Tabi Machi Late Show

It's pretty great to think about the impact a simple and petty show can leave on you. Tabi Machi Late Show is one show that relies on the most basics of art to convey four short stories based on goodbyes and journeys. Stories of source of inspiration, an encounter missing on a proper goodbye, a sad tale of innocence and friendship and a life-long teacher showing her grateful farewell to the children are represented in a very unsophisticated but delightful manner. Tabi Machi Late Show isn't a show that'll leave you bewildered after its finished, but if you are willing to take a portion of ... your time into watching this then I'm sure it will make you appreciate how beautiful life is.

While it consists of 4 short episodes, the theme of “goodbyes and journeys” is conveyed thoroughly. There are different angles in each episode, but every one of them shows how one’s life takes a turn for a new tomorrow, however happy or sad that is.

Are they original? Not really. Are they great? No. Does that mean they are bad? Again, the answer is no. However cliché they may be, they succeed in bringing up the right kind of feeling when watching this. They focus only on certain parts of a situation, letting easily the viewer surmise the surroundings and thus, make the whole scene feel ... whole. The stories vary and not all of 4 are of the same quality, mainly because of the time restrictions, for which episode 2 ends with the short end of the stick, as it used up its time with needless silent moments and abrupt scenes.

The characters are simple people with simple, yet important, life events, such as deciding on a trip or just returning home and they all hold some kind of meaning. Evidently, they do not have any actual character development, but with seeing even only some thoughts of theirs, it is easy to understand who they are as a person and what they feel. They are relatable and realistic enough in their situation.

The animation is almost non-existent, as there are basically pictures in slow motion, but that does not ruin the experience. The colors are warm, the art is clean and easy on the eyes and, although there are not many details, it fits. If anything, I think this style gave it a more nostalgic feeling. The sound has nothing really special about it. The whole concept is a smooth and quiet experience, so there is barely any shouting and the sounds, as well as everyone’s voices are calm and puts the viewer in a tranquil state.

Overall, is it worth it? For its duration it delivers pretty well, so I would say yes. Nevertheless, it depends on the current mood too. As previously said, this is a short, cliché and uncomplicated series of events and needs the viewer to join the atmosphere fast and this does not always work. Personally, I was easily caught up in their stories and had a fun ride.

Not your average anime, but it has short episodes and only 4 of them, so take some time to see why I like it so much!
The 4 stories are very different, only slightly connected, if at all? But while the art style(s) and animation are sparse? The writing and characters are rich! Voice acting and sound are outstanding, in just a few minutes you're connected to the characters, and ride along on the "feels train" with them.

It earns a 10 for not being 'average' and for taking chances. Perhaps not for everyone, but if you prefer story over flash? Thinking over action? Take a ... moment to enjoy these 4 tales which touch your heart. I highly recommend it!

Tabi Machi Late Show can handle emotional story-telling much better than full-length anime because it is not the individual characters that we care about, but the universal feelings the characters, and their time on-screen, represent.

The emotions that build up, that are communicated, that get left behind as we say 'good bye' to the people or places which we spend our time, is the main theme of these shorts. And in 30 minutes this theme is explored in every aspect of each short. With incredibly simple animation, interesting character design, deliberately spaced out dialogue, and melancholic music it is obvious that each episode is crafted ... to make one feel a certain way. Of course each episode has its own story to tell, but it is always a variation on the main theme.

One thing which is very striking is how effectively each short can communicate information to us by either saying very little or showing us the right image at the right moment. There is good visual story-telling here.

The shorts themselves increase in emotional content as they play out. The first two episodes are slow-moving with the emotions ranging from bittersweet to regretful. The final two amp up the kind of thing which is obviously supposed to illicit an emotional reaction in the viewer. I think it worked. Emotions of the final two shorts deals with finding closure in different ways and starting anew.

Well worth the investment, as the payoff vs. time-spent is higher than average.

[This review contains very minor spoilers.]
I am glad that I watched this.
I would definitely recommend this to others.
I have watched this once, subtitled.
I will probably watch this again.

---- Positives ----

The art is great.
Much of the art has a rough paper texture background. Backgrounds look like watercolor while characters are more solid. This made it pleasantly easy to distinguish focus-elements from background-elements, while both types of art looked good.
...
Each episode successfully introduces new characters, tells a story, and wraps up.
Each episode progresses well. I liked the decision to have each episode be a separate story. The alternative, trying to tell a long story over multiple short episodes, is challenging, though that doesn't stop other series from trying.

The episode topics were nice.
The four episode topics were all about partings and encounters, but were different enough to make each episode interesting.

The third episode was amazing.
Won't write more on that because the first-time effect would be diminished.

---- Negatives ----

If you like having everything explained in detail, this may not be enjoyable for you.
Because the episodes are short, it helps if you're able to recognize character/story patterns, or if you can relate to the characters' positions. If you watch the first episode and aren't familiar with the "I'll go on a journey and come back even greater than my mentor/master/teacher" pattern nor the "I'll be waiting here for your return" pattern, and you're neither interested in cooking nor the value of amazing food, you may not find the episode interesting. The episodes in this series seem to expect some basic relatability or pattern recognition from the viewer, possibly because there isn't enough time to explain things fully [though also possibly as a deliberate artistic choice].
Opportunity for cancel: Maybe, depending on who you are. I enjoy not being fed all the details, so for me this series was enjoyable.

The movement frame count is very low.
The character-movement-related animation in this series consists of dissolves.
Opportunity for cancel: Yes. I thought this was fine. Actions and emotions were still conveyed very well, especially when complemented by the great use of sound effects and great voice acting.

There are pauses.
Characters will sometimes pause for a decent amount of time during a conversation.
Opportunity for cancel: Yes. The pacing of the conversations fits the overall feel of the series. Also, resisting the temptation to rush a short-length episode series pays off, I think, in masking just how short the episodes are. When series rush their short-length episodes, it only draws attention to their short length, even though the intention is assumedly to fit more scenes into the limited time - in other words, it backfires.

Tabi Machi Late Show is a little waif of an anime, taking less than half an hour to finish all 4 episodes. Though, despite the brevity and sheer simplicity of the experience this anime offers, it still manages to deliver some real emotional substance, much more than what I was expecting from such a fleeting show. In this way, I'd liken it to a sweet scent on the wind, the way it comes into one's life from who knows where, and blows away in an instant, nonetheless making that moment that something imperceptibly more than it otherwise would have been. I must begin with this ... show's strongest aspect by far, the story. Comprised of 4 short vignettes centered around the concept of hellos and goodbyes, the stories are well-paced and compelling, though it really shines with the last two episodes, which are poignantly emotional in ways the first two aren't. These two episodes in particular are a real credit to this anime, as there are multi-season productions that can't do in dozens of hours what Tabi Machi Late Show does in less time than your average lunch break. Unfortunately, nothing else about this anime is nearly as strong. While the art direction is quite pretty, rooted in these quiet watercolor backgrounds, it is scarcely animated at all, resembling something more like a slideshow most of the time. Indeed, everything but the backgrounds comes off as rather amateurish, and at times even sloppy. The sound is better than the art, but still unremarkable, with the voice acting and soundtrack both meeting all the basic standards of quality. The characters are great fits for their individual stories, but they only receive as much characterization as is strictly necessary, which sometimes makes certain characters feel a little flat. Of them, my favorites are Sakurada and Matsuzaki, not only because they're both from the final episode which is a very strong showing, but also because they received some of the best characterization during their time on-screen, playing off each other very well. Overall, Tabi Machi Late Show is an endearing, imperfect little OVA that's well worth the negligible time investment required to watch it.

Tabi Machi Late Show is an anime that is structured around the theme of goodbyes and journeys. All 4 episodes consist of themes of aspiration, adolescent emotions, loss, and ending and beginnings. For as short as these stories are, they are relatable. Despite there being little to no animation I really like the art style it is drawn like a story book I feel like simplicity can be a good thing but that varies from person to person. The music also accompanies each of the scenes very well and brings out the emotion. Overall I would definitely recommend this anime it is worth the time.

A perfect way to spend thirty minutes. In only four episodes, Tabimachi Lateshow accomplished its goal to explore "journeys and goodbyes" in bite sized chunks.

Each episode follows a different story. Thanking a mentor, high school drama, loss, and moving on in life are all explored thoroughly in seven minutes. Beautiful every time and even tearjerking in episode three, this anime proves how much can be accomplished in a short period of time. It's not perfect by any means, but is successful portraying how people's emotions impact their life.

We see a glimpse at the lives of every character followed. We are given enough to know ... their motivations, relationships with those around them, and get a small arc in the episode. The high school girls were petty but they never forgot each other. The young boy from episode three has an absolutely heart wrenching story which is told through visual story telling instead of spelling it out to the audience. The characters provide enough to give the story impact.

The animation is the most controversial part of this anime. It's a 1 fps slide show with basic character designs almost like a kids show. I personally don't mind it, and the style can add to the emotional impact of the story at hand. It could just as easily turn you off from the series, however.

The music was reminiscent of a flash game but in a good way. It was peaceful but not complex. It was gave the anime a good vibe without being distracting. The voice acting was pretty good, but these roles will mostly just fill spots on a resume.

I really enjoyed my time with this series. Being super short made it easy to watch in a single sitting and I recommend it to anyone who needs some sort of palate cleanser or break from the show they're watching. It's also good to chill out before bed or even fall asleep to.

Plot: 8.5/10
Characters: 7.5/10
Animation: 7/10
Sound/Music: 8/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall: 8.0/10