Uchouten Kazoku (The Eccentric Family)

Kyoto has been populated by groups of tanuki and tengu for years, living alongside humans who are oblivious to the existence of these creatures. Yasaburou Shimogamo is the third son of an influential tanuki family who spends his carefree days taking care of an old tengu, observing humans through his ability to shapeshift, and dealing with the mysterious woman named Benten.

Behind the peace and tranquility, however, is a painful memory from long ago as Yasaburou's father, head of the tanuki community, was killed and eaten by a group of humans known as the Friday Fellows. Uchouten Kazoku follows the trials and tribulations of the Shimogamo brothers as they struggle to avoid their own grisly demise while coming ever closer to unraveling the truth behind their father's death.

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Adaptation:	Uchouten Kazoku
Sequel:	Uchouten Kazoku 2

Nishiji, Shuuya
Japanese

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Staff

Horikawa, Kenji

Producer

Saitou, Shigeru

Producer

Sakamoto, Kousaku

Producer

Yoshihara, Masayuki

Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

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Opening Theme

"Uchouten Jinsei (有頂天人生)" by milktub (eps 1-10,12)

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Ending Theme

	1: "Qué Será, Será (ケセラセラ)" by fhána (eps 1-11)
	2: "Uchouten Jinsei (有頂天人生)" by milktub (eps 13)

Reviews

Mar 24, 2022

pumpkinboy

Recommended

It's hard to believe I haven't heard about this anime from anyone else because after watching this, I'm just so thoroughly impressed. Uchouten Kazoku must have one of my favorite story and characters pretty much ever. To start, the storyline is kind of run-of-the-mill, but the absurdity and quirkiness throughout the show is really well done, and it reminds me of those mystical yet well-grounded stories I read in Mushishi. It's just a really good and entertaining setting to unravel a story with. Next, each of the brothers are well made, unique, and complete characters. There's lots of nuance and history behind each character, and ...

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Sep 15, 2020

LovelyTekki

Mixed Feelings

I am sorry, I really wanted to like this one. Why does a unique show with a beautiful aesthetic, great music, and some really good ideas, have to be brought down by a seriously uncomfortable romance and a story that fails to deliver?

The Eccentric Family follows the story of a family of tanukis, on a mission to uncover the secret of the father's death at the hands of humans. Now I will say that the one aspect I liked about the cast of characters is that the tanuki family felt very tight knit, like a true family. They are, well, weird, but that doesn't change ... their love for each other. In that aspect, the show did something right.

Also, giving credit where it's due, it really isn't like anything else. and the visuals, as I mentioned, are beautiful. The scenery always looks vibrant and inhabited, the animation is well executed, and the action sequences felt impactful. The music fit the moods and were very well orchestrated.

Now, the show runs into it's major issue when a bland and downright unhealthy "romance" is brought into play. Benten was a downright frustrating character, and every moment she was on screen detracted from my enjoyment. She gets everything her way, she forces herself on the main character, she proudly kills tanukis constantly, and yet the narrative doesn't frame her as a bad person at all. Yasaburo acts like such a doormat that he actually was ok with her, someone who kills tanukis and would love to do the same to him. I even felt that at some moments, the show sexualized this aspect of her personality, which was even worse. She gets no sort of consequences for anything she does, and we are supposed to accept it because "that's the way the world is".

Well, it would have been a much more interesting story if Benten actually challenged how she treated tanukis after meeting Yasaburo, but season 1 doesn't appear to have that at all, and the story delivered here did NOT make me want to watch on. Or better yet, not have a romance subplot at all! Romance doesn't need to be in absolutely every story, and The Eccentric Family's failed attempts at making me want to ship a mass murderer of tanukis with a tanuki is a prime example of a story that didn't need a romance. Even if they had taken the gloves off and made her a full villain instead of someone who constantly does bad things and yet is somehow sympathized with way too much by everyone else, the story would have been better.

So in short, when I watch this show, I get disappointed by what could have been. Maybe if you can handle the badly-written romantic subplot, you'll get more enjoyment out of it than I ever could.

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Jan 25, 2021

Harem_lover94

Not Recommended

I was onboard with this anime at first. I "got it", the tanuki are carefree, and they accept being eaten by humans. I understand that people adapt to the realities of their lives if it is all normalized by their society. I got all that. HOWEVER, I stopped getting it when they Tanuki react to their trials and tribulations as would any normal human being, except when it comes to being vengeful or hateful.
I understand that many Japanese people believe that being hateful is wrong, but hatred and vengeance is a staple of human society, the reason is purely evolutionary. It exists in all creatures, ...

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Poll: Uchouten Kazoku Episode 11 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Sep 15, 2013	83 replies	by blinddig »» Mar 8, 1:54 AM
Poll: Do you think the series will get a s3? Vamp_Lord - Oct 28, 2023	4 replies	by InNeedOfAName »» Oct 30, 2023 6:30 AM
Poll: Uchouten Kazoku Episode 5 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Aug 4, 2013	95 replies	by i-loathe-sasuke »» Sep 10, 2023 6:26 AM
Poll: Uchouten Kazoku Episode 4 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Jul 28, 2013	104 replies	by i-loathe-sasuke »» Sep 10, 2023 5:25 AM
Poll: Uchouten Kazoku Episode 3 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Jul 21, 2013	105 replies	by i-loathe-sasuke »» Sep 9, 2023 4:27 PM

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Shimogamo, Yasaburou

Shimogamo, Yajirou

Shimogamo, Yaichirou

Shimogamo, Yashirou

Benten

Ebisugawa, Kaisei

Shimogamo, Tousen

Akadama

Shimogamo, Souichirou

Ebisugawa, Kurejirou

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Uchouten Kazoku

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