn't care it was really cute. The main character really grows on you because she seems like an airhead but i think she was doing that on purpose. The opening and ending song was really addicting and i bet if there was a dance people would do it.

Every character in this was great, but the main character was just mediocre. One would think that would make this a bad show, but just because she was mediocre, does not make her bad. She had ups and downs, but just didn't seem to be as animated as the rest (pun intended). All of the characters besides the main were good (except for the flower shop owner who had a terrible dubbing by a man). The dub for the bird was hilarious and gave a lot of personality and humor to the bird. It opens with the terrible voice-acting of ... the flower owner (who does a lot of dubs as a man, and clearly is a man, and is a bad choice.), which leads one to assume it will be awful, but the first word from the bird is great and continues as such. Disclaimer: I watch sub and dub equally.

The story was great, as it was entertaining, and not just run of the mill. the ending left me at a good closing point, without having to embrace an awful cliched finish.

This is a fun one that will most likely keep your attention rather well, and is just a good time with a few serious moments. I'd recommend watching it if you have the time to spare for a short 12 episode series.

STORY - 7
ART - 9
SOUND - 8
CHARACTER - 8
ENJOYMENT - 8

You know how when you see cute things, you wanna squeeze and cuddle and protect them? Well you see, this overloading of positive emotions in the brain is apparently called 'cute aggression' and yeah, Tamako Market definitely knows what it's all about.

Comparing this show to a mochi is honestly not too far off. It's sweet, it's soft, and the lack of what one would call a story means Tamako Market is more like a simple slice-of-life to indulge in when you want to relax. Just like mochi! It's basically an adorable escape to a joyful ... shopping district where the story, characters, and bubbly atmosphere take place in.

Mochi comparison aside, however, there's one main drawback when it comes to being too simple, and it's called blandness. Certain parts throughout the show, such as the dialogues and comedy, come off quite weakly. Like a very trivial trivia. The characters also didn't change much in terms of development but for this one, I didn't think it was a bad thing at all. In fact, I felt it emphasizes this show's collective fun and lightheartedness! Which pleasantly speaking, is something I greatly adored.

Look here. We have a pretty big cast of characters with each of them having their own jolly personality. There's even a talking bird who looks very much like a mochi with an attitude. Funnily enough, despite all the wisdoms he loves saying out of his beak, he always gets the shorter end of the stick, befitting himself as the main source of comedy gold. Other than that, the rest of the characters are pretty much sweethearts. They energize the atmosphere up like a festival, creating a dynamic with plenty of family and community in it. It adds more substance into a story that would've been too bland without them. And with the small romantic subplot adding one last touch on sweetness and innocence, the cuteness is definitely strong with this one.

Truly the most adorable.

Now I want to present to you Kyoto Animation, the moe-nized version. Because without their artistic love, Tamako Market wouldn't have become the cute and lighthearted show I enjoyed watching. The bright use of colors here sets up a cheerful tone that wonderfully fits the characters. It's a mood lavished by qualities tinged with a family aura. This show also has an animation that is full of youthful energy, giving everyone, even the adults, their own adorable sides. Ok, maybe everyone except for the bird, but he certainly knows how to pose. I can give him merits for being a pretty good entertainer, especially for an avian. Got a comedian voice too.

Speaking of voice, the overall voice acting complements the characters in a way that is both fun and friendly. When they well up with positivity, it's infectious. I could easily absorb all the emotions in the air. The soundtracks in particular are very playful and sweet-sounding. They blend nicely with each scene and there are even times when you can feel some profoundness, making certain moments more special in a hearty way. One last pleasant thing from this show is the playful opening and warm ending. Both are tuned with a catchiness that really fits what this show is all about.

So, in the end, Tamako Market didn't hold back in attacking me with a lot of cuteness. While the simplicity does get bland at times, it's still a show that knows how to please, like a welcoming community. And it has mochi too! Maybe it'll make you want to eat one after every episode.

Tamako Market, a not-so-Cinderella story of an unlikely girl in an unlikely place following a snapshot of her life as the mochi maker's daughter. With a 12 episode season, Tamako Market makes for a fairly quick snack.


Story 6/10:

Tamako Market follows Tamako Kitashirakawa (say that 5 times fast) through her daily life after she has a run-in with a particularly narcissistic bird named Dera Mochimazzi. Her day to day life includes her after school activities as a baton twirler, greeting and talking with every shopkeeper in the market district in which she lives, conversations with her friends and family, and helping her father run the family ... mochi shop. The story doesn't go anywhere for a long time but as you're introduced to characters it becomes more clear the direction it's heading.


Art 10/10:

There's something to say about Kyoto Animation and their ability to make everything so sickeningly sweet. The masters of moe put more skill into the OP than a lot of 2 cour series have, and that is not an exaggeration. The characters are cute, the animation is fluid and the eyes peer into your soul and manipulate your emotions. I've noticed that every time I come back to watch something from KyoAni the first two episodes I get so dizzy and nauseous from the amount of in-betweens, the camera pans, and general flow of animation. I've come to call this moe-tion sickness.


Sound 8/10:

The OP is like a parade and gets you excited before the more relaxed, yet still bouncy pace of the show kicks in. The background music is often silly but emotional scores can be heard through the use of the record store when it's needed.


Character 6/10:

Tamako is....basically Yui Hirasawa, if not a slightly more competent Yui Hirasawa. Her interests and mindset pretty much revolve around the market district she's grown up in and that's basically her character. She's oblivious to the romantic affection of those around her due to being coddled by the entire market district and while she herself feels a great amount of affection towards everyone around her it becomes clear that this will not be a love story early on. Her father attempts to raise his two daughters will the help of their grandfather due to her mother's long since passing, and across the street lives the rival mochi shop owner with his son Ooji. The various shop owners of the district aren't given much more depth, but the few of Tamako's friends that the story introduces you to are fleshed out to a believable level.


Enjoyment 8/10:
Overall 7/10:

You'll like Tamako Market for a unique setting and quirky characters, but it is far from a revolutionary tale or a stand out piece in slice of life. If you like Kyoto's character designs or animation it's definitely worth a watch, but there are moments where the series is just boring, where the tone shift doesn't work, and the resolution after the climax felt really weak. Despite this I found it to be an enjoyable experience more or less.

Tamako Market revolves around the day-to-day life of Tamako, the daughter of a mochi maker who lives in a tight-knit market community. It's a wholesome anime about community living, friendship and solidarity. It creates a very cozy atmosphere, one that is so simple and innocent that it makes you wish you lived there. By all metrics this is a dyed-in-the-wool moe anime with broad appeal to all audiences. It's what I would describe as a slow burn, it's very laid back and takes its sweet time developing the characters.

The cast is simple but interesting. Tamako is a polite, sweet girl (although a little dense when ... it comes to romance). She's the centerpiece of this anime. Over the course of the anime the viewer is introduced to her family and the community surrounding her, but the main focus is on Tamako and her close friends and family.

The story is simple, meandering, and if i'm being honest, a bit underwhelming. The first episode of this anime kind of gives off a different vibe than the rest of the episodes. It kind of gives the viewer the wrong idea of what to expect from this anime. Despite that, I think people will still enjoy it.

There are episodes that seem to indicate development of a subplot (in particular, the romance plot between Tamako and Mochizo is brought up often) that ultimately don't really go anywhere. If you're expecting much in the way of character development or romance you probably will be disappointed.

The art in particular was something I enjoyed. The animation is fluid and pleasing on the eyes and I love this particular art style. It reminded me of K-On! but there are some subtle differences that set it apart.

Overall, Tamako Market is a very light, laid back, wholesome and simple anime. Although it doesn't really contribute anything new to the moe anime genre, it's still quite well done. If you don't mind watching a slower-paced anime that doesn't really have much plot or character progression then you'll enjoy Tamako Market. I give it a solid 8.

***This is a spoiler free review***

In our world today, most people turn to anime for over the top action or thought provoking thrillers (Dragon Ball Z, Death Note, Naruto, ext.) but there is something that anime has brought that most people glaze over. Aria was one of the first anime I experienced as a child and while it contained a very slow paced plot (since it was a slice of life), it literally made my day watching it. It contained characters and music that were so in synch it made it such a unique watch. Years later we have Tamako Market which in a lot ... of ways mirrors what I loved about Aria.

Story: 6.5/10

In a slice of life anime, it is hard to get a large amount of appeal unless they rely on moe type stuff to get a large viewer base. While Tamako Market does have some moe elements, it is the very spot on pacing and character development in which Tamako Market in my honest opinion becomes a spiritual successor to Aria. Both shows follow a small cast of characters on their daily routines while also taking place in a seemingly conflict free world in which they are free to do whatever they fancy. Both shows also bring out the question, “What do I want to do in life?” Both Aria and Tamako realize by the end of the show what and where is their true calling. Since all the show does is follow the main characters, you might think it would get boring real fast. Well you are wrong on that front because the character interactions are all funny and/or engaging. The character Dela who is a bird who talks usually steals the spotlight in the scenes he takes place in since he is usually both the starter and resolver of conflicts due to his all mighty personality. The anime does rely on some gag type comedy but nothing is overused beyond their usage. One recurring gag is when someone sneezes on Dela, he takes it as an act of courting since it is such an action in his home country. The plot does start out a little slow in the beginning but the show steadily brings in new elements to add towards the final episode. While it isn’t the most thought provoking plot, you will still hopefully enjoy the interactions between the characters.

Animation: 7/10

The animation is a little lacking but by no means horrible. The colors are on the plain side but in terms of the actual animation the show does a really good job of keeping a smooth frame rate especially on the scenes where there are objects in motion. Character models are nice throughout the entire season; nothing really else to add.

Sound: 9.7/10

So I happen to be very much into acoustic qualities and how it affects film. A lot of people do not understand how an amazing score/soundtrack can really make something shine. Visuals are important but it is the sound that makes your chest shake during an explosion or the emotions you feel when a character is crying and the voice actor is doing a great job expressing the in-film character’s emotions. In the case of Tamako Market it happens to be all of these things but the music takes the main prize. The music used in this show is light, cheerful, and used perfectly in all the scenes. The opening song is also amazing as it is catchy and has great instrumentation. The soundtrack is so good that I plan on buying the OST when it comes out.

Characters: 9.5/10

Slice of life shows HAVE to have a good cast or it goes to sh!%. Unless you have a show like Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei that has a character for literally every possible situation, your limited size cast has to provide scenes that are pleasing to the audience. In my honestly opinion, I think that the characters of Tamako Market did an astounding job providing thirteen funny and enjoying episodes of goodness. All four high school students (plus the bird Dela) do an excellent job interacting with each other in both mundane and unique ways. The scenes where Mochizou and Tamako talk to each other from their rooms using the two cups connected by a string reminds me of my youth when that seemed like the cool thing to do. The interactions between Mochizou and Midori were interesting to watch since Midori is overprotective of Tamako and Mochizou is so fu#$ing clueless about girls. The star Dela really brought the show together with his personality and lack of knowledge. I don’t want to sound fanboyish but I am having a hard time trying to find anything wrong with the cast. I am pretty sure that anyone who watches this show will enjoy the characters.

Overall: 8.2/10

This show is not going to appeal to everyone. Many people including myself are getting fed up with the anime industry’s push for more and more slice of life anime with a heavy emphasis on moe. It seems as if studios are becoming more reserved on making a new amazing action adventure or thriller type anime. When Fate/Zero came out it was a breath of fresh air because it was awesome, fresh, new. I want more anime that takes risks BUT in the mists of all the moe crap going on currently, something arose from the garbage and gave me something to look forward to each week. Tamako Market is the rainy day anime of the 2000’s. With an amazing soundtrack and cast, I honestly cannot think of any reasons why someone might not like this show. Don’t go into it thinking it is going to wow you with emotions and actions; just sit back, relax, and watch some youngsters live out their life. You might even laugh along the way.

Enjoyment: 8.4/10

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Sincerely,
Awesome Drummer

I went into Tamako Market expecting a heartwarming little adventure that's more about the journey than the destination in terms of story. I went into this to feel at ease, to not be expectant of anything and most of all, to relax.

Tamako Market very much delivered that for me.

The story, honestly, I really couldn't care about. Hell, it seems like even the anime doesn't care all that much considering the only person related in any meaningful way to the plot for most of the series seems to be a talking bird. Even the ending to the main plot was quite predictable and lackluster.

Dera was ... not really a character I was able to give a shit about unfortunately. I initially did like his whole royal speak shtick, but that got tiring very fast. This also applies to all the other members of the whole royal family thing. They just weren't interesting enough to care about.

But goddamn, I just loved watching the daily life of a girl who lives in a close knit community market. It embodies all the beautiful parts of such places very nicely, the atmosphere was fun and cheery. It made me want to be a part of such a community.

That being said, however, in the interest of showing how some things don't change, the anime ended up not really evolving the characters either. Most of the relationships between the characters didn't change all that much, which saddens me, because I wanted to see how that would affect the other members of the market.

Tamako as a character is charming enough to warrant watching through the series. I do wish they explored more of her personality as she remained this cheery, upbeat happy person throughout the series without any real emotional moments except towards the end.

I'm not saying that I wanted to see her cry or anything, but it would have been nice to see that she too is a person with complex emotions and thoughts that don't all consist of mochi and cheeriness.

The music is really nice and one specific track really made me invested to the character of Tamako's dad since he seems to show much more of his vulnerabilities that Tamako ever did.

Art style of course is beautiful. I especially love the way Anko is drawn. SO CUTE!

Overall, I just love the vibe of this anime man. It's heartwarming and relaxing enough for me to overlook it's flaws and just enjoy it for what it is. I'd recommend this anime to anyone going into it for similar reasons to mine.

I'm only 2 episodes in, and this is an ongoing, but I just want to say a few thoughts that are on my mind as I'm watching this. As of right now, the story is nothing special, it seems almost vignette in nature. The episodes are set apart by a month, and the episodes seem to be separated by holiday. I'm not sure of the significance of this, but so far it's an okay way to tell the story.

Tamako, her father, the bird, and Mochizou seem to be the only interesting characters as of yet. The other two girls, Kaana and Midori seem to be ... only cardboard cut outs for Tamako to have beside her as "school friends." That seems to be okay because the series' main focus as of now is to point out how special Tamako is to the shopping district and everyone around her. I don't know why she's so special yet as she's a stereotypical, lovable, moe character, but I'm sure as I watch more there will be more of a rhyme and reason as to how that is.

On top of that, the series is using K-ON!'s popularity with the art style to draw potential viewers in. The art style is gorgeous, I'm not going to lie, but the style is so copied that the series seems hardly original, and looking at comments on episodes, they are already comparing the characters to characters from K-ON! I fear that this series is only trying to piggyback on the success of the moe that is K-ON! and may fail in the story department as a result of attempting to replicate the popularity of another show. Will the story get better? I'm not sure, but as of right now things look a little cloudy for Tamako Market. I'll keep watching for sure, as there are some loose ends that will be interesting to see tied up, but as of right now I fear that this happy moe train will crash into K-ON! fandom and not stand alone as it's own anime.

If you came for the plot and thought that made it a bad anime, you're an idiot. Slice of life has never needed to prove it's worth by showing a grand story line or drastic character development in the run time of the show, which is why I think Tamako market and slice of life in general is a niche market for anime enjoyers and why it's pretty hit or miss for those who don't exactly invest hours into watching cute girls pound mochi, the bottom line is: it's a matter of taste.

Tamako Market has somehow taken something mundane and turned it into something ... interesting and eye opening. I've been to Japan once and I've never really put much thought into the family like dynamic in the street markets around Japan. But Tamako Market has managed to capture that spark and bring it to life through the show in an interesting way, which is one of the reasons why I stayed until the end and never once felt bored.

The characters were diverse in variety although shallow, but that didn't matter as I think it played it's cards right in terms of showing how people at the market act. People know each other, but it's ok to not know everyone at a conceptual basis and the show makes that clear right from the start with the clique character traits that were established into the supporting cast.

The show takes course over a year or so, and during that time we see people settle in, we see people living life, enjoying what life has to offer and we also see characters develop over that time and get over some of their annoying traits. Dera was a character I didn't really like as he was annoying as fuck in early episodes and only cared about himself. But as we see more of him as he grows fond of his newfound family, we see his character shape into a different persona through the influence of the people around him. The show takes it's time letting the audience settle in along with the characters and I think this was all thanks to the great mind of Naoko Yamada and her amazing way of portraying life through mundane things.

8/10
Amazing show and I want to live in a mochi shop

Tamako Market is a sweet show, incredibly sweet, sometimes even overpoweringly sweet. Accordingly it is something you have to be in the mood to view for the show to really achieve what it sets out to do.

Perhaps the best way to watch Tamako Market is to go in understanding what it is promising instead of expecting to find out along the way. I probably would have gone into Tamako Market expecting either a character driven light comedy like K-On, or from the first episode a light urban fantasy style show. However, it really is none of those things and does not really try to ... be it. Tamako Market is ultimately a show about a place and its goings on; in essence it is about the atmosphere of the market which I think recontextualizes its title a lot.

It is unusual, and frankly difficult, for a show to announce that it is about the atmosphere it is creating. Often it is just something that people are supposed to realize and it is rarely the central focus. Admittedly, since most slice of life shows centre around their characters in a setting, it is the default assumption that Tamako Market would naturally be about that. That line of thinking leads us to expect that Tamako Market be about its cast of characters attempting to achieve something related to the market. Alternatively, if the market is solely just a back drop and ancillary to the plot, then it must be about how our characters interact.

Tamako Market does not focus on either of this and instead keeps a sort of 'Wes Anderson-type' heightened reality. It's characters remain grounded in the sense that while whimsical in presentation, their development is never quite pushed beyond something reasonable to real life. There is no plot or narrative that compels them to reveal deep seated things about them. What we get is what we could reasonably see from people who spend a year of their ordinary lives together. Yet despite this, there is still a whimsical sense of wonder from the market, even though for the entire show it is business as usual for them. While Tamako is our main character and there is clearly a core cast, it is very much the atmosphere that they collective create and inhabit that is the shows main goal. Even its 'overarching' plot, if one wants to call it that, is about the effect change can have on their community instead of what change means to the cast as individual characters.

I had originally intended to give Tamako Market only a 7 until I watched its 9th Episode. That is when I realize started to see how well the show could handle atmosphere. It is a short delve into the pass of Tamako's father that somehow feels both happy and melancholic. This balance was incredible with the atmosphere of a sweet market community being maintained while bringing back the idea that there are still tragic things that can happen. It may not be a grand narrative or a particularly unique nor complex one, but it is in its tonal and atmospheric execution in which Tamako Market shines.

Ultimately, Tamako Market is a show that you watch to see a location overflowing with sweetness and whimsical charm. Its characters are better seen as part of a greater whole than in standard show where their individual development is the point of the narrative. Watching Tamako Market knowing that it is about a premise and its atmosphere instead of plot and characters is how you will enjoy it. In that sense Tamako Market is an exceedingly good show for what it attempts to do. I think its main drawback is that it, though understandably, does not communicate this very well throughout its run.

This is a nice anime if you're not looking for a lot of depth of story or character. The characters themselves are nothing special, it's the character interactions that really make the difference, as they are heartwarming and honest. The real star of the show bar none is Dera. He's the source of pretty much all that's funny and he adds a "magical" flair to the show. The story itself is "there" but not really. What I mean by this is that, while the reason of Dera's presence (and later on Choi) influences the overall theme, it doesn't really have a presence in the episodes ... themselves (it doesn't even really come into effect until the last two or three episodes). Rather, they are about Tamako and the residents of her little market and how they interact- and Dera. There is no real resolution and most everything, other than just one thing really, is left open-ended, as is to be expected with this kind of show. I would recommend this anime to anyone that has some free time and is looking for something cute, funny and heartwarming to watch.